Books

Love is a complex subject. Its eclectic nature makes it an integral theme in philosophy, religion, social and nationalistic allegiances and interpersonal relationships. Oftentimes, it is difficult to differentiate between love and lust, between love for one’s race and hatred for others. This polarity gives room for debate, thus opening acceptable views of love to questioning. For instance, central to the Christian faith is the concept of love, a sacrificial love for a noble idea. Shakespeare’s famous epic love story, Romeo and Juliet, is a celebration of romantic love, while Soyinka’s Elesin Oba, is a dichotomy between self-love and duty – a suicidal undertaking for communal bliss. In Romeo and Juliet, love is treated as infatuation, a cause of mental illness and ultimately death. For love, Romeo was willing to kill and to die, a sharp contrast with Elesin Oba, whose love for life and pleasure makes him question the honor of his family in dying to preserve the throne.