Brathwaite Ananse-Analysis
About Brathwaite:
Edward) Kamau Brathwaite was born in Bridgetown, Barbados, on May 11, 1930. He attended Harrison College in Barbados and graduated with honors from Pembroke College, Cambridge, England, in 1953. After working as an education officer in Ghana and teaching on the Jamaica campus of the University of the West Indies, he returned to England and received his PhD from the University of Sussex in 1968.
Ananse by Kamau Brathwaite
Ananse is a trickster spider (which often pranks and even takes human shapes) which is one of the primary characters in West African and Caribbean folklore. The poem has been divided into two parts.
In the first part, Ananse thinks and memorizes the native culture of his country which once existed but has been lost now.
In the second part, Ananse weaves and recreates the lost culture by binding past stories, cultures, words, songs of Africa and thus like God, he brings the dead African culture to life.
In every stanza, Ananse changes its form and presents something different.
Analysis:
In this poem, the poet has tried to challenge the canons of language set by colonialists. He challenges these rules by breaking away from them. He believes that the culture which had been destructed by the colonial powers can be regained only by rejecting the rules of language set by colonialists.
The very title of the poem “Ananse” depicts this deviation. The correct spelling of this word in British English is “Anansi”. However, the poet deliberately chooses the word “Ananse” to show his revolt.
In the English language, the literature is always in written form and is meant to be read, however here in this poem, we find the concept of “Orature” or oral literature which can only be understood by listening to it.
The past culture of Africa had their literature in oral form which was meant to be heard. This concept does exist in this poem. The meaning of the poem lies in the sound of the poem or in other words form of the poem gives its meaning.
This is on contrary to English literature which is in written form and is meant to be read in order to get the meaning. Thus the poet is actually referring to the importance of Orature.
The break away from the set rules can be found in the poem. e.g. poet deliberately uses the term “hun-ger” instead of “hunger”. Again he uses the word “iron-eye’d” instead of “ironied”.
The use of Ananse as the narrator, creator, and breaker signify the power of an African, who can recreate his culture, reject the colonial culture and rise to the status of God (of Colonialists). Thus we find a revolt against the domination of culture (of Colonialists) through the use of language in the poem.
Edward) Kamau Brathwaite was born in Bridgetown, Barbados, on May 11, 1930. He attended Harrison College in Barbados and graduated with honors from Pembroke College, Cambridge, England, in 1953. After working as an education officer in Ghana and teaching on the Jamaica campus of the University of the West Indies, he returned to England and received his PhD from the University of Sussex in 1968.
Ananse by Kamau Brathwaite
Ananse is a trickster spider (which often pranks and even takes human shapes) which is one of the primary characters in West African and Caribbean folklore. The poem has been divided into two parts.
In the first part, Ananse thinks and memorizes the native culture of his country which once existed but has been lost now.
In the second part, Ananse weaves and recreates the lost culture by binding past stories, cultures, words, songs of Africa and thus like God, he brings the dead African culture to life.
In every stanza, Ananse changes its form and presents something different.
Analysis:
In this poem, the poet has tried to challenge the canons of language set by colonialists. He challenges these rules by breaking away from them. He believes that the culture which had been destructed by the colonial powers can be regained only by rejecting the rules of language set by colonialists.
The very title of the poem “Ananse” depicts this deviation. The correct spelling of this word in British English is “Anansi”. However, the poet deliberately chooses the word “Ananse” to show his revolt.
In the English language, the literature is always in written form and is meant to be read, however here in this poem, we find the concept of “Orature” or oral literature which can only be understood by listening to it.
The past culture of Africa had their literature in oral form which was meant to be heard. This concept does exist in this poem. The meaning of the poem lies in the sound of the poem or in other words form of the poem gives its meaning.
This is on contrary to English literature which is in written form and is meant to be read in order to get the meaning. Thus the poet is actually referring to the importance of Orature.
The break away from the set rules can be found in the poem. e.g. poet deliberately uses the term “hun-ger” instead of “hunger”. Again he uses the word “iron-eye’d” instead of “ironied”.
The use of Ananse as the narrator, creator, and breaker signify the power of an African, who can recreate his culture, reject the colonial culture and rise to the status of God (of Colonialists). Thus we find a revolt against the domination of culture (of Colonialists) through the use of language in the poem.
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