Syntactic Parallelism and Meaning Relation in Tanure Ojaide's Poetry

KIU Journal of Humanities KIU Journal of Humanities Copyright©2019 Kampala International University ISSN: 2415-0843; 4(4): 215–227 Syntactic Parallelism and Meaning Relation in Tanure Ojaide’s Poetry RICHARD OLISEYENUM MALEDO Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria Abstract. This paper is an analysis of the use of (1981:49) “repeating a structure but filling it syntactic parallelism as a meaning relation with new elements constitutes parallelism”. Its device in the poetry of Tanure Ojaide. study as a linguistic/literary trope has a long Essentially, the major thrust of Ojaide‟s poetry history of critical examination in different texts. is oil exploration and exploitation and its The Bible and texts of different cultures and attendant environmental problems in the Niger literatures have benefited from the concept of Delta region of Nigeria. Eight poems have been parallelism (Okunowo, 2012). According to selected across four different collections of Nwankwo (2012:29), researches have shown Ojaide‟s poetry for this study. The parallel that parallelism relates to the poetic canon of structures inherent in the poems are identified different folk patterns. Thus, Ojaide (1996:4) and analysed following Allen‟s (1996) observes that its use is common in oral literature classification of syntactic parallelism to show in the expressive way of depicting additive how syntactic parallelism enables the poet to thought and in conveying semantic re-iteration foreground and organize his eco-critical which in an oral performance, registers messages. The study also applies Halliday‟s mnemonic impression. As Leech (1969:66) (1961) “Scale and Category” description of observes, the exact repetition of a sentence is not elements of clause structure to handle the counted as parallelism. For an element to be structure of the clauses. The findings revealed parallelistic, there must be an element of identity that the use of syntactic parallelism is functional and an element of contrast. It requires some in written poetry as it enables the poet to variable features of the pattern – some foreground the parallel similarity and contrasting elements which are parallel with dissimilarity in the meaning of words and respect to their positions in the text (Leech, structures which occupy variable positions in the 1969:66). And linguists study parallelism to poems. The study further revealed that syntactic show the relationship of equivalence between parallelism acts as an organising principle in two or more linguistic elements that are singled enhancing form and messages in the selected out by the pattern as being parallel (Nwankwo, poems of Tanure Ojaide. 2012:29). Fabb (1997:137) defines it as “„sameness‟ Keywords: Syntactic Parallelism, meaning between two sections of a text”. He goes further relation, oil, exploitation, exploration, poetry, to identify two main types of parallelism: Niger Delta. structural and semantic. Structural parallelism applies when two sections of a text are the same 1. Introduction: Syntactic Parallelism at the level of structure while semantic parallelism applies when two sections of a text Parallelism can be defined simply as a linguistic can be interpreted to be the same at the device characterized by repetitive structures. components of their meanings. Structural According to Beaugrande and Dressler parallelism can be at the syntactic, 215 KIU Journal of Humanities morphological or phonological linguistic levels. nation began to decline with serious socio- Thus, Crystal (2004:466) defines it as “The use political and economic crises. At this stage, the of paired sounds, words or construction”. poets see it as their responsibility to document, Parallelism is an important functional device in expose, criticise and satirise the literature in general and poetry in particular. It maladministration and injustices plaguing every has perceptual prominence, and according to facet of Nigeria as a nation. As Osundare (1996) Short (1996:14), it invites the reader to “search puts it, “The thematic preoccupation remains the for meaning connections between the parallel desperate situation of Africa, the stylistic structures, in particular in terms of the parts hallmarks are clarity and directness of which are varied”. Short (1996:15) further expression, formal experimentation and a identifies it as a foregrounding device thus: deliberate incorporation of African oral literary modes” (as cited in Ushie, 2005:20). Parallelism has the power not just to foreground Poets of this generation make “a recourse to the parts of a text for us, but also to make us look use of plain prosaic language as a natural for parallel or contrastive meaning links between discourse of poetic composition” (Ogede, those parallel parts. This may well involve us in 1996:63) and in the words of Ojaide, “there is a construing new aspects of meaning for the words new discursive unpretentiously clear voice with concerned, or in searching among the possible almost the syntax of prose” (Ojaide, 1996:84). connotations that a word might have for the one One of the leading figures of this generation of that is most appropriate in the particular poets is Niyi Osundare whose poems have structure. received a lot of critical attention from the Furthermore, parallelism has an organizing perspectives of literary and linguistic/stylistic principle, a means by which the text takes form studies. Also prominent, is Tanure Ojaide. (Fabb, 1997:144). In the words of Ojaide Though he has equally received quite a lot of (1996:25), “it helps to impose a formal order on critical attentions, most of them are in the the poems which could be seen at first sight as directions of literary criticism. However, most of “free verse”. Leech (1969:67) also observes that his critics make a passing comment on the patterned repetition is “connected with rhetorical language of Tanure Ojaide only very few have emphasis and memorability.” It is an expressive been able to pay the deserved critical attention to way of depicting additive thoughts rather than the language of his poetry. subordinate ones. It conveys semantic re- iteration which registers mnemonic impression Among the critical and acerbic responses to (Ojaide, 1996:43). Ojaide further summarises Ojaide‟s poetry, is Ogede‟s (1996) “Poetry as the functions of parallelism in poetry thus: Repression in Contemporary Nigeria”. In a most “Grammatical parallelism is highly functional in sweeping statement, the paper avers that poets of written poetry. It evokes a monotonous rhythmic Ojaide‟s generation are: quality which is aesthetically pleasing when …compelled by the need to sound factual and poems are read aloud”. down-to-earth in re-creating the real mood of the down-trodden peoples born of their deprived 2. A Brief Review of Previous Literature status, the majority of the poets have been unable to resist the temptation of making a Tanure Ojaide, one of the leading Nigerian third recourse to the use of plain prosaic language as generation poets, is a significant voice in the a natural discourse of poetic composition discussions of modern Nigerian poetry and (Ogede,1996:63) African poetry at large. What can be regarded as a modern poetic engagement in Nigeria started To him, “the interplay of adequate language in with poets like Wole Soyinka, Christopher the exploration of the writer‟s dream” is a major Okigbo, J.P Clark, Kalu Uka, Titus Chukuemeka factor in the determination of organically vibrant Nwosu, among others. The next phase, to which poetry. In particular, he states that Ojaide‟s Ojaide belongs, started in the late 1970s up to poetry lacks the sense of the paced cadence, early 1980s when the fortunes of Nigeria as a musical rhythm, and profound structural and 216 KIU Journal of Humanities technical terseness of Osundare or Osofisan parallelism in Ojaide‟s poetry. Therefore, this (1996:65); and that Ojaide could make a good study will reveal how Ojaide communicates his poet but he has to banish entirely his hubris – the messages through the use of parallelism. tendency for self-glorification (1996:67). Continuing in this direction, Ogede states that 3. Procedure for Data Analysis the fact that Ojaide‟s verses occasionally manage to rise above the level of prosaic Our analysis is based on Allen‟s (1996) banality, merely goes to state the fact that he has classification of variants of syntactic not fully mature as a poet. He believes that good parallelisms. Allen (1996:409) classifies poetry uses language with concision and poetic structural parallelism into the following types: succinctness which has to do with the effective - Synonymous Parallelism: This is the employment of syntax so that each poetic line is most frequent type on which there is a not stilted but free enough for music, rhythm, slight variation in the structures verbal echo and heightened imagery. Quoting concerned. It may involve just the Nwoga (1967), he calls Ojaide poems “Versified substitution of a single word in the intelligibilities” (1996:30) which cannot “make second structure. exciting poetry” and, quoting Soyinka, he calls - Antithetic Parallelism: In this type, the poets of Ojaide‟s generation “the poetics of second line contrasts or denies the first limited sensibilities” (1996:71). - Constructive Parallelism: In this case No criticisms of a writer and his works can be the second line or several other lines more acidic than the above. However, such complete the first. vituperations are made without a single analysis - Climactic Parallelism: This is a sort of of a line or a verse of Ojaide‟s poetry. Though repetition where the first line is itself Ogede‟s discourse is linguistically oriented, it incomplete and the second line takes a appears to be based on intuition and over- word from it and completes it. generalization as readers are not presented with Prominent types from the above classification any linguistic analysis to see how Ojaide‟s are identified and analysed to show how they poetry “lacks the sense of paced cadence” and express the poet‟s messages and organise his rhythm or how banal they are.

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