A Study of the Comic Elements in Wole Soyinka’s the Trials of Brother Jero and the Lion and the Jewel
Chapter One
Preamble of the Study
Literature has been described as anything written as an interpretation of life. It has also been defined as the best word in the best order. Another definition see literature has an expression the temper of an age in terms of imaginative art.
Literature as terms emerged from the Latin word “Littera” which means letter of the alphabet. This of course means writing as an art, started with the Egyptians (Hieroglyphics) before it became adopted in other cultures like the Greek and French symbols were the initial forms of writing. Situations and activities were highlighted in caves in form of symbols. Paintings and line etching as means of communication and like literature of today, this means of communication was used to inform us and depict real life situations which is the essence of literature.
CHAPTER TWO
THE TRIALS OF BROTHER JERO
Synopsis
Often described as satirie. Wole Soyinka’s comedy. The Trials of Brother Jero is a true reflection of the commercialization of various institutions in the society in depicting this theme of commercialization; he brilliantly employs the more recent trend of ‘bastardisation’ of religion. Soyinka has described The Trials of Brother Jero as a very light recital of human evils and foibles.
Soyinka does this with the use of comic elements as a tool of satire Bur before we delve into this assertion, let us see the plot in perspective.
The Trials of Brother Jero, first performed in 1960 and published in 1964 is a satirical comedy on dubious preachers of upcoming churches who exploit the gullibility of their congregation. The play basically talks about religion undertaken in a profane manner the writer, Soyinka, employs a devious character, a chairman to show this point. The play is set in an unnamed fishing village presumed to be not too far from the beach (because of Brother Jero’s dual habitation trick).
Brother Jero is a cunning prophet who fleeces number of people whom he trickled into believing he is holy and leads a very selfness life. He keeps his followers bound to him by refusing to grant them their innermost desires so that they can never be independent and be free of him.
I know they are dissatisfied because I keep them dissatisfied. Once they are full: they won’t come again.
Like my good apprentice. Brother Chume……….so there is no chance of his rebelling
He is portrayed as greedy, self, lustful, over-ambitious and most significantly, ‘unholy’ an attitude which has occasioned the decent of his followers.
One main dependant in this group is Chume, who Brother Jero keeps in the flock by restraining him from beating his nagging wife, Amope, which is what Chume wanted to do the whole time. Things continue this way until Brother Jero finds out that Amope (his creditor is truly Chume’s wife). He then gives Chume the go ahead to beat Amope so that she can get off his (Brother Jero’s) back. This Chume prepares to do unconscious of Brother Jero’s dubious motive.
However when finds out the prophets unholy schemes he is angry that he had been so emotionally exploited and threatens to kill Brother Jero. The plays end on his note with Chume discovering the real stuff Brother Jero is made of A new follower is however seen falling for Brother Jero’s religious tricks and his perceived ascension into heaven. Though he is unmasked at the end, one man still believes in him. He desperately needs Brother Jero’s encouragement.
This note on which the play ends shows that no matter how obvious the manipulative prophets appear, people still fall for the same tricks as some people learn their lessons a new set of people start to believe so that the evolve continues. The doggedness of new converts or believes makes it difficult for them and makes them blind to what is happening around them they only learn when they have had a personnel experience. Soyinka’s contempt for the synergetic new religions of Africa (partly Christian, partly local African and sometimes partly fraud and fantasy) provides the cutting ears to the make the playa witty and vivid vehicle that despite the bitterness avoids snobbishness and polemics.
Religion as Perceived by The Society
In the play religion, Christianity in particular is portrayed as an institution heavily perverted and used for attaining individuals’ selfish ambitious and other desires. Brother Jerboam. For example, sees it as a medium for obtaining his greedy lustful, selfish and ambitious desires his motives are made very clear to the reader in his side remarks, though he presents a selfish side to his followers. This shows that he is hypocritical.
In the first scene, his description of the ‘profession’ shows the general attitude of most new generation prophets
You have probably seen many of us on
The streets…….. Many looking for processions to lead
CHAPTER THREE
THE LION AND THE JEWEL
Synopsis
The lion and jewel a satirie comedy by Wole Soyinka was first performed in the Ibadan in 1959 and published in 1963. It is a highly humorous play which makes fun of pompous, westernised school teachers who feels as if their education is a ticket to power in the society.
Like Soyinka’s other drama’s western elements are skillfully fused with subject matter an dramatic technique rooted in Yoruba folklore and religion. He weaves in expressing an African nuance of feeling. Symbolism flashback and ingenious plotting contribute to a rich dramatic style. It also exhibits humour and fine poetic style.
The play is set in the Yoruba village of Ilujinle. The main characters are Sidi a village belle whose head has been a bit swelled as a result of the appearance of her photograph in a Lagos magazine. She is called the jewel of llujinle.
Lakunle is a foppish half westerner young school teacher who has been completely influenced by western ways Bakora, the craftily and powerful Bale of the village (the Lion) and Sadiku the eldest of Baroka’s wives.
Sidi is the prize the most sought after maiden in the village. Lakunle on the one hand has been wooing her for quite a while but in his own way, the western way, deviating from traditional code that had been established before the advent of western civilization. Baroka on the other hand, decides he wants to have Sidi and goes for her the traditional way and with a bit of skill gets Sidi as his wife. Through his elder wife Sadiku the bale invite Sidi to dinner which she refuses making a disparaging comment about the bale’s age. He sets another plan in motion telling Sadiku he has become impotent and knowing that she will pass on the news to Sidi.
Sidi in her cheekiness came to his bedroom came to his bedroom (the Lion’s den) where she is wooed and seduced by the Bale. The Bale plays on her vanity by flattering her to the extent that she will goes off guard and moves in.
CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION
This study has looked into the effects of comic elements and literary works and literature in general concentrating on the comic elements in Wole Soyinka’s The Trials of Brother Jero and The Lion and The Jewel.
Comic elements as previously mentioned, are devices used to add spice to any literary work. This literary work could be of whatever genre – tragedy comedy, farce. Equally important is the fact that comedy could be portrayed in conversations and actions of the characters.
As asserted above comic elements add spice to literary works by spice we mean humour wit and hilarious activities of the characters, Thus spicing up can either add humour or provide comic relief in the work, Therefore in whatever genre this device appears it performs at least one or both of these functions.
In this study, we have examined some comic works by Wole Soyinka and the role of comic elements we have observed that the comic elements go beyond adding humour and comic relief to the plays. We shall go further by showing the other uses of comic elements and their effectiveness in drama as a genre and literature as a whole.
Comic elements are basally a tool of communication and correction in the comic works in which they are employed. Because the basic elements of drama are the major ingredients of human experience, drama possesses the ability to give order and clarity to human existence. There is always a conflict of wills in drama to intensify the ideas being propagated, the development and exploitation of crisis is essential in dramatic construction. Humour helps to reduce anxiety. When the audience is relaxed, they can adopt an unbiased attitude towards the work and with this open- mindedness, they can get what the playwright is trying to convey.
Comic elements are used as a tool of didacticism: there is always a moral behind humour, making all comic works satire. And every satire Jays bare the spiritual poverty of mankind. The comic stance in every comic work is deeper than what is on the surface level. Comic elements allow a literary work to reach a wider audience because of the appeal it offers. It cuts across all classes of people, the surface display of human follicles and evils for those who cannot see beyond that level, and a deeper level for those who can, transcend beyond the surface. Most comic character displays some level of duplicity, especially the main character. This is usually done in their side remarks showing duplicity of man’s nature and how deceptive the human mind is
We also learn a lot about the attitudes and tendencies of characters for example in The Trials of Brother Jero, Amope’s abusive and rude ways show despite all the firm in her ways and has no respect for others. Also in The Lion and The Jewel, Lakunle displays his stupidity when he uses words that have no relevance to his situation and Sidi shows herself as vain because aft she ever thinks of is beauty. All these attributes of the characters make the audience laugh but again tells a lot about the characters.
The reasons for the effectiveness of comic work as a tool of correction as against other genres are found in the comic elements.
Comic elements appeal to the reader because the humour and relief they give. There is an appreciation of the reality of the situation given, but the atmosphere is softened before the truth is presented. Because the method encourages open – mindedness, people accept it without pre-conceived notions people are made of face reality without realizing it because of the general lightness of the work. After the effects of the humorous activities wear off, they are left to ponder on the reality of the situation. The depth of the effects of a comic work makes it a more qualitative instrument of correction.
When we examine Wale Soyinka’s work, we see then generally deep seated Nigerian works that relate to traditional believes beliefs and forms of activity in contrast with the manners and behavior of modern Nigeria. But because comic works establish a relationship beyond this generalization; we laugh at them and so on until we fine that there is a bit of the characters in us or around us. This makes us start to think about our situation. And in actual fact, it is the business of laughter to repress any tendency of the individual to separate him from society. The Trials of Brother Jero, for example, goes beyond the ambitious prophet and his followers. It transcends to a higher plane to symbolize the hypocrisy of some of these who aspire to lead the country, we are also shown that gullibility of those who allow themselves to be exploited is based on their own selfish aspirations. More generally the play indicates the spiritual confusion and political naivety of many people in the country.
Also The Lion and Jewel goes beyond trying to ridicule those who aspire to be so completely westernized that they have no regard for their own cultural values. There is a recurring theme of self-seeking and inconsistency in the characters. As Austin Shelton, argues in his article. Behavior and cultural values in West African stories: literary sources for the study of culture contract; apart from tile reassertion of traditional communal responsibility, there is a revelation of self-seeking individualism which is condemned in The Lion and The Jewel.
Comic works serve the dual purpose of entertaining and purging the audience. Because comic works set to purge as one of its aims drama is the most appropriate medium for conveying the message because drama puts real life situations on stage.
In this paper, comedy is recommended for correction because the characters and situations are closest to real life. In tragedy, we find out that the characters are inflated above life and lifted to a higher plane. This
could alienate the audience from what is being communicated farce; however has an unnatural exaggeration of the ‘human follies’. The characters are usually knockabout buffoons. The main difference between tragedy and comedy from Dennis John’s view is that ‘Tragedy instructs chiefly by its design, comedy instructs by its characters’
Comedy might consist of low persons but its actions and characters are natural, and this naturalness makes it posible for the audience to identify with them and learn from their mistakes which is one essence of literature. Literature is read for pleasure, information and knowledge we find possible solutions to our problem when we meet similar people in books. Comedy offers a balance between the two extremes in ‘tragedy’ and ‘comedy’. This claim is rightly supported by G.S. Alleman (1942) in his article ‘Matrimonial law and material of restoration comedy. He sees comedy as the mid-paint between tragedy and farce because it causes laughter in those who can judge men and manners by the lively representation of their folly or corruptions,
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- James Gibbs and Bernth Lindford (ed) Research on Wole Soyinka p. 305 Africa World Press, Inc. (1993)
- Robert D. Hume, The Development of English Drama in The late 17th Century P.56
- Robert D. Hume, Ibid. p.55
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