Wole Soyinka’s View on Tragedy

Who is Wole Soyinka? Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian playwright, critic, and Nobel Laureate. While I was an undergraduate in the University as an Art student, we were made to understand that Tragedy has been an important part of Dramatic literature, especially in Western tradition where it is often related with the works of the Greek playwrights such as Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides. We have the classical tragedy where the focus is usually on a great hero who falls due to fate, personal weakness or a tragic flaw.

However, Wole Soyinka offers a different meaning of tragedy, the one that is deeply rooted in African culture, especially Yoruba mythology and religious belief. Wole Soyinka’s view of tragedy goes beyond individual suffering and presents tragedy as a spiritual, communal and ritual experience. Wole Soyinka’s concept of tragedy is the influence of Yoruba mythology and religion. Yorubas believe that life is divided into three worlds: the world of the living, the world of the ancestors, and the world of the unborn.

According to Wole Soyinka, he believes tragedy happens when there is a disruption in the balance between these worlds. He says that the tragic character must pass through suffering to reconnect the human world with the spiritual world. This idea of his is clearly seen in one of his plays “Death and the King’s Horseman(Elesin Oba)”. While I was in 300l, my class did a stage performance of this play “Elesin Oba”. It is a play about where Elesin is expected to sacrifice his life after the king’s death in order to follow the king into the world of the ancestors. This ritual is still being practiced in Yoruba land, they say the ritual is necessary to maintain balance in the universe. They call them “Abobaku” in Yoruba land. When this particular ritual is interrupted, tragedy happens, not only for the individual but for the entire society. There are other tragic plays similar, such as “The Strong Breed”.

However, Wole Soyinka believes that Tragedy is not just about an individual’s downfall but about the survival of the whole community. He also says that tragedy often involves sacrifice for the good of others. The tragic hero is not weak, but strong enough to face suffering for the sake of the society. According to him, Tragedy is not only about sorrow but also about duty, courage, and the struggle to keep the universe in harmony.