COURSE CODE: DRA 302

COURSE TITLE: Dramatic Literature

INSTITUTION: Obafemi Awolowo University.

DATE: 7th May, 2025.

LECTURER in Charge: Mr. Femi Alabi

CONTRIBUTORS

1. ALOWOLODU Israel Oluwakayode DRA/2021/040

2. JOLAOLUWA BOLUWATIFE EMMANUELLA DRA/2021/080

QUESTION

Aesthetic of Adaptation in African dramatic literature in “The Island" by Athol Fugard and
Femi Osofisan's "Tegonni"

NB: Words boldened and in Italics are extracts from the play text to corroborate the
points.

ABSTRACT

This work focuses on the Aesthetics of Adaptation in African Literature in the Island by Athol
Fugard and Femi Osofisan's Tegonni. As a group, we divided ourselves into different aspects of
the topic to discuss about. We initially defined the meanings of both Aesthetics and Adaptation
since they are majorly the focus of our works and we examined the play text we are
understudying its adaptations which is Antigone by Sophocles. This on which our play texts are
premised on. We understudy the forms, methods and styles of writing in both play which is the
basis of our study. At the end of the day we were able to dwell on the topic while giving our
honest inputs to the work.

INTRODUCTION

Both Athol Fugard's The Island and Femi Osofisan's Tegonni are adaptations of Sophocles'
Antigone that recontextualize the original Greek play within distinct African political and social
realities. Fugard's play utilizes a South African prison setting to explore themes of resistance and
human dignity, while Osofisan's Tegonni reimagines the story within a Yoruba mythological
framework, examining the conflict between tradition and modernity. Both adaptations employ
similar techniques to Africanize the story and raise awareness about the specific challenges
faced by their respective societies.

MEANING of Aesthetics and Adaptation

Aesthetics as we were always being taught in Part 1 simply put means "beauty". In the broad
sense of it, Aesthetics means concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty. Aesthetics as
a concept is subjective, in that, it is personal. What Mr. A considers beauty might not be
beautiful to Mr. B. Little wonder,this popular saying of "Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder".
We can rephrase it to be "Aesthetics lies in the eyes of the researcher(c)". This, curiously forms
the basis of our research, although we made every attempt to be as objective as possible. In a
more broader definition, we would define, Aesthetics in Theatre which refers to the principles and
philosophy of beauty, art, and sensory experiences as they relate to theatrical production. It’s the
way theatre artists use various elements to include visual, auditory, physical, and emotional to
create an experience that resonates with the audience. Examples of aesthetics in theatre are;
Visual Aesthetics, Auditory Aesthetics, Movement and Physical Aesthetics, Stylistic Aesthetics,
etc.

Adaptation is a concept which denotes the action or process of getting parts of an existing work
of art and making it best suited for another purpose. For instance, a film, television drama or
stage play that has been adapted from a written work. Simply put, we take some parts of a work
of art, modify some changes in it and add our own input. The writer may choose to retain the plot
like in The Gods Are Not to be Blame by Ola Rotimi or modify the plot while still retaining other
elements of drama in his own work.

Aesthetics in adaptation refers to the artistic and visual elements used to re-present a work of
arts in its new forms. The tones, mood and style of writing. Adaptation in African dramatic
literature most oftentimes serves as a powerful aesthetic and political tool for reinterpreting
history, resisting oppression, and affirming cultural identity. Rather than mere imitation of
classical or Western texts, African playwrights often adapt existing narratives to confront
contemporary realities and reframe indigenous experiences. This is evident in Athol Fugard’s
The Island and Femi Osofisan’s Tegonni: An African Antigone, both of which draw inspiration
from Sophocles’ classical tragedy Antigone but recontextualize it within distinct African socio-
political landscapes. The Island, set in apartheid South Africa, uses the metaphor of prison and
performance to expose the brutality of state oppression and the resilience of resistance. In
contrast, Tegonni reimagines colonial Nigeria, blending Yoruba oral traditions with Greek tragedy
to critique colonial domination and reclaim historical agency. Through these adaptations, both
playwrights not only bridge cultures but also craft new aesthetic frameworks that challenge
dominant narratives and celebrate African creativity and could also be seen as a shift from the
Western conventional styles of writing.

The concept of adaptation in postcolonial African theatre is rooted in the need to bridge the gaps
between indigenous traditions and imposed Western forms. In the wake of colonization, many
African dramatists began to rework classical texts to reflect African realities, using familiar
narratives, characters and other elements which are peculiar to Africans to engage with themes
of resistance, identity, and cultural survival. Athol Fugard, in collaboration with John Kani and
Winston Ntshona, adapts Antigone in The Island to depict the moral conflict faced by political
prisoners under apartheid, using the dramatic technique of "play within play" to highlight the
struggle for justice. Similarly, Femi Osofisan’s Tegonni reinterprets Antigone through a Yoruba
lens, infusing the narrative with African performance aesthetics—music, dance, chants as
evident in the eulogies of Tegonni on her wedding day and also to make Chief Isokun, official
Town Poet and Chief Diviner to the palace to appease him in lines like Fondness has no
equal, The bean cake's pride is traced to beans..... Salute! I pay respect to my father, chief
Isokun and oral storytelling, to project African worldview in Literature. These adaptations serve
as a tools to emphasize Africa and its components. They help us move away just like we
postulated earlier from Western forms of writing while infusing African story, characters and ways
of life.

PLAY WITHIN PLAY IN BOTH PLAYS.

Play within play refers to a theatrical device where characters in a play become actors and or
audience members of a secondary play within the main play. In THE ISLAND, the playwrights
make use of two characters John and Winston to rehearse a modified version of Antigone. John
and Winston rehearse their roles of Creon and Antigone respectively in the prison cells. This
rehearsal serves as a form of resistance against oppression. Just like in Sophocles' Antigone,
where Antigone the heroine is said to see Creon's verdict as unjust and extreme, this makes her
propose in her mind that she would defy his proclamation and bury her brother. The playwright
makes reference to Antigone's necklace which is an object of distraction that Winston keeps
bringing up to divert attention from the main event. They are rehearsing for Don't start any
nonsense now, Winston. There are six days to go to the concert. We are committed. We
promised the chaps we'd do something. This Antigone is just right for us. Six more days
and we'll make it. They continually go over their lines, with John complaining about Winston's
deliberate forgetfulness of his role that he had to voice out, How can I carry on like this? I can't
move on man. He exasperated and exclaims How many times must I tell you that Antigone
is the sister of the two brothers ! Not the mother?

The playwrights make it obvious that they are acting a play within a play. This is evident in their
conversations and stage directions with John constantly making reference to In the play... While
Winston dismisses this notion by To hell with the plays. This shows the dynamics and freedom
to which the playwrights had to write freely on African leanings even with the fact that it's an
adaptation. They draw up different "stages" which is a move from the conventional "scenes" we
are familiar with. With each stage having its own distinct function of what the oppression
connotes. Stage one being Of the trial (Writing on the floor) The state lays its charges
against the Accused... And Stage two is Pleading. Stage three, Pleading in Mitigation of
Sentence and Stage four, Sentence State, Summary and something from you... Farewell
Words. This, in our understanding could be representation of chapters as in prose form.

In TEGONNI, although there is no clear depiction of play within play in Femi Osofisan’s Tegonni,
one can still deduce some instances of play within play. In instances where in Tableau one
where Antigone walks down, with her friends and guards to meet the women. She inquiries,
Has the play started? With Faderera responding by saying, Well, look for yourself (Indicates
audience). The playwright makes it a point of communication by telling us that it's an adaptation
when Antigone says that I heard you were acting my story. And I was so excited to come
and participate. This is depicted in the role of Tegonni as she fights against the barbaric culture
of appeasing the gods by sacrificing a virgin in order to make for provision for rainfall, just as
Antigone who was determined to go against Creon's decree by I will Bury him. I will have a
noble death and lie with him a dear sister and a dear brother.

Antigone and her crew have come to We've had long rehearsals about your customs. But go
ahead, we'll catch up with you. Another succinct instance of play within play is when Antigone
and her crew are to play Members of the Army which the British raised to colonise West
Africa, called the Hausa Constabulary. At this moment, you're just arriving in this town of
Oke-Osun in Yoruba Land sent ahead by your commander, Lt. Gen Carter-Ross, who is
the governor of the Southern colony of Nigeria. And you've come with a corpse. The crew
members she came with have to act out what they have constantly rehearsed. They are to enact
her instructions of remembering their lines, actions and the language to be used which is pidgin
language. When the Lights widen immediately to show the tree stump, 4th soldier goes to
lie there as a "corpse" as the others stand round him. The noise of the music begins to
rise again, in the distance, 3rd soldier slaps the bottle. Reading further, one will realise they
acted thus role even with some exceptions to the script as they constantly argue.

The use of play within play in The Island helps to comment on the apartheid regime. There is a
relationship between the apartheid regime in the it reeks of injustice just as Antigone suffers
injustice in the hands of Creon thus drawing a relation between Greek and modern day South
Africa. In Tegonni, the playwright used this to introduce the audience to what Tegonni is to
encounter in the village and also to talk on humanity and resistance in the face of oppression.
How she would eventually subvert traditional expectations, and challenge societal norms.

CHARACTERISATION in BOTH PLAYS

Characterisation is the way a writer develops and describes his character in a story. It connotes
the character's personality, how they relate and act with others , their emotional dispositions too
and motivations. With focus to this thesis, we would only dwell on the protagonists of each play.
Tegonni in Tegonni, John and Winston in The Island.

JOHN:John is one of the play's two protagonists. He was sentenced to serve ten years on the
island as punishment for belonging to an organization that worked in opposition to South African
apartheid. In the middle of the play, John's sentence is reduced from ten years to three, which
means he will be released in three months' time. They constantly reminicse on time while having
a countdown to when the release will happen. Winston asks , You have started counting the
date with John respoding Ja , Ninety-two. They anticipate the time when the release would
happen . John has formed a close brotherhood with Winston, with whom he shares a cell. This is
evident in the way he converses with him. He could be seen as the older among the two.
Probably, because of his experience and the fact that he had had a long serving time. John takes
up the role of Creon in their enactment. Of the two, he is more motivated to perform the play
Antigone, and he is generally the more optimistic of the two cellmates. At the end, he
sympathizes with Winston who must serve a life sentence, and does not want to make the news
of his appeal any more painful to his friend. He placated him by You are wrong. None of my
people think the way you do. This statement is to encourage him as he leaves Winston in the
cell prior to his release.

WINSTON

Winston made a huge stand against the regime when he And I burned my passbook in front
of the police. The passbook is used to segregate whites, blacks, and other groups. Thus, his is
a serious crime because it defies the laws of the entire system of apartheid. This is one of the
bane of the apartheid regime whereby there is segregation among the citizens with disdain to the
South Africans. Although Winston is committed to the cause, when news of John's release
comes, he begins to question why he became involved in the first place, and he feels
discouraged by his life imprisonment. He shouts Stop bullshitting me! We've got no time left
for that. There's is only two months left between us (Pause). Do you know old Harry
John? He loves stone. That is why they are nice to him. He's forgotten himself. He's
forgotten everything..... why he is here, where he comes from. He is afraid of That is
happening to me John. I've forgotten why i'm here. Of the two cellmates, he is more prone to
pessimism and fear, and he is much less enthusiastic about performing Antigone, this makes
John to keep reminding him of his role and repeat every detail to him, particularly because it
requires him to play a woman. However, he eventually learns his part and performs the play.

Style and Methods of Writing in both plays

An African Antigone by Femi Osofisan and The Island are both dramatic texts, adapted from
Sophocles' Antigone but they differ significantly in form and style due to their cultural contexts
and the writer's intentions.

The Island – Athol Fugard

Form: A two-man play written in collaboration with John Kani and Winston Ntshona. It is strongly
rooted in realist theatre, portraying life under apartheid in South Africa. It expounds on the
apartheid regime telling us the dangers of apartheid. It uses theatre as a form of resistance and
protest, awakening the political consciousness in the citizens

Style: Sparse setting and props, symbolic use of space (the prison setting becomes a reflection
of apartheid). Also, the dialogues focus on intense, emotional conversations between the two
cellmates. The island (Robben Island), the chains, and Antigone’s defiance symbolize resistance
to oppression.

2. Tegonni: An African Antigone – Femi Osofisan

Form: A full-length play that is a postcolonial adaptation of Antigone and it blends Western
classical drama with African oral performance traditions.

Style: It reimagines Antigone within a Yoruba/Nigerian context, during colonial rule, retaining the
epic theater elements which include the use of a chorus, songs, dance, and narration to allow the
actors interact with the audience. Also, in epic theater, an actor could play one or more role, this
is evident when one of the soldiers debuts as a soldier and as a corpse. It also incorporates
Yoruba language, songs, and proverbs. In the play, Tegonni is portrayed as a strong,
independent African woman, challenging patriarchal and colonial authority. Finally, the play is
written in a non-linear form which includes the use of flashbacks, storytelling, and shifts in time
and space which makes it not to follow the chronological order found in Antigone.

Adaptation in "The I sland" .What elements to Retain, Modify, Discard from the original
work

Athol Fugard's play "The Island" draws heavily from Sophocles ancient Greek tragedy
"Antigone", adapting it's themes and characters to reflect the harsh realities of apartheid-era
South [Link] of the elements retained is the resistance against oppressive [Link]
plays feature a protagonists who defy the law, Antigone by burying her brother,and Winston by
participating in a play that critiques the apartheid regime and also burning his passbook.
Although exclusive details about Winston arrest was not in the play,It was later brought to our
understanding that Winston was imprisoned for burning his passbook in front of the [Link] he
said in page 63 in the play text I didn't walk with those men and burn my bloody passbook
in front of that police station,and have a magistrate send me here for life so that he can
dress me up like a woman and make a bloody fool of me. Burning of a passbook is a serious
crime under apartheid,as passbooks were used to segregate and control the South African
[Link] destroying his passbook, Winston was making a bold statement against the
oppressive regime, which ultimately led to his [Link] element retained by Athol
fugard is [Link] island setting serves as a symbol of isolation, oppression and
resistance, echoing the themes of "Antigone".The sea surrounding the island also takes on a
symbolic significance, representing both the barrier between the prisoners and the outside
world,and the possibility of escape and freedom, however slim it may seem.

Athol fugard,on another hand,also discarded from Antigone,some elements to fit the context of
apartheid-era South [Link] island cannot be said to have ended on a tragic [Link] of
the death of the protagonist,it ended on a note of hope and [Link],while "The island"
features a strong narrative voice,it does not employ a traditional chorus like
[Link] and divine elements were also not incorporated into the play "The Island".
Instead,it focused on the harsh realities of life on Robbed [Link] play also does not feature
prophecies or divine intervention, instead emphasizing the human struggle against apartheid.

There are also areas Athol fugard can be said to have modified from Antigone on his play "The
island".The characters for one are more complex,reflecting the harsh realities of life and
[Link],the play's narrative is more fragmented and non-linear, reflecting the disjointed
nature of life in prison,whereas the narrative in Sophocles "Antigone" is generally considered to
be linear, following a chronological structure that explores the consequences of Antigone's
actions.

Adaptation in Tegonni, what elements to Retain, Modify and Discard from the original
work

Femi Osofisan's Tegonni: An African Antigone is a deliberate adaptation of Sophocles' classical

Greek tragedy Antigone. Osofisan reimagines the narrative within a colonial Nigerian context,
particularly in the Yoruba town of Oke-Osun, to explore themes of resistance, colonial
oppression, and cultural identity. By transposing the ancient Greek setting to 19th-century
Nigeria, he addresses the complexities of colonial rule and the struggle for personal and national
freedom

ELEMENTS TO RETAIN

The core themes, At the heart of Antigone lies the conflict between individual conscience and
state authority. Antigone's defiance of Creon's edict to leave her brother unburied exemplifies
civil disobedience and moral conviction, just like Tegonni’s stance to also bury her brother as
against the state decree. She asserts, "I was born to join in love, not hate—that is my
nature" , highlighting her commitment to familial duty over political decree. This tension between
personal ethics and governmental decree remains universally relevant in both plays. Additionally,
the play delves into gender dynamics, highlighting both Tegonni and Antigone's challenge to
patriarchal norms by asserting her fights in a male-dominated society. Her bold stance is evident
when she declares, "I will bury him myself. And even if I die in the act, that death will be a
glory" .

Tragic structure, the classical structure of Greek tragedy—comprising the prologue, parodos,
episodes, stasima, and exodus—provides a compelling framework for storytelling. In both plays,
The eponymous characters both dies. Antigone dies by killing herself instead of waiting to be
killed by Creon, whereas, Tegonni was killed by gunshot. Their deaths signify the struggles
women face in a male dominated environment. It is a death of resistance and adherence to one's
beliefs in the face of oppositions.

Role of the chorus, The Chorus serves as a moral compass and commentator, reflecting societal
norms and public sentiment. Their interjections offer insights into the unfolding drama and guide
audience interpretation. In Antigone, the Chorus observes, "There is no happiness where there is
no wisdom; No wisdom but in submission to the gods" , emphasizing the importance of divine
law over human law. In Tegonni also, The chorus provides comments on the actions too,
reflecting on the themes of the play. Most of thier lines were in Yoruba language which was
interpreted in Ènglish, drawing on Yoruba culture and traditions. They provide cultural and
historical contexts to the play.

ELEMENT TO MODIFY

Setting and Context: Transposing the setting from ancient Thebes to a different time and place
allows exploration of similar themes within a new cultural and historical framework. For instance,
Tegonni situates the narrative in colonial Nigeria, drawing relations between Creon's
authoritarian rule and colonial rule which was at some point also authoritarian and oppressive

Language and Dialogue: The use of Yoruban language reflects contemporary ways of speaking.
Although, Yoruba language had long existed, the issue was that it wasn't in written forms.
Modern playwrights now see the need of incorporating local dialects to enhance accessibility and
relatability among thier audience. This adaptation ensures that the audience connects with the
characters and their struggles.

ELEMENTS TO DISCARD

Specific Greek Religious References: Direct references to Greek gods and religious practices
may be replaced with equivalents from the new cultural context to maintain relevance. For
example, invoking Yoruba deities in Tegonni aligns the narrative with local spiritual beliefs.

Ancient Greek Political Structures: The specific political systems of ancient Greece, such as city-
state governance, can be substituted with structures pertinent to the new setting, like colonial
administrations or modern nation-states.

Traditional Chorus: While retaining the Chorus's function, the traditional Greek chorus format
can be modified or replaced with forms more familiar to the target audience, such as a narrator, a
group of commentators, or multimedia elements. This adaptation ensures that the Chorus
remains an effective narrative device.
THE ISLAND.

The Plot:

The story begins with John and Winston engaging in a daily routine of physical labor and
rehearsing lines for a performance of Antigone, the ancient Greek tragedy by Sophocles. They
are rehearsing Antigone in secret, not just for entertainment, but as a means of expressing their
resistance to apartheid and the personal and collective struggles they endure. The play-within-a-
play is significant because Antigone is a story about defiance against oppressive authority, much
like the prisoners’ own fight against the apartheid government.

Throughout the play, John and Winston form a bond, sharing stories of their lives before prison
and discussing their dreams of freedom. John is set to be released soon, while Winston faces a
longer sentence, which creates a contrast in the way that they view things. John believes that his
release will bring him a new chance to fight for the liberation of others, while Winston is
consumed by the uncertainty of his future.

As they rehearse Antigone, they begin to draw parallels between the tragedy’s themes and their
own lives. In particular, the character of Antigone, who defies the king’s orders to bury her
brother, mirrors their own acts of resistance against apartheid’s laws. The rehearsal becomes a
form of emotional and political liberation for the two men.

However, as the play progresses, the brutal reality of their situation becomes apparent. Winston
learns that his release will not come as soon as he hoped, and the emotional toll of this news
weighs heavily on him. His determination to continue resisting apartheid is tested, as he faces
the cruelty of a system that does not intend to let him go free.

In the final act, John, who has been set free, is preparing to leave Robben Island. Winston, on
the other hand, faces continued suffering. The play ends with a sense of tragic inevitability, as
Winston is left behind, and John, though physically free, remains deeply affected by the trauma
and sacrifice they both endured.

TEGONNI.

Plot of Tegonni:

The story opens with the village elders discussing the dire situation caused by the unrelenting
drought. After much deliberation, they conclude that the only way to appease the gods and bring
rain is by sacrificing a virgin girl. The elders decide that Tegonni, a beautiful, innocent young girl,
should be the one to fulfill the role.
Meanwhile, Tegonni, like any other girl in her village, has been brought up in the shadow of such
traditions. However, she is also a young woman who has dreams, desires, and a sense of
individuality. As the community prepares for the ritual, Tegonni is both honored and terrified. On
one hand, she feels a sense of duty, understanding that the sacrifice is necessary to end the
suffering of the entire village. On the other hand, she is aware of the cruel reality of her fate.

Tegonni’s family, though deeply heartbroken by the decision, does not openly resist. They
believe in the tradition, though they are emotionally torn by the choice. Tegonni’s mother, in
particular, struggles with the cultural norms that have dictated this fate for her daughter, but
ultimately, she feels powerless to change anything. As the days draw closer to the planned
sacrifice, Tegonni begins to question the meaning of her life and her impending death. Tegonni’s
internal struggle is amplified by the voices of others. Some people in the village, including the
young man who loves her, question the necessity of the sacrifice. He speaks out against the
tradition, urging the community to find another way to address the drought. He loves Tegonni and
wants her to live, but his voice is drowned out by the collective belief in the ritual. Despite his love
for her, Tegonni’s fate seems sealed.

The gods, in their eyes, have to be appeased, and only a virgin girl can restore the balance and
bring the rain. Meanwhile, Tegonni argues that no deity would demand the life of an innocent girl
to end the suffering of a community. Her resistance reaches a climax as she voices her defiance,
questioning the validity of the gods’ demands. Tegonni’s defiance sparks a moment of reckoning
within the village.

At this time, Some members of the community begin to reconsider the need for the sacrifice,
while others stand firm in their belief that it must be carried out. The play ends on a note of
uncertainty, with no clear resolution to the conflict. Tegonni’s fate is left unresolved, leaving the
audience to reflect on the consequences of blind tradition and the power of the individual to resist
and redefine their role in society. Ultimately, Tegonni’s Journey becomes a metaphor for anyone
who seeks to break free from societal norms and assert their own identity.

Aesthetic of Adaptation in African dramatic literature in "The Island" by Athol

Fugard and Femi Osofisan's "Tegonni"

While Fugard and Osofisan both engage with the aesthetic of adaptation, they do so in ways that
are specific to their cultural and political contexts:

Fugard’s The Island is rooted in the historical and political struggle against apartheid in South
Africa, where the aesthetic adaptation of classical Greek tragedy within a prison setting highlights
the dehumanizing conditions of apartheid and uses the theatrical space as a form of political
resistance. On the other hand, Osofisan’s Tegonni adapts African mythology to critique
postcolonial issues of power, gender, and modernization in Nigeria, reflecting a different set of
socio-political concerns.

Adaptation of Traditions is another aspect, Fugard adapts Western theatre (Greek tragedy) to
serve African resistance, while Osofisan reinterprets African mythology. Both adaptations serve
as re-imaginings of older narratives to speak to contemporary issues, but the cultural frameworks
from which each playwright draws are distinct: Fugard’s work is interwoven with the legacy of
colonialism and apartheid, while Osofisan’s draws from indigenous African traditions and
critiques postcolonial cultural tensions.

Also, Political and Social Engagement in both plays are examined. Both plays use adaptation as
a tool for political engagement. The Island critiques the apartheid system and explores the
resilience of the human spirit, while Tegonni explores the complexities of gender, power, and
identity within the framework of African mythology. The aesthetic choices in both plays, whether
through minimalism or rituals, serve to focus the audience’s attention on these pressing social
issues.

Similarities and Differences in Adaptation: Style and Methods of Writing

Redefining Antigone's Role: Both Fugard and Osofisan reframe the central character, Antigone,
as a symbol of defiance and the enduring power of human spirit in the face of oppression. In The
Island, this manifests in the prisoners' determination to reclaim their humanity, especially with
Winston when he realises the impart his stay in the prison will have on him while John is away.
while in Tegonni, Tegonni just like Antigone is a symbol of resistance. In Antigone, Antigone is
an eponymous character, same with Tegonni in Tegonni. They both stand and are motivated to
fulfil and defend their desires respectively. They both stand against repressive cultures in their
different society.

Political and Social Commentary: Both plays use the adaptation to critique oppressive systems.
The Island directly addresses apartheid and the dehumanizing nature of the prison system, it
also expounds on the segregation experienced by the Africans in their neighbourhood by the
white while Tegonni critiques patriarchal power structures and the suppression of traditional
beliefs. Tegonni is against the British authorities who blatantly displays her brother's corpse on
her wedding day. Just like Antigone wants to bury her brother, Tegonni also buries her brother by
defying the British.

Focus on Collective Resistance: Both Fugard and Osofisan shift the focus from Antigone's
individual action to the broader struggle for liberation. In The Island, the prisoners' shared
experience and solidarity, form a powerful force of resistance. In Tegonni, the village community
rallies behind Tegonni’s defiance of the King, highlighting the importance of communal support
as they eventually realise that such decree is barbaric and dehumanizing.

Differences in Adaptation:

Setting and Context: Fugard's play is set in a South African prison, a stark reminder of
apartheid's physical and psychological impact. The Island represents a place of isolation and
loneliness. This can be exemplified in the prisoner's struggle and search for help against
oppression. The cell which is the locale is used as a place of discovery and strategies on how to
war against apartheid even though, at the end of the play, it's a place of solitary. Unlike in
Antigone where the cell is a place of death. Osofisan's Tegonni, on the other hand, is set in the
mythological Yoruba world, allowing for a more symbolic exploration of political and social issues
and to make the story relatable. There were interspersions on Yoruba and English languages in
the play with adequate translations to cater for the audience who do not understand the
language

Acts/Scene/Tableau: This is another style in the plays. Although the playwrights in The Island
retained the conventional styles of using Acts and scenes just as it's evident in the Western
styles of writing, Osofisan moves away from this style. He instead uses Tableau to introduce the
audience to the next scene of actions.

Style of Writing: The style of writing in Tegonni in some instances is similar to the style of writing
in Antigone in that, it follows the conventional style of writing then. The prosaic form. Basically,
the lines are written in the narrative form. This we can see as a move away from the conventional
modes of writing in the Ancient Greek time when Antigone was written. Also, there is a blend
between the English, Yoruba and Pidgin languages. This is unlike Antigone that was only written
in a language. This is a shift and also a proof that a play can be written in three languages qnd
the audience will understand [Link] Island, The style of writing in The Island is symbolic, first
from the title of the play. The Island as we know is always a lone place except if people go on a
tourist visit to the place or there are economic activities there. The Island symbolises isolation,
oppression and reprehensiveness. The dialogues between the casts are direct, and concise
reflecting the harsh realities of a prison life. This also helps to build emotional depth of the
characters particularly their struggles, hopes and despair in a world against theirs. Overall, the
language is simple, written in English and some few instances of South America language.

Mythological Elements:

Osofisan weaves Yoruba mythology into the narrative, drawing on deities and cultural beliefs to
enrich the story and provide a framework for understanding the characters' motivations and
actions, just like there were some elements of dirtiest in Antigone too, the beliefs in the Greek
gods as supreme dieties, this reflects the cultural preponderance that the two plays are based
on. Unlike in The Island, there are no elements of gods or the dieties in the story, this is an
element the playwrights modified to suit their audiences.

Themes of Resistance:

While both plays explore resistance, Fugard emphasizes physical and political resistance against
a colonial power. Osofisan, in contrast, focuses on cultural and spiritual resistance against
patriarchal structures and the erosion of traditional values.

Both The Island and Tegonni demonstrate the power of adaptation to engage with contemporary
issues and shed light on specific socio-political realities within their respective contexts. By
reinterpreting the classic story of Antigone, Fugard and Osofisan not only revitalize a Greek myth
but also offer valuable insights into the challenges of resistance, justice, and cultural identity in
the African context.
CONCLUSION

In conclusion, both The Island by Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona and Tegonni:
An African Antigone by Femi Osofisan use the framework of Sophocles’ Antigone to explore
themes of resistance, injustice, and the struggle for human dignity under oppressive regimes. In
The Island, the apartheid-era South African prison becomes a space where personal suffering
transforms into political defiance, especially through the prisoners’ performance of Antigone,
which mirrors their real-life resistance. Similarly, in Tegonni, the colonial Nigerian setting is used
to highlight the tension between traditional African values and imposed British authority, with
Tegonni embodying courage in the face of imperial control and resistance to barbaric culture.

References

1. The Island play text by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona.

2. Tegonni: An African Antigone play text by Femi Osofisan.

3. Emeka Nwabueze A critical study of Modern Drama, 2001, Uwami, Enugu.