Conflict and Empowerment in Selected Prose of Wole Soyinka and Sembene Ousmane

Conflict and Empowerment in Selected Prose of Wole Soyinka and Sembene Ousmane

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Reference ID: PS-7498-TM

DEDICATION

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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ABSTRACT

Political conflict and empowerment are crucial issues that have not been studied in a comparative manner in Wole Soyinka and Sembene Ousmane’s writings. The disparity in the consideration of the female gender by the authors in question has also not been given crucial attention by critics. In view of the foregoing, the objectives of this research are to explore thematic affinity and disparity between the two writers and to embark on a comparative analysis of their selected prose. The connection between them revolves round conflict and empowerment. Hence, the authors reflect how a coterie of individuals, in desperation for power, makes surreptitious moves to retain leadership by further relegating the marginalised. Again, there exists conflict between traditional African and European cultures. A deliberate artistic device employed by Soyinka and Ousmane to promote healthy cultures is to ridicule traditional or modern methods that are incongruous in our technological age.

While the marginalised are empowered in the first conflict, cultures that should not go into extinction are glorified in the second conflict. These authors equally pay attention to the women by empowering the female characters in their works. In undertaking this research, primary sources, critical works from the library and the internet provided relevant materials that enhanced the understanding of the works. The researcher has made reference to articles and embarked on detailed reading and content analysis of the works. An eclectic critical approach using Marxism, New Historism, Socialist realism and Feminism has been adopted. The study reveals that while Soyinka relies on the intellectuals to effect a positive change, Ousmane believes in the strength of the workers. Soyinka advocates for a democratic option for a social change; Ousmane believes in a dialectical materialistic option. The two authors do not conform to the romantic idea of negritude. It is worthy of note that authors from different social and cultural backgrounds respond similarly when they are confronted with similar situations. What makes the difference is the approach.

Conflict and Empowerment in Selected Prose of Wole Soyinka and Sembene Ousmane

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Introduction

… As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of technical terms.

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CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review

2.1 Introduction

This chapter focuses on the review of related literature. A literature review includes the current knowledge as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic. It documents the state of the art with respect to the topic you are writing. It surveys the literature in the topic selected. In this research work the literature review includes the …

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