David, Ndapunikwa Desdelia2020-06-292020-06-292020-02David, N. D. (2020). A Feminist Stylistics Study of the Representation of Women in The Lion and the Jewel and The Trials of Brother Jero [Masters Thesis, Namibia University of Science and Technology].http://ir.nust.na/jspui/handle/10628/716THESIS PRESENTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ENGLISH AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS AT THE NAMIBIA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Supervisor: Prof Haileleul Zeleke Woldemariam 21 February 2020This study examined the influence that patriarchy has on society and how it has affected women’s representation in literary works. Thus, the study focused on a feminist stylistics study of the representation of women in The Lion and the Jewel and The Trials of Brother Jero. The sole purpose and reason of conducting this research was to examine and evaluate the representations of women in the selected Nigerian plays by Wole Soyinka using a feminist stylistics approach. Specifically, this research sought to achieve the following objectives: to examine how lexis is used to represent women in the plays, evaluate how syntax is employed to represent women in the plays, and lastly to compare and contrast the women representation through discourse in the selected plays. Soyinka’s plays are written to disclose and expose the subjugation of women by men as it is shown in The Lion and the Jewel and The Trials of Brother Jero. The conclusion of the findings is that women are represented through derogatory words and phrases which are connoting negativity and their sexual availability. Women characters in the plays are portrayed as sex objects for men as their bodies are reduced to different parts like hair, body size and breasts and this was not a case for the male characters as they were described and presented in terms of their appearances. As per the conclusions and findings, this study suggests that further research needs to be conducted for an effective improvement of representing women in literary works. It is also recommended that female and male characters should be given equal roles and it is imperative to employ the use of gender free language in everyday interactions.enFeminist StylisticsPatriarchylexissyntaxThe Lion and the Jewelsexismthe semantic derogation of womenendearments and diminutivesjokes and humourtransitivity choicescharacters and rolesfragmentation and focalisationThesis