Volume 1, Issue 4, August-2018: 69-75

International Journal of Current Innovations in Advanced Research ISSN: 2636-6282

Polygamy in So Long a Letter: A Misunderstood Concept?

Maina Ouarodima
Literature in English, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
Department of Modern European Languages and Linguistics
Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: This paper examines the issue of polygamy as expressed in So Long A Letter by
Mariama Ba. This is because the way so many researchers perceive the concept of polygamy,
as expressed in So Long A Letter, is quite debatable and even controversial. What is
problematic is not that many critics, whom I have read on So Long A Letter, have negative
opinions on the issue of polygamy, as it is their right to challenge the issue from a given
angle, but that these critics do not even bother to distinguish between the tenets of polygamy
as a prescribed God‟s Law and its abuse by some men before attacking it. Then, an
examination of the issue, in the novella, would seem to indicate that the marginalization of
Muslim women within polygamy is not the outcome of polygamy as a prescribed God‟s law
but the ignorance of its practice. That is certainly why, Ba proposes education to investigate
the difference between Islamic principles and cultural practices. In other words, Ba has made
clearer in the novella that the greatest enemy for women is not polygamy but ignorance. As a
result, to free women in a society with history of abuse of religious prescriptions passes
through providing a sound education for both men and women. Finally, since every research
is a result of discussions, in examining polygamy in So Long A Letter as a misunderstood
concept, the researcher, tentatively, applies the theory of Reader Response Criticism.
Keywords: So Long A Letter, Polygamy, feminist Aesthetics

Citation: Maina Ouarodima. 2018. Polygamy in So Long A Letter: A Misunderstood

Concept?. International Journal of Current Innovations in Advanced Research, 1(4): 69-75.
Copyright: This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction
in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Copyright©2018;
Maina Ouarodima.

Introduction
The advent of female literature promises woman‟s view of life or woman‟s experience.
Learning on scholars such as Terry Eagleton, Edward Said, and Vladimir Propp, Darah
(2008: xvii) foregrounds his presentation with the affirmation that „„the literature of every
community reflects in its totality the values and counter-values that characterize that
community in a given period.” Since any given writer is a product of his or her milieu and
culture, it follows that the developments that take place within a society constitute the raw
materials for the writer‟s works. This relationship between text and context, certainly,
pervades Africa and its literature at the turn of the twentieth century. These changes in the
rethinking and rewriting of the general societal problems are, according to Nwapa, “affecting
both men and women in many ways and creative writers are responding” (Tejumola and Ato,
2007:529).

As every research is the result of discussions; within the discussions, many researchers are
tempted to think that Mariama Ba has taken polygamy to the trial bench, or else, that her
novella So Long A Letter is nothing more than a criticism of Polygamy. What is more, as said

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earlier, most of those researchers do not even bother to distinguish between the tenets of
polygamy as a prescribed God‟s Law and its abuse or misinterpretation by men to satisfy
their selfish desires. Yet, in So Long A Letter, the abuse or misinterpretation of religious
recommendations by developing hypocritical strategies to attain men‟s selfish desires and to
justify their biased actions is what Mariama Ba is denouncing on the pages of her novel in an
Islam dominated Senegal.

Instead, this paper aims to reflect that Mariama Ba is not against Polygamy as it is practiced
within the Islam dominated Senegal; rather, what she portrays, in So Long A Letter, is the
misunderstanding or abuse of the precepts of polygamy, by the patriarchal society of Senegal,
which victimize women. What is quite unquestionable is that as women write in a largely
patriarchal environment where the woman is not positively recognized, the African women
writers have a number of perspectives to consider in the course of creating a literature that
pays attention to the socio-cultural position of women.

Thus, the main objective of this paper is to find out how other researchers view polygamy as
expressed in So Long A Letter, what are the limitations of those perceptions and, finally,
bring out the contribution of this paper to knowledge as Wangusa (2007:82) points it out
either, “ to create some new synthesis out of already existing information, or to throw new
light on previous findings, or to take one step further a matter that has already been observed
and studied but which leaves room for improvement, or even „ filling in the gaps.”

An overview of Reader Response Criticism

Reader Response Criticism gained prominence in the late 1960s, particularly, in the US and
Germany with scholars such as Norman Holland, Stanley Fish, Wolfgang Iser, Hans-Robert
Jauss, Roland Barthes… In opposition to the theories of formalism and New Criticism, in
which the reader's role in re-creating literary works is ignored, Reader-response criticism is a
school of literary theory that focuses on the reader. For reader response criticism adheres to
the principle that everyday readers can produce right interpretations. The Theory believes that
a written text is an event that only occurs within the reader. Accordingly, Tyson (2006:170)
writes: “Reader-response theorists share two beliefs: (1) that the role of the reader cannot be
omitted from our understanding of literature and (2) that readers do not passively consume
the meaning presented to them by an objective literary text; rather they actively make the
meaning they find in literature.”

Also, though there are many approaches within the theoretical branch of reader-response
criticism, they are all unified in their belief that the meaning of a text is derived from the
reader through the reading process. That is, since all readers bring their own emotions,
concerns, life experiences, and knowledge to their reading, each interpretation of literary
work is therefore subjective and unique.

Contrary to popular belief, reader-response criticism is not an anything goes theory; instead it
is a theory that uses specific tools that help us analyze our response and the response of
others. That is since learning or reading is a constructive and dynamic process, most
importantly, reader response encourages readers to be aware of what they bring to texts as
readers. In other words, it helps them to recognize the specificity of their own cultural
backgrounds and to work to understand the cultural background of others. In sum, the diverse
responses of individual readers are key to discovering, in this paper, the variety of possible
meanings that the concept of polygamy, in So Long A Letter, can provide.

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An Overview on Polygamy
One of the major thematic foci of Mariama Ba‟s So Long A Letter is polygamy. Polygamy,
according to the Online Oxford Dictionary, is “The practice or custom of having more than
one wife or husband at the same time.” The online Dictionary.com has made the definition of
polygamy even more specific and close to Islamic principles when it defines it as “the
practice or condition of having more than one spouse, especially wife, at one time” (italics
mine). In Islam, the Holy Qur‟an allows any Muslim, under certain conditions, to marry up to
four wives if he wishes: “Mary women of your choice, two, three or four but if ye fear that
one shall not be able to deal justly( with them) then only one (Ali, 1983:100).” But, the
quotation clearly implies that a husband must give his wives equal consideration in the house
(at least materially).

It is pertinent to point out that polygamy is not basically an African thing as it cuts across all
continents and it is not exclusively associated with Islam as it cuts across most cultures. But,
unlike other cultures, Islam gives it more prominence and allows it limited room to flourish
and with predefined conditions. The point is that it is the misunderstanding of Islam not
Islam, itself, that plays a great part in the saddening of polygamy in So Long A Letter.

For instance, Nnolim‟s (2009:223) depiction or justification of polygamy as “native to Africa

as foofoo and couscous” mimics the all too familiar excuse given by Mawdo Fall, in So Long
A Letter, to justify his marriage with Binetou. That is, in So Long A Letter, the marriage
between Modou Fall and Binetou is interpreted by many people as predestined by Allah. The
Imam, introducing Modou‟s wedding to Ramatoulaye, begins as such: “There is nothing one
can do when Allah the almighty puts two people side by side… Modou Fall…is to marry a
second wife today” (Ba, 1989:36-37). In this sort of situation neither the man‟s lustfulness
nor the new wife‟s greed is blamed, but fate.

It is then clear, from the above, that in the society of Mariama Ba, women are not given due
consideration either due to ignorance or abuse of the principles. To speak in such a term to
Ramatoulaye who has been married to Modou for twenty five years and blessed with twelve
maternities is quite hypocritical and it is an attempt to force Ramatoulaye to accept Modou‟s
action as a normal procedure. Tamsir even reinforces by reporting what Modou has said: “it
is fate that decides men and things: God intended him to have a second wife, there is nothing
he can do about it” (Ba, 1989:37). Ayayi (2005:261) notes that what Mariama Ba seems to
highlight, through So Long A Letter, is that institutions like family and religion “ have the
potential of being used as a powerful instrument of prejudice, suppression, discrimination
and, hence, division and instability.”

As for Masri (1996:101), polygamy “should not be for the mere satisfaction of passion, it
should serve a real purpose in the life and meet a justifiable need of the individual or society,
such as the case of compassion towards widows and orphans.” In So Long A Letter, after the
death of Modou, when Tamsir announces his intention to marry Ramatoulaye, the latter
responds to him: “What of your wives, Tamsir? Your income can meet neither their needs nor
those of your numerous children. To help you out with your financial obligations, one of your
wives dyes, another sells fruits, the third untiringly turns the handle of her sewing machine”
(Ba, 1989:58).

In fact, in such a foregoing condition, marrying one more wife is to debase women. That is
why, in So Long A Letter, Mariama Ba bestows Ramatoulaye with discernment to be able to
distinguish between good and bad. Even in the Qur‟an, the Muslim holy book, the immediate

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occasion for the promulgation of the verses on polygamy was in the aftermath of the Battle of
Uhud, in the early seventh century, when the Medina Muslim community was left with many
orphans, widows, and a number of captives of war. Even in such a condition, before engaging
into polygamous marriages, one should be able to feed, to house, to provide clothes for the
family and mainly to have fairness in his character to deal justly with his women. Habib
(2005:1) has even made it clearer that no one can be free and enjoy complete freedom by
“succumbing to the endless forces operating worldwide that encourage us to remain
ignorant…” That is, as men keep to the role of women within marriages, they should also
look at the corresponding duty of husband. This is what complementarity requires and what
the whole struggle of Mariama Ba is about in So Long A Letter.

The above analysis proves that the Senegalese society is not only patriarchal but also
materialistic and that people are often hypocritical in their actions and reactions. Ayayi
(2005:272) has made it clearer that even “The mourners [during Modou‟s funeral] are more
concerned with the material benefits to be derived from such an occasion than in the welfare
of the bereaved family.” It is a society where culture and religion are used as a camouflage of
the reality.

As a result, Mariama Ba takes time to explore the circumstances, the pressures and the
deprivations that their characters suffer in order to soften the societal conscience so that the
societal scales of justice could shift toward the correct balance. In other words, Ba seeks to
restore women‟s dignity in polygamous marriages. For instance, Ramatoulaye, in So Long A
Letter, stays with her husband Modou despite that the latter has taken a new wife; despite the
pressure of her own daughter who asks her to break after his marriage with Binetou: “Break
with him, mother! Send this man away. He has respected neither you nor me. Do what Aunty
Aissatou did; break with him” (Ba, 1989:39); despite the prediction of Farmata, the cowries‟
woman, to leave her husband so that she would get a better man. This is because
Ramatoulaye knows that: “…marriage is never smooth. It reflects differences in character
and capacity for feeling” (Ba, 1989:55).

The above assertion is enough to be an indication that Mariama Ba, the writer, is not against
polygamy, as many researchers tend to prove, but, as said earlier, against what turns women
in polygamous household to be “ decorative accessories, objects to be moved about,
companions to be flattered or calmed with promises” (Ba, 1989:61). Rather, after twenty five
years of marriage, Ramatoulaye decides to stay with Modou when he marries Binetou, a
much younger girl who was her daughter‟s friend. When Modou abandons her for Binetou,
Ramatoulaye assumes the upbringing of their twelve children but stays legally married to him
until his death, the landmark event after which she writes the letter. Otherwise, she would
have made her protagonist, Ramatoulaye, leave her husband, Modou, or claim for divorce,
after the latter has taken a second wife.

Selected Review On Polygamy In So Long A Letter

As said earlier, in this paper, every research is a result of discussions. Thus, within the
discussions of So Long A Letter, many researchers are tempted to think not only that Mariama
Ba is a radical Feminist, but also and mainly that, in So Long A Letter, she radically stands
against polygamy, which is an institution deeply rooted in Africa and recommended by Islam,
one of the greatest religion in the world and much dominant in West Africa.

More specifically, since the publication of So Long A Letter, Mariama Ba‟s prime literary
masterpiece, many scholars, both men and women, have made criticisms of her work at

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different levels, at different times and with different approaches. But, to keep this paper
within reasonable limits, we only refer to few scholars.

To begin with, Davies (1986:273) in the article “Marriage, Tradition and Woman‟s Pursuit of
Happiness in The Novels of Mariama Bâ” supports that Mariama Ba “was convinced that
happiness and not just women‟s happiness, but men‟s as well, a whole happiness- must be
based on a monogamous marriage.” However, our reading of Mariama Ba‟s So Long A
Letter, proves that, according to Mariama Ba, unhappiness in Muslim polygamous family is
due to the ignorance of the basic tenets of Islam and, as a result, she suggests education as a
means by which to clear the minds of both men and women from distortion.

Also, according to Champagne (1996:26) who, in the U.S, examines the struggles of the
female students in a classroom, there is a connection between Radical feminism and
Ramatoulaye‟s struggle to free herself from the yoke. Champagne remarks: “As properly
trained Western feminists, students saw their role as one of championing Ramatoulaye's
attempts to free herself from both her backward and oppressive culture and the confines of
Islam.” For Champagne, Mariama Ba, through her representation of Islam and polygamy, has
made it possible for Ramatoulaye to take both Islam and polygamy to the trial bench as so
many researchers on So Long A Letter tend to prove.

On the contrary, our reading of So Long A Letter offers a counter argumentation. That is,
Mariama Ba is not anti-Islam and that what she exposes in So Long A Letter is women being
victims of traditions and wrong interpretations of Islam rather than the limitations of the
prescribed God‟s Law. In other words, Ba‟s main preoccupation in So Long A Letter is more
of the pursuit of happiness, when certain conditions are fulfilled, than an outright attack on
polygamy.

The paper by Reuben (2014), entitled “So Long A Letter: Understanding the missionary
Narrative of a Polygamous Victim” presents polygamy as a great societal challenge to the
African women. In the article, it is presented as an evil. Reuben concludes his article as
“another effort at educating and soliciting the collaboration of the global community in the
fight against polygamy” (Reuben, 2014:27). However, our reading of So Long A Letter does
not enable us to see polygamy as evil as Reuben does, but reveals the contrast between the
teachings of the Qur‟an and the application of its principles which portrays the gross
distortion of the teachings of Islam on polygamy.

Panirao (2014:174), in a paper which deals with the analysis of some famous African women
writers among whom Mariama Ba, and in the quest to find out elements which have lessened
the position of African women towards self-fulfillment, supports that:

…even though the women in Mariama Ba's story were Muslims they were all against
polygamy. Regarding Ramatoulaye, one finds it difficult if it was the second marriage that
made her bitter or her husband's treatment. In all three scenarios of polygamy (Ramatoulaye
and Modou; Aissatou and Mawdo; and Jacqueline and Samba Diack) the husband's treatment
of the first wives, after taking on another wife, was appalling resulting in emotional distress,
divorce and nervous breakdown and subsequent death, respectively, for all the women
involved.

However our reading of So Long A Letter reveals that Ba is not critical of polygamy if its
rules and regulations are respected. As a result, what she denounces is male‟s behaviour

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based on sexual instincts. In the novel, Ramatoulaye supports that “It is through his self-
control, his ability to reason, to choose, his power to attachment, that the individual
distinguishes himself from the animal”(Ba,1989: 87). The foregoing quotation better calls for
discernment in whatever action one undertakes (including polygamy), rather than total
rejection.

Similarly, Aswani (2015), in a paper entitled: “Religion, Tradition and Woman: Mariama
Ba‟s So Long A Letter”, points out that religion and tradition have created a favorable
condition for men to subjugate women, both in the societies and in the literatures. As a result,
she proposes her reading of So Long A Letter with special reference to religion (Islam),
tradition and customs as reasons for inequity between men and women, mainly through
polygamy. However, our reading of So Long A Letter, supports the view that even in Islam,
polygamy is based on certain rules and regulations that if they are known and applied
conveniently, they favor pacific coexistence and mutual understanding. That is certainly why,
in So Long A Letter, Mariama Ba proposes education as a solution to free women from the
yoke. In short, Critics have extensively discussed the issue of polygamy in So Long A Letter
and have quite mentioned it among the most fundamental elements that are considered to
marginalize women. That is certainly why it is worth taking a look at the issue of polygamy,
in So Long A Letter, and have a rethink.

Conclusion
Mariama Ba‟s So Long A Letter is most often used as a basis for highlighting the negative
effects of polygamy on women in Africa in general and in the Muslim context of Senegal in
particular. But, our examination of the issue, in the novella, indicates that the marginalization
of polygamous Muslim women, in So Long A Letter, is an outcome of ignorance. The latter
could be alleviated by advocating a sound education, for both men and women, to investigate
the difference between Islamic principles and cultural practices. In other words, it is clear to
Mariama Ba that the greatest enemy for women is neither the male nor the institution of
polygamy but ignorance.

In sum, the main issue, in So Long A Letter, is not about the criticism of polygamy as a
prescribed God‟s law, but men‟s polygamous instincts that result in the abuse of Islam,
betrayal, infidelity, lack of trust and abandonment which disgrace women. Ba‟s aesthetic
strategy, in So Long A Letter, seems to say that there is, certainly, a need for change within
the community. Women are human beings who should not be abused within polygamous
family, but should be admired for their dignity. She intimates that though polygamy is sacred
to culture, tradition and religion, fairness should predominate in a polygamous relationship.

Finally, Ba‟s didacticism is that in order to achieve a meaningful purpose in life, every
woman and indeed every man in the world must be educated. Equal treatment of persons in
equal situations will contribute greatly to the eradication of injustice. What is more, equality
is the cornerstone of every democratic society which aspires to have social justice. The
foregoing message is certainly what Mariama Ba reverberates on the pages of her novel, So
Long A Letter, rather than an outright attack on polygamy.

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