The Swamp Dwellers- by woleSoyinka

The Swamp Dwellers is a play of worldwide appeal. It talks about distant rural and urban society, family life, conflict of old and new society, psychological conflicts between old and young generations, love for modernity and love for the swamp the supernatural, unfavorable forces of nature and so many problems. He focuses on family ties, love for family, hints of love in trivial quarrel between the married in the play.

Whenever they speak of their twin sons Awuchike and Igwezu, Makuri and Alu are seen continually at each other's throats. But their argument bears the testimony of deep love for each other and for their future generations and exhibits great concern for family ties that were in susceptible condition during the transitional period in the post-colonial African states. AkinwandeOluwoleWole Soyinka vividly portrays such family relationships, the individual and socio-cultural tensions pervading in Nigeria in his widely read The Swamp Dwellers. The patches of stories extremely adorned in the play give a preview of family bond throughout the play.

It also gives us a picture of the consistency that existed between the individual and southern Nigerian society. The conflict between tradition and modernity is also reflected in the play. The play mirrors the socio-cultural pattern, the pain and the sufferings of the swamp dwellers and underlines the need for absorbing new ideas. The struggle between human beings and unfavorable forces of nature is also captured in the play.  His method is not only of sociological sense, but of human beings. The characterspresented in The Swamp Dwellers happen to exist in a particular place and time, but the universally significantthemes raises the play to a great height. The support of his writings, especially The Swamp Dwellers, may be the culture of Yoruba but the play excels the demarcation and falls in the stream of international movements forhumanity. On the other hand, out of all these broadly discussed themes some examples of powerful family bondcan be discovered through an extensive and analytical study of the play.A dramatist’s criticism of life is most fully personified in the spirit and trend of the action

The Swamp Dwellers is primarily concerned about social changes. An easy access to shortly abundant oil has caused the social changes and has an impact on human relationships in many African countries especially in Nigeria during mid-twentiethcentury. The play demonstrates how a money-making society is ruined, and falls into a deep tension, disappointment and frustration. The play concentrates on the conflict between the old and the young who are constantly approaching for better life. The clash between custom and innovation is also reflected in the play. It also investigates the existentialist elements, and finds parity between the old and the new. The priest Kadiye becomes fatter with gifts demanded in the name of the serpent. The serpent is pacified whenever his high priest Kadiye receives gifts from the swamp dwellers.

Igwezu becomes shocked to see himself in a dilemma of two cultures- the city one and the rural one. Two cultures have made him a union chamber causing deep frustration to him in the long run through the depiction of transitional aspects, Soyinka’sattempt is to strengthen the sense of nationality Instances of powerful family bond in Soyinka’s The Swamp Dwellers.

In the very opening scene of the play we can see Quarrels between Alu andMakuri.We see the hints of verbal bicker between the two old marriedAluand Makuri. Alu seems more impatient than Makuri, and she is constantly nagging in the households. Aluhas been waiting for long for her dear son and in her every household work she attempts to peep the doorways with great expectations of their son‟s return. 

Igwezu becomes shocked to see himself in a dilemma of two cultures- the city one and the rural one. Two cultures have made him a union chamber causing deep frustration to him in the long run through the depiction of transitional aspects, Soyinka’sattempt is to strengthen the sense of nationality Instances of powerful family bond in Soyinka’s The Swamp Dwellers.

Wole Soyinka mostly rely on ritual and traditional sources for writing the play but this does not make his play traditional, rather this trend of writing play goes beyond the border  and gets universal recognition in perspective of humanity. The playwright uses the raw materials of myths and certain formal properties to furnish the play producing something new and sometimes entirely unexpected. Although the play sometimes exposes banal elements of human affairs, it gradually unravels the dramatist’s inner side and the universal complexities humans face across the globe. The banal elements which have stitched the play ultimately portray love for trends and tradition love for stability of human beings and love of family, the extended family. The dialogues exchanged in the play demonstrate strong family bond and love yearned by the chief characters.

    The Swamp Dwellers makes use of contrast, parallelism, humor and irony in a suitable manner. Soyinka focuses the plight of the swamp dwellers in the play realistically. The swamp dwellers are at the mercy of furious nature unless they compromise tradition with modernity, embrace modern technology they wouldn’t have a bright future.