AN ANALYSIS OF STYLISTIC DEVICES IN HEBA FOLK COMIC BALLAD
Abstract
A ballad is one of the oldest forms of oral poetry found in many cultures in Nigeria. It is one of the categories of Hǝba folksongs that have survived. Though the ballad selected for this study has been documented, the sociocultural experiences embodied in it need to be understood.
Therefore, this study analyses the song with a view to uncover how the performer’s choice of language contributes to the meaning of the overall content and the effects created. Being a secondary and non-numerical data, textual analytical method with a qualitative approach was
adopted. The analysis was hinged on the formalist stylistic model in order to focus on the text and its effects on the readers. The results showed that the setting of the ballad is an ancient town in Hǝba community which is depicted in the opening stanza. The plot of folksong is propelled
through four characters. The sequencing and progressing of the story from the beginning, to the climax and the resolution are clear and straight forward. The analysis also revealed that the use of simple vocabulary and syntactic structures enhanced clarity and the narrative pace of the
folksong. Poetic devices employed to convey meanings and create desired effects include: simile, repetition, parallelism, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, imagery and ideophones.
