Misrepresentation, Resistance and (Re) Constructing Space in the Plays of Bate Besong and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo

Emmanuel Nchia Yimbu

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18

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Misrepresentation, Resistance and (Re) Constructing Space in the Plays of Bate Besong and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo

Emmanuel Nchia Yimbu

Published in International Journal of Literature and Arts (Volume 8, Issue 4)

Received: 24 May 2020 Accepted: 15 June 2020 Published: 4 July 2020

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Abstract

This paper examines resistance to both colonial and neo-colonial oppression, exploitation, dictatorship and marginalisation as an authorial ideology in the plays of Bate Besong, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo. In an attempt to (re) construct their misrepresented identities and create a conducive environment for the oppressed and marginalised masses, the playwrights create in their plays, characters whose principal objectives are to radically dismantle all forms of socio-cultural, economic and historical inequalities as an attempt to emancipate themselves and the masses from the excesses of colonial and neo-colonial leadership politics. Consequently, resistance is projected in the plays under study as an ancestral imperative, a social expectation and a pressing personal need towards reconstructing space for the postcolonial masses. From a Marxist and Postcolonial theoretical paradigms, this paper sustains the argument that in the plays of Besong, Ngugi and Micere, there is a radical and contestatory content and this is initiated by the kind of nauseating images and stereotypical representations given to the oppressed masses by colonial and neo-colonial leadership. The analysis in this paper reveals that resistance becomes a pivotal alternative and a condition sine qua non for the Anglophone Cameroonian and Kenyan masses to liberate their societies from the bondage imposed by colonialist in partnership with the neo-colonialist. As a result, resistance as an ideology becomes unavoidable towards deconstruction, deligitimacy and reassertion of the historical and cultural identities of the postcolonial people.

Published in	International Journal of Literature and Arts (Volume 8, Issue 4)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18
Page(s)	233-239
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Misrepresentation, Resistance, Reconstruction, Postcolonial Drama

References

[1]	AMBANASOM, S. A. Education of the Deprived. Yaounde: Yaounde Publishing House, 2003.
[2]	AMBE. N. Hilarious. Change Aesthetics in Anglophone Cameroon Drama and Theatre. Bayreuth: Roseh Brich, 2007.
[3]	ASHCROFT, Bill et al., (eds). The Post- Colonial Studies Readers. London: Rutledge, 1995.
[4]	BESONG, Bate. Requiem for the Last Kaiser. Calabar: Centaur Publishers, 1991. Once Upon Four Great Lepers. Yaounde: Edition Cle, 2003. Beasts of No Nation. Yaounde: Edition Clé, 2003.
[5]	BHABHA, K. Homi. “Signs Taken for Wonders” in The Post-colonial Studies Readers. London: Routlege, 1995, pp. 29–35.
[6]	BUTAKE, Bole. Family Saga. Yaounde: Edition Cle, 2005.
[7]	CANTALUPO, Charles. (ed). The World of Ngugi Wa Thiong’o. New Jersey: African World Press Inc, 1993.
[8]	CLOUGH, S. Marshall. Mau Mau Memoirs. Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers Inc., 1998.
[9]	COOK, David et al. Ngugi Wa Thiong’o: An Exploration of His Writings. London: HEB, 1997.
[10]	EAGLETON, Terry. Marxism and Literary Criticism. London: Methuen and Co, 1976.
[11]	HARLOW, Barbara. Resistance Literature. London: Methuen lnc, 1987.
[12]	NKENGASONG, J. Nkemngong. Black Caps and Red Feathers. Bamenda: Patron Publishing House, 2001.
[13]	NGUGI, wa Thiong’o & Micere, Gathae Mugo. The Trial of Dedan Kimathi. London: Heinemann, 1976. & Ngugi Wa Mirri. I Will Marry When I Want. London. Heinemanne, 1982. Writers in Politics. London: Heinemann, 1982.
[14]	NYAMNDI, George. “A Promethean Reading of Requiem for the Last Kaiser” in Between and Within. Yaounde: SOPECAM, 2003, pp. 20-42.
[15]	SLEMON, Stephen. “Unsettling the Empire: Resistance Theory for the Second World”in Post-Colonial Studies Readers. London: Routledge, 1996, pp. 104–110.
[16]	TANGEM, F. Donatus. “The Minority Question in the Drama of Amiri Baraka (Alias le Roi Jones) and Bate Besong”. (Phd Thesis) U of Yaounde 1, January 2008.
[17]	TUMI, Cardinal W. S. Christain. The Political Regimes of Ahmadou Ahidjo and Paul Biya, and Christain Tumi, Priest. n. p., MACACOS S. A., 2006.
[18]	STEVENS, Bonnie Klomp & L. Stewarts. A Guide to Literature Criticism and Research. New York: Holt Rinehert and Winston Inc, 1982.

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Emmanuel Nchia Yimbu. (2020). Misrepresentation, Resistance and (Re) Constructing Space in the Plays of Bate Besong and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 8(4), 233-239. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18

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ACS Style

Emmanuel Nchia Yimbu. Misrepresentation, Resistance and (Re) Constructing Space in the Plays of Bate Besong and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo. Int. J. Lit. Arts 2020, 8(4), 233-239. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18

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Emmanuel Nchia Yimbu. Misrepresentation, Resistance and (Re) Constructing Space in the Plays of Bate Besong and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo. Int J Lit Arts. 2020;8(4):233-239. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18

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@article{10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18,
  author = {Emmanuel Nchia Yimbu},
  title = {Misrepresentation, Resistance and (Re) Constructing Space in the Plays of Bate Besong and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo},
  journal = {International Journal of Literature and Arts},
  volume = {8},
  number = {4},
  pages = {233-239},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijla.20200804.18},
  abstract = {This paper examines resistance to both colonial and neo-colonial oppression, exploitation, dictatorship and marginalisation as an authorial ideology in the plays of Bate Besong, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo. In an attempt to (re) construct their misrepresented identities and create a conducive environment for the oppressed and marginalised masses, the playwrights create in their plays, characters whose principal objectives are to radically dismantle all forms of socio-cultural, economic and historical inequalities as an attempt to emancipate themselves and the masses from the excesses of colonial and neo-colonial leadership politics. Consequently, resistance is projected in the plays under study as an ancestral imperative, a social expectation and a pressing personal need towards reconstructing space for the postcolonial masses. From a Marxist and Postcolonial theoretical paradigms, this paper sustains the argument that in the plays of Besong, Ngugi and Micere, there is a radical and contestatory content and this is initiated by the kind of nauseating images and stereotypical representations given to the oppressed masses by colonial and neo-colonial leadership. The analysis in this paper reveals that resistance becomes a pivotal alternative and a condition sine qua non for the Anglophone Cameroonian and Kenyan masses to liberate their societies from the bondage imposed by colonialist in partnership with the neo-colonialist. As a result, resistance as an ideology becomes unavoidable towards deconstruction, deligitimacy and reassertion of the historical and cultural identities of the postcolonial people.},
 year = {2020}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Misrepresentation, Resistance and (Re) Constructing Space in the Plays of Bate Besong and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo
AU  - Emmanuel Nchia Yimbu
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AB  - This paper examines resistance to both colonial and neo-colonial oppression, exploitation, dictatorship and marginalisation as an authorial ideology in the plays of Bate Besong, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo. In an attempt to (re) construct their misrepresented identities and create a conducive environment for the oppressed and marginalised masses, the playwrights create in their plays, characters whose principal objectives are to radically dismantle all forms of socio-cultural, economic and historical inequalities as an attempt to emancipate themselves and the masses from the excesses of colonial and neo-colonial leadership politics. Consequently, resistance is projected in the plays under study as an ancestral imperative, a social expectation and a pressing personal need towards reconstructing space for the postcolonial masses. From a Marxist and Postcolonial theoretical paradigms, this paper sustains the argument that in the plays of Besong, Ngugi and Micere, there is a radical and contestatory content and this is initiated by the kind of nauseating images and stereotypical representations given to the oppressed masses by colonial and neo-colonial leadership. The analysis in this paper reveals that resistance becomes a pivotal alternative and a condition sine qua non for the Anglophone Cameroonian and Kenyan masses to liberate their societies from the bondage imposed by colonialist in partnership with the neo-colonialist. As a result, resistance as an ideology becomes unavoidable towards deconstruction, deligitimacy and reassertion of the historical and cultural identities of the postcolonial people.
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Author Information

Emmanuel Nchia Yimbu

Department of English, Faculty of Arts, University of Buea, South West Region, Cameroon

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APA Style

Emmanuel Nchia Yimbu. (2020). Misrepresentation, Resistance and (Re) Constructing Space in the Plays of Bate Besong and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 8(4), 233-239. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18

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ACS Style

Emmanuel Nchia Yimbu. Misrepresentation, Resistance and (Re) Constructing Space in the Plays of Bate Besong and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo. Int. J. Lit. Arts 2020, 8(4), 233-239. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18

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AMA Style

Emmanuel Nchia Yimbu. Misrepresentation, Resistance and (Re) Constructing Space in the Plays of Bate Besong and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo. Int J Lit Arts. 2020;8(4):233-239. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18

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@article{10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18,
  author = {Emmanuel Nchia Yimbu},
  title = {Misrepresentation, Resistance and (Re) Constructing Space in the Plays of Bate Besong and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo},
  journal = {International Journal of Literature and Arts},
  volume = {8},
  number = {4},
  pages = {233-239},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijla.20200804.18},
  abstract = {This paper examines resistance to both colonial and neo-colonial oppression, exploitation, dictatorship and marginalisation as an authorial ideology in the plays of Bate Besong, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo. In an attempt to (re) construct their misrepresented identities and create a conducive environment for the oppressed and marginalised masses, the playwrights create in their plays, characters whose principal objectives are to radically dismantle all forms of socio-cultural, economic and historical inequalities as an attempt to emancipate themselves and the masses from the excesses of colonial and neo-colonial leadership politics. Consequently, resistance is projected in the plays under study as an ancestral imperative, a social expectation and a pressing personal need towards reconstructing space for the postcolonial masses. From a Marxist and Postcolonial theoretical paradigms, this paper sustains the argument that in the plays of Besong, Ngugi and Micere, there is a radical and contestatory content and this is initiated by the kind of nauseating images and stereotypical representations given to the oppressed masses by colonial and neo-colonial leadership. The analysis in this paper reveals that resistance becomes a pivotal alternative and a condition sine qua non for the Anglophone Cameroonian and Kenyan masses to liberate their societies from the bondage imposed by colonialist in partnership with the neo-colonialist. As a result, resistance as an ideology becomes unavoidable towards deconstruction, deligitimacy and reassertion of the historical and cultural identities of the postcolonial people.},
 year = {2020}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Misrepresentation, Resistance and (Re) Constructing Space in the Plays of Bate Besong and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo
AU  - Emmanuel Nchia Yimbu
Y1  - 2020/07/04
PY  - 2020
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18
T2  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JF  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JO  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
SP  - 233
EP  - 239
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2331-057X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.18
AB  - This paper examines resistance to both colonial and neo-colonial oppression, exploitation, dictatorship and marginalisation as an authorial ideology in the plays of Bate Besong, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Micere Gathae Mugo. In an attempt to (re) construct their misrepresented identities and create a conducive environment for the oppressed and marginalised masses, the playwrights create in their plays, characters whose principal objectives are to radically dismantle all forms of socio-cultural, economic and historical inequalities as an attempt to emancipate themselves and the masses from the excesses of colonial and neo-colonial leadership politics. Consequently, resistance is projected in the plays under study as an ancestral imperative, a social expectation and a pressing personal need towards reconstructing space for the postcolonial masses. From a Marxist and Postcolonial theoretical paradigms, this paper sustains the argument that in the plays of Besong, Ngugi and Micere, there is a radical and contestatory content and this is initiated by the kind of nauseating images and stereotypical representations given to the oppressed masses by colonial and neo-colonial leadership. The analysis in this paper reveals that resistance becomes a pivotal alternative and a condition sine qua non for the Anglophone Cameroonian and Kenyan masses to liberate their societies from the bondage imposed by colonialist in partnership with the neo-colonialist. As a result, resistance as an ideology becomes unavoidable towards deconstruction, deligitimacy and reassertion of the historical and cultural identities of the postcolonial people.
VL  - 8
IS  - 4
ER  -

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