SELECTED WOMEN NOVELISTS' REACTION TO POLYGAMY AND LOVE

Abstract

Abstract Polygamy is defined by the The New English Dictionary and Thesaurus (Gedess and Grosset, 2000) "as the practice of being married to more than one person at a time. Other related notions are polyandry which is " the practice of having more than one husband at the same time; biqarnv is defined as "the act of marrying a second time when one is already legally married". In some cultures of the world some of these acts are defined as criminal while in others they are considered integral aspects of cultural heritage that should be preserved or still as religious practices that might or might nor be observed. The Christian religion teaches a one-man-one-woman marriage whereas Islam approves of a one-man-four-women marriage. It is the second marriage type that is referred to as polygamy; it is legally acceptable in the Islamic culture. This article is about the effects of the marriage types and how women are adversely affected when such relationships are devoid of love and the pain of hypocrisy when a clandestine love affair is discovered. In actual fact, both men and women suffer, but it may not be an understatement to say that women are more hard hit by the disappointment.