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LIT811S - LITERARY THEORY - 1ST OPP - JUNE 2022 |
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nAmlBIA un1VERSITY
OF SCIEnCE Ano TECHnOLOGY
FACULTYOF COMMERCE, HUMAN SCIENCEAND EDUCATION
DEPARTMENTOF COMMUNICATION
QUALIFICATION: BACHELOR OF ENGLISH AND LINGUISTICS (HONOURS)
QUALIFICATION CODE: 08BAEN
LEVEL: 8
COURSE CODE: LIT811 S
COURSE NAME: LITERARY THEORY
SESSION: June 2022
DURATION: 3h00
PAPER: THEORY
MARKS: 75
FIRST OPPORTUNITY EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPER
EXAMINER(S) DR. ALETTA MWENENI HAUTEMO
MODERATOR: DR A. SIMATAA
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Read all the questions carefully before answering.
2. Number the answers clearly
3. Give essay type responses where necessary
4. Use blue or black ink only
THIS QUESTION PAPER CONSISTS OF 5 PAGES (Including this front page)
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SECTION A - COMPULSORY
[50 Marks]
This section is compulsory, and it consists of two sub-questions. You must answer all
the questions.
QUESTION1
(10 Marks)
Examine the following poem and explain how it illustrates relaxation psychological relief.
A song from the Kikuyu (Kenya)
On Friday as I was coming from work,
I was thinking I was being waited for to go and eat
but my heart was deceiving me ---- listen and you will hear.
When I got home there was nobody,
at her parents' home there was nobody.
I ran very, very fast to a nearby river----
and there my wife was talking to her lover.
I had thought getting married was good.
I sat and thought and tears came out.
girls will never be trusted ever,
men are always to be trusted, always
Liyong ( 1972, p.132)
QUESTION 2
(35 Marks)
Give a brief description of the id, the ego and superego in the psychoanalysis theory.
SECTION B: ELECTIVE QUESTIONS
[25 Marks]
This section consists of two questions. You are required to select ONLY one question
to answer.
QUESTION 3
Discuss the Russian formalism theory in depth focussing on:
a. Its definition
b. Its proponents
c. Its aims
d. Discuss any three basic tenets or principles of Formalism?
OR
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(25 Marks)
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QUESTION 4
[25 marks]
Jung (1981) formulated four categories of Archetypes to analyse a folktale. According to Jung,
the Archetypal theory enables you to interpret a text by reviewing the archetypes in the
narrative. These archetypes include symbols, images and character types in literary works
(Pasi, 2021, p. 86). The archetypes are categorised into four groups:
a) Archetypal Characters
b) Archetypal Conflicts
c) Archetypal Situations
d) Archetypal Symbols
Write an essay in which you analyse the following folktale using the Archetypal Model (Jung,
1981). Provide relevant examples from the narrative to support your analysis.
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters - An African Tale
A long time ago, in a certain place in Africa, a small village lay across a river and half a
day's journey form a city where a great king lived. A man named Mufaro lived in this village
with his two daughters, who were called Manyara and Nyasha. Everyone agree that
Manyara and Nyasha were very beautiful. Manyara was almost always in a bad temper.
She teased her sister whenever their father's back was turned, and she had been heard to
say, "Someday, Nyasha, I will be queen, and you will be a servant in my household. "If that
should come to pass," Nyasha responded, "I will be pleased to server you. But why do you
say such things? You are very clever and strong and beautiful. Why are you so unhappy?"
"Because everyone talks about how kind you are, and they praise everything you do,"
Manyara replied. "I'm certain that Father loves you best. But when I am a queen, everyone
will know that your silly kindness is only weakness." Nyasha was sad that Manyara felt his
way, but he ignored her sister's words and went about her chores. Nyasha kept a small plot
of land, on which she grew millet, sunflowers, yams, and vegetable. She always sang as
she worked, and some said it was her singing that made her crops more beautiful than
anyone else's.
One day, Nyasha noticed a small garden snake resting beneath a yam vine. "Good day,
little Nyoka," she called to him. "You are welcome here. You will deep away any creatures
who might spoil my vegetables." She bent forward, gave the little snake a living pat on the
head, and then returned to her work. From that day on, Nyoka was always at Nyasha's side
when she tended her garden. It was said that she sang all the more sweetly when he was
there. Mufaro knew nothing of how Manyara treated Nyasha. Nyasha was too considerate
of her gather's feeling to complain, and Manyara was always careful to behave herself when
Mufaro was around.
Early one morning, a messenger from the city arrived. The Great King wanted a wife. ''The
Most Worthy and Beautiful Daughters in the Land are invited to appear before the King, and
he will choose one to become Queen!" the messenger proclaimed. Mufaro called Manyara
and Nyasha to him. "It would be a great honor to have one of you chosen," he said. "Prepare
yourselves to journey to the city. I will call together all our friends to throw a wedding party.
We will leave tomorrow as the sun rises." "But, my father," Manyara said sweetly, it would
be painful for either of us to leave you, even to be wife to the king. I know Nyasha would
grieve to death if she were parted from you. I am strong. Send me to the city and let poor
Nyasha be happy here with you." Mufaro beamed with pride. "The king has asked for the
worthiest and most beautiful. No, Manyara, I cannot send you alone. Only a king can choose
between two such worthy daughters. Both of you must go!"
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That night, when everyone was asleep, Manyara stole quietly out of the village. She had
never been in the forest at night before, and she was frightened, but her greed to be the first
to appear before the king drove her on. In her hurry, she almost stumbled over a small boy
who suddenly appeared, standing in the path. "Please," said the boy, I am hungry. Will you
give me something to eat?" "I have brought only enough food for myself," Manyra replied.
"But, please!" said the boy. "I am so very hungry." "Out of my way, boy! Tomorrow I will
become your queen. How dare you stand in my path?" After traveling for what seemed to
be a great distance, Manyara came to a small clearing. There, silhouetted against the
moonlight, was an old woman seated on a large stone. The old woman spoke, "I will give
you some advice, Manyara. Soon after you pass the place where two paths cross, you will
see a grove of trees. They will laugh at you. You must not laugh in return. Later, you will
meet a man with his head under his arm. You must be polite to him." "How do you know my
name? How dare you advise your future queen? Stand aside, you ugly old woman!"
Manyara scolded, and then rushed on her way without looking back. Just as the old woman
had foretold, Manyara came to a grove of trees, and they did indeed seem to be laughing
at her. "I must be calm," Manyara thought. "I will not be frightened." She looked up at the
trees and laughed out loud. "I laugh at you, trees!" she shouted, and she hurried on. It was
not yet dawn when Manyara heard the sound of rushing water. "The river must be up
ahead," she thought. "The great city is just on the other side." But there, on the rise, she
saw a man with his head tucked under his arm. Manyara ran past him without speaking. "A
queen acknowledges only those who please her," she said to herself. "I will be queen. I will
be queen," she chanted, as she hurried on toward the city.
Nyasha woke at the first light of dawn. As she put on her finest garments, she thought how
her life might be changed forever beyond this day. "I'd much prefer to live here," she
admitted to herself. "I'd hate to leave this village and never see my father or sing to little
Nyoka again." Her thoughts were interrupted by loud shouts and a commotion from the
wedding party assembled outside. Manyara was missing! Everyone bustled out, searching
and calling for her. When they found her footprints on the path that led to the city, they
decided to go on as planned. As the wedding party moved through the forest, brightly
plumbed birds darted about in the cool green shadows beneath the trees. Though anxious
about her sister, Nyasha was soon filled with excitement about all there was to see. They
were deep in the forest when she was the small boy standing by the side of the path. "You
must be hungry," she said, and handed him a yam she had brought for her lunch. The boy
smiled and disappeared as quietly as he had come. Later, as they were approaching the
place where the two paths crossed, the old woman appeared and silently pointed the way
to the city. Nyasha thanked her and gave her a small pouch filled with sunflower seeds. The
sun was high in the sky when the party came to the grove of towering trees. Their uppermost
branches seemed to bow down to Nyasha as she passed beneath them. At last, someone
announced that they were near their destination. Nyasha ran ahead and topped the rise
before the others could catch up with her. She stood transfixed at her first sight of the city.
"Oh, my father," she called. "A great spirit must stand guard here! Just look at what lies
before us. I never in all my life dreamed there could
be anything so beautiful!"
Arm in arm, Nyasha and her father descended the hill crossed the river and approached the
city gate. Just as they entered through the great doors, the air was rent by piercing cries,
and Manyara ran wildly out of a chamber at the center of the enclosure. When she was
Nyasha, she fell upon her, sobbing. "Do not go to the King, my sister. Oh, please, Father do
not let her go!" she cried hysterically. "There's a great monster there, a snake with five
heads! He said that he knew all my faults and that I displeased him. He would have
swallowed me alive if I had not run. Oh, my sister, please do not go inside that place." It
frightened Nyasha to see her sister so upset. But, leaving her father to comfort Manyara,
she bravely made her way to the chamber and opened the door. On the seat of the great
chiefs stool lay the little qarden snake. Nvasha lauqhed with relief and iov. "Mv little friend!"
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she exclaimed. "It's such a pleasure to see you, but why are you here?" "I am the king,"
Nyoka replied. And there, before Nyasha's eyes, the garden snake changed shape. "I am
the king. I am also the hungry boy with whom you shared a yam in the forest and the old
woman to whom you made a gift of sunflower seeds. But you know me best as Nyoka.
Because I have been all of these, I know you to be the Worthiest and Most Beautiful
Daughters of the Land. It would make me very happy if you would be my wife." And so, it
was that, a long time ago, Nyasha agreed to be married. The king's mother and sisters took
Nyasha to their house, and the wedding preparations began. The best weavers in the land
laid out their finest cloth for her wedding garments. Villagers from all around were invited to
the celebration, and a great feast was held. Nyasha prepared the bread for the wedding
feast from millet that had been brought from her village. Mufaro proclaimed to all who would
hear him that he was the happiest father in all the land, for he was blessed with two beautiful
and worthy daughters- Nyasha the queen; and Manyara, a servant in the queen's
household.
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