Usasa Katika Ushairi Wa Kithaka Wa Mberia: Uchanganuzi Wa Maudhui Na Mtindo

Abstract

Themes and style are two inseparable aspects in a literary work. This research mainly focuses on modernity of themes as enabled by the unique style in Kithaka wa Mberia’s poetry. The objectives of this study are: to investigate different thematic patterns in Kithaka wa Mberia’s poetry, to elaborate stylistic techniques employed by the poet, evaluate unique poetry forms in Kithaka wa Mberia’s poetry and to interrogate how the poet portrays the effects and consequences of colonialism. This study on themes and style covers Kithaka wa Mberia’s five poetic anthologies namely: Mchezo wa Karata (1997) (A Game of Cards), Bara Jingine (2001) (Another Continent), Redio na Mwezi (2005) (Radio and the Moon), Msimu wa Tisa (2007) (The Ninth Season) and Rangi ya Anga (2014) (Colour of the Sky). We have applied two theories in this analysis. Postcolonial theory has been used in analyzing modernity of themes whereas the theory of stylistics a new criticism approach has been useful in analyzing stylistic techniques the poet uses in addressing various thematic issues. This research is library based and the research findings have been presented in prose form. We have demonstrated that different poems covering various themes exhibit thematic patterns. There are themes on politics, governance and authority in African nations. There are also themes that focus on destruction and conservation of the environment. Besides that, there are themes concerning cultural hybridity whereas other themes focus on oppression and liberation of women. Some of the stylistic devices dominant in all the five poetic anthologies include special use of similes, metaphors, personification, repetition, rhetorical questions, euphemism, hyperbole, unique vocabulary, foregrounding, songs, dreams and narration. Other stylistic devices used in presenting themes to the reader include sarcasm, dialogue, oxymoron, soliloquy, nicknaming, onomatopoeia, voices, newspaper register and play structure in some poems.