STYLISTICS IN SELECTED WORKS OF WOLE SOYINKA
ABSTRACT
This project is aimed at examining stylistics in selected works of Wole Soyinka. The concept of stylistics and Wole Soyinka’s creativity in “A play of Giants”,” Kongi’s Harvest”, “The Lion and the Jewel” and “The Trials of Brother Jero” were examined. This project examines also Soyinka’s use of language and the way he deploys words crafty woven to make meaning in the works examined. Through character creation, the four plays were subjected to critical analysis using figurative language. It was discovered that Soyinka’s creative use of language to convey complex ideas were laced with local colorations that delight the reader. This probably explains the reason why Soyinka’s works were perceived by some as being esoteric. The project suggests that, because of Soyinka’s creative use of language, his plays, especially the four used here should be converted to films for home video in order to make them more accessible to students.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgements iv
Abstract vi
Table of content vii
Chapter One: Introduction
Background to the Study 1
Statement of the Problem 4
Purpose of the Study 4
Objectives of the Study 4
Significance of the Study 5
Research Questions 5
Limitation of the Study 6
Definition of Terms 6
Chapter Two: Literature Review
2.1 Concept of Stylistics 7
2.2 Stylistics Devices 10
2.3 Elements of Stylistics in Wole Soyinka’s Work 31
2.4 Conclusion 58
Chapter Three:
3.1 Introduction and Background of Wole Soyinka 59
3.2 Synopsis of Wole Soyinka’s Four Plays 63
3.3 Summary of the Play 76
Chapter Four: Stylistic Elements
4.1 Humour as a Literary Weapon in Wole Soyinka’s Play 97
4.2 Elements in Terms of Language 98
4.2.1 The use of Proverbs as an Element of Humour 101
4.3 Stylistic Elements in the ” Lion and the Jewel” 106
4.3.1 The Stylistic Elements in the “Trials of Brother Jero” 117
4.3.2 The Stylistics Elements in the “Play of Giants“ 124
4.3.3 The Stylistics Elements of the Play “Kongi’s Harvest” 129
Chapter Five: Summary, Conclusion, Suggestions and Recommendation
5.1 Summary 133
5.2 Conclusion 139
5.3 Suggestions and Recommendations 139
References 141
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Stylistics is a branch of applied linguistics concerned with the study of style in texts, especially in literary works. (African Encyclopedia, London 1975).
Simpson Paul 2004, says stylistics is a method of textual interpretation in which primacy of place is assigned to language.
Concept of Stylistics
Literary stylistics can be defined as a way of studying and appreciating a text by a person, most probably students to enable them to speak write and appraise a passage properly as recorded in the oxford companion to English literature (1967: 729).
According to Katie Wales in A Dictionary of stylistics 2nd Edition (Pearson, 2001) stylistics is the branch of linguistic that studies the style of language and describes the norms and usage of literary language in speech in various types of written works and in public affairs.
The Great soviet Encyclopedia (1979), states that stylistics deals with language in the broad sense of the term, which includes speech, but stylistics differs from other areas of language and society and with socio-linguistics. Stylistics studies the means of expressing the supplementary information that accompanies the content of speech. (The Encyclopedia)
According to Jakobson (1960), stylistics studies the linguistic norms of past periods of language development. Historical stylistics deals with these topics and also seeks to identify shifts and nuances in style although its primary aim is to trace the history of stylistic systems, the origin, formation and development of stylistic variants within language, and the history of the interactions among these variants. Lucas (1055: 9) defined style as the effective use of language especially in prose, whether to make statement or to arouse emotions.
It involves the power to put fact with clarity and brevity. Leech (1969:14) quotes Aristotle as saying that the most effective means of achieving both clarity and diction and a certain dignity is the use of altered form of words.’
American Heritage (2005) defined stylistics as a study of the different styles that are present in either a given utterance or a written text or document the consistent appearance of certain structures, items and elements in a speech, an utterance or in a given text is one of the major concern of stylistics.
To this end, people have not explored the use of stylistics as a weapon, only a few percentages of them do therefore if stylistics is critically adopted in our society, the works of art will be well appreciated
1.2 STATE OF THE PROBLEM
Stylistics in selected works of Soyinka is the focus of the study.
1.3 PURPOSE OF STUDY
This research study is purposeful because it will find out how Wole Soyinka:
- Employed the use of humor as a literary weapon in form of writing
- The poetic style in Soyinka’s play
- Its effect in the society
1.4 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objective of this research work is to analyze the style Wole Soyinka uses in his writings
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This research is considered significant because of its usefulness and contributions it will make in the human life, institutions and the society at large. Secondly to the body of knowledge entirely.
1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following questions will be derived from the objectives as stated above
- What style did Wole Soyinka adopted in his writing
- Is Wole Soyinka’s writing simple or complex for proper understanding of the reader
- What language did Wole Soyinka adopted in his writing
- Is Wole Soyinka s writing easily translated
- In what way is Soyinka’s writing contributing to the growth of the society
1.7 LIMITATION OF STUDY
Under this study, humour is a literary weapon in Soyinka’s plays. I have chosen and limited the study to four of Wole Soyinka’s play
- ‘The Lion and the Jewel’
- ‘The Trial of Brother Jero’
- ‘A Play of Giants’
- ‘Kongi’s Harvest’
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Stylistics: This is a branch of linguistics that studies the style of language and describes the norms and usage of literary language in speech in various types of written works, and in public affairs (Katie Wales in A Dictionary of stylistics 2nd Edition Pearson 2001). In a more frequent sense, stylistics is a way of appreciating a text by a person.
Weapon: An object of attack
Literary: As in literature, Noun, Literary verb
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