TEBOGO AND THE BACCHAE

...another unusual title

Book: Tebogo and the Bacchae
Author: Omoseye Bolaji
Publisher: Eselby Jnr Publications
Book lay-out (including cover) by Godmore Jnr (Godfrey) Mofokeng
ISBN: 978 - 0 - 620 - 52543 - 5

An argument can be made that the last four adventures of Tebogo (all written within the last four years or so) have been characterised by a simpler language, whilst the titles have become more difficult or unusual.

This started with Tebogo and the Haka (2008). Not only Rugby lovers relished this work, which many believe is the most accomplished volume of the Tebogo Mokoena Mystery series. But the title endeared the book to many others.

Tebogo and the epithalamion (2009) followed, and even fewer people could state with confidence what the “epithalamion” meant, or what it was all about. The story was weaved around the disappearance of a young lady, and was not at all gory.

The unusual titles seemed to reach a peak with Tebogo and the pantophagist (2010)... a really unusual title. Here inter alia, we are subtly exhorted to remember, and be grateful to the great selfless scientists who over the centuries, and decades contributed little by little to the marvels of our modern world - which we now all take for granted.

For followers of the Tebogo Mystery series, many wondered whether the author would again revel in another unusual title in the next adventure; if there was another adventure after Tebogo and the pantophagist!

Yet that is exactly what Bolaji has done in this new adventure, Tebogo and the Bacchae (2012) . Yet integrating such titles into the twists and turns of these works at grassroots level seems quite simple, almost effortless for the author.

This time around “Biggie” (remember him from Tebogo and the epithalamion?) is the one who explains what the Bacchae is all about in simplistic fashion:

Biggie began to explain: “The Bacchae is an old Greek (Athenian) tragedy, famously written by Euripides. It is about King Pentheus of Thebes and his mother. They were ruthlessly punished by Dionysus - a god - for refusing to worship him.

“Pentheus died a terrible death. Earlier, he foolishly locked Dionysus up - who escaped rather easily since he was a deity! Pentheus, dressed like a woman, found himself atop a tree. The Bacchants, women, grabbed unfortunate Pentheus and ripped him apart piece by piece!...

“And there is the horrific image of Pentheus’ own mother, Agave ripping off her own son’s head unknowingly, and initially proud of what she’s done....
(From the Chapter “Biggie” in Tebogo and the Bacchae, 2012)

Really, this is a good read, never mind the title!

- Courtesy Phoenix Literary Club