Reading Ahmed Yerima’s Hard Ground as Tragedy of Blood

Abstract

Niger Delta oil crisis has been one of the major social, political and economic problems confronting Nigeria. As a result, Nigerians of different arts and professions have been showing concern about this persistent confrontation between the federal government and Niger Delta militant youths. Literary writers have been reflecting this oil crisis in their literary creativity in any of the genres of poetry, drama and prose. Ahmed Yerima is one of the literary writers who have reflected the Niger Delta oil crisis in their literary creativity with the publication of his Niger Delta trilogy (Hard Ground, Little Drops and Ipomu). Hard Ground, the first of the plays in the trilogy is this paper’s primary text. The play uses dramatic device of irony to advance its plot and theme as the tragedy of blood. With critical reading, the play presents tragedy of blood/ revenge tragedy from two levels of interpretation: denotative and connotative/metaphorical. The play’s success is reflected in the playwright’s use of characterisation (as seen in Baba and Nimi) and creative use of irony to advance the plot and to complicate the play’s conflicts.