Signification and Symbolism of Socio-political Structures in Sunnie Ododo’s TO RETURN FROM THE VOID

Abstract

The environment of a playwright is the source of raw materials for his worlk. He takes issues around him and weaves his own creative ingenuity, which in turn reflects the society and his response(s) to societal issues. Like Agero (205) opines, "plays are reflections of the originator's experience with life" This discourse views theatrical enactments as a message from the playwright to his audience, the society. Using Ododo's "To Return from the Void" as a paradigm, the focus is to analyze the opera with a view to highlighting various areas where the playwright in response, exposes the socio-political ills affecting Nigeria, and his various suggestions on how to deal with them. His uses of different semiotic indices, icons and symbols to explore the dynamics of physical/ non-physical objects in conveying meaning to his audience are also examined.