Ghost, Dirge and the Forest Dance in Soyinka’s Metaphysical Play “A Dance of the Forests”.
Publication Date: 09/01/2025
Author(s): Mengjie Pei.
Volume/Issue: Volume 8 , Issue 1 (2025)
Abstract:
A Dance of the Forests, published in 1960, is a political satire by the renowned African contemporary playwright Wole Soyinka. Unlike traditional realistic styles, A Dance of the Forests is a metaphysical play. It integrates distinctive elements of Yoruba tradition, such as the ghost-summoning rituals, dirge, and forest dance, into its textual creation. This integration dissolves the metaphysical opposition between the living and the dead, enabling a reenactment of history and a critique of historical injustices. It points out the predicament of post-independence Nigeria falling into the cycle of historical injustice. Although considered an obscure work, the play is rooted in Nigerian reality and conveys the author’s concern of re-occurrence of historical injustice and the fate of Nigeria in post-independent days.
Keywords:
Soyinka; A Dance of the Forests; Ghost; Dirge; Dance; Metaphysical play.
