Women of Owu is a 2006 drama written by Femi Osofisan and published through University Press PLC.[1] Adapted from Euripides' The Trojan Women, the book uses the combination of choruses, songs and dance to depict the history of the population of Owu kingdom after a combined military force of Ife, Oyo and Ijebu invaded the city of Owu for seven years killing all of its male inhabitants and children.[2]
 | |
| Author | Femi Osofisan |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Drama |
| Published | 2006 |
| Publisher | University Press PLC |
| Publication place | Nigeria |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 78 |
| ISBN | 978-978-069-026-7 |
Plot
editWomen of Owu focuses on the aftermath of a 19th-century war-torn Owu Kingdom. It reflects on the pains, depression and agony of the survivors who were only women after the killing of all males in the kingdom by the combined forces of Ife, Oyo and Ijebu.[3] The relationship between Women of Owu and The Trojan Women has been explored by Olakunbi Olasope.[4]
Characters
edit- Anlugbua
- Lawumi
- Erelu Afin
- Gesinde
- Orisaye
- Adumaadan
- Okunade The Maye
- Iyunloye
Productions
editThe play premiered at The Theatre Chipping Norton in February 2004 and then embarked on an English and Scottish tour.[5]
Themes
editSome dominant themes evident in the play include:
- War and Violence
- Gender Roles and Power
- Resistance and Rebellion
- Trauma and Healing
- Religion and Spirituality
These themes are woven together to create a complex and nuanced exploration of the human experience in the context of war, oppression, and resistance.
Further reading
edit- Felix Budelmann, Trojan Women in Yorubaland: Femi Osofisan Women of Owu, in Hardwick, Lorna and Carol Gillespie (eds.), Classics in Postcolonial Worlds (2007, Oxford University Press)
References
edit- ^ Hummer, George (3 February 2004). "Review: The Women of Owu". BBC. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
- ^ Udeze, Edozie (8 June 2014). "For Women of Owu". The Nation Newspaper. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
- ^ "Endless agonies of Women of Owu". The Nation Newspaper. 26 October 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
- ^ Olasope, Olakunbi (2012). "To Sack a City or to Breach a Woman's Chastity: Euripides' Trojan Women and Osofisan's Women of Owu". African Performance Review, Journal of African Theatre Association UK. 6 (1): 111–121.
- ^ Budelmann, Felix (2007-10-11), "Trojan Women in Yorubaland: Femi Osofisan Women of Owu1", Classics in Post-Colonial Worlds, Oxford University Press, pp. 15–39, ISBN 978-0-19-929610-1, retrieved 2023-11-09
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