A Dance of the Forests

Hello everyone,

This task is in response to the task assigned by Yesha Bhatt Ma'am as part of classroom activity in which we have to prepared one video about the play A Dance of the Forests by Wole Soyinka.

Who is Wole Soyinka:-

Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka known as Wole Soyinka, is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist in the English language. He was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, for "in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashioning the drama of existence", the first sub-Saharan African to be honoured in that category. He went on to write plays that were produced in both countries, in theatres and on radio. He took an active role in Nigeria's political history and its campaign for independence from British colonial rule. In 1965, he seized the Western Nigeria Broadcasting Service studio and broadcast a demand for the cancellation of the Western Nigeria Regional Elections. In 1967, during the Nigerian Civil War, he was arrested by the federal government of General Yakubu Gowon and put in solitary confinement for two years, for volunteering to be a non-government mediating actor.

About the Play:-

A Dance of the Forests is one of the most recognized of Wole Soyinka's plays. It was "presented at the Nigerian Independence celebrations in 1960, it. denigrated the glorious African past and warned Nigerians and all Africans that their energies henceforth should be spent trying to avoid repeating the mistakes that have already been made." At the time of its release, it was an iconoclastic work that angered many of the elite in Soyinka's native Nigeria. Politicians were particularly incensed at Soyinka's prescient portrayal of post-colonial Nigerian politics as aimless and corrupt. Despite the deluge of criticism, the play remains an influential work. In it, Soyinka espouses a unique vision for a new Africa, one that is able to forge a new identity free from the influence of European imperialism.

"A Dance of the Forests" is set in a mythical African forest and revolves around the preparation for a coronation ceremony of the new king of the forest spirits. The spirits are preparing to celebrate the coronation by staging a play that will reenact their creation and history.

The play consists of several episodes that feature different characters and explore various themes. In one episode, the spirits debate the merits of tradition and modernity, and whether the forest should embrace new ideas and technologies or stay true to its old ways. In another episode, a contest is held to determine which of the spirits will be chosen as the king's advisor.

Throughout the play, various characters are portrayed in a humorous and satirical manner, exposing the flaws and absurdities of human behavior. For example, the spirits argue and compete with each other in order to gain power and status, despite the fact that they are all immortal and cannot die.

The climax of the play occurs when the spirits must decide whether to accept the arrival of a group of humans who have entered the forest. The humans, who are depicted as foolish and destructive, represent the negative impact of Western civilization on Africa. The spirits ultimately reject the humans, opting instead to continue with their own traditional ways.

"A Dance of the Forests" is a complex and multi-layered work that blends elements of African folklore, mythology, and politics, and challenges conventional notions of African identity and independence. It is a commentary on the political situation in Nigeria at the time of its writing, as well as a broader critique of colonialism and its effects on Africa.

"A Dance of the Forests" is traditionally divided into three parts:

1. The Preparation: This part of the play focuses on the preparations for the coronation ceremony and the staging of the play. The spirits debate the merits of tradition and modernity and hold a contest to determine the king's advisor. This part of the play serves to introduce the various characters and set the stage for the events to come.

2. The Play: This part of the play is the main event, as the spirits stage a play that reenacts their creation and history. The play features several episodes that explore different themes and characters. This part of the play is satirical and humorous, exposing the flaws and absurdities of human behavior.

3. The Aftermath: This part of the play focuses on the aftermath of the play and the arrival of a group of humans who have entered the forest. The spirits must decide whether to accept the humans or reject them. This part of the play serves as a commentary on colonialism and its effects on Africa. The play ends with the spirits embracing their traditional ways and rejecting the influence of Western civilization.

Each part of "A Dance of the Forests" serves a different purpose and contributes to the overall themes and message of the play. The play is a complex and multi-layered work that blends elements of African folklore, mythology, and politics, and challenges conventional notions of African identity and independence.

Group Activity Assigned by Yesha Bhatt Ma'am,

Thank You!!!