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John Pepper Clark-Bekederemo (born 6 April 1935) is a Nigerian poet and playwright, who has also published as J. P. Clark and John Pepper Clark. This volume includes three Song of a Goat (1961), a tragedy cast in the Greek classical mode in which the impotence of Zifa, the protagonist, causes his wife Ebiere and his brother Tonye to indulge in an illicit love relationship that results in suicide. This was followed by a sequel, The Masquerade (1964), in which Dibiri's rage culminates in the death of his suitor Tufa. The 3rd play The Raft (1964), in which four men drift helplessly down the Niger aboard a log raft.
These three plays explore the intersection of individual desire, ancestral tradition, and the inexorable pull of fate within Nigerian society. Each narrative centers on characters grappling with profound personal crises—impotence, forbidden love, and physical displacement—that force them into conflict with their cultural expectations and the natural world. Clark utilizes a framework that blends classical Greek structural elements with the specific rhythms and mythologies of the Niger Delta. The protagonists face insurmountable social and physical constraints, leading to inevitable tragic outcomes that reflect the fragility of human agency.
Discussion often centers on Clark's ability to synthesize Western dramatic forms with the unique social landscape of the Niger Delta. Readers frequently highlight the stark, atmospheric quality of the plays, particularly the sense of helplessness depicted in the final work. Critics often point to the author's precise use of language to convey both the intimacy of domestic tragedy and the broader existential themes of human survival. The collection is recognized for its significant contribution to the development of modern Nigerian drama and its enduring focus on the conflict between tradition and modernity. These works remain central to academic discourse regarding the evolution of postcolonial theater and its thematic preoccupations.
Page Count:
140
Publication Date:
1974-04-04
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
019911062X
ISBN-13:
9780199110629
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