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Yvonne Nelson and the heroic myth of Yaa Asantewaa: a discourse-mythological case study of a Ghanaian celebrity

Nartey, Mark

Authors

Mark Nartey



Abstract

This article details a study of mythological storytelling in the Ghanaian media. It analyzes a number of news articles about a Ghanaian celebrity, Yvonne Nelson, in the wake of leading a protest to pressure the government to find a lasting solution to a two-year energy crisis in Ghana. Drawing on discourse-mythological analysis, the paper explores the discursive construction of hero mythology in the representation of Yvonne Nelson. The analysis reveals that Yvonne Nelson’s association with Yaa Asantewaa, a legendary Ashanti queen mother who led the Ashanti War of the Golden Stool against British colonialism in 1900, casts her in a “rebellious” role that reflects archetypal traits of mythological heroism. Consequently, she is depicted as a valiant warrior queen, a straight-talking woman of the people and the voice of the voiceless. This study contributes to the linguistic analysis of myths, moral stories and narratives in the media and illustrates how daily news content can be used to tell eternal stories.

Citation

Nartey, M. (2021). Yvonne Nelson and the heroic myth of Yaa Asantewaa: a discourse-mythological case study of a Ghanaian celebrity. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 38(3), 255-268. https://doi.org/10.1080/15295036.2021.1907429

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 17, 2021
Online Publication Date Apr 5, 2021
Publication Date 2021
Deposit Date Jan 8, 2022
Journal Critical Studies in Media Communication
Print ISSN 1529-5036
Electronic ISSN 1479-5809
Publisher Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 38
Issue 3
Pages 255-268
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/15295036.2021.1907429
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/8539133