Oyindamola Adesunloye - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Oyindamola Adesunloye

Research paper thumbnail of Paradoxes of a Conventional Society: A Study of Ben Jonson’s The Alchemist and Benard Shaw’s Heartbreak House

Drama is a cognitive process and means of concretely translating abstract ideas into reality. It ... more Drama is a cognitive process and means of concretely translating abstract ideas into reality. It provides a vent for dramatists to vividly capture the rhythms of life in their societies. From the eons of time, the modus operandi of drama has placed it on a pedestal of a gadfly that prods, points and comments on the realities of its time. It is, therefore, pertinent to say that the mind of the dramatist is fertilized by the various social, economic cum political realities that are operational within the domain of his/her existence. This study focuses on two English plays; namely Ben Jonson's Elizabethan play, The Alchemist, and George Benard Shaw's modern drama-Heartbreak House. The selection of these models is anchored on the staggering power of their authors to detect the symptoms of social diseases that are present in their societies at their moments of writing and which by their being exacerbated in our own time, appear transhistorical in nature. The objectives of this study are to highlight the contradictory qualities and properties (paradoxes) of a modern society; one that seeks growth in all ramifications (education, politics, science, among others) and yet finds solace in mundaneness as exemplified by the two plays. The second objective is to comparatively look at the realities in the world of the two plays and what is obtainable now in our own age. Therefore, the interpretation of the past and the new meanings of the present will be juxtaposed and evaluated. Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory will provide frame of reference for the study while interpretive approach shall be content analysis.

Research paper thumbnail of Literature of Politics: Of Dormancy or Doggedness; Finding Meanings in Chinua Achebe's A Man of the People.

Ogbazulobodo: University of Nigeria Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies. , 2020

LITERATURE OF POLITICS: OF DORMANCY OR DOGGEDNESS; FINDING MEANINGS IN CHINUA ACHEBE’S A MAN OF T... more LITERATURE OF POLITICS: OF DORMANCY OR DOGGEDNESS; FINDING MEANINGS IN CHINUA ACHEBE’S A MAN OF THE PEOPLE.

Abstract
Apart from Achebe’s literary dogmas and polemics of the western influence on African native culture and history, there is no gainsaying asserting that he is also a gadfly who questioned and attacked Africa’s socio-political intricacies and orthodoxies. Over the years, the African polity has witnessed innumerable issues as regards good governance and direction, ranging from maladministration, megalomania, corruption, tyranny etc; perpetuated by African political elites and the society at large. However this dangerous politicking has crippled our societies, thus questioning the stance of the African writer; a praise singer or a social critic. It is on this note that this paper seeks to explore the stance of African writers and the utilitarian relevance of literature employed as a weapon to demystify the political statusquo, as exemplified in Chinua Achebe’s A Man of the People. Suffice to say this paper submits that African writers should constantly employ their writs as comrade in arms against the dangerous politicking of African elites and leaders. Their writs should constantly comment, prod and question the existing state of affairs in order to ameliorate the anomalies as epitomized by Chinua Achebe; else the growth we seek will remain an illusion.
Keywords: Literature,politics, African leadership, social, critic.

Research paper thumbnail of Paradoxes of a Conventional Society: A Study of Ben Jonson’s The Alchemist and Benard Shaw’s Heartbreak House

Drama is a cognitive process and means of concretely translating abstract ideas into reality. It ... more Drama is a cognitive process and means of concretely translating abstract ideas into reality. It provides a vent for dramatists to vividly capture the rhythms of life in their societies. From the eons of time, the modus operandi of drama has placed it on a pedestal of a gadfly that prods, points and comments on the realities of its time. It is, therefore, pertinent to say that the mind of the dramatist is fertilized by the various social, economic cum political realities that are operational within the domain of his/her existence. This study focuses on two English plays; namely Ben Jonson's Elizabethan play, The Alchemist, and George Benard Shaw's modern drama-Heartbreak House. The selection of these models is anchored on the staggering power of their authors to detect the symptoms of social diseases that are present in their societies at their moments of writing and which by their being exacerbated in our own time, appear transhistorical in nature. The objectives of this study are to highlight the contradictory qualities and properties (paradoxes) of a modern society; one that seeks growth in all ramifications (education, politics, science, among others) and yet finds solace in mundaneness as exemplified by the two plays. The second objective is to comparatively look at the realities in the world of the two plays and what is obtainable now in our own age. Therefore, the interpretation of the past and the new meanings of the present will be juxtaposed and evaluated. Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory will provide frame of reference for the study while interpretive approach shall be content analysis.

Research paper thumbnail of Literature of Politics: Of Dormancy or Doggedness; Finding Meanings in Chinua Achebe's A Man of the People.

Ogbazulobodo: University of Nigeria Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies. , 2020

LITERATURE OF POLITICS: OF DORMANCY OR DOGGEDNESS; FINDING MEANINGS IN CHINUA ACHEBE’S A MAN OF T... more LITERATURE OF POLITICS: OF DORMANCY OR DOGGEDNESS; FINDING MEANINGS IN CHINUA ACHEBE’S A MAN OF THE PEOPLE.

Abstract
Apart from Achebe’s literary dogmas and polemics of the western influence on African native culture and history, there is no gainsaying asserting that he is also a gadfly who questioned and attacked Africa’s socio-political intricacies and orthodoxies. Over the years, the African polity has witnessed innumerable issues as regards good governance and direction, ranging from maladministration, megalomania, corruption, tyranny etc; perpetuated by African political elites and the society at large. However this dangerous politicking has crippled our societies, thus questioning the stance of the African writer; a praise singer or a social critic. It is on this note that this paper seeks to explore the stance of African writers and the utilitarian relevance of literature employed as a weapon to demystify the political statusquo, as exemplified in Chinua Achebe’s A Man of the People. Suffice to say this paper submits that African writers should constantly employ their writs as comrade in arms against the dangerous politicking of African elites and leaders. Their writs should constantly comment, prod and question the existing state of affairs in order to ameliorate the anomalies as epitomized by Chinua Achebe; else the growth we seek will remain an illusion.
Keywords: Literature,politics, African leadership, social, critic.