AD's English Literature

Brecht in 1954 T he key to Bertolt Brecht ’s theatre is the changing consciousness of the world. By this Brecht the most influential German dramatist and theoretician of the theater in the 20th century meant first of all the transforming of social relationship — what he referred to as social overhaul. After the overhaul of society which occurred in German Democratic Republic, Brecht spoke, particularly in his last years, of the transformation of the world, which had become even more urgent because of the possibilities and necessities of the dialectical process. " The theatre of the scientific age ,” he wrote, “is in a position to make dialectics into a source of enjoyment.” ( Brecht on theatre: The Development of an Aesthetics ). 

It is interesting to study how the women in A Man of the People ( Chinua Achebe) play an important role in Odili and Nanga’s strategies. Here we find two contrasting groups of people from a political and social aspect based in West Africa.  The groups are the old and the new generations of politics and two characters represent them.  Odili, the narrator, represents the new intellectual generation, while Chief Nanga, Odili’s former teacher, represents the old style of bush politicians.  The conflict between the old and new ways is portrayed through the two characters as they not only disagree and quarrel over political views but also women.  Achebe captures the inside reality of the lives of the contrasting characters as he demonstrates energy and brightness as well as violence and corruption.  

African colonization by European settlers and the aftermath has wide, descriptive and analytical coverage in Chinua Achebe’s novels. Particularly there is an avid examination on the Nigerian sociopolitical and cultural aspects. More specifically, Achebe’s novels depict Igbo tribes either in south-East Nigeria or elsewhere in the world dating from pre-colonial era to the present. His novels cover the timeline of Nigerian history and like a prophet his writings are visionary of long desired Nigerian peace and prosperity. Reading thorough his novels it can also be determined how women is such a vital studies for lasting peace and prosperity in Nigeria. This research paper will interrogate, compare and contrast women’s different roles as they relate to Chinua Achebe’s fictionalization of female characters. It will examine women's roles in this fast changing tribal society as seen in Achebe’s novels illustrating specific examples from the same. Women in tri...

Chinua Achebe’s second novel No Longer At Ease , which is a study of post independent Nigeria and its expectations and failures, however , reveals Achebe’s increasing preoccupation with women studies. The heroine of the story, Clara’s position in the story is not luminary or peripheral. Her story is intricately interwoven into Obi Okonkwo’s experience and a relatively positive strength of character is revealed in her. One observes some measure of self-esteem, which is a preamble to self-definition in Clara who is an osu. Achebe also consider Igbo cultural traditions that make some groups of people, or some individuals, "taboo" because it's forbidden in Igbo culture to marry an osu , since the osu class is dedicated to a particular god because of religious, cultural, socioeconomic, racial, or other reasons. Now the question raised if is it a necessary part of human social systems or is it always wrong? The reality that has been dealt in Achebe’s story is that Clara ...

"Real tragedy is never resolved. It goes on hopelessly for ever." Chinua Achebe  (1930 - ) Nigerian novelist, poet, and essayist. No Longer At Ease   While making general estimates of Achebe’s women as seen in his novels in the historical perspectives, it is better to  cover the journey of Nigerian literature particularly novel up to Achebe.  In Achebe here is a glimpse of   present   Nigeria which was once a home to ethnically based kingdoms and tribal communities before it became a European colony. It can also be traced the facts in Achebe’s novels how in spite of European contact these kingdoms and communities maintained their autonomy and how the colonial era began, and how Nigeria became independent of British rule in 1960 and how After independence Nigeria experienced frequent coups and long periods of autocratic military and how finally a democratic civilian government was established. It will also ...

"An angry man is always a stupid man." Chinua Achebe  (1930 - ) Nigerian novelist, poet, and essayist. Anthills of the Savannah One of the significant themes in " Anthills of the Savannah" is the way people particularly women reacts to with political handicaps of Nigeria . The women in Chinua Achebe’s " Anthills of the Savannah " shun and resent political handicaps of Nigeria. Educated mass of Nigeria who become impotent and corrupt of ideas, either through lack of vision or will, and who are ideologically with political imperfections are almost always condemned to misery in the nations through frequent coups and unrest. There seems to be no compassion or sympathy for the nation. The people seem only concerned with their own well-being and survival. As Achebe goes through the narrative, he points to corresponding ideas on the political vision of the fictional Kangan which is none but his beloved country, Nigeria where the story is embroidered...

The women in Achebe’s novels can be read according to their self-perceptions, as well as societal awareness of them as women, wives, mothers and daughters. For example, Achebe’s first novel, Things Fall Apart , is a presentation of cultural dislocation in a largely male-dominated setting. This novel is a manifestation of women’s multiple marginalities, and the dynamics of otherness, inclusion and exclusion. And it was not just the ownership of the story that was revolutionary - the language was too. Achebe's Things Fall Apart is part standard English, part pidgin, part language of folklore and proverb. His writing crackles with vivid, universal and yet deeply African images. Apart from the hero, Okonkwo readers identify not only with women and their personal hardships but also with the Ibo culture and its disintegration. Achebe wants to explain the truth about the effects of losing one's culture. One observes a gradual paradigm shift as the women emerge from cultural closure, ...