This paper investigates the contradictions surrounding the prostitute figure in Ngugi’s Petals of... more This paper investigates the contradictions surrounding the prostitute figure in Ngugi’s Petals of Blood (1977). The figure of the prostitute is a striking issue in Ngugi’s oeuvre. As a Marxist advocate, Ngugi writes about post-colonialism, anti-colonialism and anti-capitalism in his essays, novels and plays. Ngugi views romantic love as pure, hence not to be soiled or dirtied by material gains. This paper considers the question of material concerns in the romantic relationship through the way in which the prostitute is figured in Petals of Blood. By applying a qualitative descriptive method, the study will enter into a conversation with other African works, which explore intimate relationships in exchange for material benefits. In these contexts, material concerns do not devalue an idealised love, but are part of the love relationship. However, in Petals of Blood, Ngugi presents “transactional sex” as a means of financial survival among young girls in Kenyan society. In the novel, ...
In this article, I posit that Ngũgĩ’s oeuvre presents numerous instances of love, betrayal, and a... more In this article, I posit that Ngũgĩ’s oeuvre presents numerous instances of love, betrayal, and adultery. While love and adultery are limited to personal spaces, betrayal occurs in both the personal and political spheres in Ngũgĩ’s works. In the novel A Grain of Wheat, betrayals in the personal sphere are juxtaposed with betrayals in the political sphere. The betrayal within the political sphere has implications for the personal relations of the characters. Political ideals are betrayed by the complex and divided characters in Ngũgĩ’s narratives. The characters are not spared betrayal on personal and political levels. The personal and political betrayals thus are conflated and make it a critical area of study. This study seeks to emphasise that both forms of betrayal are crucial and the relationship between them is inseparable. The personal betrayal in Ngũgĩ’s A Grain of Wheat (1967) occurs in romantic relationships; more specifically, the betrayal is represented by adultery in marr...
International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 2013
Life in post - colonial Africa is characterised by a great deal of political disillusionment and ... more Life in post - colonial Africa is characterised by a great deal of political disillusionment and social corruption. The post-independence era of Africa is bedevilled with social corruption, autocracy, foreign-dominated economy, as well as the betrayal of human ideals among others. For the masses in many African countries, the post colonial era did not offer them anything too different from the colonial era itself. The only difference, however, is that their white colonial masters have simply metamorphosed into their own natives, the elite few, who have assumed control. In other words it is a period of change of batons where white colonial masters have given way, after independence, to black masters lording it over their fellow black men. To these black masses therefore, the dream of freedom after independence is simply a mirage. African writers can simply not ignore what they see around them and since works of literature are often inspired by contemporary issues, they began to write...
This paper seeks to espouse the philosophy of African culture specifically, Ghanaian by the expli... more This paper seeks to espouse the philosophy of African culture specifically, Ghanaian by the explicit use of language by the playwright. It is important that the works of writers be appreciated by readers and critics. The study analyses the literary stylistics of Sutherland’s play The Marriage of Anansewaa by focusing on the linguistic patterns and their communicative functions. It discusses linguistic foregrounding by analysing the paradigmatic associations that exist among the lexical items and their literary significance; this includes the use of linguistic parallelism in Sutherland’s ‘mboguo’ (songs) and her use of appellations. Finally, it unveils the dramatic techniques that create and heighten suspense and their aesthetic significance to literary discourse. The conclusion gives a reflection on Sutherland’s effective use of language and the aesthetic significance in projecting Ghanaian culture. Key words : aesthetic - culture - stylistics – linguistic foregrounding - paradigma...
International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 2013
The paper focuses on the relationship that exists between literature and culture through a critic... more The paper focuses on the relationship that exists between literature and culture through a critical analysis of Ama Ata Aidoo's The Dilemma of a Ghost and Anowa. This exercise has become necessary due to the misconception that some people usually have about literature and the way it relates to our lives. Thus there is sometimes the misconceived idea that literature is only imaginative, fictional, and creative but does not address issues related to everyday life. The paper corrects this misunderstanding about literature by exploring the literary qualities and cultural issues that have been highlighted by Aidoo in her two plays as well as relating such issues of mores and ethos to the Akan living culture.
In this study I focus on how Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s fiction portrays his socio-political vision thro... more In this study I focus on how Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s fiction portrays his socio-political vision through the prevalence of the intimate relationships it displays. The study critically analyses the significant role romantic love and friendship play in the novels The River Between (1965), Weep Not, Child (1964), A Grain of Wheat (1967), Petals of Blood (1977), Devil on the Cross (1982), Matigari (1987) and Wizard of the Crow (2006) against the backdrop of Ngũgĩ’s other fiction, plays and non-fiction. Ngũgĩ identifies himself as a Marxist, anti-colonialist/imperialist, and anticapitalist writer, for whom there is no contradiction between aesthetic and political missions. The aesthetic and political projects take form through the representation, very importantly, of romantic love in his fiction. The significance of eros, which is clear in the fiction, is not, however, present in Ngũgĩ’s theoretical reflections on his writing as formulated in his essays. In Ngũgĩ’s early novels, we see love ...
A great deal of African literature attempts to create Juvenal mirrors in addressing topical issue... more A great deal of African literature attempts to create Juvenal mirrors in addressing topical issues that confront aspects of society itself. Postcolonial African society is chararcterised with political, social, economic and cultural issues. These issues coalesce and impact positively or negatively in the lives of both the individual
and the community as a whole. It is against this backdrop that most African literary writers explore these issues by telling the stories of Africa and highlighting the potential threats the issues pose to the development of the society. This essay argues that Okpewho’s The Last Duty employs Juvenal satires in exposing the follies and foibles of the society. Okpewho presents detailed description of the inhuman and
devastating issues, including corruption, wickedness, dishonesty and injustices that bedevil the society. Okpewho employs the candour and perceptiveness of narrators and characters to depict the suffering and violence in African society. These pertinent issues Isidore Okpewho explores in The Last Duty parallel that of Decimus Junius Juvenalis’s themes classified as Juvenalian satires. The data of the study was collected based on textual approach which employed a qualitative analysis to generate interpretation. The study examines selected Juvenal themes such as Corruption, Cruelty Verses Compassion, The Luck of the Army, The Female Sex: Decay of Feminine Virtue and The Vanity of Human Wishes. This paper concludes that the position of the satirist on social issues such as corruption, greed, injustices and so on, emerges as global attacks which derive their continuing force from the conception of authoritarianism among leaders.
The gyil (Xylophone) is a tuned idiophone, the principal instrument for Dagaabas for both religio... more The gyil (Xylophone) is a tuned idiophone, the principal instrument for Dagaabas for both religious and social ceremonies. This paper examines the place of gyil genre in Dagaaba culture. This study unveils the rich cultural traditions of the Dagaaba people of Winneba and Kasoa in the Central Region of Ghana; an anthropological documentation formed an important part of the study. The contextual meaning of the composition used in this study was based on Akuno’s (1997) theory on social functions. Thirty-nine Dagaaba gyil folk songs were collected from traditional performers, through purposeful and snowball sampling techniques. Songs were recorded, transcribed and analysed for dominant traditional musical features. Rhythmic and melodic accuracy of the transcribed songs were ascertained by play backs using FINALE notation software. The focus of this paper is therefore based on the Origin, Contextual Setting, Organology, Construction as well as the linguistic analysis of some selected songs
This paper offers a reading of Petals of Blood (1977) in which Ngũgĩ exposes the practical, utili... more This paper offers a reading of Petals of Blood (1977) in which Ngũgĩ exposes the practical, utilitarian side of intimate relationships, revealing ambiguities that complicate the romantic love ideal that is the social embodiment of his utopian political vision. It is clear that the term “materialism” in all its connotations is a central concern in Ngũgĩ’s philosophy. As a Marxist materialist, an ideological paradigm that influences the construction of the novels from his middle career, Ngũgĩ writes novels that repeatedly show how the unjust economic base of Kenyan society, and its unequal relationship with the world economy, is the root cause of many of its social ills. This paper examines materialism in the ambiance of romantic love as well as investigates the intricacies revolving around love and marriage. From the analysis, this study draws conclusion that the implications of materialist love defeat the notion of romantic love which naturally results in marriage.
This article discusses how issues of corruption, injustices, exploitation and conflict emerge as ... more This article discusses how issues of corruption, injustices, exploitation and conflict emerge as key in the works of Ahmadou Kourouma. A reading of Kourouma’s oeuvre reveals that he lampoons the general attitudes of African leaders who capitalise on their positions to exploit the masses. This study attempts a manner of using some selected Juvenal’s themes as a model to a reading of Kourouma’s Allah is not Obliged. The study shows how Kourouma’s fiction echoes the Juvenalian rhetoric and its stylistic dynamism as revealed in several Juvenal’s themes such as the theme of Corruption, theme of Soldiers are above the Law, theme of The Decay of Feminine Virtue, theme of People without Compassion are Worse than Animals and theme of The Vanity of Human Wishes.
This paper investigates the contradictions surrounding the prostitute figure in Ngugi’s Petals of... more This paper investigates the contradictions surrounding the prostitute figure in Ngugi’s Petals of Blood (1977). The figure of the prostitute is a striking issue in Ngugi’s oeuvre. As a Marxist advocate, Ngugi writes about post-colonialism, anti-colonialism and anti-capitalism in his essays, novels and plays. Ngugi views romantic love as pure, hence not to be soiled or dirtied by material gains. This paper considers the question of material concerns in the romantic relationship through the way in which the prostitute is figured in Petals of Blood. By applying a qualitative descriptive method, the study will enter into a conversation with other African works, which explore intimate relationships in exchange for material benefits. In these contexts, material concerns do not devalue an idealised love, but are part of the love relationship. However, in Petals of Blood, Ngugi presents “transactional sex” as a means of financial survival among young girls in Kenyan society. In the novel, ...
In this article, I posit that Ngũgĩ’s oeuvre presents numerous instances of love, betrayal, and a... more In this article, I posit that Ngũgĩ’s oeuvre presents numerous instances of love, betrayal, and adultery. While love and adultery are limited to personal spaces, betrayal occurs in both the personal and political spheres in Ngũgĩ’s works. In the novel A Grain of Wheat, betrayals in the personal sphere are juxtaposed with betrayals in the political sphere. The betrayal within the political sphere has implications for the personal relations of the characters. Political ideals are betrayed by the complex and divided characters in Ngũgĩ’s narratives. The characters are not spared betrayal on personal and political levels. The personal and political betrayals thus are conflated and make it a critical area of study. This study seeks to emphasise that both forms of betrayal are crucial and the relationship between them is inseparable. The personal betrayal in Ngũgĩ’s A Grain of Wheat (1967) occurs in romantic relationships; more specifically, the betrayal is represented by adultery in marr...
International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 2013
Life in post - colonial Africa is characterised by a great deal of political disillusionment and ... more Life in post - colonial Africa is characterised by a great deal of political disillusionment and social corruption. The post-independence era of Africa is bedevilled with social corruption, autocracy, foreign-dominated economy, as well as the betrayal of human ideals among others. For the masses in many African countries, the post colonial era did not offer them anything too different from the colonial era itself. The only difference, however, is that their white colonial masters have simply metamorphosed into their own natives, the elite few, who have assumed control. In other words it is a period of change of batons where white colonial masters have given way, after independence, to black masters lording it over their fellow black men. To these black masses therefore, the dream of freedom after independence is simply a mirage. African writers can simply not ignore what they see around them and since works of literature are often inspired by contemporary issues, they began to write...
This paper seeks to espouse the philosophy of African culture specifically, Ghanaian by the expli... more This paper seeks to espouse the philosophy of African culture specifically, Ghanaian by the explicit use of language by the playwright. It is important that the works of writers be appreciated by readers and critics. The study analyses the literary stylistics of Sutherland’s play The Marriage of Anansewaa by focusing on the linguistic patterns and their communicative functions. It discusses linguistic foregrounding by analysing the paradigmatic associations that exist among the lexical items and their literary significance; this includes the use of linguistic parallelism in Sutherland’s ‘mboguo’ (songs) and her use of appellations. Finally, it unveils the dramatic techniques that create and heighten suspense and their aesthetic significance to literary discourse. The conclusion gives a reflection on Sutherland’s effective use of language and the aesthetic significance in projecting Ghanaian culture. Key words : aesthetic - culture - stylistics – linguistic foregrounding - paradigma...
International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 2013
The paper focuses on the relationship that exists between literature and culture through a critic... more The paper focuses on the relationship that exists between literature and culture through a critical analysis of Ama Ata Aidoo's The Dilemma of a Ghost and Anowa. This exercise has become necessary due to the misconception that some people usually have about literature and the way it relates to our lives. Thus there is sometimes the misconceived idea that literature is only imaginative, fictional, and creative but does not address issues related to everyday life. The paper corrects this misunderstanding about literature by exploring the literary qualities and cultural issues that have been highlighted by Aidoo in her two plays as well as relating such issues of mores and ethos to the Akan living culture.
In this study I focus on how Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s fiction portrays his socio-political vision thro... more In this study I focus on how Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s fiction portrays his socio-political vision through the prevalence of the intimate relationships it displays. The study critically analyses the significant role romantic love and friendship play in the novels The River Between (1965), Weep Not, Child (1964), A Grain of Wheat (1967), Petals of Blood (1977), Devil on the Cross (1982), Matigari (1987) and Wizard of the Crow (2006) against the backdrop of Ngũgĩ’s other fiction, plays and non-fiction. Ngũgĩ identifies himself as a Marxist, anti-colonialist/imperialist, and anticapitalist writer, for whom there is no contradiction between aesthetic and political missions. The aesthetic and political projects take form through the representation, very importantly, of romantic love in his fiction. The significance of eros, which is clear in the fiction, is not, however, present in Ngũgĩ’s theoretical reflections on his writing as formulated in his essays. In Ngũgĩ’s early novels, we see love ...
A great deal of African literature attempts to create Juvenal mirrors in addressing topical issue... more A great deal of African literature attempts to create Juvenal mirrors in addressing topical issues that confront aspects of society itself. Postcolonial African society is chararcterised with political, social, economic and cultural issues. These issues coalesce and impact positively or negatively in the lives of both the individual
and the community as a whole. It is against this backdrop that most African literary writers explore these issues by telling the stories of Africa and highlighting the potential threats the issues pose to the development of the society. This essay argues that Okpewho’s The Last Duty employs Juvenal satires in exposing the follies and foibles of the society. Okpewho presents detailed description of the inhuman and
devastating issues, including corruption, wickedness, dishonesty and injustices that bedevil the society. Okpewho employs the candour and perceptiveness of narrators and characters to depict the suffering and violence in African society. These pertinent issues Isidore Okpewho explores in The Last Duty parallel that of Decimus Junius Juvenalis’s themes classified as Juvenalian satires. The data of the study was collected based on textual approach which employed a qualitative analysis to generate interpretation. The study examines selected Juvenal themes such as Corruption, Cruelty Verses Compassion, The Luck of the Army, The Female Sex: Decay of Feminine Virtue and The Vanity of Human Wishes. This paper concludes that the position of the satirist on social issues such as corruption, greed, injustices and so on, emerges as global attacks which derive their continuing force from the conception of authoritarianism among leaders.
The gyil (Xylophone) is a tuned idiophone, the principal instrument for Dagaabas for both religio... more The gyil (Xylophone) is a tuned idiophone, the principal instrument for Dagaabas for both religious and social ceremonies. This paper examines the place of gyil genre in Dagaaba culture. This study unveils the rich cultural traditions of the Dagaaba people of Winneba and Kasoa in the Central Region of Ghana; an anthropological documentation formed an important part of the study. The contextual meaning of the composition used in this study was based on Akuno’s (1997) theory on social functions. Thirty-nine Dagaaba gyil folk songs were collected from traditional performers, through purposeful and snowball sampling techniques. Songs were recorded, transcribed and analysed for dominant traditional musical features. Rhythmic and melodic accuracy of the transcribed songs were ascertained by play backs using FINALE notation software. The focus of this paper is therefore based on the Origin, Contextual Setting, Organology, Construction as well as the linguistic analysis of some selected songs
This paper offers a reading of Petals of Blood (1977) in which Ngũgĩ exposes the practical, utili... more This paper offers a reading of Petals of Blood (1977) in which Ngũgĩ exposes the practical, utilitarian side of intimate relationships, revealing ambiguities that complicate the romantic love ideal that is the social embodiment of his utopian political vision. It is clear that the term “materialism” in all its connotations is a central concern in Ngũgĩ’s philosophy. As a Marxist materialist, an ideological paradigm that influences the construction of the novels from his middle career, Ngũgĩ writes novels that repeatedly show how the unjust economic base of Kenyan society, and its unequal relationship with the world economy, is the root cause of many of its social ills. This paper examines materialism in the ambiance of romantic love as well as investigates the intricacies revolving around love and marriage. From the analysis, this study draws conclusion that the implications of materialist love defeat the notion of romantic love which naturally results in marriage.
This article discusses how issues of corruption, injustices, exploitation and conflict emerge as ... more This article discusses how issues of corruption, injustices, exploitation and conflict emerge as key in the works of Ahmadou Kourouma. A reading of Kourouma’s oeuvre reveals that he lampoons the general attitudes of African leaders who capitalise on their positions to exploit the masses. This study attempts a manner of using some selected Juvenal’s themes as a model to a reading of Kourouma’s Allah is not Obliged. The study shows how Kourouma’s fiction echoes the Juvenalian rhetoric and its stylistic dynamism as revealed in several Juvenal’s themes such as the theme of Corruption, theme of Soldiers are above the Law, theme of The Decay of Feminine Virtue, theme of People without Compassion are Worse than Animals and theme of The Vanity of Human Wishes.
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and the community as a whole. It is against this backdrop that most African literary writers explore these issues by telling the stories of Africa and highlighting the potential threats the issues pose to the development of the society. This essay argues that Okpewho’s The Last Duty employs Juvenal satires in exposing the follies and foibles of the society. Okpewho presents detailed description of the inhuman and
devastating issues, including corruption, wickedness, dishonesty and injustices that bedevil the society. Okpewho employs the candour and perceptiveness of narrators and characters to depict the suffering and violence in African society. These pertinent issues Isidore Okpewho explores in The Last Duty parallel that of Decimus Junius Juvenalis’s themes classified as Juvenalian satires. The data of the study was collected based on textual approach which employed a qualitative analysis to generate interpretation. The study examines selected Juvenal themes such as Corruption, Cruelty Verses Compassion, The Luck of the Army, The Female Sex: Decay of Feminine Virtue and The Vanity of Human Wishes. This paper concludes that the position of the satirist on social issues such as corruption, greed, injustices and so on, emerges as global attacks which derive their continuing force from the conception of authoritarianism among leaders.
and the community as a whole. It is against this backdrop that most African literary writers explore these issues by telling the stories of Africa and highlighting the potential threats the issues pose to the development of the society. This essay argues that Okpewho’s The Last Duty employs Juvenal satires in exposing the follies and foibles of the society. Okpewho presents detailed description of the inhuman and
devastating issues, including corruption, wickedness, dishonesty and injustices that bedevil the society. Okpewho employs the candour and perceptiveness of narrators and characters to depict the suffering and violence in African society. These pertinent issues Isidore Okpewho explores in The Last Duty parallel that of Decimus Junius Juvenalis’s themes classified as Juvenalian satires. The data of the study was collected based on textual approach which employed a qualitative analysis to generate interpretation. The study examines selected Juvenal themes such as Corruption, Cruelty Verses Compassion, The Luck of the Army, The Female Sex: Decay of Feminine Virtue and The Vanity of Human Wishes. This paper concludes that the position of the satirist on social issues such as corruption, greed, injustices and so on, emerges as global attacks which derive their continuing force from the conception of authoritarianism among leaders.