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Nairaland Forum / Entertainment / Literature / Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read (18884 Views)
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Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by LordOfNaira: 8:37am On May 19, 2017 |
IamaNigerianGuy: Actually no work of his was mentioned in the citation and I should have included "widely believed". I was in such a hurry. I doubt it was 'The Man Died' It was believed that prior to 1986, the Nobel Prize was very Eurocentric. Considerations were made toward expanding the Prize and it fell towards the time when Soyinka's major autobiography was published. The citation seemed to make it seem like he was given based on the strength of his plays and poems but I have read journals that believed it was on the strength of Ake. |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by Johnhug66(m): 8:40am On May 19, 2017 |
divicode:#GBAM# well said 2 Likes |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by popyea(m): 8:59am On May 19, 2017 |
northvietnam:eeyah, i understand ur bitterness...take pure water. 1 Like |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by Ifebazz(m): 9:04am On May 19, 2017 |
Thistrendblog:Who christianed them 'top five books'? It's just your opinion jor, how can you list top five without 'The Man Died' and some other good works by him? Just say "My Top Five Books" period. |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by jaymichael(m): 9:08am On May 19, 2017 |
AustineCJ:Those are two different genres of literature. Soyinka writes PLAYS for stage performance. PLAY is different from PROSE. prose is story telling. Chinua Achebe writes and "tell" stories (although in a captivating way) . The writing styles is totally different. |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by ImaIma1(f): 9:23am On May 19, 2017 |
FreshShavedBalls: It can't be as bad as me. I studied English in school and still never read his books |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by Nobody: 9:33am On May 19, 2017 |
northvietnam: Is that not better than a bloody coward who abandoned some idioots at the war front and bolted away with his family? Is is not better than going to look for a vagabond like Fayose to lead you to war I pity fllatties like you! Wasted generation |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by IamaNigerianGuy(m): 9:54am On May 19, 2017 |
author=LordOfNaira post=56665638] Actually no work of his was mentioned in the citation and I should have included "widely believed". I was in such a hurry. You are right. But in the presentation speech at the Award ceremony, the awarding fellows specifically mention the works that informed their decision to select WS. http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1986/presentation-speech.html I doubt it was 'The Man Died'Wole Soyinka's greatest 'career move' was getting imprisoned. The Man Died - penned in part in prison and published in 1971, solidified his reputation and is his most lasting work. Absent these two events, WS in my considered opinion would not enjoy the stature he has today. It was believed that prior to 1986, the Nobel Prize was very Eurocentric. Considerations were made toward expanding the Prize and it fell towards the time when Soyinka's major autobiography was published. The citation seemed to make it seem like he was given based on the strength of his plays and poems but I have read journals that believed it was on the strength of Ake Ake is an enjoyable read but inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. It is possible to remove Ake from the corpus of Soyinka's work and still leave his monumental legacy intact. Furthermore, it was written in 1981 - just 5 years before the award of the prize. Nobels are not given so close to individual publications no matter how good, and as I have opined the book is not stellar. The only exception to this unwritten rule I am aware of, is Hemingway's prize in which his recently published novella 'The Old Man And The Sea' was mentioned in the award. It could not escape critical acclaim as it is perhaps his greatest book (and he surprised the literary world with its publication), but the committee would have awarded him a prize sooner or later anyway on the strength of his previous works. Same with Soyinka. |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by LordOfNaira: 10:54am On May 19, 2017 |
IamaNigerianGuy: You are perfectly right. I have read the whole citation. Thank you for the educative piece!!! |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by RosaConsidine: 11:01am On May 19, 2017 |
No mention of A Play Of Giants? 1 Like |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by pavy(m): 11:58am On May 19, 2017 |
That list is incomplete and inaccurate if "A Play of Giants" is conspicuously missing..."A Play of Giants" is arguably Wole's best book alongside "Lion and the Jewel" |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by pavy(m): 12:03pm On May 19, 2017 |
raphieMontella: Have u read "Anthills of the Savannah"? My best Achebe's book by a mile, alongside "Things Fall Apart" |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by Sebastine1994(m): 12:13pm On May 19, 2017 |
Wole Soyinka and his unreadable books |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by fratermathy(m): 1:45pm On May 19, 2017 |
raphieMontella: Comparing Okonjo Iweala to Wole Soyinka is an insult to Soyinka!! I'm no Yoruba but as a literati and scholar, Soyinka is one of the most outstanding Nigerians EVER!!! Give honour to whom honour is due. 1 Like |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by fratermathy(m): 1:47pm On May 19, 2017 |
IamaNigerianGuy: Soyinka's magnum opus, simply put, is DEATH AND THE KING'S HORSEMAN!!! The Man Died is not regarded as canonical in Soyinka's literary artistry. I am speaking as a scholar of Literature. |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by fratermathy(m): 1:53pm On May 19, 2017 |
IamaNigerianGuy: Mind you, The Man Died is not really "literature" in its traditional sense but a memoir. WS was awarded the prize for his DRAMATURGY, not even his poetry, which he is also known for. The Man Died is not a play and neither is it wholly literary. For those in the non-literary field (public readers), The Man Died may be of use as a historical document and masterpiece of Soyinka's PROSE! |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by IamaNigerianGuy(m): 2:48pm On May 19, 2017 |
fratermathy: Heresy. Literature is prose and poetry (and with the 2016 award to Bob Dylan perhaps music as well, but I digress). Churchill was awarded the 1953 prize for historical non-fiction and autobiographical accounts of WWII. Where does that leave your theory ? If you have read the book you will recognize it as a work of art. Read my previous post with the link to the award speech. WS was awarded the prize for his drama, poetry and prose work. |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by fratermathy(m): 2:54pm On May 19, 2017 |
IamaNigerianGuy: There is no heresy here. Autobiographies and non-fiction MAY be considered literature in exceptional circumstances, just like some forms of music maybe. However, literature is IMAGINATIVE! Anything that documents real happenings is no longer literature but history! The Man Died documents Soyinka's prison experience during the civil war and is thus not imaginative (like A Shuttle in the Crypt or Madmen and Specialists which are also products of the same war). A Man Died is a historical book that shouldn't have a place in literary studies but historiography! In literary studies, we are concerned with PROSE FICTION, not just any prose. If so, then newspaper articles may also be considered literature and if all music can be considered poetry then Terry G may be called a poet! And Wole Soyinka wasn't awarded for his prose or poetry but his drama. In his citation, he was said to have won the award for his fashioning of the "drama of existence"! |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by fratermathy(m): 2:57pm On May 19, 2017 |
@IamaNigerianGuy These are the exact words of the committee: "who in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashions the drama of existence"! I don't see the PROSE of existence there. Take your time to read the full award citation speech. He was cited for his drama, not prose! Generally, Soyinka is even known to write bad prose (The Interpreters as case study). |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by IamaNigerianGuy(m): 3:40pm On May 19, 2017 |
fratermathy: Go over the entire presentation speech. This time with care. |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by fratermathy(m): 4:00pm On May 19, 2017 |
IamaNigerianGuy: Award Ceremony Speech Presentation Speech by Professor Lars Gyllensten, of the Swedish Academy Translation from the Swedish text Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Ladies and Gentlemen, Wole Soyinka, born in Nigeria in 1934, writes in English and is chiefly recognized as a dramatist. His many-sided and vital literary works also include some important collections of poems and novels, an interesting autobiography and a large number of articles and essays. He has been, and is, very active as a man of the theatre and has staged his own plays in England and Nigeria. He has himself taken part as an actor and energetically joined in theatrical debates and theatre policies. During the civil war in Nigeria in the middle of the 1960s he was drawn into the struggle for liberty because of his opposition to violence and terror. He was imprisoned under brutal and illegal forms in 1967 and was released over two years later - an experience that drastically affected his outlook on life and literary work. Soyinka has depicted his childhood in a little African village. His father was a teacher, his mother a social worker - both Christian. But in the preceding generation there were medicine men and others who believed firmly in spirits, magic, and rites of anything but a Christian kind. We encounter a world in which tree sprites, ghosts, sorcerer and primitive African traditions were living realities. We also come face to face with a more complicated world of myth, which has its roots far back in an African culture handed down by word of mouth. This account of childhood gives a background to Soyinka's literary works - a self-experienced, close connection with a rich and complex African heritage. Soyinka made an early appearance as a dramatist. It was natural for him to seek this art form, which is closely linked with the African material and with African forms of linguistic and mime creation. His plays make frequent and skilful use of many elements belonging to stage art and which also have genuine roots in African culture-dance and rites, masques and pantomime, rhythm and music, declamation, theatre within the theatre etc. His first dramas are lighter and more playful than the later ones - pranks, ironical and satirical scenes, pictures of everyday life with telling and witty dialogue, often with a tragicomical or grotesque sense of life as keynote. Among these early plays can be mentioned A Dance of the Forests - a kind of African "Midsummer Night's Dream", with dryads, ghosts, spirits, and gods or demi-gods. It is about creativeness and sacrifice, with the god or hero Ogun as one of the performers. This Ogun is a Prometheus - like figure - the demigod of iron and artistic skill but also of war and battle, a double figure combining both creation and destruction in his being. Soyinka has often reverted to him. Soyinka's dramas are deeply rooted in an African world and culture. But he is also a widely read, not to say learned writer and dramatist. He is familiar with western literature, from the Greek tragedies to Beckett and Brecht. Also outside the field of drama he is well versed in the great European literature. A writer like James Joyce, for instance, has left traces in his novels. Soyinka is an author who writes with great deliberation, and especially in his novels and poems he can be avant-gardistically sophisticated. During the war years, his time in prison and afterwards, his writing takes on a more tragic character. The psychological, moral and social conflicts appear more and more complex and menacing. The book-keeping of good and evil, of destructive and constructive forces, becomes increasingly ambiguous. His dramas become equivocal - dramas which in the shape of allegory or satire take up moral, social, and political matters for mythical-dramatic creation. The dialogue is sharpened, the characters become more expressive, often exaggerated to the point of caricature, demanding denouement - the dramatic temperature is raised. The vitality is no less than in the first works - on the contrary: the satire, the humour, the elements of grotesquery and comedy, and the mythical fable-making come vividly to life. The way in which Soyinka makes use of the mythical material, the African, and the literary schooling, the European, is very independent. He says he uses the myths as "the aesthetic matrix" for his writing. It is thus not a question of a folkloristic reproduction, a kind of exoticism, but an independent and co-operative work. The myths, traditions, and rites are integrated as nourishment for his writing, not a masquerade costume. He has called his wide reading and literary awareness a "selective eclecticism" - i.e. purposeful and sovereign choice. Among the later dramas special mention can be made of Death and the King's Horseman - a genuinely, dramatically convincing work full of many ideas and meanings, of poetry, satire, surprise, cruelty, and lust. Superficially it is about a conflict between western morals and convention on the one hand, and African culture and tradition on the other. The theme moves around a ritual or cultic human sacrifice. The drama goes so deeply into human and superhuman conditions that it cannot be reduced to something that teaches us about breaches between different civilizations. Soyinka himself prefers to see it as a metaphysical and religious drama of fate. It is about the conditions of the human identity and realization, the mythical pact of life and death, and the possibilities of the unborn. To Soyinka's non-dramatic works belong the autobiographically inspired accounts The Man Died, from his time in prison, and the novel The Interpreters, from intellectual circles in Nigeria. The novel Season of Anomy is an allegory with the Orpheus and Eurydice myth as framework, a somewhat complicated, symbolic-expressionistic story with a background in brutal social and political conditions of oppression and corruption. Outstanding among the poems are collections with motifs from his time in prison, some of them written during his imprisonment as a kind of mental exercise to help the author survive with dignity and fortitude. The imagery in these poems is compact and rather hard to penetrate, sometimes, however, with a laconic or ascetic concentration. It takes some time to get to know them intimately, but they can then yield a strange emanation that gives evidence of their background and role in a harsh, difficult period in the poet's life - moving testimony to courage and artistic strength. As already mentioned, it is chiefly the dramas that stand out as Wole Soyinka's most significant achievement. They are of course made to be acted on the stage, with dance, music, masques, and mime as essential components. But his plays can also be read as important and fascinating literary works from a richly endowed writer's experience and imagination - and with roots in a composite culture with a wealth of living and artistically inspiring traditions. Dear Mr. Soyinka, In your versatile writings you have been able to synthesize a very rich heritage from your own country, ancient myths and old traditions, with literary legacies and traditions of European culture. There is a third component, a most important component in what you have thus achieved - your own genuine and impressive creativity as an artist, a master of language, and your commitment as a dramatist and writer of poetry and prose to problems of general and deep significance for man, modern or ancient. It is my privilege to convey to you the warm congratulations of the Swedish Academy and to ask you to receive this year's Nobel Prize for Literature from the hand of His Majesty the King. From Nobel Lectures, Literature 1981-1990, Editor-in-Charge Tore Frängsmyr, Editor Sture Allén, World Scientific Publishing Co., Singapore, 1993 |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by fratermathy(m): 4:03pm On May 19, 2017 |
@IamaNigerianGuy Only a mention was made to Soyinka's The Man Died and it was clearly stated there that it is an autobiography. The emphasis was on his drama! "it is chiefly the dramas that stand out as Wole Soyinka's most significant achievement. They are of course made to be acted on the stage, with dance, music, masques, and mime as essential components. But his plays can also be read as important and fascinating literary works from a richly endowed writer's experience and imagination - and with roots in a composite culture with a wealth of living and artistically inspiring traditions". 2 Likes |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by northvietnam(m): 7:26pm On May 19, 2017 |
divicode: just like westerners |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by Nobody: 7:29pm On May 19, 2017 |
northvietnam: I don comot!! |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by northvietnam(m): 7:39pm On May 19, 2017 |
divicode: yeye |
Re: Top 5 Books By Wole Soyinka: The Tale, The Story And A Must Read by Nobody: 9:59am On May 25, 2017 |
ImaIma1:Unforgivable. |
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