Exploring the Female Protagonists' Sexuality and Self-Identity in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God and Toni Morrison's SulaZadravec, Klara (Avtor) Mohar, Tjaša (Mentor) Black female sexualityBlack feminismMadonna-Whore ComplexTheir Eyes Were Watching GodSulaThe thesis examines two novels by African-American women writers, Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937) by Zora Neale Hurston and Sula (1973) by Toni Morrison. It focuses on the exploration of sexuality and self-identity of Black female protagonists in the novels and their place in patriarchal African-American society. Both novels are analysed within the historical context of the development of African-American women’s writing and Black feminism in the 20th century, which emerged as a response to double marginalisation due to race and gender. The theoretical part examines the key characteristics of African-American women's literature, the development of Black feminist thought and criticism, and Freud's Madonna-Whore Complex, which serves as a conceptual tool for understanding the male-female relationships in the novels. The analytical part investigates how the novels' female protagonists shape their self-identity through their relationships with men and strive towards personal and sexual autonomy. Janie, from Their Eyes Were Watching God, progressively rejects different kinds of patriarchal authority and ultimately finds her own self-identity and voice. Sula, from the eponymous novel, embraces sexual freedom and defies social norms, thus representing a radical rebel, the Whore, while her friend Nel is an example of a Madonna-like obedient wife. Both novels not only reflect the feminist ideas of their times but also actively contribute to their development and thus help consolidate the literary and feminist tradition of African-American women.K. Zadravec20262025-09-30 17:19:20Magistrsko delo/naloga95606UDK: 811.111(73).09-3:305-055.52:159.923.2(043.2)COBISS_ID: 285499651sl