What is the plot summary of the strong breed by wole soyinka?
A symbolic play in a greater extend, Wole Soyinka's play "The
Strong Breed", is all bout the rituals and superstitious believes
prevailing in the African society. Wole Soyinka is perhaps the most
misunderstood, exceedingly controversial figure in the Nigerian
public and literary life. The theme of the need of the societies to
sacrifice one of their own to bring about purgation of the
societies is dealt in this play.
Throughout the narrative, an atmosphere of foreboding prevails.
At the onset, Sunma, urges Eman, who is a stranger to her village,
to leave the place before evening. The reason for her restlessness
is revealed to both Eman and the readers very gradually. The
village has an annual New Year purification rite in which the wrong
doings of the villagers are heaped on 'carrier'- a stranger- so
that the community may be redeemed of its sins and have
rejuvenation in all sense. There is an inherent idea that the
society will be spiritually strengthened as an aftermath of these
sacrifices. The play moves on with Eman's decision to be the
"carrier". Initially he is not aware of its implications. Eman's
family bearing the title the "Strong Breed", undertakes the task of
bearing the evil of the village in a vessel across the river
annually.
The play also deals with the outcaste characters like 'the girl'
and the abandoned Ifada. The words which Sunma uses to address
Ifada, "horrible insect". The rigid caste system carving the roots
of the once colonized continent is evident in this work. Chinua
Achebe's short story "Marriage is a Private Affair", deals with the
caste-bound constraints of Africa. This even provokes us to think,
was it for this that the British left the continent. It even
invokes us to think us about the deplorable conditions of the North
Indian states. It is the question of our right to live.
"Chance" also plays a major determining factor in the play. The
exercise of the free- will is also a crucial factor. Eman's destiny
solely rests on his mental faculty. He decides to stay in the
village and take on the role of the scapegoat. But as a matter of
fact Eman eventually recognizes that it is better to choose his
destiny rather than to live it.
The cynicism and the hypocritical attitude of the elders in the
village is also evident. The fact that ideologies get manipulated
everywhere also evolves through this work.
The village is drawn into an atmosphere of utter chaos when Eman
tries to free himself from the strangleholds of the villagers. In
spite of this, even after Eman is killed, his "sacrificial death"
does not appear to contend the villagers. On the contrary, it
evokes horror, dread and guilt.
But did the society get rejuvenation? The idea of moral disgust
permeates the play. Even after the sacrifice of Eman, the confusion
and the hypocritical attitude continues in the society. The readers
are indeed bewildered with the words of Jaguna "There are those who
will pay for this night's work!"
