ORATURE IN MODERN AFRICAN LITERATURE USING: WOLE SOYINKA’S THE BEATIFICATION OF AREA BOY

ORATURE IN MODERN AFRICAN LITERATURE USING: WOLE SOYINKA’S THE BEATIFICATION OF AREA BOY

 

ABSTRACT

The contemporary African Literature is believed to be a revolutionary literature that looks critical  into contemporary social situations with a view of amending the wrongs therein.  However, no writer writes in a vacuum but within  the scope of human experiences, happening around him,  and particularly the  experiences he met on ground in his society.  This is the Orature of  his society.

The tool adopted  for this research was the sociological theory,  this is because it encompasses the way of life and experiences of people in a given society.  The  research made use of the stratified sampling method, where relevant texts were applied to the theory for analysis.

A number of discoveries were made in this research first, there would be no written literature without orature.  It was also discovered that there are no people, society or race without their inherent Oral traditions that distinguishes them.

Consequently, agreeable conclusions were  drawn on the relationship between Orature and the Modern African Literature.  We were able to view Orature as the founder of Modern African Literature.

In conclusion, the undeniable link between Orature and the Written Literature.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

Purpose of the Study

Justification

Scope of the Study

Methodology

CHAPTER TWO

Literature Review

Orature

Element in Oral Literature

The Concept of Orature in a Sociological Context

Background Information on Wole Soyinka’s

Modern African Literature

The Sociological school of Literature

CHAPTER THREE

Orature in Soyinka’s “The Beatification of Area Boy”

Some songs which portray the Rich African Culture

Superstitious Beliefs Among Africans.

African Ceremonies

Dramatic Elements in “The Beatification of Area Boy”

CHAPTER FOUR

Summary

Findings

Conclusion

Bibliography

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Modern African Literature is believed by some critics to be a transition form spoken words to the written form of it, especially in relation to the  expression of African beliefs and world view.  Thus, except for the language issue which alienates  Modern African Literature from its root, the experiences expressed therein remain essentially African.  To ensure the maintenance of African identity However,  deliberate efforts are made by writers to reach  the grassroots by switching over to vernacular as a more towards revolutionizing the contemporary African Literature, while some only limit their zeal to a full exploration of African values.

Furthermore, no definition of written literature can be said to be complete without a prior reference to its  origin in  whatever setting, be it, African or European.  The literature of a set of people does not emerge from a vacuum.  It is the fundamentals of a set of people that make up their written literature, whether these fundamentals are written or unwritten.  Therefore, it is erroneous to stress the written aspect of literature alone and ignore the oral aspect.  Whatever becomes written has been in existence in the unwritten form.  The general consensus is that, written literature  borrows some features form unwritten literature in terms of content and even style.

It is this situation, that is the  deployment of oral forms in the writing of Modern African writers that have become of interest to this writer.  hence, in this project, we intend to study the features of oral literature that may be present in Wole Soyinka’s “The Beatification of Area Boy”.

 

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

        Many  works have been done on Soyinka’s plays and the other genres of literature.  More particularly, this Beatification of Area Boy  but we  are not aware of a  particular one on Orature in Modern African Literature therefore, an in depth analysis of Modern African Literature which in fact forms the main principles of the entire play will be made so that readers can appreciate  the beauty of the work and understand  it better.

 

JUSTIFICATION

        The basis of this research work is to make clear the  relevance of  Oral literature  in Modern African Literature, using: Wole Soyinka’s “The Beatification of Area Boy” which seem  to have a number of oratory features embedded in it.  This  research work, is a worthwhile exercise because, oral literature has its origin  in the African literature which some critics regard has been non scholastic. Hence, this research work is going to make known its importance to the writing of the play, “The Beatification of Area Boy”  and then to the Modern African Literature at large.

 

SCOPE OF TH STUDY

This research work shall be restricted to examining oral literature in “The Beatification of Area Boy”  relating it to the Modern African Literature.  as many as possible elements of Orature found in “The Beatification of Area Boy”  that can be related to the Modern African Literature shall be pointed out.  As the research topic is Orature in Modern African Literature Using :  Wole Soyinka’s the beatification of Area Boy.  Some dramatic element in the Beatification of Area Boy shall also be considered.

 

METHODOLOGY

        The research topic  Orature in Modern African Literature using:  Wole  Soyinka’s The Beatification of Area Boy”  was  carefully selected by the researcher and intentionally combined as both terms  are some what interwoven, ie there’s no how Modern African Literature will be analyses without due reference to  orature which is more of an African act and which also forms the basis of the written literature.

This theory will highlight a number of oratory features that can be found in “The Beatification and its relation to the Modern African Literature.

The tool adopted for this research shall be the sociological school of Literature.

This theory is relevant since it encompasses the way of life, relationship and the diverse challenges faced by the people on a given society or community.

The researcher relies primarily on the relationship between the text and the society.  The stratified sampling method under the systematic method will be adopted.  This is because different characteristics available in the textual population which are Orature and Modern African Literature will be taken into cognizance, and applied for analysis, appropriately.

Relevant primary and secondary material sources will be used as instruments of interrogation.  This includes the use of library and other relevant and useful texts on the research topic, that the researcher comes across. modern african literature,beatification of area boy,african literature,modern african,beatification of area

Sharing is caring!