TRIADIC NEXUS OF VIOLENCE, VENGEANCE AND PUNISHMENT IN SELECTED YORÙBÁ NOVELS

Abstract

Violence, vengeance and punishment are parts of fundamental challenges confronting the human race, as represented in Yorùbá novels. Previous studies have focused on the historical survey, development, conflict management strategies and stylistic devices than on issues relating to violence, vengeance and punishment. This study was, therefore, designed to examine the triadic nexus of violence, vengeance and punishment as depicted in selected Yorùbá novels, with a view to establishing their causes and implications on the society. Hippolyte Taine’s Mirror Image Approach of the Sociology of Literature, Roman Jakobson and Viktor Shklovsky’s Russian Formalism and Karl Marx’s Marxism were adopted as the framework. The interpretive design was used. Twelve novels were purposively selected because of their graphic representation of violence, vengeance and punishment. The novels are Ọlábímtán’s Baba Rere (BR), Òkédìjí’s Atótó Arére (AA), Akínlàdé’s Ṣàǹgbá Fọ́ (SF), Ojúadé’s Taa L’Ọ̀daràn (TL), Adéníyì’s Ẹni A Wí Fún (EWF), Abíọ́dún’s Adìye Bà Lókùn (ABL), Owólabí’s Ẹjọ́ọ Taa Ni? (ETN), Fátùrótì’s Bọ̀bọ́ Àlútà (BA), Adébọ̀’s Ọ̀dọ́ Ìwòyí (OI), Oyèdèmí’s Háà, Ikú Ilé! (HII), Gbénró’s Atítẹ̀ẹ́bí and Bàmitẹ́kọ̀’s Sisí Ọlọ́jà (SO). Data were subjected to content and literary analyses. Six causes of violence depicted are corruption (BA, AA, ABL, OI EWF and SF); oppression (SO, OI, ETN, BA, ABL and SF); threats (OI, ETN and BA); deceit (HII, ETN, AA, TL, EWF and SF); betrayal (Atítẹ̀ẹ́bí, SO, BR and OI) and politics (BA, SF, BR and HII). Injustice is the major cause of vengeance in TL, OI, ETN, BA and SO. The consequences of violence and vengeance are identified as loss of lives in BA, AA, ABL, OI, SF and AA; loss of property in BA, ABL, EWF, BR and SF; insecurity and health risks in ETN, Atítẹ̀ẹ́bí, EWF, BR and SF. Four types of punishment dished out by legal/judicial and supernatural institutions are observed as: imprisonment (ETN, HII, SO and OI); deportation (SO); fine (AB, EWF, BR and SF); and capital punishment (ABL, BA, OI, TL and AA). The needs for punishment in the selected novels are safety and security (Atítẹ̀ẹ́bí, OI, ETN and BR); harmony (BA, OI, EWF and BR); justice (SO, HII, Atítẹ̀ẹ́bí, OI, AA and BR); and prevention (SO, OI, Atítẹ̀ẹ́bí, HII and BA). The implication of redress as exhibited in all the selected novels is that they serve as suitable forms of punishment which could stem the tide of violence and vengeance in the society. Yorùbá novels expose issues of violence, vengeance and punishment which are prevalent in the human society. Sanctions remain a veritable tool to reduce violence and vengeance in the human society.