Wordsworth and Nigerian Poetry: Niyi Osundare as a Case in Point
This paper raises the question of the place of “romantic theory” in African literature. It notably interrogates the ideas that lie behind Wordsworth’s theories about poetic subjects and poetic language, as well as their place and meaning in an African setting. The essay examines Osundare’s statement...
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| Wydane w: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/ces, |
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| 1. autor: | |
| Format: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Język: | Anglais |
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Commonwealth Essays and Studies
2022
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| Dostęp online: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| Streszczenie: | This paper raises the question of the place of “romantic theory” in African literature. It notably interrogates the ideas that lie behind Wordsworth’s theories about poetic subjects and poetic language, as well as their place and meaning in an African setting. The essay examines Osundare’s statements on the art of poetry and considers the (af)filiation with Wordsworth’s stances. It focuses on the resonances between Osundare’s Songs of the Market Place and A Nib in the Pond, among other collections, and Wordsworth’s Lyrical Ballads, notably in the depiction of rustic subjects and rustic diction. The paper argues that Osundare portrays ordinary subjects, but does not systematically deploy ordinary language. |
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