William Shakespeare: A Short Biography

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Childhood

   William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet born in Stratford Upon Avon on April, 1564. He was born and raised by his parents, John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. Growing up, he had the privileges many others didn't have mainly because his father, John Shakespeare was one of the most prosperous men of Stratford, who also attained the position of chief offices in town. Going to school and getting a proper education was one of the priviledges, many assume that Shakespeare attended King Edward VI Grammar School. Hence, helping him become the learned and highly achieved man he is today.

Work

   William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright. He was famous in the Elizabethan Era and was recognized to most by his plays. Plays such as: Macbeth; Romeo & Juliet; King Lear; Othello;  The Merchant of Venice and Hamlet, just to name a few of his more well-known plays. He presented these plays in the sanctity of the Elizabethan theaters. He moved from theatre to theatre presenting his plays because none of the theatres in those times were permanent. However, in 1576 he built a theatre in Shoreditch, the experiment was quite a success and by 1592 there were two more playhouses in London. Shakespeare also comprised sonnets (as well as his theatrical works) as his main form of poetry. He made poems entitled: Venus and Adonis; The Rape of Lucrece and A Lover's Complaint. 

Accomplishments

   William Shakespeare was named one of the more senior members of the Lord Chamberlain's men. This was an acting company which often performed before the court. This prominent theatre company later became the royal company called the King's Men, making Shakespeare an official playwright to the King of England. His success blossomed so simultaneously that he and his family was granted a Coat of Arms which gave Shakespeare the title of a 'gentleman'. Shakespeare later became part of the ownership of the famous Globe Theatre where many of his plays were later performed. 

Death

   William Shakespeare died on April, 1616. However, written upon his tomb stone is an appeal bearing a curse to anyone who were to move his bones. It read:

Good friend, for Jesus´ sake forbeare
To digg the dust enclosed here!
Blest be ye man that spares thes stones
And curst be he that moues my bones.

    

Irony And Conflict

Irony is a technique of indicating, as through character or plot development, an attitude opposite to that which is actually or ostensibly stated. 


1. There are three types of irony. List them
The three types of irony are: 1. Situational Irony
                                           2. Verbal Irony
                                           3. Dramatic Irony

Situational Irony is when the opposite of what is expected to occur, happens.

Verbal Irony usually occurs in conversation, the speaker intends to be understood as meaning something that contrasts with the literal or usual meaning of what he says eg. sarcastic comments.

Dramatic Irony is when the reader or audience are aware of something that the characters in the story are not.

2.  Define internal conflict and external conflict.


a. Internal conflict is a mental or emotional struggle that occurs within a character.


b. External conflict is a struggle that occurs between a character and outside forces, which could be another character or the environment.

3. Discuss the different conflicts in Brother Man.


The conflicts in Brother Man are:

      The obvious rivalry between Brother Man and Brother Ambo. This is shown in the very beginning of the book when Brother Man refuses to keep Brother Ambo's possessions in his house. This is an example of external conflict.

     The distress and pain Cordelia feels when her child, Tad becomes ill and Brother Man can not heal him turns into she disdain and hatred towards Brother Man. She turns away from Brother Man's teachings and goes to Brother Ambo. This is an example of internal conflict.

    Girlie and Papacita's dysfunctional relationship is the dominant conflict within the book. Papacita's promiscuity increases and so too does Girlie's jealousy. Resulting in constant arguments and fights. However, the conflict  persists especially when Papacita leaves Girlie's house and rents a house of his own. This is an example of external conflict.

    Corporal Jennings brings out his frustration on not being able to find weed on the streets on a little boy. This is an example of external conflict.

   The people of Orange Lane betraying Brother Man based on generalization and brutally stone and jeer at him as a result. This is an example of external conflict.

   Minette's unwavering and romantic love for Brother Man makes her consistently throw herself at Brother Man although Brother Man only has unconditional love for her. This is an example of internal conflict

Letter to the Editor

                                                                                                                                     Friars Hill Road

                                                                                                                                     St. John's

                                                                                                                                     Antigua

                                                                                                                                     3rd November,1954

Editor
Observer Publications
Coolidge
St. John's
Antigua

Dear Editor,
                   Recently, on November 1st, I witnessed the brutal attack of a man informally referred to as 'Brother Man'. The brawl took place in a small village called Orange Lane in Jamaica. I watched as the savage villagers involved in this attack chanted "Down de old Ras Tafarite, murderers dem" whilst women and children joined in the harsh words and shouting.
    As the chanting worsened and grew louder the crowd became more enraged, more violent against the man chanting and singing obscenities such as "Run man wi'dout beard, beard man after you" in-sighting violence into many persons hearts. A woman decided to release her rage and in doing so threw a brick aiming directly for Brother Man's head.
    Even as the blood splattered and the man grew weak, persons still threw the stones, unafraid of committing murder as long as one less 'murderer' was off the streets. The blood-thirsty crowd continued on like a pack of wolves descending upon their prey. The scenery was so gruesome, I never once imagined a people to be so cruel to their own kind.
    I, however, was a bit enlightened when an old lady came on the scene and threw her frail, weak body over Brother Man's as if sacrificing herself for his own protection and safety. I, a young female did not have the strength to intervene yet this old woman did, I was a bit envious of her strength and will. But yet again, I was filled with disdain when the woman had hardly any strength was yet another victim of these blood-thirsty, heartless villagers.
    It was truly a very sad day in that little village in Jamaica. A day when an innocent man was victimized and ostracized, in the very society that he helped and healed persons, based on pure generalization and stereo-type. It was apparent to me that he was a strong-willed Christian man whom was loving to everyone whether wicked or kind; rich or poor he showed no sort of bias whatsoever, however, persons easily overlooked his kind character and God-like nature simply because of his locks and beard.
     Rastafarianism is often perceived as a malpractice. However, it is often referred to as a malpractice based on discriminative views and opinions of society. Society, not being accustomed to seeing men with long beards and locked hair view it as a rebellion and as a revolt from norms and values in the society. Because revolt and rebellion is associated to Rastafarianism in most cases, persons also make use of this to instill their discriminative beliefs in-sighting visions of murder and theft into the minds of the persons in society.

                                                                                                                 Signed,

                                                                                                                 An Unimpressed Onlooker

Brother Man Homework

1. What are some of the narrative techniques that Roger Mais uses in the novel Brother Man?

Some of the Narrative techniques used in the novel Brother Man are:
Point of View
     Roger Mais strategically uses this narrative technique. He consistently changes the persona in each chapter thus, giving different perspectives and views of the events of the story. He often writes from an omniscient perspective so as to express every character involved in the book's thoughts and feelings in the first person.

Theme
    There are several themes displayed in the book due to the fact that Roger Mais takes the time to involve everyone to express their views. The fact that  as the chapter changes a new persona is introduced is a leading factor to the variety of themes.


Characterization
Plot
Setting


2.  How does Roger Mais develop characterization?
     Roger Mais develops the characterization element of the novel by cleverly depicting the different personalities of the different characters by using the point of view narrative technique. He writes the novel from an omniscient perspective (as explained above) giving everyone's incite on the different events or situations and therefore giving every character the chance to have their individual characteristics portrayed. Also, he includes a section of the novel called 'Chorus of the People in the lane' this gives the reader an inside view into the life of the community of Kingston, Jamaica.

3. Where is the setting?
     The setting Brother Man of takes place in the slums of Orange Lane, Kingston, Jamaica in the 50's presumably. The book was published in the 50's so it is accurate to presume that the novel itself was based in that similar time frame.

4. What are some of the themes?
        Some of the themes used in the novel Brother Man include:
Infidelity
Love
Betrayal
Conflict
Religion
Revenge
Jealousy
Greed

5. Discuss the different plots that are in the book.
      First, it is evident at the beginning of the novel that Brother Man and Brother Ambo have a rivalry of sorts and are already some conflict is displayed. Bra' Ambo being the community's obeah man was known to have some items within his household which weren't exactly legal at the time. Knowing that the police were going to search his house he decided to go to Brother Man in the hopes of him storing the items in his house for a while. However, Brother Man refuses to hold any unholy items in his household and turns Bra' Ambo away. Thus, making Bra' Ambo very angry.
    
      Papacita is a young man who apparently doesn't like hard work and is a well-known 'Cassonova' to most girls in the village. He is involved in a counterfeit scheme - A scandal where both he and a man named Fellows make and use counterfeit cash. When the police (Corporal Jennings) seem to be catching on, Fellows flees the scene immediately.

       Girlie and Papacita seem to have a dysfunctional relationship. They are constantly bickering with each other. This is because of Papacita's constant flirting and infidelity. Papacita leaves Girlie and decides to live elsewhere with the thought of Minnette in his mind. Girlie of course being distraught and emotionally unstable about this decision follows him and ends up committing murder.

      Cordelia, in the beginning, is very ill. Brother Man heals her and she is very grateful. However, a few days later her child is sick. Cordelia calls Brother Man to heal her baby boy, but this time, his prayer's are unanswered. He gives her money and tells her to take the baby to the hospital. However, after going to the hospital only once, she decides to get involved with obeah and goes to Bra' Ambo. In the end, she is driven to   insanity and she ends up suffocating her child and then killing herself.

      Brother Man is a very religious but when a murder takes place and the murderer was said to have long hair and a beard like Brother Man, Persons begin to ostracize bearded men with long hair classifying them as murderers. In the end, Brother Man is stoned by several persons who believe the theory that all bearded men with long hair are murderers and Minnette saves him .

      Jesmina returns home only to find that someone has broken into her house asking for the whereabouts of her husband, Shine and the weed. Jesmina quickly maneuvers out the window before the man could cause any bodily harm to her and stays with Brother Man and Minnette for a while.

6. How is foreshadowing displayed in the book? 
        The tension between Brother Man and Brother Ambo in the beginning shows that there will be some kind of conflict towards the end of the novel. Papacita and Girlie's dysfunctional relationship leads the reader to believe that the end result would probably be murder.

7. List some examples of Flashback.
Brother Man tells Minnette of his past
Minnette tells Brother Man of her past


8.  How does religion play a huge part of the book?
        Religion evidently plays a huge part in the novel because Brother Man is constantly being portrayed as Jesus. On the cover of the novel, we see the crown of thorns placed on his head and the shining light behind him represents a Messiah or a Deity of sorts. The star behind him represents the Rastafarian religion and can also represent the Star of David. In the book, Brother Man does not seem to commit any sin and often heals the sick. When he was being stoned unjustly by the very people whom he had healed and prayed for it also made some reference or was symbolically representative of the crucifixion of Jesus-Christ. Sources verify that Minette was like Mary Magdalen. Furthermore, when a woman begged if she could wash Brother Man's feet was very significant because as in The Holy Bible, a woman off the street, a sinner, washed Jesus' feet with her tears.

'Brother Man'

Brief Biography of Roger Mais

Roger Mais  was a Jamaican journalist, novelist, poet, and playwright. He was born in Kingston, Jamaica on August 11, 1905. He was extremely prolific and by 1951, Mais had won ten first prizes in West Indian literary competitions.

Mais launched his career as a journalist and contributor for the weekly newspaper, Public Opinion from 1939 to 1952, which was associated with the People's National Party. He also wrote several plays, reviews, and short stories for the newspaper Focus and the Jamaica Daily Gleaner, focusing his articles on social injustice and inequality. He used this approach to reach his local audience and to primarily push for a national identity and anti-colonialism.

Mais has published over a hundred short stories. He went to Europe: London and Paris, to fulfill himself; hired a literary agent, wrote under the fictitious name of Kingsley Croft, and presented an art exhibition in Paris. His three main novels are The Hills were Joyful Together”(1953); “Brotherman” (1954) and “Black Lightning” (1955)

He died of cancer at the early age of forty-nine.

Critique of Brother Man

Annie Paul states that “Brother Man” is the first Jamaican novel to portray the Rastafarian in a positive light.  Back then Rastaraianism represented protest and going against the norms of society.  Back  in the  1950s Rastas were viewed with disdain as a  secret cult and a menace to public safety. According to her, :

“It’s interesting to read Brother Man today, when Rastas and things Rastafarian have acquired such cultural charisma that their image, carried abroad by stars such as Bob Marley and other dreadlocked musicians, is now routinely used to advertise Jamaica as a tourist destination.”

Wikepedia, the online Encyclopedia claims that “the book is extremely significant as it is the first serious representation of Rastafarianism in literature.” Roger Mais foresaw the defining power of the Rasta movement to Jamaican society 20 years before the era of Bob Marley and Reggae mainstream.

Gleaner Art critic, Winston Wright sees Roger Mais as a visionary and states:

“In Brother Man, Mais brought prejudice to light and projected the Rastafarian as a person of peace: it seemed he saw the role they would play in a post-colonial Jamaica.”

It must be noted that within 10 years of the book's publication, ghetto youth and middle-class children were drawn to the Rasta message, and by the 1970s, a full-fledged Rasta revolution was taking place in Jamaica.

Religious aspect as it relates to Rastafarianism

In Jamaica during the 1950s when Roger Mais wrote the book Rastas and their religion were scorned. People wrote letters to the press about the fearsome look of Rastas and stating that bearded men should be arrested and put in prison.

“They should be publicly washed and shaved! They should be banished to Africa. They should be sterilized. They should be publicly flogged.”

Rastas were viewed as potential rapists and murderers. In present day Jamaica, on the other hand, Rastas have transformed into an odd kind of respectability. Rasta values, with its ital food and conscious music are perceived to be wholesome, old-fashioned, and desirable.

In the book, good and evil in the Jamaican slums are brought to life. Mais outlines the origins of the Rastafarian cult and the hero's Christ-like walk with the ordinary people he lives with. The healer who everybody calls Brother Man, a.k.a. Bra Man, is a shoe-maker whose ability to cure the sick and injured through a mystic force elevates him to the status of a prophet. As a result, crowds follow him when he walks around the lane.

With each miracle performed, his reputation spreads. Although Brother Man devotes his life to healing and caring for the inhabitants of his neighbourhood, they turn on him when things don't go their way or at the first sign of trouble, as they are not loyal to him.

This story has almost a Christlike symbolism because just as Jesus went about doing good, but yet he was crucified; so too Brother Man is peaceful, gentle, caring and does good to all his neighbours; but they turn on him in the end.

Literature Terms (Home Work)

                                                                                                                                                    22/09/10
These are a few literary terms that are often used in stories:

A Novel is a fictitious story of book length.

A Novella is a mid-length work of fiction, shorter than a novel but longer than a short story.

A Short Story is piece of fiction that is shorter than a novel. It is traditionally based on a single plot, event, character/set of characters and typically leads quickly to a climax and resolution.

Elements of Prose Fiction

Narrative Techniques are techniques used in telling a story.

Point of View also known as narrative mode is defined as the perspective of the narrative voice.

Characterization is the process of conveying/creating the image or personality of the characters in a story.

Setting is the background, scene or environment where the story takes place.

Theme is one of the fundamental components of fiction which is the main idea or message of an essay, paragraph, movie or book.

Plot refers to the story line or plan of a literary work.

Style is a manner of putting thoughts into words or the characteristic mode of construction and expression in writing and speaking.

Literary Devices are specific aspects of literature, in the sense of its universal function as an art form which expresses ideas through language, which we can recognize, identify, interpret and/or analyze.

Imagery is language that appeals to the senses : taste, touch, sight, hearing and smell.

Symbol is a person, place or object which has a meaning in itself but suggests other meanings as well. In other words anything that suggests a meaning beyond the obvious.

Irony is the contrast between what is expected or what appears to be and what actually is.

Satire is a literary genre or form where vices, follies, abuses and shortcomings are put up for ridicule.

Allusion is a figure of speech that is used to link concepts that the reader already has knowledge of, with concepts discussed in the story. 


Structural Devices


Stream of Consciousness is a narrative mode that seeks to portray an individual's point of view by giving the written equivalent of the character's thought processes, either in a loose interior monologue, or in connection to his/her actions.

Interior Monologue is a passage of writing presenting a character's inner thoughts and emotions in a direct, sometimes disjointed or fragmentary manner.

Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point.

Foreshadowing is a

n author’s use of hints or clues to suggest events that will occur later in the story.

Time frame is a period during which something takes place or is projected to occur.

Motif is any recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story.

Juxtaposition  is the arrangement of two or more characters, actions, settings, phrases, or words side-by-side in similar narrative moments for the purpose of comparison, contrast, rhetorical effect, suspense, or character development.

The eight types of fiction are:
1.Fable
2.Science Fiction
3.Bildungsroman
4.Romance
5.Allegory
6.Picaresque
7.Gothic
8.Historical

Literary Context
 - is anything beyond the specific words of a literary work that may be relevant to understanding and meaning.

Social Context/environment also known as the milieu, is the environment of people that surrounds something's creation or intended audience. Social context reflects how the people around something use and interpret it. The social context influences how something is viewed. 

Political Context reflects the environment in which something is produced indicating it's purpose or agenda

Religious Context is the setting of a spiritual nature which sets the tone or background of a particular scene/ event in a story, novel or novelette

Ethnic Context is the ethnicity/ethnic background of the main characters in a story.

Historical Context reflects the time in which something takes place or was created and how that influences how you interpret it. In other words, it is the events that took place around something through which you understand that thing.

Moral Context sets the tone of the ethical or philosophical tone of the story.

Intellectual Context gives the academic or educational background of the protagonist.

Cultural Context is the overriding values and mores of the main characters in the book/story.