CU-MA-Eng-SEM-IV-Specialization I - Postcolonial Drama-Second Draft

romanticize them. In the first half of the play, the concept of the beginning of the world and the evolution of man is - basically white. Then, when Corporal Lestrade, the brainwashed colonial servant, retrogresses to become an ape and emerges as a man to walk through the primeval forest, the play swings over to a black Adamic concept of evolution. But the same sins are repeated, and the cycle of violence and cruelty begins again. When the two criminals who are virtually brothers fight, the dream breaks for Makak. He thought he was going to an Africa where people would be primal and communal. Instead, it’s back to original sin, with the tribes killing one another. He ultimately rejects both insanities—the extremity of contempt for the black and the extremity of hatred for the white. At the end, having made a spiritual trip to Africa and survived the middle passage, he compares himself to a drifting tree that has put down roots in the new world. 10.6 METAPHORS AND THE RECLAMATION OF BLACKNESS IN DREAM ON MONKEY MOUNTAIN Dream on Monkey Mountain is designed to be sequenced as one might imagine a dream to be sequenced; it is illogical, contradictory, and does not follow typical aspects of spatial and temporal awareness. In order to overcome the loss of reality that a reader might feel when reading the play, Walcott must depend on the language of the dream to give meaning to the message. As a result, Walcott litters his language with puns, metaphors, imagery, extended associations, and symbolism. Of all these stylistic devices, Walcott depends mainly on the use of metaphor to illustrate the key concept in his play: the reclaiming of blackness in order to forge an independent West Indian identity. In his use of metaphors, Walcott appears to be enticing not only a new, ameliorated perspective of blackness, but also seems to be creating the foundation for a new, individual West Indian identity that is separate from the identity habitually contrived by West Indians and based on Western European culture and influences. The metaphors introduced by Walcott not only attempt to make the familiar concepts unfamiliar, but also attempt to realign traditional notions of whiteness and blackness. The investigation into Walcott’s reclaiming of blackness will derive its basic foundations from linguistic precedents that have been established regarding metaphor’s powers to institute both semantic change and conceptual change. Walcott attempts to tweak the normal associations linked with whiteness and blackness in order to not only reconfigure the definition of these notions, but also to change the actual conceptions that speakers of English have in relation to these terms. In Walcott’s view, language provides a direct link to one’s identity and, therefore, Caribbean English is capable of providing the West Indies with a unique identity, a true cultural identity. 201 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Walcott considers the preservation of the West Indian dialect to be of paramount importance and strongly believes that it needs to be protected from the possibility of its condemnation as mimicry. To Walcott, if the West Indian dialect is fated to be nothing more than mimicry, then the hope of a distinctive West Indian culture is impossible, and Caribbean culture will be meaningless, except perhaps as an image of Western Europe (Caribbean 7). According to Walcott (1974), language, within the West Indian dialect, is the image of release that the “new world Negro” will depend on to overcome their “disappointingly ordinary” existence. The ordinary black West Indian, who, according to Walcott, needs to be stirred into bitterness, thence perhaps to action, has the propensity to be as avaricious and as banal as those who had enslaved him. To Walcott, what would deliver the new West Indian from servitude is the possibility of a language that goes beyond the obstructions of mimicry--a language or a dialect which had the ability and force to invented names for unique cultural perspective and item. For Walcott, what would create this new language and hence a new identity is poetics and unique, inimitable symbols. Hence, language has the power of creation and the people, like actors, are awaiting this new language; a language he helps to form through his works; a language which basis is seen in the metaphors used in Dream on Monkey Mountain --the same metaphors that help the main character, Makak, shed his dependence on Western European thought. Language, with deference to metaphor, is used by Walcott in Dream on Monkey Mountain to approach the problem of cultural identity within the mind of the colonized. In wrestling with this dilemma, Walcott carries on a tradition of postcolonial criticism that was first begun by Naipaul and later by Fanon. For Fanon, identity for the colonized was problematic because all attempts at an individual identity were likely to be seen as nothing less than mimicry. 10.7 SUMMARY  After a short epigraph (a quote by Martinique post-colonial political philosopher Franz Fanon), the play opens with a chorus singing a call-and-response while dancers cross the stage.  Two jail cells appear. One holds Tigre and Souris, black men in jail for thievery, and the other is empty.  The biracial Corporal Lestrade appears, dragging Makak, an older black man, whom he throws into the empty cell.  Lestrade argues with the other prisoners, whom he views as animals, and then hosts an improvised trial.  Makak, tired and confused, just wants to return to his home on Monkey Mountain. 202 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

 He claims an apparition of a white woman inspired him.  Makak dreams of a time before his arrest.  His friend Moustique finds Makak on the ground outside his house, recovering from a fit.  Moustique encourages Makak to come to the market, where they will sell the coal Makak has produced.  Makak remembers a dream in which the apparition of a white woman told him to go back to Africa.  Makak announces his desire to do so.  On a country road, Moustique finds a group of people gathered around a sick man.  They light hot coals beneath him, hoping to sweat out the illness caused by a snakebite.  Moustique offers to fetch his friend, a healer, in exchange for bread and money.  The people accept, and Moustique returns with Makak, who performs a healing ceremony.  The people are so grateful that they shower Moustique with gifts.  Moustique wants to use Makak’s healing power for financial gain, but Makak refuses.  They head toward the market.  At the market, Lestrade and an Inspector survey the scene. Rumors of a powerful healer have preceded them.  Moustique appears, dressed as Makak, and puts on a show as a healer.  When his identity is uncovered, the crowd surrounds him and beats him mercilessly as Lestrade watches.  Makak arrives and runs to his stricken friend, but Moustique dies of his injuries, passing away in Makak’s arms.  Makak falls to the ground in a fit.  After another short epigraph by Franz Fanon, Makak wakes up in a jail cell again.  Lestrade wakes him, along with Tigre and Souris, who notice that Makak has money and decide to rob him.  They convince Makak to kill Lestrade, and Makak agrees. He feigns illness and then, using a hidden dagger, stabs Lestrade.  Makak releases his fellow prisoners, and they escape into the forest. Lestrade recovers his wound is only minor and gives chase.  In the forest, Makak’s behavior becomes erratic.  He promises to take Tigre and Souris to Africa and make them generals.  Makak leads the others into hiding when they hear Lestrade approach.  Becoming increasingly distraught, Lestrade repents his sins and joins Makak’s quest. 203 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

 Makak has also convinced Souris, who now also wishes to go to Africa with him.  Only Tigre refuses when given the chance to accompany them.  Lestrade stabs Tigre.  The others leave for Africa, where the Corporal announces that he will enforce the law on behalf of Makak.  A crowd carries Makak into an African court as a conquering king.  Lestrade leads the calls for praise, and the crowd responds jubilantly, but Makak is not happy  He sees himself as a hollow ghost of his old self.  Lestrade calls prisoners before the king.  The first is a list of historical white people, many of whom are already dead.  They are condemned for being white and written out of history as punishment.  Next, Moustique is dragged before the court and accused of betraying Makak’s dream.  Though he pleads with Makak, claiming that Makak has grown mad, old, and blind as king, Makak looks away.  Moustique is taken away to be executed.  Finally, the apparition of the white woman is brought forth. Lestrade demands her execution as she is a temptation.  He hands Makak a sword. Makak insists on privacy, and, when everyone leaves, he executes the apparition.  In the Epilogue, the dream has ended, and Makak is once again in his jail cell.  This time, when Lestrade asks him his name, he answers that he is Felix Hobain.  He accepts his identity and, when Moustique arrives, Makak and Moustique return happily to Monkey Mountain. 10.8 KEYWORDS  Negro- negro is a term historically used to denote persons considered to be of Black African heritage  Black People-is a racialized classification of people, usually a political and skin Color-based category for specific populations  Warrior-a person who fights in a battle, a soldier  Devil-the most powerful evil being, according to the Christian, Jewish and Muslim religions  Pantomime-a type of play for children, with music, dancing and jokes, that is usually performed at Christmas 204 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

 Aspiration-a hope or ambition of achieving something  Protagonist- (in literature) the main character in a play, film or book  Spiritual-concerning deep thoughts, feelings or emotions rather than the body or physical things  Typical-having or showing the usual qualities of a particular person, thing or type  Goddess-a female god 10.9 LEARNING ACTIVITY 1. Examine the Loss and Recovery of Identity in Derek Walcott's Dream on Monkey Mountain ___________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 2. Analyze the Dream on Monkey Mountain as a Journey from Self-hatred to Self-Acceptance ___________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 3. Interpret Metaphors and the Reclamation of Blackness in Dream on Monkey Mountain ___________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 10.10 UNIT END QUESTIONS A. Descriptive Questions Short Questions 1. What is the significance of the dream in Dream on Monkey Mountain? 2. What is the purpose of the motifs of journey and home in Dream on Monkey Mountain? 3. Is Dream on Monkey Mountain a play on one’s search for identity? 4. Who is Makak in Dream on Monkey Mountain? 5. Who is Basil in Dream on Monkey Mountain? Long Questions 1. Explain various themes depicted in Dream on Monkey Mountain 2. Critically evaluate the colonial concepts dealt in 'Dream Monkey Mountain' 3. Sketch the character Makak in 'Dream on Monkey Mountain' 4. Summarize the story of the drama 'Dream Monkey Mountain' 205 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

5. Explain the theme of the drama 'Dream Monkey Mountain' 206 B. Multiple Choice Questions 1.__ is a black man who walks with a limp a. Makak b. Monkey c. Moustique d. Souris 2. Who disguises himself as Makak to exploit the people? a. Corporal Lestrade b. Moustique c. Souris d. Fact 3.__ a young black thief in jail when Makak is arrested a. Tigre b. Corporal Lestrade c. Fact d. Souris 4.____ breaks out of jail and follows Makak to Monkey Mountain. a. Corporal Lestrade b. Fact c. Souris d. Tigre 5.____ represents the thief who was damned in the allegorical parallel. a. Tigre b. Corporal Lestrade c. Fact d. Souris CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Answers 1-c, 2-b, 3-a, 4-d, 5-a 10.11 REFERENCES Reference books  Black, M. \"More about Metaphor.\" Metaphor and Thought. Ed. A. Ortony. Cambridge: Cambridge University: 19-43. Print.  Brown, Lloyd. \"West Indian Literature: Road to a New World Sensibility.\" Journal of Black Studies 1 (June, 1977): 411-436. Print.  Fanon, Frantz. Black Skins, White Masks. Trans. Charles Lam Markmann. London: Penguin Press, 1965. Print.  Fowler, Roger. Linguistic Criticism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986.Print. Textbook references  Walcott, Derek. Dream on Monkey Mountain and other Plays. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 1970. Websites  https://credencepressltd.com/journal/uploads/archive/202116138844286376164711.p df  https://www.jstor.org/stable/3818202  https://www.peterlang.com/view/9781433136825/xhtml/chapter22.xhtml  https://www.britannica.com/art/Nigerian-theatre 207 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)