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.
