International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences (IJELS) Vol-3, Issue-5, Sept - Oct, 2018 https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijels.3.5.27 ISSN: 2456-7620 www.ijels.com Page | 849 A Feminist Perspective in Ngugi Wa Thiong’s Novel “Petal of Blood” Ahmad Jasim Mohammad Alazzawi Assistant Lecturer, Mosul University, Iraq Ahmad.jasim11@yahoo.com Abstract — The present research paper attempts to bring feminist perspective in the work of the famous novelist Nugui Wa Thion g’o. It studies the nature of woman in one of his novels Petal of Blood. It deals with the geographical background of Kenya and the impact of British colonialism. It alsoanalysis the feminist aspects of the novel and the women characters in Petals of Blood are the victims of the patriarchal structure of the African society. Through Ngugi’s novel Petals of Blood, the reader comes across the fact that a woman can be a mother, politician, socialist, educator and provider of the family at the same time. Women like Nyakinyua and Wanja struggle hard against colonialism. They strongly desire to curb oppression and exploitation of Kenyan society. Ngugi shows British colonialism becoming responsible for the destruction of Kikuyu- Kenyan society. He strongly believes in women’s natural abilities and qualities. Most of his protagonists are women and they play roles in the struggle against oppression and exploitation. They try to break patriarchal barriers and bring changes in their society to liberate themselves. Nugui shows the nature of woman, he also throws the light on the positive and negative aspects of women in Kenyan society. Nugui doesn’t ignore the impact of colonialism on the society in general and women in particular in his novels”. Nyakinyua brings out the state of women and the plight of the poor. Thus, Petals of blood deals with the exploitation of the African women on the basis of race, class and gender. Keywords— Petals of Blood, British colonialism, African society. I. INTRODUCTION The history of human civilization obviously tells us that women were treated as inferior to men in spite of of their significant contribution in preserving and developing mankind and human civilization. Women were deprived of social, cultural, educational and artistic activities. That is why, throughout the history of humanity, writers have comprehensively dis cussed women’s issues . Aristotle in his book Politics says that by nature male is superior and female id inferior. Naturally, the male can be ruler while the female can be a ruled. Ancient Africans respected women and acknowledged their roles in the society.The present paper is an attempt to study the selected novels from a feminist perspective because a feminist interpretation establishes the point that women characters in their novels are active in preserving social, cultural, political educational and economic values in their societies. II. HISTORY OF FEMINIS M IN KENYA Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, was born in 1938, Kenya, East Africa. His first popular novel is Weep Not, Child (1964). As he became sensitized to the effects of colonialism in Africa, he adopted his traditional name and wrote in the Bantu language of Kenya’s Kikuyu people. African women were so active members in the struggle against colonial powers and were also fighting for better reproductive rights. African women movement reflects the cultural, social and political organization of the societies in Africa. Many evidences have suggested that the African history contains various examples of violence against women and male dominated. These evidences recommend that African woman movement reflects the traditions of organization that have categorized spiritual and material life in Africa. Woman in Kenya were well organized in work parties and in many social and welfare groups among the speaking communities. Nigerian Igbo women were managed as in numerous groups, wives and ladies associations and administered through women councils. Those groups cooperatively set sanctions on their husbands who do mistakes and show capable of prompting extensive civil trouble when they found their interests negotiated. As colonialism gained ground, some of the earlier women’s organizations and groups were redirected by missionary groups and colonial governments, often through volunteers with a degree of Western Education. Women used to gather and have a woman talk or women club to civilize African women, usually by instilling Western European Ideologies of home life and offering training in related skills. The women’s mov ement in Kenya has faced many challenges to gain equality in political, social