· Name:
Abulhasan H. Aabedi
Roll
no: 01
· Topic: Women Characters in Swamp Dwellers
· Paper
no.14 African Literature
· Class:
Semester 04
· Enrollment no.:2069108420180001
· Batch: 2017~19
· Submitted
to Department of English MK Bhavnagar University.
Introduction:
“Swamp Dweller” a one act play written by well
known author Wole Soyinka. He is basically Nigerian poet and play writer and
first African writer who won Nobel Prize in literature in 1986. Soyinka was
born in Yoruba community. In the play he focuses on the problems of youth of
his time. Even today and during his time we can see the influence of the first
world countries on the third world countries. He tries to bring those issues in
his writing. The Young people wanted to leave the village and the community and
wanted to start a new life in the city. He discussed the issue of city life and
village in his notable work “Swamp Dwellers”
The play
“Swamp Dwellers” is about the traditional and modern way of African Culture in
which two Brother Auchike who represents the modern life and Igwezu represents
traditional life of village. It is a story about one African family lives in
flooded area of village. Allu and Makuri are husband and wife who lives
traditional life in the village and their sons Auchike and Igwezu both lives in
the city for work but after cheated by his wife igwezu return to village and
then Igwezu feel absurdity in the life because of nothing to do in the village.
Because of flood there is nothing for farming. Igwezu also against the corrupt
practices of priest, kadiye. Here is little bit contrast between parents and
son about tradition of culture. In addition, here we can see the contrast
between two characters Begger and Kadiye that they both are different nature
and perception. Begger, a Muslim who believe in the hard work for survive in
the life and he teach good philosophy to Igwezu whereas Kadiye is corrupt
priest of serpent. He cheats people and faith of villagers; he has set his eye
on Igwezu’s money. So, through this character Wole Soyinka conveys readers the
corrupt practices and blind rituals in African culture.
So, at
the end Igwezu goes somewhere but we cannot exactly say that what is done with
Igwezu whether he committed suicide or gone to other place to work for his rest
life. The play has modern element like there is no unity in beginning, middle
and ending and also the end is not clear like other modernist play.
Female characters in the play:
Wole
Soyinka presented two way of life traditional and modern through the characters
of Allu and Dasala. Both the characters have contraction. So, we will see the
modern and traditional thinking through the both female characters.
Alu:
Alu is the wife of Makuri. She is
the mother of Igwezu and Auchike. She is aged about sixty. She believes in the
tradition of Swamp culture. The character of Alu is inferior to Makuri and
loving mother and good at hosting. Her character is like Indian women
characters. Like faithful to husband, loving mother, saving of tradition and
culture and religious. She is like ordinary woman who lost her one child in the
city and now she don’t want to lose her other child in the city. She always
tries to fulfil every wish of her husband as well as his son. Sometimes she
also fights against her husband for his sons. As we already discussed that the
one of the main theme of the play is conflict between the tradition and the
modernity. She is against the current changes of society because she was not in
favour to send her son to the city because of her motherly love towards son so
we can connect it with the society of Soyinka’s time.
Throughout the play Auchike never comes on the stage but we can see him
through the talk of the family members. Alu use to remember him a lot because
when he gone there in the city, then he was different and now he is different
person. Trough the talk of Igwezu we can come to know that he is a successful
person in the city. When Alu remember Auchike that time Igwezu angrily talk to
his mother that
Igwezu:
“Auchike is dead to you and to this house. Let us not raise his ghost in this
house.”
So, we
can say that how brother hate his brother and other side the mother still has
love for his son who left entire family for the sake of money. At last we can
say that character of Alu is much different from other women characters of the
play who represent the traditional life of Africa.
Desala:
Desala is
also one of the major characters though she never appears on the stage like
Auchike. First she married to Igwezu and went to the city but there Igwezu
failed in the business and return to village but Desala never return like
Auchike. She remarries with Auchike for the money and modern life. She cheats
Igwezu. So, here we can again connect two way of life through Igwezu and
Desala. Here Desala stand for modern life and Igwezu represent traditional way
of living. The things are not much clear but the chance of her marrying to
Auchike is wealth. When Alu heard about that she is not ready to accept the
reality that Auchike cheats his own brother. At some extent Desala is the
reason for the rivalry between both brothers.
Furthermore, we also can’t blame Desala because she was a young girl
when she married to Igwezu but she have some desire and dream to become
something in the life that is why she married to Auchike a succeed person in
the city. When Kadiye asks Igwezu about his wife Desala then he becomes angry
on Kadiye which shows that now he doesn’t care about Desala, by this way we come
to know about Desala and Igwezu that may be something went wrong between
husband and wife.
The story
is not unfolding ordinary in front of our eyes, things are also not much clear
about anything and which also shows the mental state of the characters. From
the margin, from the periphery the voice comes it is always harsh and
aggressive here also the voice of Alu and Desala is much harsh and aggressive
but unheard by the society.
Conclusion:
Thus, the female
characters of the play are representing the main theme of the play modernity
and traditional way of life in African culture. Both the women characters have
contrast in living life, Desala stand for modernity that cheats his first
husband Igwezu and married to Auchike, brother of Igwezu. Whereas, Alu
represents the traditional way of life and faithful to his husband and also
play the role of loving mother.
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Works Cited
Gohil,
Devikaba. Female Characters in ‘Swamp Dwellers’. 27 March 2016. 06
April 2019
<http://devikagohil2014-16.blogspot.com/2016/03/female-characters-in-swamp-dwellers.html>.
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/>.
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