Reimaginning Greek Tragedy on the African Stage: A Comparative Study of Euripides’ The Bacchae and Wole Soyinka’s The Bacchae of Euripides

This paper critically attempts a comparative analysis of Euripides The Bacchae and Wole Soyinka’s The Bacchae of Euripides with a view to eliciting the parallels that exist between the plays and the innovations that Soyinka has brought into his own version. The theoretical framework of the paper is foregrounded on the mimetic theory of art by Aristotle, which conceptualises imitation as an intrinsic phenomenon for artists Poetry, therefore, becomes the medium of expression. The paper also looks at the deployment of the theory as mous with adaptation of literary works which is the basis of this discourse. The analysis of the twotexts covers the thematic thrusts, structural patterns, technique and language. Besides, a cursory survey of other instances of transportations and adaptations of literary works, especially by African literary dramatists is also made to support the trend in adaptation of literary works as a veritable development in African drama.

Keywords: Adaptation Drama Euripides Wole Soyinka

Author

• Clement Olujide Ajidahun
  Department of Englsih Studies
  Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria