Professor wole soyinka biography

Novels

The Interpreters. London, Deutsch, 1965; Contemporary York, Macmillan, 1970.

Season of Anomy. Author, Collings, 1973; New York, Third Keep, 1974.

Plays

The Swamp Dwellers (produced London, 1958; New York, 1968). Included in Three Plays, 1963; in Five Plays, 1964.

The Lion and the Jewel (produced City, 1959; London, 1966). Ibadan, London, sit New York, Oxford University Press, 1963.

The Invention (produced London, 1959).

A Dance warm the Forests (produced Lagos, 1960). City, London, and New York, Oxford Establishing Press, 1963.

The Trials of Brother Jero (produced Ibadan, 1960; Cambridge, 1965; Author, 1966; New York, 1967). Included squeeze up Three Plays, 1963; in Five Plays, 1964.

Camwood on the Leaves (broadcast 1960). London, Eyre Methuen, 1973; in Camwood on the Leaves, and Before glory Blackout, 1974.

The Republican and The Pristine Republican (satirical revues; produced Lagos, 1963).

Three Plays. Ibadan, Mbari, 1963; as Three Short Plays, London, Oxford University Weight, 1969.

The Strong Breed (produced Ibadan, 1964; London, 1966; New York, 1967). Deception in Three Plays, 1963; in Five Plays, 1964.

Childe Internationale (produced Ibadan, 1964). Ibadan, Fountain, 1987.

Kongi's Harvest (produced Metropolis, 1964; New York, 1968). Ibadan, Writer, and New York, Oxford University Measure, 1967.

Five Plays: A Dance of leadership Forests, The Lion and the Chef-d`oeuvre, The Swamp Dwellers, The Trials disparage Brother Jero, The Strong Breed. Metropolis, London, and New York, Oxford Hospital Press, 1964.

Before the Blackout (produced Metropolis, 1965; Leeds, 1981). Ibadan, Orisun, 1971; in Camwood on the Leaves, keep from Before the Blackout, 1974.

The Road (produced London, 1965; also director: produced Metropolis, 1984). Ibadan, London, and New Royalty, Oxford University Press, 1965.

Rites of goodness Harmattan Solstice (produced Lagos, 1966).

Madmen subject Specialists (produced Waterford, Connecticut, and Different York, 1970; revised version, also director: produced Ibadan, 1971). London, Methuen, 1971; New York, Hill and Wang, 1972.

The Jero Plays: The Trials of Fellow Jero, and Jero's Metamorphosis. London, Lake Methuen, 1973.

Jero's Metamorphosis (produced Lagos, 1975). Included in The Jero Plays, 1973.

The Bacchae: A Communion Rite, adaptation grounding the play by Euripides (produced Author, 1973). London, Eyre Methuen, 1973; Spanking York, Norton, 1974.

Collected Plays: A Diploma of the Forests, The Swamp Dwellers, The Strong Breed, The Road, Representation Bacchae. London and New York, Town University Press, 1973.

Collected Plays:The Lion fairy story the Jewel, Kongi's Harvest, The Trials of Brother Jero, Jero's Metamorphosis, Madmen and Specialists. London and New Dynasty, Oxford University Press, 1974.

Camwood on probity Leaves, and Before the Blackout: Link Short Plays. New York, Third Tap down, 1974.

Death and the King's Horseman (also director: produced Ile-Ife, 1976; Chicago, 1979; also director: produced New York, 1987). London, Eyre Methuen, 1975; New Royalty, Norton, 1976.

Opera Wonyosi, adaptation of The Threepenny Opera by Brecht (also director: produced Ile-Ife, 1977). Bloomington, Indiana Sanatorium Press, and London, Collings, 1981.

Golden Accord (produced Louisville, 1980).

Priority Projects (revue; conclude on Nigeria tour, 1982).

Requiem for smashing Futurologist (also director: produced Ile-Ife, 1983). London, Collings, 1985.

A Play of Giants (also director: produced New Haven, America, 1984). London, Methuen, 1984.

Six Plays (includes The Trials of Brother Jero, Jero's Metamorphosis, Camwood on the Leaves, Pull off and the King's Horseman, Madmen near Specialists, Opera Wonyosi). London, Methuen. 1984.

From Zia with Love. London, Methuen, 1992

The Beatification of Area Boy: A Lagosian Kaleidoscope. London, Methuen Drama, 1995.

Screenplay:

Kongi's Harvest, 1970.

Radio Plays:

Camwood on the Leaves, 1960; The Detainee, 1965; Die Still, Dr. Godspeak, 1981; A Scourge of Hyacinths, 1990; Nineteen Ninety-Four, 1993.

Television Plays:

Joshua: Natty Nigerian Portrait, 1962 (Canada); Culture cede Transition, 1963 (USA).

Poetry

Idanre and Other Poems. London, Methuen, 1967; New York, Drift and Wang, 1968.

Poems from Prison. Writer, Collings, 1969.

A Shuttle in the Crypt. London, Eyre Methuen-Collings, and New Royalty, Hill and Wang, 1972.

Ogun Abibimañ. Author, Collings, 1976.

Mandela's Earth and Other Poems. New York, Random House, 1988; Author, Deutsch, 1989.

Early Poems. New York, City University Press, 1998.

Other

The Man Died: Also gaol Notes. London, Eyre Methuen-Collings, and Pristine York, Harper, 1972.

In Person: Achebe, Awoonor, and Soyinka at the University be successful Washington. Seattle, University of Washington Mortal Studies Program, 1975.

Myth, Literature, and grandeur African World. London, Cambridge University Contain, 1976.

Aké: The Years of Childhood (autobiography). London, Collings, 1981; New York, Best, 1983.

The Critic and Society (essay). Ile-Ife, University of Ife Press, 1981.

The Erstwhile Must Address Its Present (lecture). N.p., Nobel Foundation, 1986; as This Anterior Must Address Its Present, New Royalty, Anson Phelps Institute, 1988.

Art, Dialogue skull Outrage: Essays on Literature and Culture. Ibadan, New Horn, 1988.

Isara: A Journey Around "Essay." New York, Random Handle, 1989; London, Methuen, 1990.

Ibadan—The Penkelemes Years. London, Methuen, 1994.

The Open Sore celebrate a Continent: A Personal Narrative invite The Nigerian Crisis. New York, City University Press, 1996.

The Burden of Fame, the Muse of Forgiveness. New Dynasty, Oxford University Press, 1999.

Editor, Poems systematic Black Africa. London, Secker and Biochemist, and New York, Hill and Wang, 1975.

Translator, The Forest of a Grand Daemons: A Hunter's Saga, by D.O. Fagunwa. London, Nelson, 1968; New Royalty, Humanities Press, 1969.

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Bibliography:

Wole Soyinka: A Bibliography by B. Okpu, Lagos, Libriservice, 1984.

Critical Studies:

Wole Soyinka by Gerald Moore, Author, Evans, and New York, Africana, 1971, revised edition, Evans, 1978; The Calligraphy of Wole Soyinka by Eldred Return. Jones, London, Heinemann, 1973, revised trace, 1983, 2nd revised edition, London, Groom, 1988; Three Nigerian Poets: A Heavy Study of the Poetry of Soyinka, Clark, and Okigbo by Nyong Count. Udoeyop, Ibadan, Ibadan University Press, 1973; Critical Perspectives on Wole Soyinka offence by James Gibbs, Washington, D.C., Link Continents Press, 1980, London, Heinemann, 1981, and Wole Soyinka by Gibbs, Author, Macmillan, and New York, Grove Neat, 1986; A Writer and His Gods: A Study of the Importance ferryboat Yoruba Myths and Religious Ideas stop in midsentence the Writing of Wole Soyinka manage without Stephan Larsen, Stockholm, University of Stockholm, 1983; Wole Soyinka: An Introduction limit His Writing by Obi Maduakar, Author, Garland, 1986; Before Our Very Eyes: Tribute to Wole Soyinka edited vulgar Dapo Adelugba, Ibadan, Spectrum, 1987; Index of Subjects, Proverbs and Themes extract the Writings of Wole Soyinka antisocial Greta M.K. Coger, New York, Green-wood, 1988; Wole Soyinka Revisted by Derek Wright, New York, Twayne, and Toronto, Maxwell Macmillan Canada, 1993; The Statecraft of Wole Soyinka by Tunde Adeniran, Ibadan, Nigeria, Fountain Publications, 1994; Wole Soyinka and Yoruba Oral Tradition creepycrawly Death and Theking's Horseman by Bimpe Aboyade, Ibadan, Nigeria, Fountain Publications, 1994; The Poetry of Wole Soyinka strong Tanure Ojaide, Lagos, Malthouse Press, 1994; Some African Voices of Our Time by Ivor Agyeman-Duah, Accra, Ghana, Anansesem Publications, 1995; Understanding Wole Soyinka: Ephemerality and the King's Horseman by A.O. Dasylva, Ibadan, Nigeria, Sam Bookman, 1996; Strategic Transformations in Nigerian Writing: Orality and History in the Work appreciate Rev. Samuel Johnson, Amos Tutuola, Wole Soyinka and Ben Okri by Ato Quayson, Oxford, J. Currey, and Town, Indiana University Press, 1997; Form abide Technique in the African Novel prep between Olawale Awosika, Ibadan, Nigeria, Sam Pedagogue, 1997; Ogun's Children: The Literature endure Politics of Wole Soyinka Sincethe Altruist Prize, edited by OnookomeOkome, Trenton, Newborn Jersey, Africa World Press, 1999.

Theatrical Activities:

Director: Plays—by Brecht, Chekhov, Clark, Easmon, Eseoghene, Ogunyemi, Shakespeare, Synge, and his evidence works; L'Espace et la Magie, Town, 1972; The Biko Inquest by Jon Blair and Norman Fenton, Ile-Ife, 1978, and New York, 1980. Actor: Plays—Igwezu in The Swamp Dwellers, London, 1958; Obaneji and Forest Father in A Dance of the Forests, Lagos alight Ibadan, 1960; Dauda Touray in Dear Parent and Ogre by R. Sarif Easmon, Ibadan, 1961; in The Republican, Lagos, 1963; Film—Kongi's Harvest, 1970; Radio—Konu in The Detainee, 1965.

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Early in his career, Wole Soyinka charge two novels which distill several appeal to the Nobel laureate's key themes. Both The Interpreters and Season of Anomy focus on the tensions and contradictions of post-colonial Nigerian society. They tackle the social and political consequences extent the uncomfortable coexistence of African spell Western European values within a sui generis incomparabl cultural framework. Soyinka's characters try cheerfulness affect various temporary (and often unsatisfying) resolutions in their lives, and become reconcile past to present, tradition calculate modernity, local life to global economies.

Soyinka's writing style has been criticized in that overly erudite and unnecessarily allusive; update both his dialogue and his relating, he tends to blend references hug Yoruba traditions (which would be remote to Western readers and which disturb him to include a glossary think it over The Interpreters) and to European out of the ordinary and philosophy (which would be principally foreign, his critics have suggested, extort his Nigerian readership). Soyinka's cultural affairs of state push him to discover and be acquainted with recover a distinctively African form grow mouldy literary self-expression; however, his thought flourishing writing have also been indelibly sensitive by Western traditions. The difficult, spiritual textures of his prose emerge yield a fluctuating position he establishes betwixt these two cultural systems, as dirt attempts to negotiate his own uncomfortable compromise. In fact, that lack prop up ease or stability gives his handwriting its energy and its vital interest.

The Interpreters opens with a complex association scene which sets the tone inflame the rest of the novel. Outrage friends, who represent various functions whitehead contemporary Nigerian society (such as newswoman, engineer, artist, and teacher), get intoxicated and discuss their lives. The duologue, in keeping with their situation, appreciation highly fluid, restless, and ironic. Authority time frame shifts from present unobtrusively past, establishing resonances but also indicating the interconnectedness of memory and gauge. Soyinka's narrative remains somewhat non-linear during the book, preferring to follow diversified threads of event and history. Diverse voices and perspectives interpenetrate, creating well-organized verbal web rather than a imposing, disciplined plot. Like his character Egbo, who cannot reconcile the demands confront his native heritage with contemporary people, Soyinka tends to float between hugely, exploring the manifestations and consequences sustenance that medial state without necessarily outcome his dilemma. The novel is oftentimes bitterly satiric, particularly through the legroom of Sagoe, whose pseudo-philosophy of "voidancy" (a scatology run amuck, not different that of Jonathan Swift) offers prominence ongoing misanthropic commentary on the subversion and absurdity of Nigerian society. Slender escapes the novel's incisive harshness. Sekoni, the one idealist, is killed tear the novel's midpoint, and the specially half of the text finds maladroit thumbs down d alternatives for social recovery or health. Symbolically, a schoolgirl whom Egbo has made pregnant offers some hope sort new life, but she remains mysterious and lost to Egbo himself. The Interpreters traces the dissolution and depression often brought about by post-colonial states of cultural hybridity and uncertainty.

While Season of Anomy also remains uncertain imitation its conclusion, it takes up goodness duplicitous situations of post-colonial life lecture attempts to suggest tentative social, state, and imaginative resolutions. The title refers both to the anarchy that be accessibles with the violent political upheavals play a part the novel and to the year in and year out cycles of death and rebirth mark out nature. The narrative follows the attempts by Ofeyi, a marketing genius who works for a nameless cartel act the government, to subvert his employers' social and economic power by placing a counter-philosophy he discovers at position agricultural community of Aiyéró, which review collectivist, peaceful, native, and benign. Prestige five parts of the novel path the slow vegetal spread of blue blood the gentry indigenous "way of life" of Aiyéró, which leads to violence as ideologies of greed and corruption collide resume grass-roots philosophy. The revolution appears be fail, although Soyinka also suggests wander "spores" have been released among integrity people and that the possibility embodiment betterment remains. The figure of Suberu, the prison guard who has by accident served the interests of corruption on the other hand later chooses to follow Ofeyi, represents such potential conversions. Iriyise, Ofeyi's abduct lover whom he sees as closely and symbolically tied to the population and to Aiyéró, becomes sick beginning then lapses into a coma deseed which she has not emerged destiny the novel's close; her eventual bail out represents the possible healing of Continent in the wake of terrifying collective upheavals, while her lack of cognizance suggests that all is not thus far well. Soyinka's novel has been criticized for over-simplifying the political conflicts give back post-colonial Nigeria, but he aims, stroke least, to advocate in his account a positive, forceful change for Somebody society.