The Conflict between Traditional and Western Cultures: A Comparative Study of Wole Soyinka’s ‘Death and the King’s Horseman’ and Ama Ata Aidoo’s ‘Dilemma of a Ghost’

Abstract

Conflict, a general phenomenon, exists in everyday life. It has different intrapersonal aspects (thus conflict within a person). There is also a kind of conflict that exists between two people or two groups of people. This is interpersonal conflict. It can be between a person and technology or between ideas. Conflict has been defined as a disagreement or clash between people, ideas, or cultures. Therefore, culture becomes a unique and sentimental phenomenon that is not only cherished but also protected dearly by individuals as well. Thus, literature has become one of the means through which cultural sentiments are projected and expressed. For a long time, Africans have been subjected to cultural imposition and displacement of Western culture. This paper aims to examine the theory that considers the superiority of westernization. This study adopts the sociological theory by focusing on Soyinka's Death and the King’s Horseman and Ama Ata Aidoo’s Dilemma of Ghost. Our decision to select these two texts is informed by the several instances of conflict portrayed in the two texts. The discussion focused on societal norms and belief systems, psychological and generational gap conflicts.