1. Name: Vora Hirva
The African Literature
Tragedy, Testimony and the
new nation: The Swamp
Dwellers

2. • Soyinka doesn’t say that humankind is capable
of making mistake but their interest in specific
ways and their worries are to be taken into
consideration.
• The play was written at the end of colonialism
before Nigerian independence.

3. • It is in that sense, a sort of prologue to “A
Dance of the forests” which takes up the
national issue. Period of independence of
Nigerian celebration but its end lies in
uncertainty, despair.

4. Beggar
• Contrasts with Kadiye
• Myth of Obatala
• Willingness or humanity in fertility of land
• He wishes: “ to knead ( the soil) between my
fingers’’, to take “ this soil… to scoop it up in
his hands. “ cleaving ridges under the flood
and making little balls of mud’’.

5. Igwezu’s connection with Ogun- god of
war and weapons and Sango- a friend
of Obatala!

6. • Gloomy state
• Beggar’s witness to impossibility has provided
testimony a rebirth of the land- an allegorical
for the “rebirth’’ of the nation!
• Beggar : He grew up in a land with no hope of
new life , springing from soil but our reason is
one long continuous drought!
• Humanity is colonized.

7. Thanks