Live Burial

 Live Burial by Wole Soyinka

Q- Explain the Poem "Live Burial" in detail 

OR

Give Critical analysis of the Poem "Live Burial"

Answer- 

Wole Soyinka

 Wole Soyinka was born on 13 July 1934 at Abeokuta, near Ibadan in western Nigeria. During the civil war in Nigeria, Soyinka appealed in an article for cease-fire. For this he was arrested in 1967, accused of conspiring and was held as a political prisoner for 22 months until 1969. Soyinka has published about 20 works: drama, novels and poetry. He writes in English and his literary language is marked by great scope and richness of words.

Wole Soyinka is best known as a playwright. Alongside his literary career, he has also worked as an actor and in theaters in Nigeria and Great Britain. His works also include poetry, novels, and essays. Soyinka writes in English, but his works are rooted in his native Nigeria and the Yoruba culture, with its legends, tales, and traditions. His writing also includes influences from Western traditions - from classical tragedies to modernist drama. 

Analysis of "Live Burial"

Live Burial is a poem about the life of a prisoner and the treatment they are receiving inside the Prison Cell. They are being tortured till death for the crime which they have never committed.  There is an autobiographical element from the life of Wole Soyinka. We found similarity of his experiences, the torture that he had received while being captured in Prison. He spent 22 months inside the jail for an accusation of conspiracy that he never did. The title "Live Burial" functions as a summary of what the Nigerian government tried to impose on Soyinka's mind. the focused image of live burial, is about a specific response from the depths of human nightmares. The thought of being buried while still living also necessarily creates the fear of premature death.

 

Wole Soyinka is explaining the movement of the Prisoner. He is walking with long, decisive steps in a specified direction. The focus on Soyinka's footsteps emphasizes the severe limitations that the walls place on his freedom, and the acknowledgement of pacing, especially with such exact numbers, reveals the poet's restless energy seeking any outlet possible. The one who is in authority had  captured humanity and truth. They are drilling or making hole in the mind of people. They forced them to be insane by all the inhuman punishments. Wole Syinka has used mythical concept of Antigone. She was  the subject of a story in which she attempts to secure a respectable burial for her brother Polynices. The two sons of Oedipus, Eteocles and Polynices, had shared rule jointly until they quarreled, and Eteocles expelled his brother.  Eteocles decided not to share power with his brother after his tenure expired. Polynices left the kingdom, gathered an army and attacked the city of Thebes in the war of the Seven against Thebes. Both brothers were killed in the battle.

King Creon, who has ascended to the throne of Thebes after the death of the brothers, decided that Polynices is not to be buried or even mourned, on pain of death by stoning. Antigone, Polynices' sister, go against the king's order and is caught.

 Antigone is brought before Creon, and admits that she knew of Creon's law forbidding mourning for Polynices but chose to break it, claiming the superiority of divine over human law, and she speaks against Creon's cruelty with courage, passion, and determination. Creon orders Antigone buried alive in a tomb. Although Creon has a change of heart and tries to release Antigone. But he was already too late. When he visited the Prison,  he finds she has hanged herself. After that Creon's son Haemon, who was in love with Antigone, commits suicide with a knife, and his mother Queen Eurydice also kills herself in despair over her son's death.

In this way Wole Soyinka has compared the innocence of the prisoner by the lover of Antigone who has committed suicide because of difference of opinion from his father. Wole Soyinka is trying to say that people were  unearthing the dead bodies which were already lying in peace.They are digging deep and again torturing them for the deeds that they have never committed.

 The one who is in power, the outsiders who had captured the African Land were sealing the bodies alive in the cemetery. It means they are torturing natives beyond limit. There is also the mention of the mysterious river 'Styx' which is a very dark river of underworld. The water is poisonous which caused the death of Alexander. The reason to add this instance was to talk about the mysteries which were never getting solved. Such as, the cases for which the power positioned people were arresting the innocent people and no one can find out the truth behind it.

Social media playing a vital role in covering the deeds of the cruel people by accusing the innocence. The news on the Bulletin speaks about the good things only. Even if the reality is totally different. The corrupted people will cover the death mystery of the prisoners by stating "They eat well, they sleep well." Even the doctors are supporting them by writing wrong reports. By doing all such things they are keeping their good public image. They are telling lies in this Post-Truth Era which are easily digested by the public.

 Wole Soyinka has also taken the  reference of "Galileo" who was an Italian Physicist, Mathematician, Engineer, Astronomer and Philosopher. There was a major role of Galileo in scientific revolution. He has redefined the reality in the world of Science and Mathematics and went against the common belief of the church. Both Soyinka and Galileo challenged powerful belief and found themselves being punished by the higher authorities. Now the geniuses like Galileo no longer holds an opinion in this Post Truth Era.

 The prisoners are already tired of waiting for their death. They are the scapegoats for the bad deeds of powerful people. There is no need of wearing the attire of sage. The poor people who are being punished already knows the truth. In each and every minute their truth was getting revealed to the society. The Guards had putted the marks of their torture on the skin of the prisoners. There was horrid and repulsive condition at the prison. Thick layer of dirt has covered the face of the prisoners just like the thick cover on the truth.

 The Guard is habituated of the surrounding. He is snuffing the dead  bodies to clear his head of sins. He had hanged thousands of innocent people on gallows, the wooden frame. He is like a 'Voyeur' who gains pleasure by watching other who are naked. He was patrolling for the hours and was entertained by hearing the painful voices of the prisoners.

 Conclusion

 Soyinka thus literally means, that he believes  The power structure "thrills" in the pain of even basic human excretion, and the voyeur guard, conscious of his own actions, debases his own humanity past the point of return. Soyinka suffers not mere imprisonment but the evils of torture.The live burial functions not only as a metaphor, but, for Soyinka, as almost an actuality.

 Themes

 1. Torture

2. Imprisonment

 3. Corrupt practices

 4. Misuse of power

The Mid-Twentieth century

 History of the Mid-Twentieth Century Literature

Q1. Explain The Mid-Twentieth Century in detail.

OR

Write about the chief characteristics of Mid-Twentieth Century

OR 

Explain Literary features of Mid-Twentieth Century

Answer: 

Historical Background of Mid-Twentieth century

i) Uncertainty of war and post-war years

The Uncertainty of the war and post-war years is reflected in the concern of many writers of Mid-Twentieth Century. They were not sure about the results of the war. There was vast devastation due to world war. Situation doesn't improve in post-war years too. People were migrating to peaceful lands because of that there was disintegration of society

ii) Lack of Optimism

We can easily find lack of positive thoughts in the work of literary writers. They were all pessimistic in their attitude because of the war situation. Deaths, violence, destruction brings only negativity among them. Sadism can also be one of the theme of literary writer of Mid-Twentieth century. People who involved in wars were basically sadist who were gaining pleasures from the pain of others. 

iii)  Global conflict

World war was not local but global conflict. Different countries were involved in this global conflict. There views, ideology were totally different from each other and the greed of expansion as well as desire to  rule over the world makes them fight with each other. 

iv) Nuclear Destruction

With the advancement in technology scientist were making various innovation and Nuclear Bomb was the chief weapon from powerful countries. America has used its nuclear power to destroy Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 

v) Discontent Society and its material comforts

The society of Mid Twentieth Century was very much dissatisfied and basically lives in material comforts. The Rich were totally living luxurious lives whereas poor were getting more poorer.  Because of such situation New Psychological problem arises among the young generation writers. People were chasing money by hook and crook rather than living meaningful or peaceful life.

Literary Features of Mid-Twentieth Century

i) Mixture of Realism

There is mixture of Realism in the work of literary writers. They were writing with both real as well as fictional elements to make their work more interesting or entertaining. There was mirror of 20th Century Society in the novels of different writers.

ii) Dark Comedy

Dark Comedy was one of the main Genre of literature in Mid-Twentieth Century. In this form there is mockery of serious situation, painful subjects and taboos. Because of World war situation this form reach its height in this Era.

iii) Stark on Complete Individualism

Because of Cynical attitude, people were self absorbed and writing about complete individual subjects rather than dealing with the problems of others in their work of art. so many work of this era highlights stark individualism. 

iv) Science Fictions

With Great Technological Advancement, Science fictions were being written in large numbers in Mid-Twentieth Century. People were doing space exploration and with that Alien fiction came into existence. Novels about the future of the planets, or on earth increased drastically.  

v) Flood of American Fiction and Translations from foreign language

American Fiction was in infant stage in the era of Romantic, but in Mid-Twentieth Century there has been flood of great American Fictions with American Themes. There are also many translated works from foreign languages. Russian and French  philosopher's work was translated in high range. Some Philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Simon de Beauvoir were great literary figures from foreign lands.

Graham Greene: The Novelist of Mid-Twentieth Century

Henry Graham Greene  (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century.He was shortlisted, in 1966 and 1967, for the Nobel Prize for Literature.Through 67 years of writing, which included over 25 novels, he explored the conflicting moral and political issues of the modern world. He converted to Catholicism in 1926 after meeting his future wife, Vivien Dayrell-Browning. Later in life he took to calling himself a "Catholic agnostic". He died in 1991, at age 86, of leukemia, and was buried in Corseaux cemetery.

Works:-

i)The End of the Affair

ii)The Main Within

iii) England Made me

iv)Journey without Maps

Poetry of Mid-Twentieth Century

There were abundant poetry in this Era. War Poetry again came into existence. Themes were basically Boredom, Frustration of Service life, The Waste, Appreciation of friendship and possibilities of violent death. Young generation turned to write poetry because of their experience of war. 

Dylan Thomas: The Great Poet

Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953) was a Welsh poet and writer whose works include the poems "Do not go gentle into that good night" and "And death shall have no dominion"; the "play for voices" Under Milk Wood; and stories and radio broadcasts such as A Child's Christmas in Wales and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog. He became widely popular in his lifetime and remained so after his death at the age of 39 in New York City. By then he had acquired a reputation, which he had encouraged, as a "roistering, drunken and doomed poet".

Drama of Mid-Twentieth Century

Due to war situation Drama has faced many ups and downs. There was also closing of theater for a short period of time. Though it was reopened, but lost its dominant position in Literary world. C.E.M.A and E.N.S.A helped drama to gain its position in society. There were basically Absurd Drama which came out of War situation. After seeing the destruction of lives in wars people were questioning their existence and writing about meaninglessness and nothingness through absurd form of Drama. 

Samuel Beckett: The Great Absurd Dramatist

Samuel Barclay Beckett (13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, theater director, poet, and literary translator. A resident of Paris for most of his adult life, he wrote in both French and English.Beckett's literary and theatrical work features bleak, impersonal and tragicomic experiences of life, often coupled with black comedy and nonsense. It became increasingly minimalist as his career progressed, involving more aesthetic and linguistic experimentation. He is considered one of the last modernist writers, and one of the key figures in what Martin Esslin called the Theatre of the Absurd. Beckett was awarded the 1969 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his writing, which—in new forms for the novel and drama—in the destitution of modern man acquires its elevation" 

His dramatic work "Waiting for Godot" is the best example of absurdity.

Miscellaneous prose in Mid-Twentieth Century

There were great Historians who were writing about the histories of war leaders in this Era. The chief among them was H.R Trevor Roper. He has  written "The Last Days of Hitler" about the dictator of Germany Adolf Hitler.

There were also innumerable Adventurous and Escapist works by Literary figures who wants to escape from the world of chaos. The Wooden Horse by Eric William is one the example of Adventurous work. Biographies and autobiographies has also taken its lead in Mid-Twentieth Era.

Conclusion

In this way Mid-Twentieth Century writers dealt with various themes related to war in their work of art. some winters searching for an escape from destruction and wrote about totally different themes. Dylan Thomas was one among them. He was the enemy of intellectualism in his poetry. Such literary figures wants to make their reader free from the suffering.