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Night by Wole Soyinka Summary & Analysis [African Poetry]
African Poetry: Night by Wole Soyinka Summary, Setting, Author's Background, Themes, Language, Style and Likely Theory/Essay Questions for JAMB, WAEC and NECO Literature Students Syllabus.
It is no longer news that the above selected poetry is among the selected texts for literature students in the WAEC, NECO and JAMB Syllabus.

Well we have decided to help students by providing some insights such as summary and poetic devices and analysis of the poem to aid them understand and prepare ahead of their examination.


Poem Text

"Night" by Wole Soyinka

Your hand is heavy, Night, upon my brow.
I bear no heart mercuric like the clouds, to dare.
3 Exacerbation from your subtle plough.

Woman as a clam, on the sea's crescent.
I saw your jealous eye quench the sea's
6 Fluorescence, dance on the pulse incessant

Of the waves. And I stood, drained
Submitting like the sands, blood and brine
9 Coursing to the roots. Night, you rained

Serrated shadows through dank leaves
Till, bathed in warm suffusion of your dappled cells
12 Sensations pained me, faceless, silent as night thieves.

Hide me now, when night children haunt the earth
I must hear none! These misted cells will yet
15 Undo me; naked, unbidden, at Night's muted birth.


Author's Background

Wole Soyinka, born in 1934 in Abeokuta, Nigeria, is one of Africa’s most influential writers, poets, and dramatists. He became the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1986). Soyinka's works often explore themes of African identity, politics, colonialism, and existentialism. His poetry is known for its complex imagery, deep philosophical themes, and mastery of language.

The poem Night is one of Soyinka’s meditative and symbolic works, portraying night as a powerful, overwhelming force that evokes deep emotions, fears, and existential reflections.


Setting

The setting of the poem is nighttime, depicted as a mysterious and powerful force. However, this night is not just a time of day but a symbolic entity that has an overwhelming presence.

  • Physical Setting: The poem suggests a natural environment, with mentions of the sea, waves, sands, and leaves.
  • Emotional Setting: The speaker is immersed in deep thought, struggling with sensations of fear, submission, and loss of control.
  • Symbolic Setting: Night represents both literal darkness and a metaphorical force that brings uncertainty, mystery, and existential struggle.

 

Summary of "Night" by Wole Soyinka

The poem Night explores the speaker’s emotional and psychological response to the night, portraying it as a powerful, mysterious, and overwhelming force. Throughout the poem, night is personified, acting as a heavy presence that dominates the speaker’s thoughts and surroundings.

  • In the first stanza, the speaker describes how night weighs heavily upon him, making him feel trapped. Unlike the clouds that move freely, he feels helpless and burdened by night’s presence.

  • In the second stanza, the poet compares night to a jealous entity that consumes light, extinguishing the sea’s glow and taking control over nature. The metaphor of a clam on the sea’s crescent suggests mystery and secrecy, reinforcing the idea that night hides things beneath its darkness.

  • In the third stanza, the speaker describes his surrender to night, comparing himself to sands being washed by the tide. The reference to "blood and brine coursing to the roots" suggests that he feels completely absorbed by night’s influence, as if his very essence is being pulled into the darkness.

  • In the fourth stanza, night is depicted as something that casts sharp, jagged shadows through the leaves, creating a haunting and eerie atmosphere. The speaker experiences physical and emotional pain, as night’s presence feels oppressive and inescapable. The comparison to "night thieves" suggests a silent but threatening force lurking in the darkness.

  • In the final stanza, the speaker expresses fear of night’s hidden dangers, referring to "night children" that haunt the earth. He feels exposed and vulnerable, fearing that the unseen forces of night will "undo" him. The poem ends with a final image of helplessness, where the speaker, "naked, unbidden," is left to confront the silent, overpowering nature of night.


Stanza Structure and Analysis

The poem consists of five stanzas and fifteen lines. It is written in free verse, meaning it does not follow a fixed rhyme scheme. This irregular structure reflects the mystery, unpredictability, and overwhelming nature of night as described in the poem.

Stanza One (Lines 1–3)

  • Personification of Night: The poet describes night as a physical force, saying, "Your hand is heavy, Night, upon my brow."
  • Burden of Night: The speaker feels oppressed by night’s presence.
  • Clouds vs. the Speaker: The phrase "I bear no heart mercuric like the clouds, to dare." suggests that clouds can move freely, but the speaker is trapped and powerless under the weight of night.
  • Final Line’s Impact: "Exacerbation from your subtle plough." introduces the idea that night is not only heavy but also digs into the speaker’s emotions, creating discomfort.

Stanza Two (Lines 4–6)

  • Metaphor of Woman and the Sea: "Woman as a clam, on the sea’s crescent." → Suggests mystery and secrecy, comparing night to a clam that hides its treasures within.
  • Night’s Dominance Over Light: "I saw your jealous eye quench the sea’s fluorescence." → Night consumes the brightness of the sea, emphasizing its power.
  • Unceasing Movement: "Dance on the pulse incessant." → Reflects the continuous, restless movement of the sea under night’s influence.

Stanza Three (Lines 7–9)

  • Speaker’s Submission to Night: The poet describes his helplessness against the night, stating, "And I stood, drained, submitting like the sands."
  • Natural Elements as Metaphors: "Blood and brine coursing to the roots." → Compares the flow of emotions to the movement of seawater, suggesting a deep connection between the speaker and nature.
  • Night’s Influence: "Night, you rained." → Reinforces the idea of night as a force that overwhelms the speaker.

Stanza Four (Lines 10–12)

  • Imagery of Darkness: "Serrated shadows through dank leaves." → Night creates sharp, unsettling images through the movement of shadows.
  • Pain and Oppression: "Till, bathed in warm suffusion of your dappled cells, sensations pained me." → Suggests that even though night surrounds the speaker, it brings pain rather than comfort.
  • Unseen Dangers: "Faceless, silent as night thieves." → The poet describes a silent but threatening presence, reinforcing themes of fear and mystery.

Stanza Five (Lines 13–15)

  • Fear of the Unknown: "Hide me now, when night children haunt the earth." → Suggests that night is associated with supernatural or unknown beings ("night children").
  • Overwhelming Sensory Experience: "I must hear none! These misted cells will yet undo me." → The poet fears exposure to the unknown, feeling vulnerable.
  • Final Image of Vulnerability: "Naked, unbidden, at Night’s muted birth." → The speaker feels completely exposed and unprotected as night takes control.

Themes in "Night"

  1. The Power and Mystery of Night

    • Night is portrayed as a dominant force, controlling both nature and the speaker's emotions.

  2. Fear and Vulnerability

    • The speaker expresses a deep sense of fear and helplessness, feeling exposed to unknown dangers.

  3. The Struggle for Control

    • The speaker wishes to resist night’s influence, but ultimately submits to its power.

  4. The Supernatural and the Unknown

    • The mention of "night children" and "thieves" suggests that night is associated with mysterious, possibly supernatural forces.

  5. Man vs. Nature

    • The poem highlights the relationship between humans and the natural world, showing how night overcomes the speaker’s sense of control.

Language and Style

  • Personification:

    • "Your hand is heavy, Night" → Night is given human characteristics, emphasizing its power and control.
    • "Jealous eye quench the sea’s fluorescence" → Night is jealous and possessive, erasing the brightness of the sea.

  • Imagery:

    • "Serrated shadows through dank leaves" → Creates a dark, eerie atmosphere.
    • "Warm suffusion of your dappled cells" → Suggests being overwhelmed by night’s presence.

  • Metaphor:

    • "Blood and brine coursing to the roots" → Symbolizes a deep connection between the speaker, night, and nature.
    • "Woman as a clam" → Suggests mystery, secrecy, and depth.

  • Tone:

    • The tone is intense, fearful, and reflective, showing the speaker’s deep emotions toward night.

WAEC/NECO Likely Questions on "Night" by Wole Soyinka

SECTION A: Comprehension Questions

  1. What is the central theme of the poem?
  2. How is night personified in the poem?
  3. What does the phrase "jealous eye quench the sea’s fluorescence" suggest about night?
  4. Explain the imagery "serrated shadows through dank leaves".
  5. What emotions does the speaker experience in the poem?

SECTION B: Thematic Questions

  1. Discuss the theme of fear and vulnerability in the poem.
  2. How does the poem explore the struggle for control against nature?
  3. What role does mystery and the supernatural play in the poem?
  4. In what ways does the poem depict man’s relationship with nature?

SECTION C: Literary Devices

  1. Identify and explain two literary devices used in the poem.
  2. How does imagery enhance the poem’s meaning?
  3. Discuss the use of metaphor in the poem.
  4. What is the effect of the tone and mood of the poem?

These questions are designed to test comprehension, thematic understanding, literary appreciation, and critical thinking skills