Abstract:
This thesis examines the elements of orality and performance in modern African
poetry, particularly Osundare’s selected poems. The aim is to observe how Osundare
uses the elements of orality in selected poems in The Eye of the Earth and Songs of
the Marketplace volumes to present the African human experience. The theoretical
framework for this research is the formalistic approach. The analysis is based on ten
selected poems each from Osundare’s The Eye of the Earth and Songs of the
Marketplace volumes and the elements of orality and performance explored. The
study reveals that the poet combines orality with performance. The elements of orality
covered in both volumes are proverbs, riddles, Oriki (Yoruba panegyric), local names,
music and dance, repetitions and refrains and the personal pronouns that signal
dialogue; the curse prayers; Babalawo- the traditional priests; the pantheon of gods;
dirge and incantations among others. However, in The Eye of the Earth, the elements
of performance are explicit - the poet suggests that various kinds of musical
instruments be employed and the volume is also about the non - human nature. In
Songs of the Marketplace, performance is implicit - deductions are made from the
combination of word structure. Songs of the Marketplace is about people - the human
nature. The study is therefore relevant for pedagogy, in the teaching and learning of
literature and in the area of academia, for the analysis of orality and performance in
African literature.
Description:
A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EDUCATION, FACULTY
OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION,
SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES, UNIVERSITY
OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR AWARD OF THE MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY OF
ENGLISH DEGREE (LITERATURE)
JULY, 2017
