INTRIGUE AS A DRAMATIC DEVICE: AN INSTRUMENT OF CHARACTER DEFAMATION

Abstract

The study ‘Intrigue as a dramatic device: an instrument of character defamation’ deals with a form of guile to damage ones character. It is where a sort of harm is done to a person’s character in such a way that the person doing the harm pretends not to know what he is doing. The researcher delves into this work because of the increase in destroying people’ character that is prevalent in the present day society and the negative effect it is having on the target character in particular and the society at large. This work aims at showcasing ways whereby intrigue defame peoples’ characters, since characters exhibit idiocyncrasies in action and language that show intended harm though in a guile manner. The study adopted the survey design. A total of four plays Ome ihe jide ofo (OIJO), Ajo obi (AO), from Nwaozuzu, female author and Nwata rie awo (NRA), Eriri mara ngwugwu (EMN) from Onyekaonwu, male author. The study discovered that there are two essential components of intrigue as character defamation device: one is the exchange, that is, the framework of an intrigue and two is the objective and that is, the true aim of the participant. It is also observed that intrigue as device for character defamation are of three types- the direct, the indirect and the conspiracy. All have dire consequences. The study concludes that for more peaceful society, people should desist from intrigue and resort to dialogue to address issues and for correctional purposes.