In search of affirming identities and role models : a gender-sensitive re-reading of the Vashti and Esther characters in the book of Esther among the Mongo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract

The main question that this dissertation seeks to answer is, “If the character of Vashti on the one hand and that of Esther on the other are re-read from a gender-sensitive perspective which possibilities can the reading offer for the liberation and reconstruction of affirming identities for the Mongo women in the DRC today?” The study undertaken here challenges the fact that Mongo women of the DRC remain attached to their roles as wives and mothers which is viewed as a hindrance to their self-definition. The two characters Esther and Vashti from the book of Esther are examined in light of the experiences of Mongo women using the bosadi (womanhood) approach to deconstruct and problematize oppressive ideologies in the biblical text as well as in the Mongo context. It is argued that Vashti and Esther are not opposite characters but should be viewed in the light of each other as complementary characters. Despite the positive examples that the two women offer, both characters also offer oppressive possibilities for modern DR Congolese women. Therefore, they do not fully represent ideal role models for Mongo women in their efforts to affirm their identities.