Volume 7, Number 1/2

Myth of a “Carrier” : A Study of Soyinka’s Death and King’s Horseman and the Strong Breed

  Authors

Shivani Duggal, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, (USHSS), India

  Abstract

The origin of African drama has been rooted in the oral traditions, dramatic rituals and enactive festivities. Myths have always played a vital role in constructing African community and consolidating shared culture. Myths are not treated as imaginative or constructed; rather they are part of Africa’s culture. The paper focuses on two plays, Death and King’s Horseman and The Strong Breed, written by Wole Soyinka.

The paper portrays how Soyinka constructs the myth of a “carrier” who becomes a scapegoat and sacrifices his life for the betterment of the community. Soyinka draws on Yoruba tradition in both the plays and questions the relevance of this kind of ritual. He constructs an archetype of a “carrier” relevant in their folk tradition, which comments upon the social hierarchy, power relations and communal bond prevalent in African community. The paper shows how Soyinka constructs and then problematizes myth and archetypes in his writings.

  Keywords

Myth, Archetype, African culture, Oral tradition, Yoruba.