Topic:-Tradition and modernity in Swamp Dwellers
Name:-Nasim Gaha
Roll no:-20
Enrollment no:-20691842190014
Email id: - gahanasim786@gmail.com.
SEM:-4
Submitted to Department of English MKUBU
About The Author:
Wole Soyinka, in full Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka bornJuly 13, 1934, Abeokuta, Nigeria), Nigerian playwright and political activist who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. He sometimes wrote of modern West Africa in a satirical style, but his serious intent and his belief in the evils inherent in the exercise of power usually was evident in his work as well. A member of the Yoruba people, Soyinka attended Government College and University College in Ibadan before graduating in 1958 with a degree in English from the University of Leeds in England. Upon his return to Nigeria, he founded an acting company and wrote his first important play, A Dance of the Forests (produced 1960; published 1963), for the Nigerian independence celebrations. The play satirizes the fledgling nation by stripping it of romantic legend and by showing that the present is no more a golden age than was the past. He wrote several plays in a lighter vein, making fun of pompous, Westernized schoolteachers in The Lion and the Jewel (first performed in Ibadan, 1959; published 1963) and mocking the clever preachers of upstart prayer-churches who grow fat on the credulity of their parishioners in The Trials of Brother Jero (performed 1960; published 1963) and Jero’s Metamorphosis (1973). But his more serious plays, such as The Strong Breed (1963), Kongi’s Harvest(opened the first Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar, 1966; published 1967), The Road (1965), From Zia, with Love(1992), and even the parody King Baabu (performed 2001; published 2002), reveal his disregard for African authoritarian leadership and his disillusionment with Nigerian society as a whole. From 1960 to 1964 Soyinka was coeditor of Black Orpheus, an important literary journal. From 1960 onward he taught literature and drama and headed theatre groups at various Nigerian universities, including those of Ibadan, Ife, and Lagos. After winning the Nobel Prize, he also was sought after as a lecturer, and many of his lectures were published—notably the Reith Lectures of 2004, as Climate of Fear (2004). Though he considered himself primarily a playwright, Soyinka also wrote novels which are very popular one. They are as given below
About Tradition and Modernity.
The Swamp Dwellers is a play by Soyinka in which he has portrayed the real picture of two sides that is tradition V/S Modernity. The play is about Yoruba culture in which Makuri and Alu they are living and waiting for their son whose name is Awuchike. Soyinka has presented Yoruba culture which is full of swamp because of food in the village. And they are suffering because of plenty of water and Beggar who comes from Bhukanji and over there they were suffering because of scarcity of water. Here, I would like to connect Tradition and Modernity that is one theme of ‘The Swamp Dwellers’ both are opposite from each others. It was very difficult to tell that which path that we want to followed.
Tradition:- Tradition is a belief or behavior passed down within group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. Makuri, Alu and Igwezu are representation of tradition.
Modernity:-Modernity typically refers to a past traditional post medieval, historical period one marked by the money from feudalism toward capitalism, industrialism. Secularization, rationalization, the nation state and its constituent institutions and forms of surveillance. Awuchike and Desala are representation of modernity.
Tradition and Modernity issue is not new for us because we are facing this issue in our society also. With the development of human being this problem was comes into exist. In the play also we can find the same problem. Igwezu and Awuchike they both are twins. One is representing Tradition and another is representing modernity. he older generations’ views towards the city are expressed through Alu and Makuri. Alu and Makuri have two sons of Awuhike and Igwezu. Both of their sons went to the city for better prospects. But Awuchike attracted by city and cuts off all his relation with his parents. This ungratefulness even more consolidates Alu and Makuri’s prejudice against the city because he had got sick of the Swam. Moreover, Makuri says that young men go to the city because he had got sick of the money. But most of them forget their folk and cut their relation with the roots, says Makuri.
A village in the swamps. Frogs rain and other noises. The scan is a hut on stilts, built on one of the scattered semi-firm island in the swamp. The walls are marsh stakes plaited with hump ropes. Near the left down stage are the baskets he makes from the rushes which are strewn in front of him.”
These all lines show that they are traditional people doing work but which can’t give them food. At some extent tradition is good because you have your own belief and way of looking towards life but not accepting change in life is bad. Too exaggeration is bad for your life which is shown through the play. Igwezu went into city to earn more in life but he can’t accept the reality of life which is in city. There is starvation for shelter in city, so cold sophisticated life than village so we can say that Igwezu and Awuchike both are suffering because of their acceptance or to much exaggeration of their life. There is Constance struggle or conflict between the old and To Makuri the city is the place of immorality and corruption. Some of the events confirm Makuri’s views. For example, Desala who had gone the city with her husband Igwezu left him and went with Awuchike who had more money. Gonushi’s son is another example of the victim of city. He also went to the city and cut off his relation with wife and children. All the Swamp Dwellers believes in that city is the right place to make money. Then Igwezu returns from city and meets Kadiye. He asks him about how much money you got from city.?? Kadiye has one false perception in his mind that Igwezu has enough money to buy entire village. But Igwezu says that he is in financial constrain and by saying this he shows the bitter side of city life. He also talks about the reality that in the city only money that is matter.
Thus we see that the Swamp Dweller have mixed feeling about the city. To most of the Swamp Dwellers city is the place of comfort, money and luxury. But there are also some people who hate the city life but is forced to go to the city to make money. ‘The Swamp Dwellers’ focuses the struggle between the old and the new ways of life in Africa. It also gives us a picture of the cohesion that existed between the individual and southern Nigerian society. The play mirrors the socio-cultural pattern, the pang and the sufferings of the swamp dwellers and underlines the need for absorbing new ideas. The struggle between human being and unfavorable forces of nature is also captured in the play. Soyinka presents us the picture of modern Africa where the wind of change started blowing.
‘The Swamp Dwellers’ reflects the life of the people of southern Nigeria. Their vacation mainly is agro based. They weave baskets, till in cultivate land. They believe in serpent cult. They perform death rites. They offer gain, bull goat to appease the serpent of the swamp. Traders from city come there for crocodile skins. They lure young woman with money. Alu withstands their temptation. Young men go to the cities to make money, to drink bottled beer. In fact the city ruins them. ‘The Swamp Dwellers’ consummate their wedding at the bed where the rivers meet. They consider the river bed itself as the perfect bridal bed. Sudden flood ruin the crops throwing life out of gear.
Wole Soyinka’s play The Swamp Dwellers; The Swamp itself is the physical image of spiritual death. The spiritual death by which the young server all family and human ties with the village and indulges in a new kind of life in the towns is one of the main threats to the society of the village. The tone of despair which has been noticeable. And “Is it of any earthly use to change one slough for another?”Asks Igwezu, in The Swamp Dwellers, the city also is a swamp. And yet each must be experienced, they offer challenge not refuge. Igwezu returns to his destiny in the town. And in the end we find in the background that there is flood and drought. Igwezu leaves the village, but the Beggar beckons him back, “the swallows find their nest again when the cold in over”. new ways of life in Africa. There is the dialogue that old and children are living in village. It means that young’s are living in city.
Conclusion.-
We can see conflict of tradition and modernity in the play. Village is representing tradition and city as modernity. They both are different from each others. This play is representing those different very well. And The Swamp Dwellers makes use of contrast, parallelism, humor and irony in a suitable manner. Soyinka focuses the plight of the swamp dwellers in the play realistically. The swamp dwellers are at the mercy of furious nature unless they compromise tradition with modernity, embrace modern technology they wouldn’t have a bright future.
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