A Linguistic Analysis of Wole Soyinka’s "The Trials of Brother Jero"

Joseph Osoba

The University of Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

The application of linguistic theories and concepts as tools for analysis of literary works provides one of the most fascinating and illuminating insights into how they may be read, interpreted, and understood. This assumption underlies the objective of this paper in which I attempt to explicate an interpretation of Soyinka’s "The Trials of Brother Jero" through an application of the pragmatics tool of presupposition. Thus an attempt is made in this paper to present a linguistic analysis of the play by an examination of its meaning potentials in terms of presuppositions. In this regard, utterances of two major characters, Jero and Chume, his Assistant, are selected and analysed. It may be interesting to note that fictional characters express presuppositions as much as people in real life. Thus this study is a presentation of an interface between linguistics and literary works. In this linguistic study, literary discourse is exploited using the pragmatic concept of presupposition which underlines and underpins the explanatory adequacy of its explication. Stimulating insights are presented in the interpretation and understanding of Wole Soyinka’s "Trials of Brother Jero" as apiece of dramatic discourse which constitute and promote the interface of linguistic science and literary science.

Keywords:

meaning potential, presupposition, pragmatics, dramatic discourse