The use of language and style in the works of two kenyan playwrights
Abstract
Stylistics criticism is based on the study of style as used in literary expressions and their effects
on the audience. It attempts to establish principles capable of explaining the particular linguistic
items and choices made by an individual author in his/her work of art in an attempt to bring about
certain meanings in the society as well as foreground certain issues that affect society. The thesis
of this paper is that both the formal and informal elements deployed by most of the Kenyan
playwrights contribute to the dramatization of issues of social concern. As such, the paper
examines how metaphor as a style is used to dramatize the metaphors of power in the 21st century
Kenyan society. The study delimited itself to two plays, namely Inheritance by David Mulwa and
The Hunter is Back by Dennis Kyalo. The study engaged Sociological theory and Stylistic
criticism to investigate its concerns. The study was library based owing to the textual nature of
both its primary and secondary sources. Therefore, a close reading of both primary texts and
secondary sources was done. The stylistic features employed by the playwrights include imagery,
symbolism, proverbs and wise sayings. These devices have been carefully used to demonstrate
how power is exercised and transformed for good and for bad – depending on who is wielding it
in society. Due to the informative impact of the two plays, it is recommended that the Ministry of
Education, the Kenya Literature Bureau and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development
should also review and adopt these plays for studies in literature in secondary and primary schools
in Kenya.
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