Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Ben Okri's The Concubine occupies a significant place in the Nigerian literary canon, and continues to attract critical attention for the richness of its language and thematic concerns.

Existing criticism of The Concubine tends to focus on its broader thematic concerns, with irony as a stylistic device in service of cultural conflict receiving comparatively less sustained attention.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While Ben Okri's The Concubine is widely studied, there is no settled critical consensus on how its irony functions specifically in relation to cultural conflict. This study undertakes a close textual analysis to address that gap.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the use of irony in Ben Okri's The Concubine.
2. To analyze how irony contributes to the portrayal of cultural conflict.
3. To assess the effectiveness of irony as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text.
4. To situate the findings within the broader context of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship.

1.4 Research Questions

1. How is irony used in Ben Okri's The Concubine?
2. In what ways does irony contribute to the portrayal of cultural conflict?
3. How effective is irony as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text?
4. How does this reading relate to the broader body of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to students and teachers of english language / literary studies, offering a close reading of Ben Okri's The Concubine that can support classroom discussion and further critical work. It also contributes to the broader body of scholarship on Nigerian literary and linguistic studies.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to a close textual analysis of irony within The Concubine, reflecting a MSc-level scope; it does not extend to a full survey of the author's other works.