The Road, written by Wole Soyinka deals with the socio-political issues of post-colonial Africa. It is a play that exposes the rampant corruption of the independent country and the moral issues related to the accidents on the road. It is a post- colonial play that shows the European colonial discourse through symbolism, hybridity, inbetweeness, ambivalent and polot
As a post-colonial play, it gives a political perspective to represent African culture and values to the global world. Soyinka does it through the character of Professor who is in a quest of searching the “Word”. The “Word” is the language and Africa has been narrated by the Europeans as a dark continent for many years leading to many post-colonial African writers to represent their own country through their lens. The play symbolically reflects the pursuit of post-colonial writers to project African nation in similitude to the Professor’s search for the “Word”.
Additionally, the play gives a glimpse of European colonialism weaved symbolically. The character of Professor represents the quintessential force of European colonialist who subjugates the weaker sections of the society. The Professor subjugates the other illiterate members in the play through his education, civility and research of the “Word” and “Death” representing a similar attitude of the European colonialist. It gives a symbolical implication on the typical European colonial politics who enslaved and subjugated the Africans during the colonial period.
Furthermore, the play also gives a postcolonial perspective on European politics to communicate with the native Africans. Soyinka gives a sense of colonial world and the post-colonial world where the aftermath of colonialism still prevails in the post-colonial African society. The Professor’s search for the “Word” also suggest the European colonisers who were also searching for the language to community and connect with the African native. Here, the play gives a similar impression of the colonial and the post-colonial experiences in the light of the Professor.
As a post-colonial play, it also gives a postcolonial discourse on hybridity. Soyinka represents hybridity in the character of the Professor himself. The Professor works as a Sunday school teacher previously and he owns the road. In the light of the traditional Yoruba cosmology, the Road symbolizes death and Ogun represents the death. Since the road is owned by the Professor, he also represents Ogun and at the same time he also engages himself with corruption and the subjugation of the people under him. Critically, Soyinka is representing the post-colonial human condition where a person’s identity is of the native origin yet the actions and the behaviour is of the different origin. It shows the postcolonial hybridity in the play in the context of the character of the Professor.
The play also gives a post-colonial element of inbetweeness which is a common experience in many post-colonial societies. The play shows that the post-colonial Africa is inbetween corruption and adhering to traditional roots. In the play, Ogun is not diminished but is represented as a symbol in the title itself. The road in the play symbolises death and the intentional deaths occurs in the road. Ogun also represents death and the indirect representation of the deity itself implies the less adherence to cultural roots and identity of the post-colonial Africans.
The post-colonial Africa is battling with corruption and it is evident in the play. The Professor also engages with corruption who forges drivers license for the people. The other characters such as Say Tokyo Kid, Salubi and Samson are also corrupted. The instance of bribing and greasing the palm of other’s hand is a reflection of corruption in the play. The corruption also lies with the system as well including the police officers such as Particluars Joe who are engaged with taking money and corruption as well. Soyinka projects the post-colonial African society which is battling with corruption and its impact on the human condition.
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