Songs As Narrative Devices In Two Selected Ghanaian-Authored Plays

Abstract

This thesis examines the use of songs as narrative devices in Efua Sutherland‘s Edufa (1967) and The Marriage of Anansewa (1975). This study comes at the backdrop of the fact that reading and interpretation of literary texts generally places emphasis on the conventional elements that make up a typical drama and often disregards the narrative importance of the oral genres such as songs contained in the texts. The study is based on a qualitative research design and uses a text-analytical approach to analyse the songs as sub-texts contained in the plays selected for the study. It is argued that songs are an integral part of the narrative structure of the selected plays. The main findings of this study revealed that songs in both plays serve five main functions as narrative devices: foreshadowing, flashback facilitation, exposition, interior monologue, and didactic tools. In addition, the study highlights how the songs serve to establish the mood of the plays, convey and reinforce the underlying themes of the narratives and provide context. They also serve to highlight character development, express the thoughts and feelings of the characters and immerse the audience in the cultural contexts of the plays.