THESIS TITLE: Tricksterism and Subversion in the Selected Plays by Francis Imbuga

STUDENT’S NAME: Levi Wafula Wekesa

SUPERVISORS:

1. Joseph Musungu
2. Christine Namayi

ABSTRACT

The study is an examination of Tricksterism and Subversion in the selected plays by Francis Imbuga. The study aims at interrogating how Francis Imbuga explores tricksterism and subversion as a means of addressing social political issues affecting members of the society. The study examines Francis Imbuga’s Aminata (1988), The Burning of Rags (1989) and The Return of Mgofu (2011). The plays are a representation of Francis Imbuga’s works. The objectives of the study are: To provide a comparative analysis of the portrayal of tricksterism and subversion in Aminata (1988), The Burning of Rags (1989) and The Return of Mgofu (2011), to establish artistic strategies used to present tricksterism and subversion in the Selected dramas by Francis Imbuga and to interrogate the authorial ideologies and how they affect tricksterism and subversion in the selected plays by Francis Imbuga. An examination of critical works in Kenyan literature reveals that little has been written on tricksterism and subversion especially on Kenyan drama. This is despite the emergent interest in the Kenyan society on issues about tricksterism and subversion. Aminata, The Burning of Rags and The Return of Mgofu were selected for this research because they all address the themes of tricksterism and subversion. Post-colonial theory especially Edward Said’s orientalism and Homi Bhabha’s hybridity provided the theoretical framework for the study. The theories were selected for the study because they help in the interpretation of the issues addressed in the plays. The researcher adopted a qualitative research design. The three works of art were purposively sampled. This is because the author was a renown Kenyan writer, his works of art are current and address topical issues particularly on tricksterism and subversion. The study was library-based and therefore relied on close-reading of the selected texts. Data collection was done primarily through reading of the texts and data analysis through content analysis with regard to the themes in question. The study concludes that Francis Imbuga uses tricksterism and Subversion as one of the ways of addressing social political issues faced by different members of the Kenyan society. Finally, Francis Imbuga employs aesthetic ideologies based on his ideological inclinations. The study findings are expected to fill a knowledge gap in regard to tricksterism and subversion, identity, and Kenyan drama. Literary scholars may use these findings to understand the depiction of contemporary social political problems in the Kenyan society and in literary texts and develop appropriate theories in understanding and solving these problems. The study is expected to give birth to the desire for more studies in this area of Kenyan drama to enhance the understanding of tricksterism and subversion as a means of addressing issues affecting members of the society from the point of view of Kenyan playwrights.