Studies In Written African Drama
- Arts
- 800 level
- 3 credit units
- 101 pages
- 15 units
This course is a study of major works, playwrights, and theatre traditions in contemporary written African literature. It provides an in-depth critique of how playwrights appreciate and respond to historical, social, political, philosophical, and moral issues in Africa. Emphasis is placed on content and dramatic style, aiming to sharpen insight into probing dramatic artifacts of the time.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 150 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical, case study
- Practical work
- No
- ENG101: Use of English and Communication Skills
- ENG202: Introduction to Literature
- ENG301: Survey of African Literature
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of ENG861, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
ENG861 · UNIT 3: THE SECOND STAGE (FOREIGN FEATURES AND INFLUENCES)
This cursory view at four representative regions in Africa further reinforces the claim that most of African drama as we know it emerged from rituals. This Indicates that even Modern African drama evolved from or alongside ritual performances in the traditional theatre.
What you should be able to do
- Analyze major works of African drama
- Critique playwrights' responses to African issues
- Identify different dramatic genres
- Understand historical and social contexts
- Evaluate dramatic styles and techniques
What it prepares you for
- Playwright
- Literary critic
- Theatre director
- Cultural analyst
- Educator
- Education
- Theatre
- Film
- Cultural organizations
- Publishing
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module Three: Playwrights and Playwriting in Contemporary Written African Literature
Unit 6.1: Wole Soyinka's A Dance of the Forest
The play employs complex symbolism and allegorical representations of post-colonial issues, requiring careful interpretation of cultural and historical contexts.
- Module Three: Playwrights and Playwriting in Contemporary Written African Literature
Unit 4: Athol Fugard – South African Dramatist
The unit requires understanding of the historical context of apartheid in South Africa and its impact on individual identity and social structures.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 77 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module One: Evolution of Modern African Drama
Unit 1: Introduction · 2 hours
Read the introduction to understand the evolution of modern African drama.. Define drama and its significance in various cultures.. Explore the relationship between drama, theatre, and society..
Unit 2: The First Phase (Traditional Drama and Theatre) · 3 hours
Examine the features of traditional theatrical performances.. Analyze the social relevance and significance of these features across different African regions.. Compare regional features of drama in West, North, East, and Southern Africa..
- Week 2Module One: Evolution of Modern African Drama
Unit 3: The Second Stage (Foreign Features and Influences) · 4 hours
Discuss the impact of foreign theatrical forms on traditional African aesthetics.. Analyze how Western influences shaped African theatrical tastes and audiences.. Examine the role of churches and colonial governments in introducing Western drama..
- Week 3Module One: Evolution of Modern African Drama
Unit 4: The Third Stage (Modern Drama and Theatre) · 4 hours
Explore the development of modern drama and theatre in West Africa.. Examine the contributions of Hubert Ogunde and the Yoruba operatic theatre.. Discuss the rise of literary drama and the works of Onitsha market literature..
- Week 4Module Two: Theatre Traditions in Contemporary Written African Literature
Unit 1: Introduction · 3 hours
Understand the categorization of African drama based on thematic thrusts.. Explore culture plays and their depiction of conflicts between African and European values.. Analyze national drama and its expression of political consciousness and resistance..
Unit 2: Culture Plays · 2 hours
Examine culture plays and their depiction of conflicts between African and European values.. Discuss examples such as 'The Blinkard' and 'The Lion and the Jewel'..
- Week 5Module Two: Theatre Traditions in Contemporary Written African Literature
Unit 3: National Drama · 3 hours
Analyze national drama and its expression of political consciousness and resistance.. Discuss examples such as 'The State Visit' and 'The Island'..
Unit 4: Rational Drama · 2 hours
Explore rational drama and its blend of cultural and nationalist objectives.. Discuss examples such as 'The Strong Breed' and 'Death and the King's Horseman'..
- Week 6Module Two: Theatre Traditions in Contemporary Written African Literature
Unit 5: Neo-Rational Drama · 4 hours
Examine neo-rational drama and its use of African folkloric tradition to pursue nationalist objectives.. Discuss Femi Osofisan's contributions to this category.. Reflect on the evolution and future of modern African drama..
Unit 6: Conclusion · 1 hour
Summarize the key points of the module.. Discuss how theatre traditions in contemporary written African literature portray postcolonial Africa.. Consider thematic preoccupations, character portrayals, and style..
- Week 7Module Three: Playwrights and Playwriting in Contemporary Written African Literature
Unit 1: Introduction · 4 hours
Introduce Wole Soyinka as a prominent West African playwright.. Discuss his contributions to African literature and his establishment of the 1960 Masks.. Analyze Soyinka's 'Alapata Apata' as a satirical comedy and rational play..
Unit 2: Wole Soyinka – West Africa · 3 hours
Identify and analyze the dominant themes in 'Alapata Apata', including cultural alienation, corruption, and the importance of uprightness.. Examine the manifestations of cultural and national objectives in Soyinka's work..
- Week 8Module Three: Playwrights and Playwriting in Contemporary Written African Literature
Unit 2.3: Style as a Dramatic Tool · 4 hours
Analyze Soyinka's use of satire, humour, wordplay, and oral literary devices in 'Alapata Apata'.. Examine the play as a satirical comedy, focusing on diction and character actions..
Unit 3: Tawfiq Al-hakim – North Africa · 3 hours
Introduce Tawfiq Al-hakim and his contribution to absurdist theatre.. Analyze 'Fate of a Cockroach' as a political allegory and its use of absurdist features..
- Week 9Module Three: Playwrights and Playwriting in Contemporary Written African Literature
Unit 3.1: Absurdist Theatre: Fate of Acockroach · 4 hours
Examine the features of absurdist theatre in 'Fate of Cockroach'.. Discuss 'Fate of Cockroach' as a political allegory.. Introduce Athol Fugard as a South African dramatist and his play 'Sizwe Bansi is Dead'..
Unit 4: Athol Fugard – South African Dramatist · 3 hours
Analyze 'Sizwe Bansi is Dead' as a nationalist protest against apartheid.. Discuss the thematic preoccupations in Fugard's play, including apartheid, racial discrimination, and identity crisis..
- Week 10Module Three: Playwrights and Playwriting in Contemporary Written African Literature
Unit 4.1: Nationalist Protest in Athol Fugard's Sizwe Bansi is Dead · 4 hours
Examine 'Sizwe Bansi is Dead' as a social and protest drama, paying attention to its tragicomic and satirical forms.. Introduce tragic drama in Africa and discuss J.P Clark and Tewfik Al-Hakim..
Unit 5: Tragic Drama in Africa · 3 hours
Analyze Al-Hakim's 'Song of Death' and J.P Clark's 'Song of a Goat' as types of African tragedy.. Examine setting as a social and cultural concept and how it informs the major thematic thrusts of both plays..
- Week 11Module Three: Playwrights and Playwriting in Contemporary Written African Literature
Unit 5.1: J.P Clark and Tewfik Al-Hakim · 4 hours
Attempt a comparative examination of the tragic figures in 'Song of Death' and 'Song of a Goat'.. Discuss the elements of tragedy in Al-Hakim and J.P Clark's plays..
Unit 5.3: Elements of Tragedy in Al-Hakim and J.P Clark's Plays · 3 hours
Critically examine Femi Osofisan's 'Women of Owu' as an African tragedy.. Discuss nationalism in African drama and the example of Soyinka and Ngugi..
- Week 12Module Three: Playwrights and Playwriting in Contemporary Written African Literature
Unit 6: Nationalism in African Drama: The Soyinka and Ngugi's Example · 4 hours
Analyze Wole Soyinka's 'A Dance of the Forest' and its national themes.. Discuss the relevance of the nationality of the themes in contemporary Nigeria and Africa..
Unit 6.1: Wole Soyinka's A Dance of the Forest · 3 hours
Examine Ngugi Wa Thiong'o and Ngugi Wa Miiri's 'I Will Marry When I Want'.. Discuss the thematic preoccupations, including exploitation through marriage and betrayal..
- Week 13Module Three: Playwrights and Playwriting in Contemporary Written African Literature
Unit 6.3: Ngugi Wa Thiong'o and Ngugi Wa Miiri's I Will Marry When I Want · 4 hours
What sociological undertones are implied in the plot of the play?. What are the dominant religious allusions that are symbolically employed in this text?. How did religious imperialism subjugate the African nations culturally?.
Unit 7: Contemporary Plays: The Example of Ahmed Yerima · 3 hours
Introduce Ahmed Yerima as a contemporary Nigerian playwright.. Examine Yerima's 'The Wives' and its thematic preoccupations.. Discuss the plot of Yerima's 'The Wives' and its structure..
Preparing for the exam
- Review all assigned readings and critical essays.
- Create concept maps linking key themes and playwrights.
- Practice analyzing dramatic texts using different critical approaches.
- Focus on understanding the historical and social contexts of the plays.
- Prepare detailed notes on each playwright's style and major works.
Questions students ask about this course
What is ENG861 about?
This course is a study of major works, playwrights, and theatre traditions in contemporary written African literature. It provides an in-depth critique of how playwrights appreciate and respond to historical, social, political, philosophical, and moral issues in Africa. Emphasis is placed on content and dramatic style, aiming to sharpen insight into probing dramatic artifacts of the time.
How many units does ENG861 have?
ENG861, Studies In Written African Drama, has 15 units across 4 modules, over 101 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is ENG861?
ENG861 carries 3 credit units, at 800 level in Arts.
Is ENG861 hard?
ENG861 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.
How long does ENG861 take to study?
About 150 hours of study, spread across its 15 units.
How is ENG861 assessed?
ENG861 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor marked assessments and Final examination.
What do I need before starting ENG861?
ENG101: Use of English and Communication Skills ENG202: Introduction to Literature ENG301: Survey of African Literature
What can I do with ENG861?
Playwright, Literary critic, Theatre director, Cultural analyst and Educator.