| Abstract: |
Allusion is one of the stylistic devices employed by modern Igbo poets to promote the aesthetic
ambiance of their work. Despite its role in literature, it is also a device that is most neglected in terms of its study and forms. Previous studies on the language of Igbo poetry focused mainly on identifying stylistic devices employed by modern Igbo poets (Henceforth, MIP). There are yet to be studies dedicated to the study of the form of each of the stylistic devices used by Igbo writers to promote the appreciation of works of literature written in African languages. This paper, therefore, focuses on the description of the nature and forms of allusion in written Igbo literature using written Igbo poetry (Henceforth, WIP) as a case study. Purposive sampling was used in the selection of nine WIP that were studied and used for this study. A descriptive and qualitative research method was used for both the presentation and interpretation of data. The study finds that
allusion in Igbo literature can either be overt or covert. Again, four types of allusion exist in WIP;
historical, mythical, biblical, and literary. The historical allusion is often connected with issues
relating to the Nigerian civil war, child trafficking, natural disasters, colonization of African countries, death, and politics; mythical allusion with issues relating to native crops, and fruits;
biblical allusion with death, sin and destruction as a consequence of sin; literary allusion with a
character in another text. |
EBONYI JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE
