REVOLUTIONARY AESTHETICS IN NGUGI AND MUGO’S THE TRIAL OF DEDAN KIMATHI AND HUSSEIN’S KINJEKETILE
ABSTRACT
The attempt in this study is to examine two notable East African plays, The Trial of Dedan Kimathi and Kinjeketile, against the background of revolutionary aesthetics as a means of socio-literary engagement. The work is comparative in nature. The realist dimensions in the realization of the theme of revolution are carefully examined including other major themes like oppression, exploitation, poverty, and so on. Copious inferences were drawn from the examination of the selected works. The study is included on the relevance of realist ideology in an aggressive pursuit of freedom, through revolt, against all human and material weapon of colonial
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract vi
Table of Contents vii
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 The Struggle for Independence in Africa 4
1.3 Pre-Independent Kenya 6
1.4 Pre-Independent Tanzania 7
1.5 Purpose of Study 10
1.6 Justification of Study 10
1.7 Scope and Limitation 11
1.8 Methodology 11
References 13
CHAPTER TWO
2.1 Literature Review 14
2.2 Ideological Perspectives on Ngugi Wa Thiong’O and Micere Githea Mugo 14
2.3 Ideological Perspectives on Ebrahim Hussein 18
References 21
CHAPTER THREE
3.1 Introduction 23
3.2 Authorial Background of The Playwrights 23
3.3 Analysis of The Trial of Dedan Kimathi and Kinjeketile 25
3.4 Themes and Sub-themes in The Trial of Dedan Kimathi and Kinjeketile 26
References 48
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1Summary 49
4.2 Findings 50
4.3 Conclusion 51
Bibliography 52
CHAPTER ONE
1.1INTRODUCTION
All African nations except Ethiopia have experienced one colonial administration,or the other. It has grown in leaps from pre-colonial to colonial and post-colonial. This project is concerned with the use of revolutionary aesthetics employed by Ngugi and Mugo in The Trial ofDedan Kimathiand Hussein’s Kinjeketile to conscientize and creates awareness in the people asking them to rise up and change their situation. Dating largely from the 1930’s, substantial bodies of literature in many languages exist reflecting revolutionary or otherwise extreme social situation. Literature is written to reflect the happenings in the contemporary society. Ngugi (p.6) asserts that: Literature is more than just a mechanistic reflection of the social reality… it does shape our attitude to life, the daily struggles within a community, and the daily struggleswithin our individual souls and selves. Literature is a reflection of life which records or imagines actualities in or for the society. It is employed as a weapon of change, i.e., revolution. The term “revolution” was coined from the Latin word “revolucio” which means a “turn around”. The Encyclopedia Americana (p.445) defines revolution as: