The Swamp Dwellers narrates the story of an old, poor couple and their two sons living inthe remote area of the Niger Delta region. The play opens with the old couple Makuri and Alu awaiting for their son Igwezu, who has returned from the city and gone to the swamp in order to calculate the damage done to his crops by the floods. It is from the conversation between Alu andMakuri we come to know that Igwezu is their younger son and they have another son named Awuchicke who went missing after he had gone to the city some ten years ago. Now, the old parents fear that their younger son Igwezu should not go missing like their elder son Awuchicke.
Alu , the mother asks Makuri to go outside and bring their son home, which, however, is rejected by Makuri. They start a verbal fight and begin to abuse one another by calling names. But when Alu becomes too furious, Makuri calms down and tries to console her. They even suddenly become retrospective and reminisce their old days. The conversation between Alu and Makuri isinterrupted by the arrival of a blind Beggar from the north. The Beggar, who is a tall and thin Moslem from north Nigeria, tells Makuri the story of his life. The Beggar, who became blind after he had been affected by fly sickness during his childhood, is in search of the farmable lands because the lands he has come from are dry and infertile. Though blind, the Beggar is willing to work hard and give his soul to a soil in order to grow crops. The Beggar does not want to live on the charity of people.
Meanwhile, the village priest the Kadiye comes to pay a visit to Makuri’s home. The Kadiye, a voluminous creature, resembles a blood swollen insect. He has come to Makuri’s house in order to know Igwezu’s recent financial condition. The Kadiye has come not to ask about the wellbeing of the family, but he wants to check if Igwezu has made any fortune in the city so that he could milk the Makuri family in the name of God and religion. When he comes to know that Igwezu has not returned from the swamp yet , he leaves the hut promising to return after Igwezu’s arrival. Igwezu comes home after some time and is greatly disappointed to find his crops washed away by floods. The crops that had been left by flood water have also been ruined by oil. Igwezu is introduced with the Beggar and soon a friendship blossoms between these two victims of the extreme climate conditions. The beggar offers himself to Igwezu as his bondsman.
The Kadiye comes again and wants to know if Igwezu had made any fortune in the city. But Igwezu reveals the hardship he had suffered in the city. He went into the debts and pledged his crops to his brother Awuchicke as a security for his debt. Worst of all, his wife Desala left him and has become his brother Awuchicke’s mistress. The Kadiye listens to Igwezu when he gets ready to be shaved by him. While shaving the Kadiye, Igwezu asks a series of questions to him. Igwezu wants to know where the valuable gifts go which people offer to the Kadiye. He even wants to know from the Kadiye where the valuable gifts went which he had offered to him in order to save his farm and family. He further wants to know why his farm and family have been destroyed. Igwezu’s voice gradually becomes harsh and asks the Kadiye if he has any responsibility to protect the family and the property of the people who offer religious gifts. Suddenly, Igwezu becomes furious and it seems that he is going to slice the Kadiye’s throat. But at the last moment Igwezu controls himself and allows the Kadiye to flee away. The Kadiye threatens to take vengeance on Igwezu before leaving the place. Makuri warns Igwezu that Kadiye may stir up the whole village against him. The Beggar also requests Igwezu to flee to the city sensing the danger from the Kadiye. Before Igwezu leaves for the city, he advises the blind Beggar to stay in the village and cultivate his land. And the play ends with the Beggar’s determination to stay in the village and look after Igwezu’s lands.
Themes in The Swamp Dwellers – https://getsetnotes.com/themes-in-wole-soyinkas-the-swamp-dwellers/
