UNIVERSITY OF MAIDUGURI
Maiduguri, Nigeria
CENTRE FOR DISTANCE
LEARNING
ARTS
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
ENG 224:
2
MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
UNIT:
ii
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
Published
UNIT: 2
2009©
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in
any form, by mimeograph or any other means without prior
permission in writing from the University of Maiduguri.
This text forms part of the learning package for the academic
programme of the Centre for Distance Learning, University of
Maiduguri.
Further enquiries should be directed to the:
Coordinator
Centre for Distance Learning
University of Maiduguri
P. M. B. 1069
Maiduguri, Nigeria.
This text is being published by the authority of the Senate,
University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri – Nigeria.
ISBN:
978-8133-
iii
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
P R E F A C E
This study unit has been prepared for learners so that they can
do most of the study on their own. The structure of the study unit
is different from that of conventional textbook. The course writers
have made efforts to make the study material rich enough but
learners need to do some extra reading for further enrichment of
the knowledge required.
The learners are expected to make best use of library facilities
and where feasible, use the Internet. References are provided to
guide the selection of reading materials required.
The University expresses its profound gratitude to our course
writers and editors for making this possible. Their efforts will no
doubt help in improving access to University education.
iv
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
Professor M. M. Daura
Ag Vice-Chancellor
v
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
HOW TO STUDY THE UNIT
You are welcome to this study Unit. The unit is arranged to
simplify
your
study.
In
each
topic
of
the
unit,
we
have
introduction, objectives, in-text, summary and self-assessment
exercise.
The study unit should be 6-8 hours to complete. Tutors will
be available at designated contact centers for tutorial. The center
expects you to plan your work well. Should you wish to read
further you could supplement the study with more information
from the list of references and suggested readings available in the
study unit.
PRACTICE EXERCISES/TESTS
1. Self-Assessment Exercises (SAES)
This is provided at the end of each topic. The exercise can
help you to assess whether or not you have actually studied and
understood the topic. Solutions to the exercises are provided at the
end of the study unit for you to assess yourself.
2. Tutor-Marked Assignment (TMA)
vi
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
This is provided at the end of the study Unit. It is a form of
examination type questions for you to answer and send to the
center. You are expected to work on your own in responding to the
assignments. The TMA forms part of your continuous assessment
(C.A.) scores, which will be marked and returned to you. In
addition, you will also write an end of Semester Examination,
which will be added to your TMA scores.
Finally, the center wishes you success as you go through the
different units of your study.
vii
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
Modern African drama refers to the writing of playwrights from the continent.
It is important as student of this course to understand the meaning and source of
modern African drama And discuss some example of this drama, i.e. THE
STRONG
BREED
BY
WOLE
SOYINKA;
THIS
TIME
TOMORROW BY NGUGI WA THIONGO; THE GODS ARE NOT
TO BLAME BY OLA ROTIMI; and ANOWA BY AMA
ATA
AIDOO
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
1
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
ENG 224:
UNIT: 2
MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNITS: 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES
PREFACE
-
-
-
-
HOW TO STUDY THE UNIT
-
-
-
-
-
iii
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
iv
INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
1
TOPIC:
1:
SOURCE
MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA: DEFINITION AND
3
2:
THE STRONG BREED BY WOLE SOYINKA
-
-
3:
THIS TIME TOMORROW BY NGUGI WA THIONGO
-
11
-
7
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
2
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
4:
THE GODS ARE NOT TO BLAME BY OLA ROTIMI
-
15
5:
ANOWA BY AMA ATA AIDOO -
-
-
-
19
SOLUTION TO EXERCISES
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
3
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
TOPIC 1:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES
1.0.
TOPIC:
MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA: DEFINITION AND
SOURCE
-
-
-
-
-
-
3
1.1.
INTRODUCTION -
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
1.2.
OBJECTIVES
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
1.3.
IN-TEXT
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
1.3.1 DEFINITION AND SOURCE
-
-
-
-
4
1.4.
SUMMARY -
-
-
-
-
-
6
1.5.
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE -
-
-
-
-
6
-
-
-
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
4
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
1.0. TOPIC:
UNIT: 2
MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA: DEFINITION
AND SOURCE
1.1
INTRODUCTION
Modern African drama refers to the writing of playwrights from the continent.
It is important as student of this course to understand the meaning and source
of modern African drama.
1.2 OBJECTIVES
At the end of the topic, you should be able to :
i.
Define drama
ii.
Explain the influence of oral tradition on modern African drama.
1.3
IN – TEXT
1.3.1 MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA: DEFINITION AND SOURCE
Drama is a form of performance where actors impersonate the actions and
speeches of fictional or historical character for the purpose of entertaining and
educating the audience. It is usually expected to represent stories that show
situations of conflict between characters.
On his part, Amuta (1989:155) says “Drama as either literature or as theatre
has been compelled to display a sense of commitment” he further gives an
instance with West Africa where earlier works of drama were mostly
dominated by a certain preoccupation with the metaphysical and supernatural.
(p.155). Examples of such plays that have pronounced supernatural presence
are: A Dance of the Forest and The Strong Breed both written by Wole Soyinka.
Etherton (1982) points out that drama has no precise definition. He gives
example with African drama as opposed to African dance and drama as an
intellectual discipline e.g a drama course.
Drama is also a genre of literature which is basically designed to be performed.
In other words, it is a play which is not just a description or discussion of
events from the real life but it is a re-creation of real life. The great
philosopher; Aristotle sees drama as “the imitation of an action.” Obviously,
drama makes use of language and ideas which include: movement, position,
gesture, facial expression and the use of customers.
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
5
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
The major purpose of drama like other genres of literature is to entertain and
educate the audience. According to Abah (1999:138), “drama is certainly the most
public of all the literary genres. Comparing drama with other genres of literature”, he
further says:
The poet and the novelist communicate with isolated or individual readers in an
essentially private enterprise. Though we sometimes read playscripts asliterary texts,
the playwright writes with public performance in mind.
P. 138
One can therefore conclude that drama means the “elegant imitation” of some
actions significant to people. This obviously involves performance by the
actors and actresses.
It is very significant to note that many works of African writers, especially
playwrights are therefore indebted to the oral tradition. In most contemporary
African drama, oral tradition constitutes a source of inspiration. This is due to
the fact that playwrights use the rich oral material to explore their themes,
images, characters, rhythms, expressions and so forth. In other words, in
relating their messages, these playwrights rely very much on oral tradition.
They have explored the various forms of African oral tradition with a view to
relating them to the way of life of their people and determining the extent to
which they from the basis of everyday existence of the people. In essence, the
extensive use of oral tradition means cultural transmission, a culture that
might have been discarded for so many decades by the younger generation.
It is through the use of oral tradition that African writers try to awaken their
people’s past in order to keep it fresh and alive in their memories. The use of
oral tradition therefore helps in reshaping the people past which would have
been otherwise neglected.
On the modern African drama, it is important to understand that there is a
connection between modern African drama written in languages the colonial
languages - English, French and Portuguese, and the theatre of African oral
tradition. The authors of modern African drama draw their inspiration from
oral performance drawn from the tradition of the people; both in terms of
form and content, the techniques and themes or the style and the ideas
expressed in the plays.
On a general note, we can say that the contemporary playwright relied much
upon such varied oral genres: myths, epic, history animal tales and popular
comedies and fairies. They explore these genres in order to enrich their literary
works.
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
6
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
Traditional African theatre is oral rather than the written texts which modern
Africa drama is expresses this religion disposition in various festivals, rituals,
recitation of myths and legends, story telling, (folktales). These occasions are
characterized by music, song, dance which involves sometimes everybody in
the village, use or marks and costumes.
Because of this, some scholars call the traditional African theatre, “total
theatre”. African playwrights, especially the earlier generation, grew up being
familiar with the practice of traditional African theatre, the total theatre. Their
western education exposes them also to the western theatre practice. Their
plays are therefore, often a hybrid. The combine some elements of western
theatre tradition with elements of African theatre practice.
1.4 SUMMARY
In this lecture, the definition of drama and modern African drama has been
discussed. The importance of oral tradition to African writers more especially
playwrights is also highlighted. Oral materials such as myths, epic legends,
animal tales etc. are sources of inspiration to the African playwrights. They use
these materials to enrich their literary work
1.5 SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.6
Define drama.
Give the definition of drama by Aristotle.
Mention 2 examples of plays that have pronounced supernatural
presence.
List six elements used in staging a play.
REFERENCES
Abah, O.J. “Drama as an instrument of Human Resources Development” in
Attah, M.O.(Ed) (1999) The Humanities and Human Resources Development
a Book of Reading. University of Maiduguri Press
Etherton, Michael (1982), The Development of African Drama. Hutchinson
University Library London
1.7 SUGGESTED READING
Abah, O.J. “Drama as an instrument of Human Resources Development” in
Attah, M.O. (Ed) (1999) The Humanities and Human Resources
Development a of Reading. University of Maiduguri Press.
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
7
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
Etherton, Michael (1982), The Development of African Drama. Hutchinson
University Library London
TOPIC 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES
2.0
TOPIC: THE STRONG BREED BY WOLE SOYINKA
-
7
2.1
INTRODUCTION -
-
-
-
-
-
-
8
2.2
OBJECTIVES
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
8
2.3
IN-TEXT
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
8
-
8
-
2.3.1 THE STRONG BREED BY WOLE SOYINKA
2.4
SUMMARY -
-
2.5
SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
2.6
REFERENCES
-
2.7
SUGGESSTED READING
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
10
-
-
-
-
10
-
-
-
-
-
10
-
-
-
-
-
10
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
8
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
2.0 TOPIC:
UNIT: 2
THE STRONG BREED BY WOLE SOYINKA
2.1 INTRODUCTION
As we have earlier mentioned in our previous lecture, African writers more
especially playwrights use a lot of traditional materials to explore their themes.
Soyinka’s The Strong Breed is a play that uses the carrier ritual as a medium of
vision in Nigerian drama. ( Egharevba, 1987)
2.2 OBJECTIVES
At the end of this topic, you should be able to:
i.
Discuss the themes of the play
ii.
Point out the significance of the carrier actual in the society as
presented in the play.
iii.
Examine the fatalistic nature of the play.
2.3 IN-TEXT
2.3.1 THE STRONG BREED BY WOLE SOYINKA
According to Oyin (1975), the main preoccupation of Soyinka in The Strong
Breed is the making of a scapegoat and his carrier in a contemporary African
community. At the beginning of the play, an annual end of rejuvenation ritual is
about to take place in community “B” where the main character, Eman now
settles down as a local dispenser. The festival is a ritual carrier and it is the most
important feature of the people’s beliefs. In this community, the practice of the
carrier ritual is that the carrier chosen from among strangers who is to be
tortured, humiliated in whatever form and hanged on the New Year eve. The
idea behind this ritual is that before midnight, all the sins and filth of the
community during the past year are to be carried away to the river by the
carrier. In the community, there are only two strangers namely; Eman and
Ifada. The latter is an idiot who seems to be the choice of the community.
From the beginning of the play, however, we are made to understand that
Eman possesses the blood of the strong breed or the blood of the fore doomed
in his vein. This signals the audience that he will inevitably become the carrier.
Eman is the central character in The Strong Breed. The play is concerned with
certain religious observances in this rural community. Specifically, it is the ritual
of purification. At the end of every year, just before the new year sets in, at
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
9
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
midnight, certain ritual is performed to cleanse the community of the sins they
have committed during the out going year so that the community can attract the
blessing of their gods in the incoming year.
The community is metaphysical in disposition. This means that they see their
existence as determined by the goods and spirits and they make conscious
effort to be pleasing in their sight by performing various sacrifices and rituals.
This particular ritual of purification is performed by a carrier. At the appointed
time, the priest in charge of the ritual will prepare the carrier and they will go
round the village. At every compound by which he passes, they will hurl
rubbish at him. This symbolizes the evil they have done in the year just ending.
He collects the sins of the people by this means and carries it down the river in
a boat. If this ritual is done well the people feel a secure of relieve. If it fails, as
it does at the end of the play where Eman hangs from a tree, the community is
in trouble.
There are two different communities that feature in this play. Community A is
Sunma’s community. The play begins here about 6pm, the last lorry out of the
village is about to leave. It is the last day of the year and the ritual purification is
to be performed later that right. Sunma, who is the daughter of one of the men
in charge of this ritual in her village and also Eman’s girlfriend, is anxious for
Eman to go out of the village even if it is only for this right. Eman, on the other
hand wants to remain to witness this ceremony in this village where he has been
living for.
The play opens with Sunma intensely and desperately pleading with Eman to
leave the community but he seems to be tied and unable to escape the fate that
is to come. Eman’s response to Sunma’s statement that she had renounced his
father seems casual and normal. He says: “Renouncing one’s self is not easy surely you
known that.”(p. 126.)
When we relate this in relation to Sunma’s decision and in the light of his role
as a carrier it becomes significantly ominous. In a similar view, Eman’s
statement “I am very much my father’s son” (p. 126) leaves us with a profound
meaning when we realize that his father died as a carrier. We also notice that
when the effigy is eventually dressed in Eman’s “buba”, a visual image is
communicated to us giving us the suggestion that Eman is now in the sense, the
sacrificial victim.
Jaguna and Oroge with other executioners are responsible for carrying out the
purification rite on behalf of the community. They followed Ifada who escaped
into Eman’s house. Eman’s intention is to protect Ifada and subsequently
accepted to the role of the carrier.
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
10
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
Critics like Eldred Jones observes that the playwright uses “a fairly common
scapegoat ritual as a vehicle for a tremendous moral statement which … transcends setting”
Okpewho p.3.
2.4
SUMMARY
Soyinka’s The Strong Breed uses the carrier ritual as a purgation of society from
moral chaos, as a soul-searching method for a society that requires selfexamination Egharevba (1987). The central character is Eman who left his own
village to settle down as a local dispenser in village “B” this community uses
strangers as carriers who are responsible for cleansing the sins and filth of the
society. The ritual purification is an annual event where at the eve of every New
Year, the earlier undergoes all sorts of humiliation and at the end is drawn into
the river; this is done in order to usher in another new year.
2.5 SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE (SAE)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Name the central character of the play.
Mention the main theme of the play.
Who are responsible for the ritual performance?
What is purpose of ritual performance?
2.6 REFERENCES
Emenyonu, N. Ernest (1987). Critical theory and African Literature.
Heinemann: Ibadan.
Soyinka, Wole. The Strong Breed in collected plays. OUP: London,
2.7 SUGGESTED READINGS
Etherton, Michael (1982). The Development African Drama.
Hutchinson
University Library: London
Jones, Eldred. (1976) African literature Today Vol.8 Heinemann: London.
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
11
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
TOPIC 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES
3.0 TOPIC: THIS TIME TOMORROW BY NGUGI WA THIONGO
11
3.1 INTRODUCTION
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
12
3.2
OBJECTIVES
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
12
3.3
IN-TEXT
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
12
3.3.1 THIS TIME TOMORROW BY NGUGI WA THIONGO
12
3.4
SUMMARY -
-
-
-
-
-
13
3.5
SELF- ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
-
-
-
-
13
3.6
REFERENCES
-
-
-
-
-
13
3.7
SUGGESSTED READINGS
-
-
-
-
-
14
-
-
-
-
-
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
12
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
3.0 TOPIC:
UNIT: 2
THIS TIME TOMORROW BY NGUGI WA
THIONGO
3.1 INTRODUCTION
This Time Tomorrow is play written by Ngugi Wa Thiongo. The setting is a slum
area of an East African city. The action starts in a journalists office, then moves
to Njango’s shelter made up of rusting tins and rotting cardboard. The action
alternates between the newspaper office and the shanty or an entire lean- to that
represents a street market or a meeting place in the slum area called “Uhuru
market”
3.2 OBJECTIVES
At the end of the topic, you should be able to:
i.
Explain the themes of the play.
ii.
Make a critical analysis of the characters.
iii.
Mention the dramatic techniques employed by the playwright.
3.3 IN-TEX
3.3.1 THIS TIME TOMORROW BY NGUGI WA THIONGO
Like most African countries, Kenya gained her independence through a
struggle. The prolonged struggle war was known as “Mau Mau”. It was a war
which the Kenya masses heroically fought to gain independence from the laws
of the colonialists with hope to end exploitation, oppression and suppression.
In This Time Tomorrow, Ngugi portrays the masses’ disillusionment with Kenyan
Independence. The play focuses on the disruption caused to the lives of the
Kenyan masses after independence.
Ngugi Wa Thiongo is a committed writer who projects the plight of the
downtrodden in the society. Much of the play is spent dealing with the history
and background of those evicted from the Uhuru market. The play casts the
new black elites as oppressors, exploiters and adventurers who are only after the
luxury of Western culture and values rather than seeing to the betterment of the
peasants.
The play centres around Njango, a very poor middle-age women living in the
“Uhuru” market together with her daughter; Wanjiro. They sell soup to earn a
living. She becomes a window after loosing her husband during the Mau Mau
days. In her narratives to Wanjiro, she says;
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
13
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
Like the other men in the land,
He too, foolishly cried defiance
to the white man. He went to the forest.
Dedan Kimathi led them,
and may years they fought against
bombs and guns in the mountain
and forest. One day reports reached
us. Your father was captured.
They short him dead like a dog.
What has Uhuru brought to us?( P 191)
This statement above is in tune with Banham’s (1976:85) that:
This Time Tomorrow has a considerable attitude of anger and
disillusionment about it. Anger at the failure of the world to change since
independence from white colonialism, and disillusionment at the inability
of the people to obtain their right and dignity they
dreamt of.
The message is that the masses are still living in abject condition despite the
fact that they participated actively in the fight for freedom.
The stranger in the play is a character who is depicted as an “eye opener” due
to the fact that he tries to conscientize the Kenya masses on the need for
collective action against the decision of the city council. He was able to secure
some grace of time for the demolition of the Uhuru market.
The Tinsmith and the Shoemaker are also characters who are disillusioned
with the Kenyan independence. They fully participated in the struggle for
independence but to their dismay, it was a fruit less effort. This is due to the
fact that the independence did not result into the betterment of their lives. They
were able to find a place at the Uhuru market mending tins, and making
“pangas” , “jembes” and “braziers” but now with the city councils decision to
evict them, they have to however leave even though they have nowhere to fall
back to.
3.4 SUMMARY
Ngugi’s This Time Tomorrow depicts the peoples’ disillusionment with Kenyan
independence. It is evident in the play that the playwright offers a critique of
the Kenyan society; a microcosm of independent African states in a socioeconomic, political and moral decadence.
3.5 SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE (SAE)
1.
2.
3.
What is the central theme of This Time Tomorrow?
Who are the revolutionary characters of the play?
Mention six characters in the play?
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
14
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
4.
UNIT: 2
What is the major concern of Ngugi in the play?
3.6 REFERENCES
Bwala, Sunday Jijiya (2004). “Conscientization in Ngugi wa Thiongo’s This
Time Tomorrow” in Outreach: A Journal of research issue and ideas.
Ngugi wa Thiongo (1972) This Time Tomorrow in Cosmos Pieterse (ed). Short
African Plays. London: Heinemann.
3.7 SUGGESTED READING
Banham, M. and Clive W. (1976) African Theatre Today London: Heinemann.
Etherton, Michael (1982) The Development of African Drama:
Hutchinson
University Library: London.
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
15
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
TOPIC 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES
4.0
TOPIC:
THE GODS ARE NOT TO BLAME BY
OLA ROTIMI
-
-
-
-
-
15
-
-
-
-
-
-
16
4.1
INTRODUCTION
4.2
OBJECTIVES
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
16
4.3
IN-TEXT
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
16
-
4.3.1 THE GODS ARE NOT TO BLAME
BY OLA ROTIMI -
-
-
-
-
16
4.4
SUMMARY -
-
-
-
-
-
18
4.5
SELF- ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
-
-
-
-
18
4.6
REFERENCES
-
-
-
-
-
-
18
4.7
SUGGESSTED READING
-
-
-
-
-
18
-
-
-
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
16
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
4.0
TOPIC:
UNIT: 2
THE GODS ARE NOT TO BLAME BY OLA
ROTIMI
4.1 INTRODUCTION
The Gods Are Not to Blame is based on an ancient Greek play, Oedipus Rex
written by a famous playwright called Sophocles about 4th century B.C. Rotimi
adopts the plot of the play and gives it a Nigerian background by creating for it
a Yoruba setting with Yoruba characters. It is for this reason that we have
reference to some prominent Yoruba towns like Ede and Oshogbo, although
Kutuje, the main seat of action in the play, is an imaginary Yoruba city.
4.2 OBJECTIVES
At the end of the topic, you should be able to:
i.
Discuss the themes of the play.
ii.
Write short notes on the characters.
iii.
Explain the significance of the play.
4.3 IN-TEX
4.3.1 THE GODS ARE NOT TO BLAME BY OLA ROTIMI
The story focuses on a plague that breaks out in the land of Kutuje touching
virtually every family including the royal family and leading to general unrest
and despair. Divination reveals that the murderer of the former king Adetusa is hiding in the land, and that true peace and happiness may never return to the
land unless the culprit is fished out and expelled. The current king of the land;
king Odewale has been on the throne for many years and is set to fish out the
culprit. He swears by Ogun, the god of iron, to torture the murderer by pulling
out his eyes before expelling him as soon as he is found. Thus, he embarks on a
search out of a sense of duty and fear: the duty to restore health and happiness
to the land he governs and the fear of a possible plot against him especially as
he regards himself as alien in their midst. This suspicion is father heightened
when the soothsayer, brought to solve the riddle, identifies the king himself as
the wanted murderer.
King Odewale’s determined search for the killer of the former king gradually
builds up into a difficult and painful search into his personal identity. This leads
to questions about his birth, tribe and parentage. Subsequently, it leads to
unfolding of things which results into terrible dreams by the king. So far all
that he is aware of is that a curse hangs over him from birth and he is destined
to kill his father and marry his mother. For him to avert this curse, he runs away
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
17
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
from the supposed land of birth and finds himself in Kutuje where, after he
saved the people from frequent attacks by neighboring tribe and the people
decided to crown him king of Kutuje. Thus he becomes husband to the wife of
the former king.
In the prologue, there are at least three important aspects:
1. It is a detailed but compressed summary of the background events
which determine the course of action in the play itself.
2. All the major characters in the drama are introduced and the various
roles briefly suggested. These include Odewale himself, king Adetusa
and Queen Ojuola his parents, Baba Fakunle (the blind soothsayers),
Ogun priest, Gbonka, whose responsibility is to get rid of the child,
Aderopo, Odewales younger brother, and the narrator whose role is
confined to the prologue. Even the four children (two boys and two
girls) –Adewale, Adebisi, Oyeyemi and Adeyinka- born by Queen
Ojuola to King Odewale, are referred to in the prologue (p.8) the only
major character left out at this point is Alaka since the contact between
him and Gbonka is withhold to create needed suspense. The prologue
therefore parades virtually all the important characters.
3. Song, dance and mime are dramatic techniques used to accompany the
narration, while dialogue in largely kept out. Mime is action without
words. These devices enrich the play by bringing together the various
elements of theatre.
We can say that the various themes of the play include predestination, crime
and punishment, self – knowledge the vicissitude of life, power and honor as
well as well as ethnic hatred and ethic pride.
We can consider The Gods Are Not to Blame as a tragedy. A tragedy can be
defined as a play dealing with serious human issues, creating tension and
anxiety in the reader or the audience and usually ending in serious misfortune
for the protagonist arising partly from the workings of fate, largely beyond his
or her control, and partly from aspect of his character which is called his/her
tragic flaw.
Odewale the hero of the play is born with a terrible curse hanging over his
head that he will grow up to kill his father and marry his mother. To forestall
this terrible future revealed through divination, it is decided to destroy the
baby immediately by taking him into the bush and abandoning him in the in
the evil forest to die. Gbonka, the king’s special messenger is meant to carry
out this cruel act, takes pity on the helpless infant and hands him over to a
hunter from a distant land whom he happened to meet in the bush. The little
boy taken away to be brought up far away from his native land in the hope
that this would render the divine curse in effectual. The boy grows up to learn
of the curse, however. He mistakes his foster parents for his real parents and
decides to run away from the land he wrongly regarded as his native home to
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
18
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
avert the imminent evil. Ironically, his flight from his supposed home enables
him to run into his real father whom he mistakenly kills in the process of a hot
argument over a piece of land. His further flight from that crime takes him to
his native land where, after protecting the people against external aggression,
he is offered the vacant throne which automatically makes him to marry the
widowed queen, Ojuola. Unknown to them and the people, Ojuola happens to
be his real mother. Thus, the curse of the gods is fulfilled within the first thirty
two years of the hero’s life in spite of all the efforts made to avert it. Eleven
more years are to role by and a sudden out break of a plague in the land brings
him to the grim knowledge of the crimes he has inadvertently committed. He
imposes on himself the double punishment of blindness and banishment he
has earlier promised the murderer, and proceeds s on self exile with his four
unlucky children, who are, at the same time, his brothers and sisters.
4.4 SUMMARY
In this lecture, we have discussed The Gods Are Not to Blame as a tragedy. Two
main ingredients of tragedy can be identified in the play.
The first factor is the inevitability of fate over which the hero absolutely has no
control. Secondly, there is the issue of his own hot, ungovernable temper which
moves him to kill the old man who turns to be his supposed home.
4.5 SELF- ASESSNENT EXERCISE
1.
2.
3.
Define tragedy?
Mention the main themes of the play.
Who is the hero of the play?
4.5 REFERENCES
Rotimi o. (1971) The Gods Are Not to Blame Ibadan: Ibadan UP
4.6 SUGGESTED READINGS
Sliplay J. (1965) Guide to Great Plays Washington D.C P.A.Press.
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
19
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
TOPIC 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES
5.0
TOPIC: ANOWA BY AMA ATA AIDOO
-
-
-
19
5.1
INTRODUCTION -
-
-
-
-
-
-
20
5.2
OBJECTIVES
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
20
5.3
IN-TEXT
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
20
-
-
-
20
-
5.3.1 ANOWA BY AMA ATA AIDOO
5.4
SUMMARY -
-
-
-
-
-
-
21
5.5
SELF - ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
-
-
-
-
22
5.6
REFERENCES
-
-
-
-
-
22
5.7
SUGGESSTED READINGS
-
-
-
-
-
22
-
-
-
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
20
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
5.0 TOPIC:
UNIT: 2
ANOWA BY AMA ATA AIDOO
5.1 INTRODUCTION
Anowa is a play written by the famous Ghanaian playwright, Ama Ata Aidoo.
The play is basically concerned with the oppressed situation of women in a
patriarchal African society.
5.2 OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lecture, students should be able to:
i.
explain the themes of the play
ii.
discuss the purpose of the play
iii.
list the main characters of the play
iv.
list the dramatic technique employed by the playwright.
5.3 IN- TEX
5.3.1 ANOWA BY AMA ATA AIDOO
As earlier mentioned in the introduction of this lecture, Anowa is a play written
by the famous Ghanaian playwright, Ama Ata Aidoo. The play Centres
around Anowa, a beautiful girl who refuses to marry the suitors proposed to
her by her parents and later worries the hand some kofi Ako. Abah (1999:142)
states that “the play adopts the form of a folktale which is very popular
throughout the West African sub region”
The story is introduced by the device of chorus, and it is done in such a way as
to remind the audience that the play is not simply the story of Anowa, but has
implication on a far greater scale. Anowa’s great horror is of slavery and the
evils of one man possessing another. Her disenchantment with Kofi arises
from his activities in this area, even though they seem paternalistic and
generous.
The first of the play is set in Yebi where we see the love between Anowa and
Kofi both enjoying, themselves with joy and pride. Their laughter and joy
assist them in shrugging off the inquisitive couple who intrudes on them.
Abah, (1999) .It is in this phase one witnessed the budding love between Kofi
and Anowa.
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
21
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
The setting of phase two is the highway and here we are made to understand
that they are now engaged in a new life else where. This is a phase that focuses
on the relationship between kofi and Anowa. We see them working very hard
together to wake money. Kofi acknowledges Anowa’s contribution by saying:
Whenever we go, people take you
for my sister at first at first. They say
they have never heard of a woman who
helped her husband so. “Your wife is good”,
they say “ your sisters are only women you can
force to toil live this for you.” P. 27.
This is an evidence of the hard work Kofi and Anowa are doing to make
money.
Phase three is set in Oguaa in a palatial mansion Kofi has now built. This
mansion is indicating the excessive opulence of kofi. He has now possessed so
many slaves in her service. He is now the richest man in the area and
everybody talks about his wealth.
Anowa and Kofi start to trade between the coast and the hinterland. Initially,
they experience and share many hardship but were able to cone with the
situation. As time goes on, their trade propers and Kofi soon finds himself to
afford slaves so as to further expand business. This however is not Anowa’s
will because; she hates and opposes the idea of acquiring slaves. To Anowa,
buying of slaves – men and making do the work that they themselves should
do is not the best. To Kofi, however, Anowa’s idea is not in line with his own
needs.
Thus, he ignores her and continues with the business. From this point, their
relationship begins to diminish. Anowa refuses to share in his everaccumulating wealth and lives a pamper in their big house at Oguaa. Now we
understand that, husband and wife no longer understand each other because
they are unable to find a way of resolves their difference. Kofi also eventually
resolves to divorce her and send her back to her parents in Yebi but she
refuses to leave and wants to find out the reason why she is to be divorced.
She suddenly finds out that Kofi is important and people told her that she has
mad Kofi to be importance. Anowa knows that Kofi is impotent because of
purchasing of slaves which has devoured this manhood. Kofi realizes that the
embarrassed slaves and elders in their house have overheard their quarrel. He
goes out and shoots himself and Anowa drowns herself.
5.4. SUMMARY
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
22
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
5.5 SELF- ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
1.
2.
5.6
How is the story introduced?
Where is the setting of the play?
REFERENCES
Abah, O.J. “Drama as an instrument of Human Resources Development” in
Attah, M.O. (Ed) (1999) The Humanities and Human Resources Development
a of Reading. University of Maiduguri Press.
Aidoo, Ama Ata (1970) Anowa . Longman: Ibadan.
5.7
REFERENCES
Abah, O.J. “Drama as an instrument of Human Resources Development” in
Attah, M.O. (Ed) (1999) The Humanities and Human Resources Development
a of Reading. University of Maiduguri Press.
Aidoo, Ama Ata (1970) Anowa . Longman: Ibadan.
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
23
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
SOLUTIONS TO EXERCISES
TOPIC 1
1. Drama is the general form of performance where actors impersonate the
actions and speeches of fictional or historical character. According to
Amuta ( 1989:155) , “drama as either literature or as theater has been
compelled to display a sense of committed.”
2. Aristotle defines drama as “ the imitation of a action.”
3. a. A Dance of the Forest by Wole Soyinka
b. The Strong Breed by Wole Soyinka
4. a. movement
b. position
c. language
d. gesture
e. facial expression
f. customes
TOPIC 2
1.
2.
3.
Eman is the central character of The Strong Breed.
The major theme of The Strong Breed is making of a scapegoat and his
carrier in a contemporary African society.
Those responsible for the ritual performance are Jaguna and Oroge.
TOPIC 3
1.
The stranger is the revolutionary character.
2.
The 6 characters are:The Stranger,Njango,Wanjiro,The Shoe maker,
the Tinsmith,and Asinjo.
Ngugi’s major concern in This Time Tomorrow is to consceintize the
audience on their disillusionment with Kenyan independence.
3.
TOPIC 4
1.
2.
3.
Tragedy can be defined as a play dealing with serious human issue, creating
tension and anxiety in the reader or the audience and usually ending in serious
misfortune or even death.
a.
Predestination
b.
crime and punishment
c.
Self-knowledge
d.
Power and honour
Odewale is the hero of the play.
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
24
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
TOPIC 5
1. The play is introduced through the device of chorus in the prologue.
2.
The play is set in Yebi.
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
25
ENG 224 – MODERN AFRICAN DRAMA I
UNIT: 2
TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT (TMA)
1. Define drama and mention its main purpose.
2. Discuss The Strong Breed as a fatatistic play.
3. Discuss This Time Tomorrow as a revolutionary play.
4. What is Aidoo’s main concern in Anowa and how does she present it?
CDL, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
26