Comprehensive Analysis of Settings in Bosede Afolayan’s Once Upon an Elephant: Spatial, Temporal, and Psychological Perspectives

Settings

Bosede’s Once upon an Elephant is a metaphorical title, which portrays a tyrant king (Ajanaku) who is the “Elephant” and he tramples upon the people and traditions. The setting of the play shows and comments on the true nature and essence of the play as it dramatises the event that would occur in that type of Spatial, Temporal, Psychological and Social environment. The below will be on the forms of setting listed above and then showing the symbolisms of each of them. Then drawing an encompassing conclusion, summing up the entirety of the Project.

The Spatial Setting is deeply rooted in the place of the action which is an unnamed Yoruba society. Despite there not being a name for the society one can deduce from the tradition and names of the characters that is set in a Yoruba society. This setting symbolises how corruption lurks deep into traditional systems and also a place where the conservative ideology is to be torn to shreds by the tyrannical leader who lives “Tipsy on Power”. The setting also highlights the moral decadence in Yoruba land and the community as whole. The Spatial setting of Once Upon An Elephant transcends his local setting. Though the play is firmly rooted in the Yoruba traditional system, it voices to other political systems in Africa and beyond. Urging them to safeguard their customs and revolt against tyranny and also affirming them to reclaim their rights and values.

The Temporal Setting of the play is rooted in the old era of Yoruba traditional system, particularly the Pre-colonial Yoruba era. This is evident in the heavy compliance to the traditions and customs of a typical Yoruba society and that can be traced to the pre-colonial Yoruba empire as this is the time in Yoruba tradition that they lived strictly according to the dictates of the customs and they also perform rituals and rites. The temporal setting can also be traced to the modern governing system, particularly Nigeria. There is still compliance to customs and traditions and there are still existing traditional structures as evident in the Present Oyo Empire. The temporal setting is more Pre-colonial than modern as there is more compliance to the norms and customs of the society rather than that of the modern in which there is loose compliance. And also the pre-colonial performs more rituals and rites to know the successor to the throne, so it is unlikely for it to be corrupt. But the modern system where rites are loosely performed and there is a tendency of corruption. So there is evidence of both temporal settings, so it can be either. The temporal symbolises the the era of “Complaince to customs and traditions”.

The Psychological Setting is rooted in the introspection of the characters and events. The setting is evident in the fear that builds up in the mind of the subjects and elders, this is as a result of the tyrannical rule of Ajanaku. Where the people fear that they would be silenced and this builds a psychological environment in which the people have to think before they speak. So they will not speak against the governance. Another psychological environment is built during the corruption of tradition. People of the unnamed society become confused on which is the authentic tradition and which is fake. The setting is also rooted in the emotional exhausion of the people, as they have grown tired of the oppression and they can not seem to figure out the next step nor how to combat it. One of the major psychological settings is the build up to revolution. The people, not being able to withstand the oppression builds up a factor of psychology or reaction where they have to resist and dispute the tyranny of the government of Ajanaku.