A Study Of Wole Soyinka’s Culture Philosophy

Wole Soyinka was the first black African who awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1986. He was described as one “who in a wild cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashions the drama of existence.” In most of his works, he fuses the merits both from the traditional Yoruba culture and the modern western culture and the diversity in artistic forms of the two different cultures were expressed masterly. As a playwright, Soyinka bridge the distance between these two disparate cultures in his works by infusing Western dramatic forms with elements of traditional Yoruba performance, such as masking, dance and drums. In the acting, he shows the complicated scene of the people and gods’ co-existing. That is the perfect expression on merging African and western culture.Wole Soyinka was not just a writer, and he also played out his role as an active participant in the event of that day. He criticized the backward and corrupt society and government, and that went beyond the written words. He advocates the democracy in the west countries, and his proposal made a strong impact both in his homeland and in Europe. As a national writer influenced by the national movements, he carries out his artist and cultural theory firmly. Hence we can also see Soyinka as a warrior fighting for the nation development. The political situation of Nigeria at that time is a key factor influenced his theory. During that turmoil time, he always stands and calls for the freedom and democracy, acting against the autocracy of the government. He calls to Africans to liberate themselves from political, economic and spiritual bondage. He concerns about the country’s future and the nation’s fate, and he thinks about the conflict between traditional custom in the African land and the modern ideology in Europe. He also tries to practice the fusion of Yoruba culture and western minds. All of these minds form his further culture philosophy.This research analyzed Wole Soyinka’s cultural theory and how the social and artistic factors impact on his theory which included his points of view towards society and culture. His culture theory was hidden in his actions and writings and his activities deepened his theory and turned into an essential part the culture philosophy. Therefore, it is important to understand the different culture background and the complex social and political situation of Soyinka. That is the key point to study his culture philosophy; and it is also the major discussion of the dissertation.This thesis includes four chapters. The first chapter is an introduction. It introduces the brief information of Wole Soyinka’s life and works. The significant of this study is also discussed in the first chapter. In the second chapter, the present situation of the domestic and abroad analyzed about Wole Soyinka. In the third chapter, and Wole Soyinka’s political philosophy is discussed. The fourth chapter is the discussion of this cultural philosophy. The final chapter makes a conclusion of the whole content.