This paper explores the intersection of colonialism and patriarchy, focusing on the double oppression women face in Hanan Al-Shaykh’s The Story of Zahra and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. The study examines how both novels portray women as victims of dual subjugation—colonial domination and patriarchal control—while highlighting the ways in which these systems reinforce each other. Using postcolonial feminist theory as a framework, the paper analyzes how patriarchal structures, deeply rooted in cultural traditions, are further intensified by the colonial experience, placing women at the bottom of the social hierarchy.

The analysis reveals that, although colonialism is eventually dismantled at the political level, the enduring influence of patriarchy remains deeply entrenched within society, governing nearly every aspect of women’s lives. Both novels depict the physical, emotional, and psychological toll that this double oppression takes on women, often trapping them in cycles of violence and exploitation. The study ultimately argues that women’s liberation requires a dual revolution—against both the remnants of colonialism and the persistent grip of patriarchy—if true equality is to be achieved.