Abstract

Although the archetype of the sage is encountered in literary works, it has lingered as one of the least explored spheres in criticism. Immense attention has been paid to the heroes, the tricksters, the father or mother figures, and other mythic figures, especially from Greek mythology, but there is relative neglect of the wise old man or woman who is often seen supporting the hero in his or her quest. This unbalanced attention creates a gap, and by focusing on this spurned dimension, this research seeks balance. With a focus on the power the sage holds, especially in having the last say and proffering solutions to problems, this paper will present a reflection on the archetypal sage and then interpret Teacher as an embodiment of the sage archetype in Lola Shoneyin’s The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives. Additionally, this essay identifies the specific character trait of ‘Watching and Waiting’ that characterizes Teacher, which unavoidably knits him closer to similar characters of classical and contemporary literary tradition.

Keywords: Sage, Archetype, Watching and Waiting, Wisdom and Knowledge, Literary Tradition, Collective Unconscious.

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Igbokwe, Sixtus Chetachi is a final year student of English and Literary Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is an almumnus of the Purple Hibiscus Creative Writing Workshop, facilitated by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. He is the editor of The Muse 48.

E-mail: chetaigbokwe@yahoo.com