An Integrative Stylistic Analysis of Nigerian Poetry: Basic Concepts, Methods and Application

In the last three decades, there has been a shift in emphasis in language studies from a mere theoretical approach to functionalism. Stylistics is one of the established approaches to functionalism which emphasise social contextualization of texts. Thus, this study is predicated on the general assumption that meanings are socially generated. Five Nigerian poets were selected for reference purpose in this book in an attempt to portray how their socio-political and economic orientations have informed their respective poetic ideologies and choices of linguistic features. The integrative stylistic model developed in this book is a harmony of empirical strategies which cohere to function as an empirical tool for analyzing or explicating the contents of poetic discourse, most especially from the standpoint of a second language via a systematic identification and interpretation of textual features it offers. This volume will afford both native and non-native students, and even literary critics an opportunity of conducting a down-to-the-rudiment kind of analysis of poetic arts.