A PASSIONATE QUEST FOR RELIGIOUS FULFILMENT: THE STUDY OF CHRISTOPHER OKIGBO’S LABYRINTHS

Bankole Idowu Akinwande, Funmilayo Temitope Ajayi, Kate Rashida Igbafe, Olukemi Morenike Olofinsao

Abstract


The study explores the passionate quest for religious fulfillment in Okigbo’s Labyrinths. It involves a close reading of the poems contained in Labyrinths. Close textual analysis is employed to dissect the poems in Labyrinths, focusing on religious symbols, metaphors, and allusions that contribute to the portrayal of the quest for religious fulfillment. Literary and cultural theories, such as post-colonialism, cultural studies, and religious studies, provide a theoretical framework for the study. Findings show a synthesis of indigenous and Christian influences. Findings also show a preponderance of political allegory and postcolonial dynamics. Findings further show a wide deployment of symbolism, mythopoeia, and reader engagement. The research concludes by emphasizing the enduring relevance of Okigbo's work in shaping the understanding of African cultural heritage and the complexities of spiritual exploration in a rapidly changing world.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


passionate, quest, religious, fulfilment, Christopher Okigbo, Labyrinths

Full Text:

PDF

References


Achebe C, 1964. Arrow of God. London: Heinemann Publishers.

Anozie S, 1972. Creative Rhetorics. London: Evans Bros.

Asante M, 1987. The History of Africa: The Quest for Eternal Harmony. London: Routledge Publishers.

Chukwuma H, 1999. The Reception of Christopher Okigbo's Poetry. Malthone: Malthouse Press.

Emenyonu E, 1992. Emergent Perspectives on Christopher Okigbo. London: Africa World Press.

Gikandi S, 2003. Reading Okigbo. Ohio: Ohio University Press.

Goodwin K, 1982. Understanding African Poetry: A Study of Ten Poets London: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd.

Nketia K, 1974. The Music of Africa. London: Norton & Company.

Nkozi L, 1965. An Interview with Christopher Okigbo Duerden and Pieterse (eds.). London: African Writers Talking. P. 138.

Nwoga D, 1972. Christopher Okigbo: Creative Rhetoric. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Obiechina E, 1975. Culture, Tradition, and Society in the West African Novel. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Ogede O, 2004. Towards a Poetics of Christopher Okigbo. Ohio: Ohio University Press.

Okechukwu C, 2002. Christopher Okigbo and the Poetics of Syncretism. Ohio: Ohio University Press.

Okoye C, 2018. Christopher Okigbo: An African Voice in World Literature. Carolina: Carolina Academic Press.

Serumaga R, 1965. An Interview with Christopher Okigbo Duerden and Pieterse (eds.) African Writers Talking. p. 140.

Spivak G, 1988. Can the Subaltern Speak? In C. Nelson & L. Grossberg (Eds.), Marxism and the Interpretation of Culture. Illinois: University of Illinois Press.

Tyson L, 2006. Critical Theory Today: A User-Friendly Guide. New York, London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejel.v9i2.5446

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright © 2015 - 2023. European Journal of English Language Teaching (ISSN 2501-7136) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library (Biblioteca Nationala a Romaniei). All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms.

All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).