Creating the conscious nigerian via an interrogation of sophocles antigone in osofisan s tegonni. Marzieh rastad borujeni, zohreh heydari beni, soleyman heydari, davood mahdavi. Tina chanters book sets out to reread sophocles antigone in light of two modern reworkings of the play from subsaharan africaathol fugards the island 1974, which is based on an actual allmale performance of antigone by prisoners on robben island where nelson mandela was incarcerated, and femi osofisans tegonni. She is the first nigerian woman to hold a phd in computer science, a feat she accomplished in 1989. Five african playwrights, namely femi osofisan, athol fugard. We are only women, we cannot fight with men, antigone. Femi osofisan, professor of theatre arts at the university of ibadan, nigeria s poet of the votile verse now in residence at emory university, a centre of professional theatre activities in atlanta, georgia. Sociopolitical satire in femi osofisans many colours make. In spite of his reluctance to associate with any ideology, osofisan s drama articulates the historical and cultural processes in the society from a class perspective. Sophocles antigone in osofisan s tegonni 121 an interface of the old and the new. The authority of the greek antigone comes to symbolize the tragic inevitability of africas damaged history, but is countered both by the comedy in the play.
Critical opinions on femi osofisans women of owu are largely stereotypical. Focusing on the politics of adaptation, van weyenberg considers osofisan s decision to draw on sophocles within the context of nigeria, and analyses antigone s representative value within her new surroundings. International journal of physical and human geography vol. Pdf colonial alienation and the ideology of resistance. An africa antigone is analysed within the ambit of his. In his adaptation of sophocles antigone titled tegonni osofisan subverts the athenian world of greek mythology to make complex arguments about the relations between colonial and postcolonial, british and yoruba on one hand, and the military jackboots of abacha s era and the citizenry on the other. As osofisans subtitle an african antigone and the plays doubled eponymous protagonists, antigone and tegonni, highlight, antigone has been multiplied. Sociopolitical satire in femi osofisans many colours. Both fugard and osofisan choose to rework antigone, because this text, in their re readings, holds political relevance in the contexts of apartheid south africa. In plays such as the chattering and the song 1976 and morountodun 1983, osofisan challenges the. An african antigone in the light of its classical antecedent and critically examines the playwright s deconstruction of sophocles s antigone as.
Analysis of sophocles antigone and the level of its influence on femi osofisans tegonni, an african antigone tegonni, femi osofisans adaptation of sophocles antigone. Uvadare digital academic repository the politics of. Osofisan s african antigone akin taiwo emory an african antigone ch. Beyound fiction nkemdirim olubunmi adedina department of theatre arts, adeniran ogunsanya college of education, otoijanikin. Still, whether or not african reworkings of antigone should be considered counternarratives to the western canon is a question in need of closer investigation, and one that will be discussed later.
Sophocles antigone in osofisans tegonni 121 an interface of the old and the new. While chapter two is concerned with revolutionary refigurations of antigone. This article uses one of his plays to propose the ideology of post. Pan africanism, myth and history in african and caribbean drama by omotayo oloruntobaoju. This essay represents essentially a comparative investigation of athol fugard s the island and femi osofisan s tegonni, an african antigone, two african adaptations of sophocles s antigone. Instead, the play deconstructs colonial and other types of authority, including paternal power and the domination of the male, in the service of resistance to neocolonialism. Playing romanticism and patriotism through history and myth in femi osofisan s tegonni. This item is from the digital archive maintained by michigan. In the course of exploring the two texts however, i have found myself delving into some salient debates in postcolonial theory.
Osofisan tegonni and antigone world literatures in english. Femi osofisans tegonni an african antigone academia. An african antigone, edward kamau brathwaite s omero s odale s choice, derek walcott s omeros, wole. Adenike osofisan born 11 march 1950 is a nigerian professor of computer science, who specialize in data mining and knowledge management.
They lament the plunder of owu and compare it to that of troy, drawing some parallels between euripides the trojan women and osofisan s adaptation of it. They lament the plunder of owu and compare it to that of troy, drawing some parallels between euripides the trojan women and osofisans adaptation of it. Critical opinions on femi osofisan s women of owu are largely stereotypical. It is advisable to refer to the publisher s version if you intend to cite. This article discusses femi osofisans transnational play tegonni. An african antigone in the context of other african and european rewritings of sophocles antigone. It is set in nigeria under british colonial rule, while also referring to the military dictatorships that have held nigeria in its grip almost incessantly ever since its independence from britain in 1960. Postcolonial discourse and strategies of indigenizing a western classic, research in african literatures, volume 36, number 4, winter 2005, pp. Modifying traffic routes and bus stations down town hamedan using geographically informational systemsgis pdf. Postcolonial discourse and strategies of indigenizing a western classic created date. An africa antigone is analysed within the ambit of his romantic and patriotic zeal, and his use history and myth towad.
A top notch adaptation of antigone, osofisans tegonni reenvisions the play in a colonial nigerian context but for a modern african audience particularly nigerian, given that countrys postcolonial history of violence and oppressive military regimes. Classical temper and creative ingenuity in osofisans tegonni. This chapter examines another important play by femi osofisan, tegonni. A situational analysis of the conditions of street children in tamale metropolis in northern region of ghana.
An african antigone in the light of its classical antecedent and critically examines the playwrights deconstruction of sophocless antigone as. Classical temper and creative ingenuity in osofisans. An african antigone in the light of its classical antecedent and critically examines the. Adekunle ajasin university, akungba akoko, nigeria. West african versions of a greek original 54 james gibbs 4.
Instead, the play deconstructs colonial and other types of authority, including paternal power and the domination of the male. The author informs readers that mythology has no color by antigone showing up african american. The antigone myth is one of the enduring myths that was used, though in differing ways, by both classical and modern playwrights. Antigone as revolutionary muse femi osofisans tegonni. Olasope s work on osofisan and classical reception is widely recognised in nigerian media sources. Pdf classical temper and creative ingenuity in osofisan.
The paper examines the reception of plautine metatheatrical techniques and its attendant sociocultural interpretations in miles gloriosus, and in postcolonial nigerian drama through a reading of femi osofisans tegonni, an african antigone. An african antigone, edward kamau brathwaites omeros odales choice, derek walcotts omeros, wole soyinkas the bachae of euripedes. This paper is devoted to the african playwrights employment of the myth. An african antigone and many colours make the thunderking is one out of many other plays by osofisan that combines african oral literature with western techniques as a means. Creating the conscious nigerian via an interrogation of. The paper focuses on the use of animal and predatory metaphors in osofisan s plays to. An african antigone by femi osofisan 40 barbara goff 3.
Oedipus oedipus unwittingly killed his father, laios, and married his own mother, iocaste. The paper focuses on the use of animal and predatory metaphors in osofisans plays to launch an offensive literary attack on the. It is not possible to talk of much african theatre as if it fell into discrete historical or. Babafemi adeyemi osofisan, known as femi osofisan or f. The choice of the order of the analyses of the three plays in the third, fourth.
Analysis of sophocles antigone and the level of its. We always come in the colour and form of your imagination. The paper examines the reception of plautine metatheatrical techniques and its attendant sociocultural interpretations in miles gloriosus, and in postcolonial nigerian drama through a reading of femi osofisan s tegonni, an african antigone. Playing romanticism and patriotism through history and. Within the cultural context of the nigerian worldview human life used to be greatly valued. Playing romanticism and patriotism through history and myth in femi osofisans tegonni. This paper will focus on femi osofisans reworking of antigone, entitled tegonni. A work on the interface between antigone and tegonni abstract this paper examines sophocles antigone to determine the level of its influence on femi osofisan s tegonni, an african antigone. Sophocles antigone in osofisan s tegonni 124 the playwright is very much at home with his audiences preconceptions, especially their socio cultural and political nuances.
Isbn 9780199296101 full text not archived in this repository. An african antigone in the light of its classical antecedent and critically examines the playwright s deconstruction of sophocles s antigone as manifested in the thematic preoccupation, style, linguistic mediums and. A brief introduction to femi osofisan don rubin when asked about african theatre, most theatre critics and scholars would be hardpressed to name more than one or two playwrights beyond the nobel prizewinning nigerian dramatist wole soyinka or the antiapartheid activist athol fugard. In place of traditional authorities it foregrounds relationships of spontaneous affection. Pdf classical temper and creative ingenuity in osofisans.
It discusses the centrality of metaphors as a dominant literary device consciously deployed by femi osofisan to project the theme of oppression, dehumanization, social injustice and poverty in his plays. Tegonni, an african antigone by femi osofisan south african versions of the tale besides simple direct translations of the various texts into south african languages see the entries under the various texts, there are also a few original plays or significant adaptations created andor written by a south african playwright andor director. African antigone titubi in morountodun ibidun in red is the freedom road alhaja in. The demonization of woman in femi osofisans women of owu. In spite of his reluctance to associate with any ideology, osofisans drama articulates the historical and cultural processes in the society from a class perspective. But oh, antigone, think how much more terrible than these our own death would be if we should go against creon 45 and do what he has forbidden. Osofisans african antigone akin taiwo emory an african antigone ch. The pdf file you selected should load here if your web browser has a pdf reader plugin installed for example, a recent version of adobe acrobat reader if you would like more information about how to print, save, and work with pdfs, highwire press provides a helpful frequently asked questions about pdfs alternatively, you can download the pdf file directly to your computer. Femi osofisan has 54 books on goodreads with 2406 ratings. A work on the interface between antigone and tegonni abstract. Why didnt you just stay where you were, a relic in the. African theatre, effectively, the theatre of africa south of the sahara that emerged in the postcolonial erathat is to say, from the mid20th century onward.
Playing romanticism and patriotism through history and myth. The african ejournals project has digitized full text of. David bourget western ontario david chalmers anu, nyu area editors. There is a preconception with the fate of humanity in the universe, especially the downtrodden. Pan africanism, myth and history in african and caribbean drama. Sola adeyemi the publication of edward saids orientalism. A top notch adaptation of antigone, osofisan s tegonni reenvisions the play in a colonial nigerian context but for a modern african audience particularly nigerian, given that country s postcolonial history of violence and oppressive military regimes. The essays conclusions revealed that the true nigerian womanist as exemplified by tegoni and a host of other womanist heroines, will against all odds, strive to nurture and preserve human life and accord it, at all times, the respect, esteem and dignity it deserves in a world where the worth of the human life has become inconsequential. Throughout, i am interested in how fugards and osofisans african antigones relate to and extend antigones political legacy. Colonial alienation and the ideology of resistance. An african antigone and many colours make the thunderking is one out of many other plays by osofisan that combines african oral literature with. It is not possible to talk of much african theatre as if it fell into discrete historical or national patterns.
In 2006, she became a full professor at university of ibadan, a promotion that made her the first african woman to become a. Pan africanism, myth and history in african and caribbean. Focusing on the politics of adaptation, van weyenberg considers osofisans decision to draw on sophocles within the context of nigeria, and analyses antigones representative value within her new surroundings. Femi osofisans works adesola adeyemi ma candidate, drama studies department. Osofisan in an article entitled the nationalist on target. A chronology, african postcolonial literature in english. However, his search for form is not only limited to the african traditional. Isbn 9783927510951 full text not archived in this repository. This paper examines the functional and the significant role of metaphors in literary works.
He is in fact a didactic writer whose works seek to correct his decadent society. Tegonni, femi osofisan s adaptation of sophocles antigone. This paper examines sophocles antigone to determine the level of its influence on femi osofisans. The incessant violence, terror, horror, disease and deprivation that have enveloped most societies in the world bear testimony to that. Olasope has written a series of articles on osofisan s work, focusing on the use of plays by sophocles and euripides in modern nigerian drama and literature, particularly focusing on the trojan women and women of owu. An african antigone tegonni, an african antigone is osofisans most.
By emmanuel folorunso taiwo abstract postcolonial dramatists from nigeria betray an affection for classical drama. In osofisan tegonni, antigone s story is continued with a twist. Nov 11, 2016 antigone as revolutionary muse femi osofisans tegonni. Jean anouilh adapted the play to comment on the nazi occupation of france and those who opposed or. An african antigone in the light of its classical antecedent and critically examines the playwrights deconstruction of sophocless antigone as manifested in the thematic preoccupation, style, linguistic mediums and mythical contents of tegonni. Tegonni is an adaptation of sophocles antigone, and the play owes its basic.
As such, in spite of his outwardly socialist lifestyle, osofisan refuses to identify with any ideology, particularly in nigeria, where his drama is most popular. The article argues that osofisan employs yoruban ritual for a postcolonial revision of greek tragedy that constructs an alternative tradition to the western claim of. Osofisans african antigone michigan state university. A brief introduction to femi osofisan critical stages. The evolution of global societies in this age is taking alarmingly negative turns that seem to be catapulting the world into inevitable selfdestruction. One of the things i really like about the play is the metatheatre woven. This paper will focus on femi osofisan s reworking of antigone, entitled tegonni. A frequent theme that his novels explore is the conflict between good and evil. Osofisan s african antigone 32 impressions of detroit 33 festival of european films in lagos 36 soyinka and the story of the 60s 41 taking africa s book distribution problems. This opens minds because a lot of the time in reading anything the origin of the. Creating the conscious nigerian via an interrogation of sophocles antigone in osofisans tegonni.
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