Historical Context
Nigeria
In this time period, Nigeria was undergoing significant transformations,
politically, socially, and otherwise. The longtime British colony officially
won its independence in October 1960. Independence was expected to bring
stability to Nigeria, but instead the country suffered much strife for many
years. In the early years of independence, there were tensions between the four
self-governing regions (west, east, north, and mid-west). Many critics believe
that the four characters of The Raft represent these regions. When
Nigeria became a republic in 1963, the regions were replaced by twelve states.
Though this was expected to ease regional problems, it did not. Two censuses
were taken in 1962-63 and 1963-64, which affected the division of power in the
parliament. Many believed the census was inaccurate because of corruption,
including the recounting of the same people several times. Bitter federal
elections followed on December 30, 1964, with more accusations of crookedness.
As a result, the government, headed by President Nnamdi Azikiwe and Prime
Minister Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, collapsed within a year. It was
helped along by a regional election in the west marred by murder, arson, and
other crimes. Civil unrest in the form of riots occurred in 1965 and 1966.
After a military coup on January 15, 1966, a military government was formed and
many died. This was followed by civil war in 1967. Nigeria would be under
military rule for much of the next two decades. Socially and economically,
Nigeria also continued to struggle for years.
The United States
The early to mid-1960s was also a tumultuous time for the United States.
Internationally, the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Soviet
Union resulted in the constant threat of nuclear war and the potential
annihilation of humankind. The United States came to the brink of nuclear war
in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis The Soviet Union placed nuclear weapons
aimed at the United States in the communist country of Cuba, located ninety
miles off American shores. Though the Soviets backed down when an agreement was
reached and the missiles were removed, the Cold War continued for three more
decades. Some critics also believe this crisis influenced Clark when writing
The Raft. Another looming international crisis that created uncertainty in the
United States was American involvement m the conflict in Vietnam. Throughout
the decade, American funding and the number of American troops escalated in
Vietnam.
The United States also faced difficult domestic situations. The decade was marked by civil unrest, much of which focused on civil rights for African Americans There were social disagreements about integration and voting rights, as well as other issues. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlaws racial discrimination in public places and employment. Despite this law and others, the racial situation in the United States was difficult for years. There was resistance to integration, especially in the South. Between 1964 and 1968, cities like Newark, New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Detroit suffered large-scale race riots. Like the men on The Raft, many in the United States were unsure about what the future would hold.
Literary Style
SettingThe Raft is set in times contemporary with when the play was written and takes place on the Niger River in Nigeria The play begins on the Niger Delta and ends somewhere past the port city of Burutu. All of the action is confined to the raft the four men are on that is to transport logs to Burutu The raft is traveling down the river to a fate unknown by its occupants. The action of the play is directly influenced by both the nature and the phenomenon of the Niger River.
Allegory
(This entire section contains 275 words.)
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Allegory
Many scholars and critics argue that The Raft is an allegory, though
Clark does not acknowledge that it was consciously written as such. In an
allegory, the story and its characters represent real events or ideas. In this
case, many interpret it to be an allegory of political events in Nigeria m the
time period in which it was written Nigeria was undergoing political unrest in
the face of independence. Those who read the play as an allegory believe the
four men represent the four old regions of Nigeria, the raft breaking up
represents one of these regions breaking off, and the river represents the
uncertain course of independence in Nigeria.
Symbolism
Whether or not the idea of The Raft as a political allegory is accepted,
the play is full of symbolism open to varying interpretations. For example, the
river and the raft could both be seen as symbolizing life: what is coming in
the future is unknown. Unexpected circumstances can come up without notice.
Nearly every aspect of The Raft can be seen as symbolizing some aspect of human
existence.
Compare and Contrast
1960s: Nigeria is in a period of social, political, and economic instability after winning independence.
Today: Political, economic, and social instability still plague Nigeria.
1960s: Though there were elected officials in power through most of the decade, a 1966 military coup drastically affects the country's political structure.
Today: Though Nigeria began democratically electing officials in 1999, its first civilian ruler, President Olusegun Obasanjo, is a former military ruler.
1960s: The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 is but one chapter in the ongoing Cold War, a standoff between the United States and Soviet Union over nuclear weapons.
Today: While the Cold War has ended and many treaties are in place to limit nuclear arms, the threat of nuclear war remains real as many nations have acquired the ability to make or buy nuclear technology.
1960s: Though African Americans fight for and gain more civil rights by law, social changes are slower to take place. Many leaders in the movement, such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, lose their lives, leading to uncertainty about the future of the civil rights movement.
Today: Many gains have been made for African Americans in terms of civil rights. While social attitudes have progressed, many are unsure full equality will ever be achieved.
Bibliography and Further Reading
Sources
Ashaolu, Albeit Olu, "The Tragic Vision of Life in The Raft," in
Obsidian Black Literature in Review, Vol 3, No 3, Winter 1977, pp.
20-25.
Astrachan, Anthony, "Like Goats to the Slaughter. Three Plays by John Pepper Clark," in Black Orpheus, No. 163, October 1964, pp. 21-24.
Clark-Bekederemo, J P., The Raft, in Collected Plays and Poems, 1958-1988, Howard University Press, 1991, pp 71-106.
Ferguson, John, "Nigerian Drama in English," in Modern Drama, Vol 11, No. 1, May 1968, pp 10-26.
Irele, Abiola, "Introduction," in Collected Plays and Poems, 1958-1988, Howard University Press, 1991, pp xi-liv.
McLoughlin, T O , "The Plays of John Pepper Clark," in English Studies in Africa A Journal of the Humanities, Vol 18, No. 1, March 1975, pp 31-40.
Wren, Robert M., "J. P Clark," in Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 117: Twentieth-Century Caribbean and Black African Writers, edited by Bernth Lindfors and Remhard Sander, Gale Research, 1992, pp 112-33.
Further Reading
Cartey, Wilfred, Whispers from a Continent The Literature of Contemporary
Africa, Vintage Books, 1969.
This book discusses many African waters, including Clark, and offers extensive
commentary on The Raft and its companion plays in the trilogy.
Falola, Toym, et al, History of Nigeria 3. Nigeria in the Twentieth
Century, Longman, 1993.
This history text considers many aspects of Nigerian history as it evolved from
a British colony to self-rule.
Graham-White, Anthony, The Drama of Black Africa, Samuel French,
1974.
This nonfiction text analyzes several African playwrights, including Clark, and
spends a chapter discussing how his plays compare to Greek tragedies.
Wren, Robert M , J P Clark, Twayne Publishers, 1984.
This critical biography considers the whole of Clark's career, including his
dramatic works and poetry.