Dynamic Organicism and the Traditional Imagination in Alobwed’Epie the Lady With a Beard

Abstract

This paper sets out to examine the concept of dynamic organicism in the Bakossi traditional society as imaginatively revealed
in Alobwed’Epie’s The Lady With A Beard. Dynamic organicism refers to an energetic and driving force instrumental in growth or
change; a universal literary phenomenon whereby the writer transcends the ordinary view of things, sees reality beyond the corporal frame of
existence and through the imagination seeks an ideal and works towards changing the corrupt order of the universe by reinstating order
and moving it backwards to its natural state of felicity. The paper thus reads Alobwed ‘Epie’s The Lady With A Beard in the light of
romantic organicism. Emade suffers isolation because she realises that there exist reparations for her attempted breaking of the organic
unit. Alobwed ‘Epie intimates that Emade’s ‘uppishness’ (sic) is the cause of her problems. It is only by reconciling with her community
and tradition that she will be able to live a peaceful life.