A Critical Analysis of Wole Soyinka As a Dramatist, with Special Reference to His Engagement in Contemporary Issues
A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF WOLE SOYINKA AS A DRAMATIST, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HIS ENGAGEMENT IN CONTEMPORARY ISSUES by MAJAHANA JOHN CHONSI LUNGA submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the subject ENGLISH at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: MR D. LEVEY NOVEMBER 1994 SUMMARY A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF WOLE SOYINKA AS A DRAMATIST, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HIS ENGAGEMENT IN CONTEMPORARY ISSUES This dissertation is mainly on Wole Soyinka as a dramatist. It aims to show that Soyinka, far from being an irrelevant artist as some of his fiercest critics have alleged, is a deeply committed writer whose works are characterised by a strong sense of concern with basic human values of right and wrong, good and evil. Furthermore, the dissertation shows that although Soyinka is not an admirer of Marxist aesthetics, he is certainly not in the art-for-art's-sake camp either, I because he is fully aware of the utilitarian value of literature. Soyinka's works are much influenced by his social and historical background, and the dissertation shows that Soyinka's socio-political awareness pervades all these works, although it will be seen that in the later plays there is a sharpened political awareness. Although largely concerned with his own country's issues, Soyinka also emerges as a keen observer of humanity universally. * * * * * * * * * * * * KEY TERMS DESCRIBING THE TOPIC OF THE DISSERTATION Wole Soyinka; critical analysis, evaluation, interpretation, criticism, critique, critic; drama, dramatic, dramatist; engagement, preoccupation, commitment, engage, committed writer; ideology; contemporary, colonial, pre-colonial, post colonial, post-independence, traditional; themes, issues, concerns; art, artist, Marxism, Marxist aesthetics, art-for-art's-sake literature.
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