Stylistic analysis of Shaaban Robert’s ‘Kola la Lugha’: his use of metaphors

This dissertation is a stylistic analysis of Shaaban Robert’s “Koja la Lugha” specifically focusing on the use, frequency and types of metaphors. The objectives of the study were to examine the metaphor use in the researched text, to identify the type of metaphor that has been used more, and to analyse why metaphors have been used and to what effect. The research was library based and case study was used as the research design. During the literature review, it was observed that a lot has been written on metaphors’ use but few studies have attempted a stylistic analysis. Purposive sampling procedure was applied in identifying poems containing metaphors. This procedure was justifiably applied as this dissertation was analyzing in depth a single phenomenon, ‘Koja la Lugha’. The major limitation was the case because it was only the researcher’s intuition that was used in the identification of poems that have metaphors. The findings revealed that the type of metaphors that had the highest frequency was humanizing metaphors, followed by concretive, with dormant metaphor with the least frequency. Furthermore, metaphors have been used in poetry to interest more the reader, to convey the poet’s inner emotions and feelings while delivering the message forcefully; using few words but at the same time enlivening the audience and allowing them a broader interpretation. It was concluded that metaphors help in creating the relationship in language, where none existed, between two thing – tenor and vehicle, thus giving poems more power in communicating the message. Interpretation is further encouraged when using metaphors than the ‘normal’ language and in doing so one can understand more of the ground of metaphors. In this aspect therefore, the knowledge of metaphors is stressed for one to understand more the essence of metaphors. It is recommended that further analysis of the use of other tropes – metonymy, oxymoron, similes – in poetry be made. Do they have an impact in poetry as metaphors do or they do they have a different function all together?