THE BLACK HERMIT
PLAY WRIGHT : NGUGI WA THIONG’O
SETTING : UGANDA, 1968 (POST INDEPENDENCE)
INTRODUCTION OF THE PLAY
“The black Hermit” is an impressive social play just talks
about social realities and his centered in both rural and town life.
The play talks about tribalism as the biggest problem
be setting the new East African countries.
Inheritance of widow (women) just put as something
crucial/centre theme to the play. It is topic that
makes society to disintegrate (separate) and
conflicts.
The characters are Remi, Thon, Nyobi, Jane Omange,
Pastor, leaders and elders, some of them presents as
upholders of African traditional.
They play divided into form of scene.
OVER VIEWS
An author used Remi as main character in this plays,
Remi loved a girl called Thom in his village but he feels
shy to tell her the truth. He tried to conflict his brother
but refuses to do so, finally Remi went to college.
One day when he was at the college; Remi received a
letter from home informing him that Thoni and his
brother were to be married, Remi was hert about that.
Few months after married (hardly six months) his
brother died an accident, Remi’s brother knocked by
car due to that situation his father fell it as a result of
the shock following the death of Remi’s brother.
THE BLACK HERMIT
PLAY WRIGHT : NGUGI WA THIONG’O
SETTING : UGANDA, 1968 (POST INDEPENDENCE)
INTRODUCTION OF THE PLAY
Remi’s father during his illness he called to his bed
and told to marry Thoni, his brother’s widow (Thoni).Father told Remi “you know our custom, you brother’s wife is now your wife” Remi did not believe that Thoni really loved him because she had, already identified her love to his brother, later Remi decided to go the city as HERMIT.
Remi decided to run to town in order to escape tribal pressure that required him, to marry Thoni. After reaching in the city he is employed as a clerk in an oil company, he began receiving the salary but could not send it home, Remi changed in the city, hestarted to share love with girls and engaged in
Luxurious life, when Remi visiting the clubs in the city,he meet with Jane finally they introduced relationship(girl friend), Remi having longtime in the city hismother and wife. (Thoni) became so unhappy hencemother decided to consult the pastor so that so thatcould help them getting Remi back from the city.
The village people were also in need of him back tothe village. Villagers considered him to be their sanior who could save them out of exploitation, land alienation, they sent the elders to go and convince, him to come back, also the pastor went to convince him to return at home.
Remi went back to the village with his friend Omange being in the village blaming the villagers for being tribalists and the pastor for having divided the people with his church Remi urged them to live together and work. Without rising some difference among htem so that they could solve.
THE BLACK HERMIT
PLAY WRIGHT : NGUGI WA THIONG’O
SETTING : UGANDA, 1968 (POST INDEPENDENCE)
INTRODUCTION OF THE PLAY
Their problems and develop, such building of more schools, and to work hard in order to create a new nation. He later blamed his mother so sarcastically sayng that she had made him marry a woman who loved another man.
Remi spoken badly about Thoni that she didn’t even care to listen to what he had to say, Thon feels so bad with harsh words, insults and how Remi undermined infront of people finally, Thoni decided to run away from the meeting and hang up in the forest, Remi causing her death.
CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERIZATION
Characters refer to persons who participate to the work of an art and characterization is the total way in which character use to perform in the work of an art.
Characters in the story are divided into two types like
Main character
Minor character
1. Main character
Just a person almost appears or plays a large part in the story or work of art (eg) Remi.
2. Minor character
Is a person who appears in the story but in some parts not all parts of the story and does not concentrate in main topic/them (eg) Nyobi.
REMI
Is the son of Nyobi and Ngome only one who sent/went to university. He has changing behavior (at beginning was God – fearing child and feels shy with girls). He refused to marry Thoni He gets whit girl friend called Jane in the city. He wanted to back home by his mother and elders. He causes death of Thoni.
Is a village girl first loved by Remi. She is given to Remi but he runs away in the city
She is committed to Remi and ready to wait for him
She decided to kill herself
NYOBI
Thon’s mother in law
She is widow, her husband died after shock
She takes care of Thoni, advice and love her
She had written many letters to Remi but no relpy
She gets frustrated following Thoni’s death
JANE
Remi’s whit girl friend in the city
She loved Remi but not aware ready having a wife
back in the village
She is already live with Remi despite their race
PASTOR
Is a strong Christian
He influenced Remi to be a God fearing child
He is strong against traditional beliefs
OMANGE
He is a Remi’s friend in the city
He is from another to go back in the village
He takes Remi to be a true nationalist
LEADERS AND ELDERS
They want Remi back in the village
The decide to follow him since they considered him
to be their savior
They are traditionalist and believe in magic powers
They go to Remi with Marua medicine to convince
him to come back.
THE BLACK HERMIT
PLAY WRIGHT : NGUGI WA THIONG’O
SETTING : UGANDA, 1968 (POST INDEPENDENCE)
INTRODUCTION OF THE PLAY
THEMES
Theme, refers to a central main idea in the story. In this
book of “THE BLACK HERMIT” contains a variety of
themes, the following are discussed themes;-
There are several conflicts, which can be analyzed as
follows.
Conflicts can be defined as the situation of engaged in
misunderstanding among the group of people.
The playwright categorized conflicts in various ways
1. Christians (pastor) vs traditionalist (elders)
The conflict between two sides occurs because all they
wanted Remi for their interests example pastor wants
Remi to be the future leader of the church.
1. Remi vs his mother
Remi and his mother are in conflict since Nyobi (Remi’s
mother) support the idea of marrying THoni, a wife of
Remi’s brother.
1. Remi vs Jane
Also Remi and Jane engaged in conflict after Jane
discovered that Remi lying her that they could marry
while he left a wife at the village Thoni.
1. Remi vs Omange
Remi was in conflice with Omange because of how the
new government system should and be, Remi wants new
government to be strict (eg) people should not have the
rights to strike while Omange is suppose the ideas of
Remi.
1. Remi vs tribal members
Remi is in conflict tribe members because he talked to
them in a bad way, not politely.
INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT
Nyobi is/not happy with the death of her husband
Disappearance of Remi
She writes many letters but there is no reply
TRADITION (AFRICAN TRADITION)
SUPERSTITION
We see the elders believing in Marua medicine that
can change Remi’s mind
We see also when elders go to Remi one of them
carries a bundle of medicine in banana leaf.
The elders also believe that the neighbouring village
has been witched them because of jerous.
In this book an Author shows us according to Marua
tribe one can inherit a wife of his brother example is
Remi.
RELIGION
In this book we have seen some people are
traditionalists like the elders and leaders others are
Christians who believe in Jesus Christina like the family
of Remi and Pastor.
PROTEST
This means to go against something or someone
People protest against unfair government
Remi is protesting against tribalism
Remi is still protest against exploitation land alienation
and oppression done by the government.
BUILDING THE FUTURE (CHANGES)
Buildings the future is the situation of someone struggle
to bring new appearance (changes) in the society. Remi
struggle to bring changes in the village, wants to be free
to find own development. But elders are not ready to
change because of primitive.
LACK OF DISUNITY
Is the situation of lacking unity.
In the book disunity is the problem caused by tribalism
and religious factions.
IRRESPONSIBILITY
Remi is irresponsible person when the problem occurred
in his society, he does not want to run away from
because to run away from the problem or responsibility
can create even bigger problem.
AWARENESS
Is the situation of being conscious in the society
Remi is aware in the village just like God – fearing child,
respects his parents, pastor and the elders of the village.
Remi is always willing to do the right things.
ROLE OF WOMEN (POSITION OF WOMEN)
The role of women means how the women play parts in
the society, like responsibility, duties, respects and
decision making.
THE BLACK HERMIT
PLAY WRIGHT : NGUGI WA THIONG’O
SETTING : UGANDA, 1968 (POST INDEPENDENCE)
INTRODUCTION OF THE PLAY
Women are seen to be inferior because they are used as
instruments for leisure (luxury) in the society.
MESSAGE OF THE PLAY
This means the lessons that someone can get from the
work of an art (eg) books, films, pictures, Ngugi wa
Thiong’o is among the great playwritters who teach us,
so that we can get the message and to make the society
change when we tell that:-
(i) Brings changes in the society is not overnight
process, so that it’s the struggle that need the time or
responsibility.
(ii) To run away from the problems is not a way of
solve it, since she/he can cause problems.
(iii) People are supposed to united, courageous,
committed when they want to solve their problems.
(iv) When one want to organize for changes, should be
careful in mobilizing people, since she/he can use
confusion if not well organized.
(v) Lack of proper stand and how understanding can
make fail to solve problems
THE BLACK HERMIT
PLAY WRIGHT : NGUGI WA THIONG’O
SETTING : UGANDA, 1968 (POST INDEPENDENCE)
INTRODUCTION OF THE PLAY
TRADITION (AFRICAN TRADITION)
SUPERSTITION
We see the elders believing in Marua medicine that
can change Remi’s mind
We see also when elders go to Remi one of them
carries a bundle of medicine in banana leaf.
The elders also believe that the neighbouring village
has been witched them because of jerous.
In this book an Author shows us according to Marua
tribe one can inherit a wife of his brother example is
Remi.
RELIGION
In this book we have seen some people are
traditionalists like the elders and leaders others are
Christians who believe in Jesus Christina like the family
of Remi and Pastor.
PROTEST
This means to go against something or someone
People protest against unfair government
Remi is protesting against tribalism
Remi is still protest against exploitation land alienation
and oppression done by the government.
BUILDING THE FUTURE (CHANGES)
Buildings the future is the situation of someone struggle
to bring new appearance (changes) in the society. Remi
struggle to bring changes in the village, wants to be free
to find own development. But elders are not ready to
change because of primitive.
LACK OF DISUNITY
Is the situation of lacking unity.
In the book disunity is the problem caused by tribalism
and religious factions.
IRRESPONSIBILITY
Remi is irresponsible person when the problem occurred
in his society, he does not want to run away from
because to run away from the problem or responsibility
can create even bigger problem.
AWARENESS
Is the situation of being conscious in the society
Remi is aware in the village just like God – fearing child,
respects his parents, pastor and the elders of the village.
Remi is always willing to do the right things.
ROLE OF WOMEN (POSITION OF WOMEN)
The role of women means how the women play parts in
the society, like responsibility, duties, respects and
decision making.
Women are seen to be inferior because they are used as
instruments for leisure (luxury) in the society.
MESSAGE OF THE PLAY
This means the lessons that someone can get from the
work of an art (eg) books, films, pictures, Ngugi wa
Thiong’o is among the great playwritters who teach us,
so that we can get the message and to make the society
change when we tell that:-
(i) Brings changes in the society is not overnight
process, so that it’s the struggle that need the time or
responsibility.
(ii) To run away from the problems is not a way of
solve it, since she/he can cause problems.
(iii) People are supposed to united, courageous,
committed when they want to solve their problems.
(iv) When one want to organize for changes, should be
careful in mobilizing people, since she/he can use
confusion if not well organized.
(v) Lack of proper stand and how understanding can
make fail to solve problems.
