BODIES FOR LABOUR, VOICES FOR RESISTANCE: A MARXIST FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF OPPRESSION AND DEFIANCE IN OGADINMA AND AND THEY DIDNT DIE

Using Marxist feminist theory, this paper explores the links between class and gender issues in Ogadinma by Ukamaka Olisakwe (2020) and And They Didnt Die by Lauretta Ngcobo (1990) by analysing how capitalist and patriarchal systems intersect in postcolonial African societies. Both texts demonstrate that women are central to structures that force them to labour hard, control their bodies, and limit their access to financial and social independence. By carefully analysing the texts with questions such as (1), which class-related issues do both men and women face in the selected texts? And (2) do their class circumstances influence the authors approaches differently? This studyaims to investigate how women navigate various forms of socioeconomic oppression. Analysis reveals that female protagonists face intersecting oppressions rooted in marriage, kinship, and state institutions, all of which commodify their labour and restrict their agency. Although men may benefit from gender hierarchies, they still endure economic hardships, which cause psychological issues and force them to adhere to traditional patriarchal roles. Their portrayals of resistance show that it develops gradually and manifests through subtle acts of rejection and efforts to unite within the community. The theory draws on Marxism and feminism, enriching the discussion on frameworks of inequality and various forms of resistance. It highlights how Marxist feminist theory helps explain the gendered effects of class issues. It emphasises the vital role African women writers play in theorising gender work and agency in literature.