Aesthetic Attires and Aura of Nigerialization in Rihlat ' L-Bahth ' An Insan (Travelogue)

Abstract

Rihlat 'li-Bahth ' an insaan (Travellogue) is a play written and acted inArabic Language. Language is the searchlight and vehicle through whichsocial reality is beamed and shaped. Through language, a literary scholarcommunicates with the unknown readers and projects their thoughts andideological dispositions. Therefore, the most significant items of any workof literature have been recognized to be channelled through words whichreside in the particular range of meanings and attitudes which membersof any society attach to their verbal symbols, the mode of writing andfeatures of literary text that reflect some social practices in the society ofplaywright. In the light of the above, this paper examines the linguisticfeatures of Rihlat 'li-Bahth ' an insaan, using a descriptive analyticmethod to depict the post-colonial context of Nigeria andSchleiermacher ' s Hermeneutic theory for understanding of the text wasconsidered appropriate for the study. Rihlat 'li-Bahth contains importantevents that are common in the contemporary Nigerian society. In theaesthetic view and linguistic choice of the author, the words related toNigerian society and its expressions were chosen to depictthe state ofNation. The paper discovers that linguistic choice of the author and thecontexts of the play reflect the state of Nation and the author of Rihlat ' libahthlike other playwrights showcases the unresponsive nature of theruling class. The study concludes that the author skillfully draws from apool of narrative experiences and successfully established the socialsituation of his country, Nigeria