Contextual Dynamics and Language Choice in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame

Bode Rufus Olofinmuagun; Samuel Oyeyemi Agbeleoba; Samuel Ayodele Dada

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14

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Contextual Dynamics and Language Choice in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame

Bode Rufus Olofinmuagun^*, Samuel Oyeyemi Agbeleoba

, Samuel Ayodele Dada

Published in International Journal of Literature and Arts (Volume 14, Issue 3)

Received: 30 April 2026 Accepted: 13 May 2026 Published: 26 May 2026

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Abstract

This study undertakes a sociolinguistic exploration of the intricate relationship between context and language choice within two seminal works of Nigerian drama: Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame. The mastery of a language is not merely a function of grammatical competence but is profoundly demonstrated by the ability to select linguistic forms appropriate to a given context. This research investigates the contextual factors that govern language choice in these plays, which serve as rich repositories of sociolinguistic phenomena. Employing a qualitative methodology grounded in discourse analysis, specifically the SPEAKING model associated with the ethnography of communication, the study analyzes 115 exchanges from 16 purposively sampled excerpts. The findings reveal that the contexts influencing language choice are multifaceted, primarily delineated along the formal and informal axes. These contexts are shaped by a confluence of factors including the physical setting, the social and hierarchical status of the participants, the cultural worldview embedded in the speech community, and the overall atmosphere of the communicative event. The study concludes that context exerts a determinative influence on the linguistic choices made by the characters. The participants in the plays adeptly navigate their linguistic repertoires, deploying language in a manner that is congruent with the situational and cultural exigencies they face. This research contributes to the understanding of sociolinguistic dynamics in literary texts, highlighting the interplay between language, culture, and society as portrayed in Nigerian dramatic literature.

Published in	International Journal of Literature and Arts (Volume 14, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14
Page(s)	68-79
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Sociolinguistics, Language Choice, Context, Hymes’ SPEAKING Model, Nigerian Drama, Wole Soyinka, Ola Rotimi

References

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[8]	Lyons, J. (1977). Semantics. Cambridge University Press.
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[10]	Fishman, J. A. (1964). Language maintenance and language shift as a field of inquiry. Linguistics, 2(9), 32-70. https://doi.org/10.1515/ling.1964.2.9.32
[11]	Lawson, S., & Sachdev, I. (2020). Language choice and code-switching. In The Routledge handbook of multilingualism (pp. 123-137). Routledge.
[12]	David, M. K. (2006). Language choice in multilingual communities. In K. Brown (Ed.), Encyclopedia of language & linguistics (2nd ed., pp. 713-723). Elsevier.
[13]	Coulmas, F. (2017). An introduction to sociolinguistics. Oxford University Press.
[14]	Fasold, R. (2016). The sociolinguistics of language. John Wiley & Sons.
[15]	Halliday, M. A. K. (2015). Halliday's introduction to functional grammar. Routledge.
[16]	Firth, J. R. (2001). Papers in linguistics, 1934-1951. Oxford University Press.
[17]	Malinowski, B. (1974). The problem of meaning in primitive languages. In C. K. Ogden & I. A. Richards (Eds.), The meaning of meaning (pp. 296-336). Harcourt, Brace & World.
[18]	Huang, Y. (2013). Introduction: What is pragmatics? In Y. Huang (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of pragmatics. Oxford University Press.
[19]	Shittu, O. (2006). Introduction to sociolinguistics. National Open University of Nigeria.
[20]	Adegbite, W. (2005). Stylistics. In O. Obafemi, G. Ajadi, & V. Alabi (Eds.), Critical perspectives on English language & literature. The Nigerian English Studies Association.
[21]	Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C., & Sorensen, C. (2010). Introduction to research in education (8th ed.). Wadsworth.
[22]	Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
[23]	Gumperz, J. J. (1982). Discourse strategies. Cambridge University Press.
[24]	Rotimi, O. (1971). The gods are not to blame. Oxford University Press.
[25]	Soyinka, W. (1975). Death and the king’s horseman. W. W. Norton & Company.
[26]	Jonsson, C. (2015). Code-switching and multilingualism in literature. Language and Literature, 24(3), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963947015585065

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Olofinmuagun, B. R., Agbeleoba, S. O., Dada, S. A. (2026). Contextual Dynamics and Language Choice in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 14(3), 68-79. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14

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Olofinmuagun, B. R.; Agbeleoba, S. O.; Dada, S. A. Contextual Dynamics and Language Choice in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame. Int. J. Lit. Arts 2026, 14(3), 68-79. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14

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Olofinmuagun BR, Agbeleoba SO, Dada SA. Contextual Dynamics and Language Choice in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame. Int J Lit Arts. 2026;14(3):68-79. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14

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@article{10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14,
  author = {Bode Rufus Olofinmuagun and Samuel Oyeyemi Agbeleoba and Samuel Ayodele Dada},
  title = {Contextual Dynamics and Language Choice in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame},
  journal = {International Journal of Literature and Arts},
  volume = {14},
  number = {3},
  pages = {68-79},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijla.20261403.14},
  abstract = {This study undertakes a sociolinguistic exploration of the intricate relationship between context and language choice within two seminal works of Nigerian drama: Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame. The mastery of a language is not merely a function of grammatical competence but is profoundly demonstrated by the ability to select linguistic forms appropriate to a given context. This research investigates the contextual factors that govern language choice in these plays, which serve as rich repositories of sociolinguistic phenomena. Employing a qualitative methodology grounded in discourse analysis, specifically the SPEAKING model associated with the ethnography of communication, the study analyzes 115 exchanges from 16 purposively sampled excerpts. The findings reveal that the contexts influencing language choice are multifaceted, primarily delineated along the formal and informal axes. These contexts are shaped by a confluence of factors including the physical setting, the social and hierarchical status of the participants, the cultural worldview embedded in the speech community, and the overall atmosphere of the communicative event. The study concludes that context exerts a determinative influence on the linguistic choices made by the characters. The participants in the plays adeptly navigate their linguistic repertoires, deploying language in a manner that is congruent with the situational and cultural exigencies they face. This research contributes to the understanding of sociolinguistic dynamics in literary texts, highlighting the interplay between language, culture, and society as portrayed in Nigerian dramatic literature.},
 year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Contextual Dynamics and Language Choice in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame
AU  - Bode Rufus Olofinmuagun
AU  - Samuel Oyeyemi Agbeleoba
AU  - Samuel Ayodele Dada
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T2  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JF  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JO  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
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PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2331-057X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14
AB  - This study undertakes a sociolinguistic exploration of the intricate relationship between context and language choice within two seminal works of Nigerian drama: Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame. The mastery of a language is not merely a function of grammatical competence but is profoundly demonstrated by the ability to select linguistic forms appropriate to a given context. This research investigates the contextual factors that govern language choice in these plays, which serve as rich repositories of sociolinguistic phenomena. Employing a qualitative methodology grounded in discourse analysis, specifically the SPEAKING model associated with the ethnography of communication, the study analyzes 115 exchanges from 16 purposively sampled excerpts. The findings reveal that the contexts influencing language choice are multifaceted, primarily delineated along the formal and informal axes. These contexts are shaped by a confluence of factors including the physical setting, the social and hierarchical status of the participants, the cultural worldview embedded in the speech community, and the overall atmosphere of the communicative event. The study concludes that context exerts a determinative influence on the linguistic choices made by the characters. The participants in the plays adeptly navigate their linguistic repertoires, deploying language in a manner that is congruent with the situational and cultural exigencies they face. This research contributes to the understanding of sociolinguistic dynamics in literary texts, highlighting the interplay between language, culture, and society as portrayed in Nigerian dramatic literature.
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Author Information

Bode Rufus Olofinmuagun

Department of English and Literary Studies, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

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Samuel Oyeyemi Agbeleoba

Department of English and Literary Studies, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

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http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9643-7682
Samuel Ayodele Dada

Department of English and Literary Studies, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

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Olofinmuagun, B. R., Agbeleoba, S. O., Dada, S. A. (2026). Contextual Dynamics and Language Choice in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 14(3), 68-79. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14

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Olofinmuagun, B. R.; Agbeleoba, S. O.; Dada, S. A. Contextual Dynamics and Language Choice in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame. Int. J. Lit. Arts 2026, 14(3), 68-79. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14

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AMA Style

Olofinmuagun BR, Agbeleoba SO, Dada SA. Contextual Dynamics and Language Choice in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame. Int J Lit Arts. 2026;14(3):68-79. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14

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@article{10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14,
  author = {Bode Rufus Olofinmuagun and Samuel Oyeyemi Agbeleoba and Samuel Ayodele Dada},
  title = {Contextual Dynamics and Language Choice in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame},
  journal = {International Journal of Literature and Arts},
  volume = {14},
  number = {3},
  pages = {68-79},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijla.20261403.14},
  abstract = {This study undertakes a sociolinguistic exploration of the intricate relationship between context and language choice within two seminal works of Nigerian drama: Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame. The mastery of a language is not merely a function of grammatical competence but is profoundly demonstrated by the ability to select linguistic forms appropriate to a given context. This research investigates the contextual factors that govern language choice in these plays, which serve as rich repositories of sociolinguistic phenomena. Employing a qualitative methodology grounded in discourse analysis, specifically the SPEAKING model associated with the ethnography of communication, the study analyzes 115 exchanges from 16 purposively sampled excerpts. The findings reveal that the contexts influencing language choice are multifaceted, primarily delineated along the formal and informal axes. These contexts are shaped by a confluence of factors including the physical setting, the social and hierarchical status of the participants, the cultural worldview embedded in the speech community, and the overall atmosphere of the communicative event. The study concludes that context exerts a determinative influence on the linguistic choices made by the characters. The participants in the plays adeptly navigate their linguistic repertoires, deploying language in a manner that is congruent with the situational and cultural exigencies they face. This research contributes to the understanding of sociolinguistic dynamics in literary texts, highlighting the interplay between language, culture, and society as portrayed in Nigerian dramatic literature.},
 year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Contextual Dynamics and Language Choice in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame
AU  - Bode Rufus Olofinmuagun
AU  - Samuel Oyeyemi Agbeleoba
AU  - Samuel Ayodele Dada
Y1  - 2026/05/26
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14
T2  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JF  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JO  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
SP  - 68
EP  - 79
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2331-057X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20261403.14
AB  - This study undertakes a sociolinguistic exploration of the intricate relationship between context and language choice within two seminal works of Nigerian drama: Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame. The mastery of a language is not merely a function of grammatical competence but is profoundly demonstrated by the ability to select linguistic forms appropriate to a given context. This research investigates the contextual factors that govern language choice in these plays, which serve as rich repositories of sociolinguistic phenomena. Employing a qualitative methodology grounded in discourse analysis, specifically the SPEAKING model associated with the ethnography of communication, the study analyzes 115 exchanges from 16 purposively sampled excerpts. The findings reveal that the contexts influencing language choice are multifaceted, primarily delineated along the formal and informal axes. These contexts are shaped by a confluence of factors including the physical setting, the social and hierarchical status of the participants, the cultural worldview embedded in the speech community, and the overall atmosphere of the communicative event. The study concludes that context exerts a determinative influence on the linguistic choices made by the characters. The participants in the plays adeptly navigate their linguistic repertoires, deploying language in a manner that is congruent with the situational and cultural exigencies they face. This research contributes to the understanding of sociolinguistic dynamics in literary texts, highlighting the interplay between language, culture, and society as portrayed in Nigerian dramatic literature.
VL  - 14
IS  - 3
ER  -

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