At the inception of the poem, I noticed that Lawino refers to her partner in marriage as "husband" and not by his given name. By choosing not to acknowledge her husband by name, she is, in essence, offering the reader some insight into their marriage before the poem has had the opportunity to develop. In addition, her reference to her husband as a title places her in a position of submission, one that warrants a certain amount of sympathy from the reader. She says, "Husband, now you despise me...". When she finally addresses her mate by name, the submissive voice is replaced with a stern, confident one. At this point she is no longer a victim but an authoratative figure, she says, "Listen Ocol...leave foolish behaviour to little children".
Here are the questions that I have about this text.
1. Does Okot p'Bitek use name as a character in this text on purpose?
2. Ocol's education seems to be the primary cause of the destruction of his marriage; what then is the author saying about attaining higher education as it relates to maintaining ones culture?
3. Why does Lawino only implore men (clansmen, brothers) for help with her marriage? Is this a sign of respect or an absence of authentic power on her part?
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I think that Okot 'Bitek values higher education and progress, however, attaining higher education should not mean forgetting and devaluing one's culture. I think that's what Okot is speaking out against in his poem. He accepts the technology and sees the valve of it, however, he also values the traditions of his cultures. Ocol, on the other hand, seems to have no issues with abandoning his culture in order to adopt another.
ReplyDeleteI think 'Bitek is saying that there should be balance between what we adopt form others and what we cherish and hold on to from our own cultures. However,for one to totally disregard and reject his/her culture is,in essence, rejecting his/her own existence.
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