Assignment: African Literature

Ø Name:- Sanjaykumar N Jogadiya.

Ø Subject:- The African Literature

Ø Paper No.14 

Ø Topic:- Character Analysis and Symbolic Meaning in The Swamp Dweller Play.

     Ø Part:- M.A. Sem-4

Ø RollNo.24,   

Ø EnrollmentNo:-2069108420200017

Ø  Email Id:- snjogadiya@amail.com

Ø  Submitted:- Smt. S.B. Gardi Department of  English  MK Bhavnagar  University.

 

 

 

Character Analysis and Symbolic Meaning in The Swamp Dweller Play.

      

Introduction

Swamp Developers is a play written by wale Soyinka and published in 1958. The play, The Swamp Population, is a major conflict between Nigerian society and the new way of life in general in Africa. In southern Nigeria, the individual was tightly bound to his society, and with the introduction of more modern ideas, this relationship was not as consistent as before. There are three main categories of characters: parents, corrupt priests, and their followers, and constantly moving and changing individuals. In the swamp population, Soyinka explores controversial themes for a functional society such as power, social injustice, hypocrisy, oppression, and balance.The purpose of this critical analysis is to expand the boundaries of our knowledge by exploring some relevant facts and information related to the analysis of “The Swamp Dwellers”. The Swamp Dwellers was produced in London, and also in Nigeria. Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka is internationally celebrated as a playwright, poet, novelist, and literary critic of exceptional talent. His prolific and innovative work engages in social critique on many levels and is often concerned with bringing to light the corruption and contradiction found throughout Nigerian society, including both traditional and Western worldviews. Soyinka's versatile writing draws resonance from the Western literary tradition as well as from his thoughtful and thorough engagement with Yoruba mythology and symbolism. He has suffered political persecution for his criticisms of what he has felt to be morally objectionable Nigerian government policies, and for the active roles, he has taken in protesting and resisting them. In addition, he has garnered international recognition as a trenchant essayist and critic.

 

Characters

 Alu,

Awchike,

Desala,

Igwezu,

Kadiye,

Makuri,

The Beggar,

Alu

Alu is the wife of Makuri. She is the mother of Igwezu and uch Vachik. He is about sixty years old. He believes in the custom of swamps. He thinks a river bed is the ideal wedding arrangement. It worries Uch Chichi, who lives in the city, more. He is concerned for his safety. Her anxiety makes her shoot questions. Her questions make Makuri think of her as a stupid neurotic wife. He is as hospitable as Makuri. His reaction to Kadiya's words shows that he is a traditionalist. Even though it is explicit, it is not for change. Alu's understanding of the world is very limited. Igwezuna's words about her brother uch chuki calmed her anxiety. All told, Alu is a loving and caring mother.

Makuri

Makuri is the father of Igwezu and uch Vachaika. He is Alu's husband. As a husband he is arrogant. He likes to annoy his wife. Constantly quarreling with his wife is a show. He has a complete mutual understanding with his wife. He is a good host. He gives the beggar Canberry. He gives himself entirely to the serpent cult. Though he is mostly angry but he has considered for his fuck wife Aloo. It represents a note of tradition in the play. His affection for his wife is unprofessional. He is smarter than his wife. Igwezu exposes Kadia's corrupt practices. Makuri is annoyed by this. He will be afraid to face the wrath of the villagers. Soyink by Makuri emphasizes the importance and value of the marital relationship between husband and wife. He has no illusions about the character of Aw Wachik. Nor does he even have to reassure Igwezu who has returned after being betrayed by his wife Desala.

Iguazu

Iguazu is the son of Aloo and Makuri. They are twins with Avachik. It is the center of the play. Swamp residents are a play of revelation and are educated through experience in both Iguazu City and Swamp. The primary theme of the play is the discovery of the flaws of Iguazu's rural life and city life. Igwezu plays the role of Truth Taylor. He is a character in the play who has tasted the ups and downs of life in the village and in the city. As a swamp population it knows how life goes in the southern part of Nigeria. It is through him that Soenka criticizes Kadia's corrupt religious practices. Family relationships make sense to her. In that respect, Iguazu is unlike his brother Uch Wachik, who is a resident of the city. As a city dweller for eight months, Iguazu knows the ups and downs of city life. He knows how ruthless people like Uchik are in making money. He is broke in business. He comes back home. His land is flooded. His hopes of a good harvest have been dashed. He has been betrayed by his own brother. Desala, his wife betrayed him. He changes hands. Iguazu talks frankly with Kadiye. This reveals the serpent sect as an ointment. Igwezu welcomes modernization in the swamp. He is ready to change his mind. For all his thinking in terms of modernization, Igwezu doesn’t smoke reclaiming land from the swamp. Iguazu’s life experience, he is obsessed with both in town and in the village. It reflects critically on his situation. It casts doubt on the value system favored by the community. Going back to the city again is like going back to one of the huts. He decides to hand over the land to the beggar. He refuses the help of the beggar because he does not lead one blind man to another.

Desala

Desala does not appear as a character in the play. But, he has spoken. Deshala is the embodiment of the corrupt nature of city life. Theractor also echoes the materialistic tendencies of the townspeople. Desala married Igwezu. Igwezu was later weakened by poor returns from his business. Desala prospered in his business to uch chuchik. So, Desala leaves Igwezu and marries Avuchike. It shows how city life has become morally void.

Avuchike

Avachik is the twin brother of Igwezu. He does not appear as a character in the play. Having said that, Soyink has introduced the character of Avachika. He left the swamp ten years ago. The glamor of city life has changed its character. He has become a total city resident. He is in the timber business. Making money takes him off his feet. He has formed a relationship with relatives in Swamp. He is not a just man. Doing business in the city makes him ruthless and ruthless. He goes so far as to take Desala from his brother Igwezu. It's a betrayal. He cites the example of the statement “the city becomes brother against brother”. In physical appearance, Kadiye is the opposite of a beggar. It's heavy. His fingers are heavily colored. He is rich amidst poverty. He is a self-important man. As a serpent priest he has escaped the swamp inhabitants. He betrays the trust of the villagers. It promotes the serpent cult. He has taken a look at Igwezu's money. As a priest he doesn’t worry about a lot of igwezu. He exploits the villagers knowing full well that they are in troubleSoyinka satirizes the corrupt practices ail the society living in superstition living in superstition through Kadiye.

The Beggar

The Beggar comes from Bukanji in North Nigeria. He is tall and straight. His bearing is dignified. He is a devout Muslim. He is a man of independence. He is resolute in supporting himself. Though he is blind he is a very good judge of other characters in the play. Soyinka has drawn him as a contrast to Kadiye. Though he has seen adversity it has not shaken his spirits. He is full of hope. He shores up the sagging spirit of Igwezu by offering him hope. He is for redeeming a piece of land for cultivation from the swamp. He is a man of quick intelligence. He analyzes the ills of the swamp dwellers. He is ready to cast his lot with them. He braces himself to fight against those who exploit them. It is an irony that the man from the north is termed as beggar. He may be a beggar because he does not have means to support him. But his intention is to work and earn his livelihood. He is against getting alms. His self‐esteem does not allow him to beg. The Beggar is a man of self‐esteem.

The symbol for the village:

As the swamp sinks the people, a whirlwind of ignorance, superstition and frustration is drawing more and more people to the village. Because the village remains stable, while the city is constantly changing. Village People who live in the village believe in superstition, have traditional ideas, and cannot accept new ideas. They are stuck in a quagmire of superstition and old ideas.

The symbol for the city

For the city, the swamp is a symbol of spiritual destruction and immorality. This city is spiritually dead and it draws people into it. Youth sewer instead of city. The city swallows Uch Wachik, he robs his daughter Igwezu and finally, Igwezu returns to the city. The irony is that the choice for the younger generation is between two swamps; In one village and in another city. In this play, the swamp is a fitting symbol of degeneration and rejection of life. The land, therefore, seems to be crying out for redemption and people need resurrection but are unable to bring themselves.

 

Conclusion

The Swamp Dwellers examines the suffering and hardships of the people living in Nigeria-Delta. The suffering of the Nigerian people has been guided by federal thoughtlessness and domination. The purpose of writing this story is to keep the focus on the society operating through modification between the city and the country. Although there are many characters in the story, the main theme revolves around the story of a woman named Alu. Through the character of Alu, the author has presented the concept of aspiration and determination, especially focusing on women. The story also contrasts the differences between the traditions and modernity of living in southern Nigeria

 

Work sitetion Wole Soyinka’s Art of Characterization in the Play The Swamp Dwellers. Ed. Literacle editors. 14 October 2012. 06 April 2019 <https://literacle.com/wole-soyinkas-art-of-characterization-in-the-play-the-swamp-dwellers/>.

 

Articles, Literary. Wole Soyinkas Art of Characterization in the Play The Swamp Dwellers. 14 October 2012. 09 March 2020 <https://literacle.com/wole-soyinkas-art-of-characterization-in-the-play-the-swamp-dwellers/>.

 

Nwosu, Canice and Chinonye Marchie. From Worship to Commodification: Wole Soyinka and Sanctity of the Sacred. June 2015. 19 March 2018 <http://ijaahnet.com/journals/ijaah/Vol_3_No_1_June_2015/7.pdf>.

The swamp dwellers. 19 March 2018 <https://sites.google.com/site/theswampdwellers/the-beggar>.