Fluctuating Relationship between Colonizer and Colonized: A Study of Wole Soyinka’s Madmen and Specialists

Abstract

This research critically analyzes Wole Soyinka'sMadmen and Specialistsin the light of how westernizedpeople acceptthe domination of the westerners. The colonial mentality of the characters is the prime focus of the study. Soyinka captures the picture oftheAfricanswho trytoadopt the western technologies.Through the protagonist,Dr. Bero,weobservethathowthecolonial discourses encourage the westerners to colonize the African people.Being victimized by colonial mentality, the protagonist always thinks that European technology is a source of everything. In a colonial society, there is a binary relationshipamongthe people ofdifferentcultures, races and languages. The protagonistmisrepresents his own traditions and judges his people andculture from the westerner's eyes. He is victimized and exploited by the western hegemony. Moreover, this research analyzes how thenative peoplehave expressed their colonial mentalitybecausethey assume thatwesterntechnologiesand cultureare superior to the non-western.