The use of myth in grace Ogot's prose fiction

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dc.contributor.authorOjiambo, Evelyn Nafula
dc.date.accessioned2018-02-15T07:02:46Z
dc.date.available2018-02-15T07:02:46Z
dc.date.issued2009-04
dc.descriptionA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Kenyatta University. April 2009en_US
dc.description.abstractThis study investigates the use of myth in Grace Ogot's prose fiction. It highlights tbe importance of myth as a vital artistic resource to the contemporary writer, the relevance of myth in articulating contemporary concerns, and the impact of myth in contemporary writing. According to Bernth Lindfors (1973), identifying myth in writing is not exhaustive analysis. He suggests an in-depth study of its impact on the written work. This study further investigates the importance of myth to the contemporary writer in terms of form, content and technique. The analysis focuses on the prose fiction of Grace Ogot namely, Land Without Thunder, The Other Woman, The Promised Land and The Strange Bride, which consist of her short story collections and novels. These are examined in order to demonstrate the vitality of myth in the short story and novel genres. The use of myth in Grace Ogot's fiction has not been comprehensively examined. Hence, this study seeks to show Ogot's contribution in using myth to address modernity and its complexities. Library research and textual analysis have richly informed the analysis in this thesis. The aesthetic approach as proposed by Isidore Okpewho (1983), forms the theoretical basis for analysis. Okpewho proposes an important relationship between myth and contemporary African writing, and perceives myth as a creative resource. The writer is seen to assume creative freedom at different levels while using myth, which Okpewho categorizes into four segments; Tradition Preserved, Tradition Observed, Tradition Refined and Tradition Revised. These form the four main analytical chapters of this thesis. In the first segment, the study investigates predominant mythic elements and how they are preserved in Grace Ogot's prose fiction. The second segment analyses the mythic elements appropriated in either form or content hence the mode in which they are observed. The third segment examines Ogot's working towards adopting mythic figures that allow or assist her in addressing modernity and in turn refines them. The fourth segment interrogates Ogot's total withdrawal form the use of myths and mythic elements and as a result works towards creating new myths that explore modernity. In so doing, the use of myth is revised. The study fmdings show that Ogot extensively borrows from the myths of her community. The myths are re-appropriated in either form or content or both depending on the concerns being projected. Grace Ogot's reliance on myth to explore modernity is greater than the need to create new myths. Her achievement is seen in the way she uses the familiar (myth) to address the unfamiliar (modernity). The study thus demonstrates that myth has served as a vital artistic resource to the African writer in articulating contemporaneityen_US
dc.description.sponsorshipKenyatta Universityen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/18206
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.titleThe use of myth in grace Ogot's prose fictionen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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