POETRY AS AN EXPRESSION OF ANGER: A CASE STUDY OF TANURE OJAIDE’S THE FATE OF VULTURES AND OTHER POEMS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page                                                                                                      i

Certification                                                                                                 ii

Dedication                                                                                                   iii

Acknowledgement                                                                                     iv

Table of Contents                                                                                       v

CHAPTER ONE:  INTRODUCTION

1.1       Biography and Works of the Poet.

1.2       Purpose of Study

1.3       The Nature of poetry

1.4       What is Anger?

1.5       Post Colonial Disillusionment

1.6       The Poetics and Politics of Tanure Ojaide

1.7       Scope of Study

1.8       Review of Criticism

1.9       Thesis Statement

CHAPTER TWO:    CAUSES AND EXPRESSIONS OF ANGER

2.0       Introduction

2.1       Pretence

2.2       Tyranny

2.3       Corruption

2.4       Plundering

CHAPTER THREE:   RESPONSES

3.0       Introduction

• Resolve
• Vengeance and Punishment
• Revolution
• Caution

CHAPTER FOUR:  CONCLUSION

Works Cited

CHAPTER TWO

 CAUSES AND EXPRESSIONS OF ANGER

 2.0  Introduction

The Fate of Vultures and Other Poems explores several themes which include corruption, tyranny, plunder, hypocrisy among others.  They constitute the overall theme of communal pain which besets Africa albeit Nigeria in the hands of several evil regimes.  The fact that this work was published at the time of military rule in Nigeria where oppression and corruption were rapidly increasing, is a reason that lead Ojaide to specifically hammer on insensitivity and societal negligence of the rulers.

2.1   Pretence

Tanure Ojaide is resentful of dishonest rulers who pretend to act in the general good of the people whereas the reverse is the case.  In “players”, the poet likens them to “born actor” who “will prefer his stage costume to the crown”.  The theatre serves as a setting for his lampoon.  The poet sarcastically baptized them “players”, a denunciatory, disreputable social stamp on pretentious specialists, whose sophistry sinks beyond repair.  “They never ever want to be caught undressed” (6).  In “The uniform of angels!”, Ojaide ironically describes them as angels properly dressed in spotless white garments, or “how else will they expect God/to break rules of propriety” (50).  The poet’s choice of words is significant.  He ascribes the angelic quality to these pretender rulers to concretize his anger.  The sense behind the attribute of the political rulers as impeccable, immaculate and sinless when we know they are not, is ironic.  This is to coat his anger at the deception. Pretence which they use as a strategic plan to trick and deceive appeals the persoa.  He proverbially describes such act in “When tomorrow is too long” (18).