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List of works by Wole Soyinka

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Head and shoulders of an aged black man, with a full head of white hair. He has a medium-sized moustache.
Soyinka in 2018

The works of the Nigerian author Wole Soyinka comprise 25 plays, ten essay collections, seven poetry collections, five memoirs, three novels, and two translated works.[1] His first major plays were The Swamp Dwellers (1958) and The Lion and the Jewel (1959); both which were performed in Ibadan, Nigeria.[2] Soyinka's unpublished play, The Invention (1957), was his first work to be produced at the Royal Court Theatre in 1959,[1] where he worked as a play reader.[2] His play, A Dance of the Forests, was written and first performed in 1960 as part of the national celebrations of the independence of Nigeria.[3]

After Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu declared the independence of Biafra in 1966, Soyinka was arrested and accused of taking sides following his attempt to negotiate between the Nigerian government and the Biafra separatists. When the Nigerian Civil War ended, he was released in 1969 under amnesty.[4] Madmen and Specialists (1970) was his first play after his release.[5] His arrest and prison experiences were detailed in his first memoir, The Man Died: Prison Notes of Wole Soyinka (1972),[4] which along Poems from Prison was written and smuggled out during his imprisonment.[3] Soyinka wrote three novels The Interpreters (1965); Season of Anomy (1973), and Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth (2021). From 1960 to 1964, he was co-editor of Black Orpheus, and edited other journals like Transition and anthologies including Poems of Black Africa. He wrote two autobiographies, Aké: The Years of Childhood and You Must Set Forth at Dawn. A notable poet, he wrote seven poetry collections including Idanre and Other Poems and A Shuttle in the Crypt.[3]

Soyinka's works often depicts Greek and Yoruba mythology, Christian ideology,[3] Yoruba language and rituals.[6] His influence extends to film and theatre. His plays, Death and the King's Horseman and The Man Died have been adapted for stage and screen.[3] He has received many accolades for his works including the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature,[7] Benson Medal, the Commonwealth Poetry Prize,[3] and an extended list of honors and awards. In August 2014 he delivered a speech entitled "From Chibok with Love" to the World Humanist Congress in Oxford and was awarded the 2014 International Humanist Award.[2]

Literature

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Published plays

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Source:[8]

  • Three plays (The Swamp Dwellers, The Trials of Brother Jero, The Strong Breed) (1963). Mbari Publications: Ibadan, Nigeria. OCLC 158189
  • A Dance of the Forests (1963). Oxford University Press: Three crowns book series, London and New York. ISBN 9780199110827[9]
  • The Lion and the Jewel (1963); Oxford University Press: Three crowns book series, London and New York. ISBN 9780199110834[9]
  • The Road (1965); Oxford University Press: Three crowns book series, London and New York. ISBN 978-0199110841[9]
  • Kongi's Harvest (1967); Oxford University Press, London. OCLC 460416584[9]
  • Madmen and Specialists (1971); Eyre Methuen, London. ISBN 9780416187601; 1972: Hill and Wang: New York. ISBN 9780809067084[10]
  • The Bacchae of Euripides: A Communion Rite (1973); Eyre Methuen: London. ISBN 9780413300201
  • The Jero plays (1972); Eyre Methuen: London. ISBN 9780413292308[10] (Jero's Metamorphosis (1973). Eyre Methuen: London)
  • Collected Plays, Volume I (1973). Oxford University Press: London and New York. ISBN 9780192811363 OCLC 889204010[10] (The Strong Breed (1973). ISBN 9780192811363 OCLC 934841733)
  • Collected Plays, Volume II (1974). Oxford University Press: London. ISBN 9780192811646
  • Death and the King's Horseman (1975). Eyre Methuen: London. ISBN 9780413333506

Other stage plays, revues, radio and TV plays

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Source:[11] Unpublished plays are marked with a cross sign: +

  • The Invention (1957). Royal Court Theatre: London.[12] +
  • The House of Banigeji, Act 2 in Reflections by F. Ademola (1962). African Universities Press: Lagos.
  • The Republican (1964)
  • Before the Blackout (1965). Orisun Editions: Ibadan, Nigeria.[10]
  • My Father's Burden (6 August 1960). Western Nigerian TV
  • The Tortoise (18 December 1960). Nigerian Radio Times
  • Camwood on the Leaves (1973). Eyre Methuen: London.[10]
  • The Detainee (5 September 1965). BBC African Service

Novels

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Source:[13]

Short stories

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Source:[11] Unpublished stories are marked with a cross sign: +

  • Keffi's Birthday Treat (1954). Nigerian Radio Times: Lagos, Nigeria.
  • A Tale of Two Cities (1957). Gryphon; University of Leeds: Leeds.
  • A Tale of Two Cities. (1958). New Nigerian Forum: London.
  • Madame Etienne's Establishment (1957). Gryphon; University of Leeds.
  • Oji River. +

Non-fiction

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Poetry collections

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Source:[8]

Essays and lectures

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Source:[18]

Translations

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Source:[11]

Film

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References

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  1. ^ a b Ogunyemi 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Ige 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Kan 2024.
  4. ^ a b PEN America 2012.
  5. ^ Weales 1974, p. 12.
  6. ^ Weales 1974, p. 3.
  7. ^ Meisler 1986.
  8. ^ a b Gibbs 1976, pp. 33.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Weales 1974, p. 8.
  10. ^ a b c d e Weales 1974, p. 9.
  11. ^ a b c d Gibbs 1976, pp. 34.
  12. ^ Larson 1971, pp. 80.
  13. ^ Gibbs 1976, pp. 35.
  14. ^ Flood 2020.
  15. ^ a b Sert 2023.
  16. ^ Maclean 2021.
  17. ^ Waqqas 2023.
  18. ^ Gibbs 1976, pp. 34–35.
  19. ^ Gugler 1997, pp. 32–49.

Sources

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