Abstract:
Some of the ideas most commonly applied in appreciating Achebe’s Arrow of God are a theme of culture conflict, expressive language, and vivid character delineation. Also frequently acknowledged are the novels’ graphic representation of events and its masterful incorporation of traditional Igbo cultural idioms. But a re-reading of the text, especially in the context of the current historical and literary climate of Nigeria, reveals some of its salient aesthetic values that have not received thorough attention. Prominent among these qualities is the novels’ Greek tragic propensity. This classical bent is deeply explored here to establish its profile in the text, reveal its transcultural relevance, and determine its significance in a transposition of the novel to a ‘folkist’ dramatic form. The transcultural exposure will further be vindicated as critically alternate to the cliché of culture conflict.
