AN INVESTIGATION INTO SATIRICAL DEPICTIONS OF MATERIALISM IN JOHN RUGANDA’S PLAYS; THE BURDENS (1972), BLACK MAMBA (1973),THE FLOODS (1980) AND SHREDS OF TENDERNESS (2001).

Paul  Mulumbi; Danson  Kahyana

doi:10.51168/sjhrafrica.v4i3.273

Authors

Paul Mulumbi Kampala University
Danson Kahyana Makerere University.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51168/sjhrafrica.v4i3.273

Keywords:

Defamiliarization, literariness, Horatian, Juvenalian, Menipean

Abstract

Background:

This paper investigates satirical depictions of materialism in John Ruganda’s plays; The Burdens (1972), Black Mamba (1973), The Floods (1980), and Shreds of Tenderness (2001). Although materialism as a theme and satire as a technique is dominant in John Ruganda’s plays, no detailed study has been conducted on these two aspects. The study is based on the Russian Formalism Theory whose basic principles are defamiliarisation, form, and literariness. During the study, various critical works on Ruganda’s plays have been reviewed and these observe that Ruganda has a particular interest in social issues which he successfully addresses using different types of satire more humorously and sarcastically.

Methodology:

The study used a descriptive research design where a qualitative approach to data collection was used. It was library-based and information was collected by reading closely and analyzing the four selected texts.

Results:

The study revealed that Ruganda employs Horatian, Juvenalian, and Menipean satires in his plays as he addresses the social, economic, and political problems of society.

Conclusion:

The conclusion is that what unifies each type of satire is a tendency to use irony, sarcasm, humor, and ridicule to allow a writer to achieve their goals.

Recommendations:

Were that let there be an investigation into the influence of materialism and its impact on society, analyze the depictions of gender stereotypes, and also to carry out a stylistic study of Ruganda’s four selected plays.

Author Biographies

Paul Mulumbi , Kampala University

Paul Mulumbi was born on 25 August 1976 in Mbale. His father was a tailor at Mbale Regional Hospital and his mother was a churchwarden. In 1996, Paul Mulumbi entered a teacher training college and later joined Kyambogo University in 2000 where he pursued his Diploma in Primary Education. In 2007, he entered Kumi University and took a Bachelor of Education degree where he read English and Literature.

Between 2013 and 2020, Paul Mulumbi was appointed an acting Primary head teacher serving in Kamuli district local government where he headed two schools within eight years. In 2013, he got a part-time lecturer at Kampala University teaching English and Literature. Currently, he lectures at Kampala University and Team University.

In 2018 Paul Mulumbi entered Uganda Christian University, Mukono, where he pursued a Master of Arts in Literature and graduated in record time in 2020. In 2021, he presented two abstracts (papers) at Makerere University National Humanities Conference entitled; The Writer as a Teacher; John Ruganda’s Castigation of Materialism in his play Black Mamba and Influence of Materialism and its Impact on Society.