WAEC 2026 LITERATURE III ANSWERS (DRAMA & POETRY)

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SECTION A: ANSWER (1) QUESTION ONLY

(1)
Once Upon an Elephant explores themes of betrayal, abuse of power, and the corruption of traditional values. The question of Serubawon’s betrayal of Iya Agba highlights how individual disloyalty reflects wider political corruption in the play, especially the destruction of truth and justice under Ajanaku’s illegitimate rule.

Serubawon is a corrupt kingmaker who helps install Ajanaku on the throne through bribery and manipulation of tradition, while Iya Agba (Omofadeke Adunni) is the community’s truth teller, an elderly woman dismissed as mad but aware of the secrets behind Ajanaku’s rise and identity.

Firstly, Serubawon betrays Iya Agba by concealing the truth about Ajanaku’s parentage, which she attempts to expose. By refusing to confirm her claims and remaining silent, he protects his own role in the illegal coronation instead of defending truth. Secondly, he supports her dismissal from the palace, allowing her to be labelled mad and discredited rather than acknowledging her knowledge. This shows deliberate silencing of truth for self preservation.

Thirdly, his betrayal is structural because his bribery of kingmakers creates Ajanaku’s reign, under which Iya Agba is repeatedly banished and humiliated. This makes him indirectly responsible for her suffering. Fourthly, his actions also represent a collapse of traditional values, as he fails in his duty as an elder to respect truth, age, and moral responsibility within the community.

Finally, dramatic irony strengthens the betrayal, as the audience recognises that Iya Agba’s “mad” statements are true and prophetic. Serubawon’s continued rejection of her words deepens his guilt, and when Ajanaku eventually falls as foretold, his betrayal of Iya Agba is fully exposed as a betrayal of justice itself.
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(2)
Once Upon an Elephant explores abuse of power, gender based violence, and the consequences of tyranny on individuals and society. Desola’s rape is a key incident that shows how political corruption under Ajanaku destroys innocent lives and exposes the personal cost of Serubawon’s earlier actions in creating that system.

Desola is Serubawon’s daughter and Odekunle’s lover, while Serubawon is the corrupt kingmaker who helped place Ajanaku on the throne. Odekunle, son of Odejimi, represents moral opposition to Ajanaku’s rule, and their relationship with Desola symbolises hope for unity between opposing sides.

Firstly, the rape destroys Desola and Odekunle’s relationship, ending the possibility of reconciliation between their families. Secondly, it causes deep emotional and psychological trauma to Desola, showing the personal and bodily impact of political violence on vulnerable individuals. Thirdly, it reveals poetic irony, as Serubawon’s own daughter becomes a victim of the tyranny he helped create.

Fourthly, it exposes the uncontrollable nature of tyranny, showing that those who create corrupt power structures cannot protect even their own families from its consequences. Fifthly, it strengthens resistance against Ajanaku, as Desola’s suffering becomes a catalyst that intensifies opposition from characters like Odekunle and others.

The significance is that the rape links the personal and political, showing how injustice spreads from political corruption to private lives. It reinforces the play’s warning that unchecked power ultimately destroys both the oppressed and the families of those who enable it.
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(3)
The Marriage of Anansewa explores parental love, greed, and the commercialization of marriage, and the question of whether Ananse truly loves his daughter sits at the centre of the play, since his actions suggest both care and exploitation.

Ananse is the cunning, debt ridden father who writes identical letters to four wealthy chiefs to present Anansewa as a marriage prospect, while Anansewa is his obedient daughter and the object of his scheme. This creates ambiguity about whether his actions are motivated by genuine care or selfish gain.

Firstly, Ananse’s actions suggest parental concern because he aims to secure the richest and most powerful husband for Anansewa, especially the Chief of Chiefs, indicating a desire to improve her social and financial future. Secondly, he involves Anansewa in his plans, including the fake death scheme, which shows some level of trust and inclusion rather than total deception.

However, thirdly, Ananse never consults her feelings or choice in marriage, showing that her personal happiness is not his priority. Fourthly, his fake death plan subjects her to humiliation as she pretends to be dead while suitors gather, revealing how easily he uses her as part of his strategy for financial gain.

Fifthly, Christie’s moral objections highlight the ethical problem in Ananse’s behaviour, suggesting that his so called love is closer to ownership and exploitation than genuine care.

The significance is that Sutherland uses Ananse’s ambiguous behaviour to critique a society where marriage is commercialised and where parental love can be distorted by greed, making the boundary between care and exploitation deliberately unclear.
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(4)
The Marriage of Anansewa draws on the Ghanaian Anansegoro tradition, and the Storyteller (Mouth Piece) is a central dramatic device that shapes how the audience understands and responds to the play. Through narration, song, and commentary, the Storyteller connects performance, audience, and moral meaning.

The Storyteller is a narrator figure who stands between the audience and the action. He introduces scenes, links episodes, and works with the Players who provide music and choric support, creating the communal style of performance typical of Anansegoro.

Firstly, the Storyteller provides structure by opening the play and framing it as a trickster tale, guiding the audience to see events as both comic and meaningful. Secondly, he links the episodic scenes, ensuring smooth narrative flow as Ananse’s scheme develops.

Thirdly, he offers commentary on characters and events, using humour and irony to guide the audience’s moral judgement of Ananse’s actions. Fourthly, through song and the Players’ interludes, he creates a lively communal atmosphere and reinforces the oral storytelling tradition.

Fifthly, in the resolution, the Storyteller frames Ananse’s success within the wider moral context of the play, encouraging the audience to question whether his trickery is justified and to reflect on the themes of greed and the commercialization of marriage.

The significance is that the Storyteller ensures the play is not only entertainment but also social instruction. He connects performance with meaning, making the audience active participants in interpreting Ananse’s actions within the Anansegoro tradition.
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SECTION B: ANSWER ONE(1) QUESTION ONLY

(5)
Social responsibility and the consequences of class privilege are central themes in An Inspector Calls, and Sheila’s treatment of Eva Smith shows how a single act of jealousy from the privileged class can destroy a vulnerable life.

Sheila Birling is the privileged daughter of Arthur and Sybil Birling, while Eva Smith is the unseen working class girl whose lack of social protection makes her vulnerable to exploitation by those above her.

Firstly, Eva loses her job at Milwards after Sheila, out of jealousy and feeling insulted by Eva’s smile, uses her influence to have her dismissed. This comes after she has already been sacked from Mr Birling’s factory, worsening her situation.

Secondly, this loss of employment pushes Eva further into poverty and desperation, making her more vulnerable to later exploitation by Gerald Croft and Eric Birling. Thirdly, it creates psychological harm, as Eva learns that honest work cannot protect her from the decisions of the powerful.

Fourthly, Sheila’s action forms part of the chain of events that the Inspector exposes, showing that Eva’s suffering is caused by accumulated irresponsibility rather than a single act of cruelty. Finally, the effect extends to Sheila herself, as she accepts responsibility and shows genuine remorse, unlike her parents, making her awareness of her wrongdoing a key element of moral growth in the play.

The significance is that Priestley uses Sheila’s anger to show how privilege can harm others even through seemingly minor actions, while also presenting her later remorse as a model of social responsibility.
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(6)
Social responsibility and the moral consequences of privilege are central concerns in *An Inspector Calls*, and the revelations about Eric Birling during Inspector Goole’s inquiry expose how irresponsible actions within a privileged family contribute directly to the suffering of Eva Smith.

Eric Birling is Arthur and Sybil Birling’s son, introduced at the opening celebration as nervous and uneasy, a detail that foreshadows his later confession. Eva Smith is the absent working class victim who becomes closely linked to Eric as the father of her unborn child.

Firstly, Eric reveals that he had a sexual relationship with Eva Smith after meeting her at the Palace Bar, showing his exploitation of a vulnerable working class woman. Secondly, he admits that he got Eva pregnant and failed to take responsibility for the situation.

Thirdly, Eric stole money from his father’s office to support Eva, revealing both moral failure and criminal behaviour. Fourthly, Eva rejected the stolen money once she suspected its origin, showing her dignity and contrast with Eric’s recklessness.

Fifthly, Eric learns that his mother had earlier refused to help Eva through her charity work, creating dramatic irony as Mrs Birling unknowingly condemns her own son’s child’s mother.

The significance is that Priestley uses Eric’s revelations to show how privilege without responsibility leads to exploitation and suffering, while also suggesting through Eric’s remorse that moral change is possible.
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(7)
The conflict between individual conscience and state power is central to A Man for All Seasons, and the falcon serves as a symbolic image that captures the tension between natural freedom and the demands of royal authority in Henry VIII’s relationship with Sir Thomas More.

The falcon symbol appears in Henry’s conversation about More, and it is best understood through the characters involved: Henry VIII, an absolute ruler who expects total obedience, and More, a man of strong moral and religious conscience who refuses to act against his beliefs even under pressure.

Firstly, the falcon represents noble strength and trained obedience, a creature admired for its independence but expected to return to its master, reflecting Henry’s desire for More to remain loyal and responsive to royal command.

Secondly, Henry uses the image of the falcon to suggest that More should return to him after withdrawing from public office, showing his expectation that loyalty to the crown should override personal conviction.

Thirdly, the falcon’s natural wildness symbolises More’s conscience, which cannot be permanently controlled or reshaped by political pressure without destroying its essential integrity.

Fourthly, the symbol creates dramatic irony, since Henry admires More’s integrity while also demanding submission, even though that same integrity is what makes More incapable of obeying unjust commands.

Finally, the falcon image foreshadows the tragic outcome of the play, as More is effectively “lost” not through rebellion but through refusal to return to obedience, showing that conscience becomes dangerous in a system that demands absolute loyalty.

The significance is that Bolt uses the falcon symbol to show that conscience cannot be controlled like property, and that attempts to dominate it inevitably lead to conflict between moral truth and political authority.
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(8)
The central concern of A Man for All Seasons is the tension between individual conscience and external authority, and Thomas More’s story illustrates how personal integrity can place a man in direct conflict with the political, social, and familial expectations surrounding him.

Thomas More is the Lord Chancellor of England, a highly respected figure whose Catholic faith and legal principles shape his belief that conscience must stand above political power. This belief brings him into opposition with the demand that he support King Henry VIII’s Act of Succession.

The first point is his resignation as Lord Chancellor, where he gives up the highest office in England rather than compromise his conscience by endorsing a law he believes to be morally wrong.

The second point is his conflict with Norfolk, his close friend, who urges him to conform “for fellowship,” representing the pressure of friendship and social harmony against private conviction, which More refuses to yield to.

The third point is his conflict with his family, particularly Alice and Margaret, who beg him to take the oath and preserve his life, showing the emotional and domestic pressure placed upon him.

The fourth point is More’s use of silence as a legal defence, where he neither supports nor opposes the King, attempting to protect his conscience while avoiding confrontation, though this strategy eventually fails.

The fifth point is his trial and execution, where he finally speaks openly against the Act of Succession and accepts death rather than betray his beliefs, affirming that conscience is inseparable from identity.

The significance is that Bolt presents More as a figure who demonstrates that moral integrity cannot be compromised without losing one’s true self, and that conscience remains the highest authority even in the face of state power.
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SECTION C: ANSWER ONE(1) QUESTION ONLY

(9)
The use of allusion in Syl Cheney Coker’s The Breast of the Sea is central to its exploration of historical memory and the trauma of the transatlantic slave trade, as the poem builds its meaning by indirectly invoking experiences and histories that lie beyond the immediate text.

Allusion is a literary device in which a writer refers indirectly to a historical event, cultural experience, or shared body of knowledge, allowing deeper meaning to be suggested rather than directly explained.

The first point is that the image of the sea as a maternal “breast” alludes to Africa’s early relationship with the ocean as a source of life and nourishment before colonial disruption, presenting the sea as both sustaining and life giving.

The second point is that the poem alludes to the Middle Passage of the transatlantic slave trade, where the sea becomes a route of suffering and forced displacement, transforming an image of nourishment into one of historical trauma.

The third point is that there are allusions to Sierra Leone’s coastal history, where the sea functioned both as a space of cultural identity and a channel for colonial exploitation, grounding the poem in a specific African setting.

The fourth point is that the poem alludes to the African diaspora, showing the sea as both a divider and a connector of African descended peoples through shared historical memory and inherited suffering.

The fifth point is that these combined allusions transform the poem into a historical and political reflection, suggesting that for African people the sea cannot be separated from memory, and always carries both beauty and trauma.

The significance is that Cheney Coker uses allusion to deepen the emotional and historical weight of the poem, showing how landscape is shaped by history and how memory of slavery continues to define African experience.
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(10)
Afriyie Vidza’s Hearty Garlands is a celebratory poem that focuses on how society honours virtue and achievement, using praise as a way of rewarding individuals who live responsibly and contribute positively to the community.

A garland is a symbolic wreath of honour representing recognition and praise, while a “hearty garland” suggests genuine, sincere appreciation rather than empty or formal praise.

The first point is the celebration of hard work and diligence, as the poem praises individuals who commit themselves fully to their responsibilities and achieve success through sustained effort.

The second point is the celebration of integrity and moral character, where the poem presents honesty and upright behaviour as qualities worthy of public honour.

The third point is the celebration of service to the community, showing that those who contribute to the wellbeing of others deserve recognition and praise.

The fourth point is the celebration of perseverance, as the poem acknowledges those who overcome difficulties and obstacles on their path to achievement, making their success more meaningful.

The fifth point is the celebration of celebration itself, as the poet highlights the importance of recognising and rewarding virtue within society, suggesting that such acts of praise strengthen communal values.

The significance is that Afriyie Vidza uses the idea of the garland to show that society grows stronger when it actively honours virtue, effort, and service, making celebration itself a moral and cultural duty.
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SECTION D: ANSWER ONE(1) QUESTION ONLY

(11)
In Seamus Heaney’s Digging, the poet uses onomatopoeia to bring the physical act of labour to life and to support the poem’s central exploration of ancestral legacy, hard work, and poetic vocation.

Onomatopoeia refers to words whose sound imitates the action they describe, creating a direct sensory link between language and experience.

The first point is the word “squelch,” which imitates the wet, heavy sound of a spade entering soft peat, making the grandfather’s digging feel immediate and real.

The second point is “slap,” which works alongside “squelch” to capture the full movement of the spade striking and lifting from the earth, reinforcing the physical rhythm of labour.

The third point is “rasping,” which suggests the harsh scraping of metal against gravelly soil, highlighting the resistance of the ground and the effort required in the father’s work.

The fourth point is “clicking,” which conveys a lighter, sharper sound associated with skilled handling of the spade, subtly reflecting the grandfather’s efficiency and mastery.

The fifth point is that these onomatopoeic words work together to strengthen the poem’s extended metaphor of digging as writing, allowing the reader to experience the labour physically and making Heaney’s comparison between manual work and poetic creation more convincing.

The significance is that Heaney uses sound not as decoration but as a way of grounding meaning in physical experience, reinforcing the dignity of both manual labour and poetic vocation.
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(12)
In Lord Byron’s She Walks in Beauty, the poet presents an idealised portrait of female beauty, showing it as a perfect balance between outward appearance and inner moral goodness through a carefully structured sequence of descriptive images.

The woman is believed to have been inspired by Lady Wilmot Horner, whose appearance at a social event prompted Byron to capture a form of beauty that ordinary language could only partially express.

The first aspect of her beauty is the harmonious balance of light and darkness, as she is compared to a cloudless, starry night, suggesting that her attractiveness lies in the perfect blending of contrasting qualities.

The second aspect is the beauty of her eyes, described as containing “all that’s best of dark and bright,” making them the clearest expression of the harmony between physical charm and inner depth.

The third aspect is the beauty of her hair, described as “raven tresses,” which continues the imagery of darkness while reinforcing the softness and elegance of her overall appearance.

The fourth aspect is her moral beauty, shown through her calm expression, peaceful smiles, and “tints that glow,” which the poet links to a life of goodness and an innocent heart, completing the connection between outer beauty and inner virtue.

The significance is that Byron uses this structured progression to argue that true beauty is not merely physical but a unified harmony of appearance and character, where moral goodness is naturally reflected in outward form.
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