Summary and Analysis of Raider of the Treasure Trove by Lade Wosornu

Just like other recommended poems, Raider of the Treasure Trove by Lade Wosornu is included in the 2021-2025 WAEC, NECO and UTME Literature Syllabus

 

Poet's Background

Professor Lade Wosornu is a prominent figure in the Ghanaian literary and academic landscape. His passion in life is to seek a closer work with God. He is a professor in surgery, a poet, an essayist, a columnist and a philanthropist.

Subject Matter and Account of the Plot

The poem, Raider of the Treasure Trove by Lade Wosornu condemns anger in all ramifications. Some people have little control over their anger and tend to explode in rages. In stanza one, the poet emphasized that dreams should be achieved in a pleasurable manner. He begins by asking questions concerning the worth of one’s life. He enjoins his audience to go through life as a journey devoid of rancor, bitterness, hatred and sadness. ‘’To fly flags of joy and sail up streams’’ ‘’and fling roses whenever you pause.’’ In the second stanza, one of the deadly things that can easily cut the journey of life short ‘’of things which would blot out that brief.’’ Rage is seen as the principal agent of destruction. It can kill its victim anytime. Rage is the strong feeling of anger that is difficult to control. The ultimate nature of rage is that it is a harbinger of calamity, disaster and distress (line 16). In stanza three, Rage is described as ranging storms that can destroy many valuable materials. Here rage is compared to snakes and deviants in the society, line 19. One should be mindful of the behavior that one exhibits in society. ‘’As you think, so you fell, Watch your mind’’, line 20. Finally, the poet conclude in the last stanza by repeating and personalizing the last two lines of stanza one. He wishes to be an embodiment of love, joy, hope, devotion and respect. The poet plans to make his habitation to be a place of perfect bliss. ‘’My destination is Heaven-on-earth.’’

Themes from the Poem:

 The following themes are present in the poem, Raider of the Treasure Trove by Lade Wosornu

1. Good Health: This shows that an individual must have a positive attitude to life to embrace joy. ‘’To fly flags of joy,’’ ‘’Powered by the breeze of love.
2. Consequences of Anger: The poet made it clear that ‘’Rage’’ can bring disaster and tragedy ‘’Rage spells calamity.’’ Rage is a strong feeling of anger that is difficult to control.
3. A Caution to Violence: The poet cautions that one should avoid the violent rage in order to live a healthy life and long life. One should watch his/her thought, action and habit to avoid danger in life.
   

Poetic and Literary Devices:

Here is a list of poetic and literary devices in the poem, Raider of the Treasure Trove by Lade Wosornu

1. Language: The vocabulary appears simple but he uses it with more conscious artistry to warn his audience. ‘’Rage is thief’’ to show that we must not embrace it because it assumes the picture of satan. The poem title ‘’Raider of the treasure trove’’ means a person who dis cover a valuable treasure or who has a valuable collections.

 

2. Personification: The transfer of the quality of animate object to that of inanimate object. ‘’Rage’’ is personified as ‘’chief,’’ ‘’thief’’ and ‘’enemy’’ lines 11, 13. It shows rage as powerful monster that ‘’rob you of your life’’. Rage has the power to take life like human beings do.

 

3. Imagery: It is the creation of mental picture in reader’s mind. One can see the visual image of a travelling ship in stanza one lines 3-5…’’Always strive, ‘’To fly flags of joy and ‘’sail up streams, ‘’ powered by the breeze of love’’

4. Symbol: This is when an object is used with something associated with it. The poet uses ‘’flying roses,’’ ‘’heavens’’ as symbol of perfect bliss. Roses conveys deep emotions of love, respect, devotion etc. lines 7-8.

 

5. Biblical Allusion: It is when reference is made to something that the reader understands. The poet made reference to the book of Ecclesiastes 7:9 which mean fools give room for anger. ‘’but what can be worthy of your life? Is a biblical allusion to the sermon on the mountain Matthew 6:25 which mean one should not be anxious about life?

6. Metaphor: It is the comparison of two things from different nature but share same characteristics. Rage is compared to different things. Rage is ‘chief,’ ‘’thief,’’ ‘’enemy,’’ ‘’storm’’ lines 11, 13, 14, 17. In line 15, rage assumes a wicked person that spread toxic radioactive gas to destroy important materials ‘’Rage spread toxic fumes to every scene’’

7. Euphemism: This is when a serious thing is said in a pleasant way. In lines 9-10, ‘’of things which would blot that brief,’’ ‘’or breach your sails with arrow unseen.’’ It means what can cause the untimely death is ‘’rage’’

8. Dramatic Monologue: This is when a speaker talks all alone in a poem/literary text. The speaker addresses a silent listener, usually the reader. The person is like a sermon that the preacher delivered on a certain occasion about the consequences of anger. The use of ‘’you’’ and ‘’your’’ to mean audience, ‘’I’’ to the speaker.

9. Repetition: It is when a word, phrase or sentence is said more than once in a poem. Lines 7-8 are repeated in lines 22-23 ‘’I’II fling roses whenever I berth/ My destination is heaven-on-earth.’’ The essence of this repetition is to warn listeners that anger is madness and people should stay away from it.

10. Rhetorical question. This is a question without answer. It appears in lines 1-3, 17 and 21 are used for the purpose of emphasis. ‘’But what can be worthy of life? ‘’What dearer than the gems of your dream’’ ’the reason you are here?’’ ‘’It’s sole cause?’’ ‘’Rage sets sail. Can ruin lag far behind’’