A new historicist analysis of power and politics in the works of two Yorùba playwrights

Abstract

Literary studies have utilised the historical lens in examining the political intrigue and power play in Yorúbà society. While such efforts are commendable, it is apparent that substantial success has not been recorded in the drive towards the examination of power formation and power use from the perspective of New Historicist theory (Tíórì-ìfojú-ìmò ìtàn tuntun-wò). Using the Althusser and Foucault's model of the theory, this paper examines Olú Owólabi's Abikú Solóògùn Dèké (1977) and Láwuyì Ògúníran's Àtàrí Àjànàkú (1985) to see how the authors represent the issue of power and politics in their plays. The work is a corpus study. The research methodology is descriptive. The theory is used to identify power in the family, religious, economic, and political spheres. Our findings from the selected play-texts show that religion institutes divine or sacred notion of power and reinforces history to strengthen the authority of the dominant class. The paper shows that there is relationship among discourse, power and politics, that discourse constitutes cold command, and such command should be resisted. The paper concludes that as long as power is considered to be sacred among the Yorùba, unscrupulous dominant class and knowledgeable few will continue to exploit and dominate the majority. Hence, the study of literature and appropriate theory like New Historicism is suggested as a foundation for academic knowledge. (Key words- Power, Discourse, Ideological apparatuses, and New Historicism theory).