The Theme of Betrayal of Friendship in Akan Folktales

This paper is a critical analysis of the theme of betrayal of friendship as a human experience in four selected Akan folktales (Afs). It leans on the Horatian view of literature as useful and pleasurable and also on the Performance Theory which considers the folkloric tale-text in its ,entirety as oral literature. Apart from the human beings, the other characters of the four selected Afs are animals and supernatural beings that are personified. Therefore, betrayal in the stories actually reflects what occurs in human society. The paper attempts to find the dimensions of betrayal of friendship as to the causes, consequences and lessons. An individual can betray an individual or a group, whether that individual or group is high and mighty or low and vulnerable. In all the Afs studied, betrayal of friendship stems from greed and manifests itself in several ways such as disloyalty and cheating. The consequences are grave and can lead to ingrained hatred and chaos. The betrayed gets hurt and revengeful while the betrayer may suffer punishment or shame. However, betrayers sometimes escape punishment whereas their accomplices usually get punished. An agreement between friends may be based on trust only, but it is better that the terms and conditions are clearly stated. Unarguably, integrity and loyalty are sine qua non in an agreement if betrayal is to be avoided and friendship sustained, thereby maintaining social harmony and cohesion. It is noted that the Akan society, like others, abhors betrayal of friendship and indeed all betrayal-related vices such as greed and corruption. This is invariably expressed by the audience as captured during the performances of the selected tales. It is concluded that the Afs are a powerful medium for examining betrayal of friendship as well as society’s disapproval of betrayal and its associated social cankers.