Ibun
jazar Islamic secondary school
Play
analysis
THREE
SUITORS: ONE HUSBAND
Playwright: Guillaume Oyono – Mbia
Setting: Traditional village of
Mvoutessi in Cameroon.
Year: 1960.
At first the book was written in French in 1960 and first publicly
staged in Yaoundé, Cameroon 1961. It was translated into English by the author
and given its first performance in Britain at University of Keele in February
1967.
CHARACTERISATION
1)
ATANGANA
2)
ABESSOLO, Atangana`s father
3)
ONDUA, Atangana`s brother
4)
BELLA, Atangana`s mother
5)
MATALINA, Ondua`s daughter
6)
OYONO, Atangana`s son
7)
MAKRITA, Atangana`s wife
8)
JULIETTE, Atangana`s daughter
9)
MBARGA, The village headman
10)
MEZOE, RELATIVE
11)
KOUMA, JULIETTE`S COUSIN
12)
OKO, HER FIENCE
13)
NDI, FIRST SUITOR
14)
MBIA, THE
SECOND SUITOR
15)
TCHETGEN, THE THIRD SUITOR
16)
SANGA-TITI, THE WITCH DOCTOR
17)
ENGULU, MBIA`S DRIVER
GENERAL
SUMMERY
The
author uses Juliette as a main character of the play. Juliette is a student who
has been away from the village studying at Secondary School in Libamba. While at school, she meets her fiancé who is supposed to be
introduced to her parents and other relatives. She is expected to arrive home
at any time.
JULIETTE
ARRIEVES HOME
All the relatives are eager waiting for her. At home, the relatives
choose two suitors and receive the bride price. Her coming is a great pleasure
to the relatives since they want her to get married.
The first suitor is called Ndi. He is a peasant and has already
paid 100,000 francs as dowry.
The second suitor is called Mbia, who is a senior civil servant.
Mbia is going to pay 200,000 francs as a bride price. All villagers are already
supporting Mbia since he is wealthier
than a peasant (Ndi). And will help them in so many things, including solving
their problems when they are arrested for engaging in illegal business. Mbia is
expecting to happen at any time, a good coincidence for Atangana. As Juliette arrives, she is surprised or
rather shocked to hear that they want her to get married.
Juliette is shocked because of three things. First, she wants to
continue with further studies. Second, she has not been consulted on matters
that concern her and her life like marriage. According to her, she is supposed
to be consulted first instead of the family deciding on her behalf. That is her
right and the family has not that right. Third, she has got a fiancé of her own
choice called Oko.
As she argues against the family and demanding to be consulted, the
family and other relatives are shocked since she is doing what is contrary to
the tradition. In her society, it is men who decide whom a girl should marry.
They have their own set of priorities or criteria to judge as far as the
marriage concerned. As the argument goes on Mbia arrives. Everybody is excited
and Mbia seizes to impress them by behaving like a great man.
With a lot of pomposity, Mbia pays the bride price, 200,000 francs
hand it to Mbarga. After paying, he majestically says ha has to leave since he
has to attend a cocktail party ay a Secretary of state`s private residence this
evening… Instead of going to the party, he goes to drink Arki (a traditional
illegally distilled liquor with high alcoholic content) at Mbaga`s house.
In fact all family members want Juliette to marry Mbia because he
is seen to be wealthy as he introduces himself with a lot of majesty. But
Juliette clings to her firm stand, she love Oko, a student and she want to
marry only him. To archives her goal she secretly takes the bride price paid by
Ndi and Mbia (a total of 300,000 francs) and gives it to Oko, her fiancé. Oko
hesitates, but she convinced him to take the money since it is going to be paid
back to the family. Oko accept the idea after understanding and becomes happy
to see that Juliette is facilitating the marriage between her and him, because he also loves her so
much.
As the money disappear, Atangana gets a lot of panic, the whole
family is also in panic. They first convince Ndi to pay 200,000 francs so that they can pay it
back to Mbia and take Juliette Ndi
Refuses and threatens to take them to police. This intensifies such panic that,
they then go to Mbia (which is now drunk ) to convince him to pay another 100,
000 francs so that they can re pay Ndi and allow him to take Juliette. Mbia
also becomes furious and, like Ndi, threatens to call Police.
Finally, Mbaga suggests that a witch doctor be called so as to find
out through magic, who has stolen the money. The witch doctor is Singa –Titi,
but he is a cheat and a thief. Sanga-titi
does not help them find the thief. He starts threatening them with evil sprits
and death so that they can give him a lot of animals as gifts. He tells a lot
of lies at the same time he continue to demand a lot of things from the
villagers. After discovering his lies, the villagers become angry and chase him
away. So the problem of money is not solved yet since the witch doctor is
merely scoundrel.
Blames continue raining on Juliette from the family member. Later
Juliette suppresses them by saying she is ready to marry the first man who
gives 300,000 francs as a bride price since she is sure that it will be Oko.
Then she insists that the man should pay that amount and no more. she says so
because she knows Oko cannot afford buying so many presents that are usually
demanded by the relatives.
Then, Tchetgen, a trader arrives and the villages convince him to
pay 300,000 francs. As they are still
bargaining, Oko arrives and dressed like a great man.
He decides to show the villagers that they must listen to the view of
the girl who is get married. This causes conflict with Atangana, and even other
insists that Juliette must be asked, and finally Juliette asked which suitor
she wants. She categorically chooses Oko. Oko pays the bride price and every
one celebrates the wedding.
In deed where there is the
will there`s a way. Juliette and
Oko win the race to ward their desire marriage through a lot of challenges.
Entanglement e.t.c. Determination, confidence, cooperation between her and Oko
and patience leads to the attainment of highly intended goal.
CHARACTERIZATION
- ABESOLO
He represents the oldest generation. He is a father of Atangana and
Ondua. He believes that the world is changing and school destroys the young. According
to him the girls should not be sent to school. He defends traditions.
He looks at women as inferior people who are not supposed to consult
when it comes to important matters like marriage. He defends the old taboos,
like prohibiting women and young men from eating the vipers, instead be eaten
by male elders.
He wants to stop the marriage between Juliette and Mbia, since Mbia
is closely related. He accept breaking the traditional norms by accepting Mbia
to marry Juliette. He is against school but proud of Juliette`s success in
school and hence wants higher bride price. He is against the new changes but
expects to benefit from them. He is also conservative.
2.
BELLA
She is Abesolo`s wife. She
is strong supports traditional ways of life even on the questions of women. She completely accepts her inferior position in the society and
agrees with her husband in all ways, for example, she supports him when he says
“ you must beat your wives”.
She also complains that some women are breaking the traditional
taboos. She is shocked by the way Juliette behaves before her father. She
reacts toward Juliette “Juliette! A girl should never speak when her father’s
speaking”. She supports the ideas that a girl should marry for the goods of the
family and not for her personal interest.
She wants Juliette to make them rich by marrying Mbia. According
to her, a girl is not permitted to fall
in love out of her will, it is the community`s concern. Despite her strong
support on traditions, Bella is also affected by new values, since she is proud
when Juliette succeeds and she will marry a “real white man”.
She is like Abessolo that she is contradictory character, since she
wants Juliette to follow traditions while she is appreciating new ways of life.
She remains a traditional woman, a shadow of her husband doing everything to
please him. The ideas from her husband is enough, she doesn’t need to give her
own ideas.
3.
Ondua
He is the son of Abesollo and Bella. He is more lazy and much more drunkard. He spends all his life drinking palm wine or ark. He is always arrested by the Police for being drunk and disorderly. He is always thinking of drinks before anything else. Even when Atangana concludes the marriage, Ondua cries out “Ah
Atangana! What about the drinks?”
He is depends entirely on his wife, Monica. She does all the work
on the farm. So he is living parasitic life. He is very strange, despite
depending on her wife, she still despises women. He says “No sensible man
should west his time trying to reason with them”.
Like other man, Ondua opposes secondary school since it corrupt
girls. He is proud of his daughter Martalina for following traditions.. He is
also having contradictions since he wants Matalina to marry a rich suitor who
follows new values.
4.
AtanganA
He is the father of Juliette and Oyono. He is the son of Abesolo and bella. Like other men, he believes that men are superior to women. According to him, women should do all the working in the farm. He is ignorant and oppressor, he becomes angry when his wife comes
late from the bush, wants her come early home and cook for him. He believes
that her daughter should make him become rich. So he wants her to marry a
parson who gives the highest bride price.
After the payment of bride price, he demands fantastic things, such
as: A radio with set with gramophone, a bicycle, 4 suits, 5 blankets, a sewing
machine, and 10 loin clothes, kitchen ware. Others are 10 sacks of rice, 4
oxen, 15 sheep, 10 goats, 20 pigs, and thirty cases of red wine.
He sees Juliette`s education as an investment. He says “when I sent
her to Secondary School, I was just saying to everybody “someday” I will
benefit from that” He is angry when Juliette refuses to marry Mbia. He regrets
for having spent all cocoa money to educate her. He wants to use the bride
price to get his son, Oyono, a wife.
At the beginning Atangana wants to consult his daughter about her
marriage, but is prohibited by Abesollo who thinks that this is stupid. He has
illusions that Juliette will agree to marry such a great man, but is shocked to
see her refusing. He believes Sanga-Titi even when he knows thet he is telling lies,
and continue give him more things with out realizing tat he is just exploiting
them
5.
Makrita
She is Atangana`s wife, and is just like Bella since she believes
that women are designed to serve and obey men. She accept women`s inferior position in the society. She is also a woman of contradiction. First she takes Ndi to be
good suitor since she helped in the farm. But
when she is told that Mbia is now a suitor she immediately follows what has
been decided by men.
She is very hard working, spending all day in the farm. She is not pleased with the way Juliette speaks when her father
speaks. Attangana
blames her that she has destroyed Juliette.
Like other peoples in the village, she has also been affected by
the new values. To her money proves love and the most important suitor is the
one who is wealthy. She even want to know Oko has a car or not. To her men are
superior and girls have no freedom.
6.
MBARGA
He is a village headman. He
talks of his importance, “A great man like me! Is there any one in the village
who doesn`t know that I am a very wise man?” He demands that the villagers should recognize his greatness hence
he has been blessed by the dead fathers of the village in a dream. He is not
afraid of Mbia, hence he is nearly as big as Mbia.
He is proud and arrogant of his position. He wants to be introduced
to Mbia as the village headman. He later introduces himself.
Mbaga is Polygamist; he has twelve wives and think of marring
another. He also uses his position in corrupt way. He distills “Arki” in his
own house and he is not arrested. He shows a lot of concern during Juliette`s
marriage, hence he expected to benefit
from it.
He is very cunning; he flatters Mbia so much so that Mbia goes on
giving him more battles of wine. He gives a crazy idea of taking Juliette
around all offices to find a suitor. He is so ignorant that he cannot easily
recognize Sanga –Titi`s lies hence he gives him two rams so that he can purify
the village. He is also fooled into believing that Oko is a great man, greater
than Mbia.
Like other elders, he supports traditions. He is against Juliette
being given a chance to speak. He convinces members to allow Mbia to marry
Juliette since he is an important man in the government.
7.
SANGATITI
He is a false Witch doctor. He is very cunning and interested in
getting rich by cheating the villagers, so he takes advantage of their
ignorance. He uses his mirror, antelope horns, etc. to fool people.
First he listens to what the villagers say and then says as if he
knew it before. His mirror tells him nothing. He hears what Atangana says about
the stolen money and pretends to have discovered it before and the villagers
are impressed.
He creates threats and fear among the villagers. He is therefore, a
corrupt man who uses villager's ignorance to exploit them. When they realizes
him, they chase him.
8. MBIA
He is a second suitor who is a great civil servant. He pompously
introduces himself that he works in a large office and the secretary of state
known him personally. He is accepted to marry Juliette even if he is closely
related to her. He pays the bride price of 200,000francs.
He is polygamist, as he has eight wives and Juliette is going to be
the ninth. He is also liar, he gives the villagers a lot of lies when the
villagers demand a lot of things from him. He says he has to leave since he has
to attend a cocktail party at the secretary of state`s private residence, but
spends the rest of the day drinking Arki at Mbaga`s place.
Mbia is arrogant and lacks respect to the family; hence he wants to
pay and leaves at once. He has a petty dream of becoming a great man in the
state. He is rejected by Juliette. He becomes angry and threatens the villagers
of bringing ten Police commissioners to come and deal with them. Mbia is
corrupt and is part of the ruling class in town who get rich from villagers.
9.
JULIETTE
She is a daughter of Atangana and granddaughter of Abessolo. She
represents the educated young girls who have begun going against the
traditional values. She has been studying at Libamba Secondary School and has
passes the exam, hence everybody is happy and proud of her success.
She has fallen in love with fellow student Oko, who she wants to
marry. The family chooses her the suitors, that is Ndi and Mbia, and they want
to her to marry Mbia because he is great man. To attain her goal she decides to
take the money secretly from her father Atangana and gives it to Kouma so that
Oko can use it as a bride price.
She fight for freedom of women and the chance to express herself
confidently. She identifies her position, that she needs to be free and sticks
to Oko, her choice. She is an intelligent girl, and she is fighting against
oppression of men ageist women.
She wants to teach men that women are also important in the
society, since they can make wise decisions, which might lead to development. Juliette
stands as an icon for necessary changes in the society, which is women
emancipation
10.
OKO
He is a schoolboy who wants to marry Juliette. He is not accepted
by Juliette`s family since he is student and hence poor. He becomes angry when
he hears that Mbia is the chosen suitor. He is given money by Juliette, stolen
from Atangana. He is educated and is after changes, and he is against traditions.
He doesn`t want to see women being oppressed, that is why he wants to fight for
Juliette`s freedom to speak. He comes to Atangana`s home like a great man and
pays 300,000 francs. He successes to attain his goal, by taking the advantage
of the ignorance of the society.
DISCUSSION
“Choose
only two characters from this book you have read and show their similarities
and differences”.
THEMATIC
ANALYSIS
i.
Tradition
and Family
a)
Economy
The people depend on agriculture as the economics of the village. The
main crops are plantation, corn and groundnuts. Also they have their have their
own crafts, for example Atangana is making a basket while Abesolo is sculpturing
or carving.
Women are the main producers in the farms, for example Atangana`s
wife has not come back early from the farm. She arrives from the farm with a
basket full of cassava, banana, sugar cane, etc.
b)
Religion.
Most of the villagers still keep many traditional beliefs. They
believe in their gods and spirits for example owls and chimpanzees represent
the evil spirits of the past. They also believe strongly in the power of their
dead ancestors who watch over the society from the spirit world.
c)
Bride
price.
Men are supposed to pay bride price so as to have wife. Thye girl
for whom higher bride price is paid is valued more.
d)
Taboo
Women are not allowed to eat vipers and young men eat only by
special permission. For example, Mbaga complains of the young people Belinga
and Owono because of eating the viper without elder`s permission.
e)
Traditional
Dances
There are dances called “Nyeng” which are performed by Mezoe, Oyono
and Ondua.
f)
Meetings
People seem to have tendency of meeting to discuss important issues
like marriage. The drum Is used for calling people. For example, when mbia
arrives, the drum is beaten to invite people.
g)
Polygamy
Mvoutessi men are polygamous and this makes women become more
inferior. For example, Mbia has eight wives and if he marries Julliette she
will be the ninth wife.
h)
Eating
Etiquette
The author shows that traditionally children are supposed to
observe eating manners. When eating the elders are heard scolding the children
who don’t eat properly.
i)
Position
of women
Women occupy an inferior position in the society.
Firstly, women do nearly all work. Most men do not go to the farm
except few like Ndi. Women are also expected to come back home early after
shamber work and do the cooking. When they come late, even if they have been
working, they are trouble. For example, Makrita is still in the shamba but
Atangana is complaining.
Secondly, women have no say in the society, even on matters that
concern their life. For example, Julliette is not asked about the man she wants
to marry.
Thirdly, traditionally, girls for whom a high bride price is paid
are respected more because high bride price is the recognition of obedience and
hardworking.
Last but not least, women are beaten in the society so as to make
them obedient to their husband. Abesolo, for example is complaining because
things are changing and sometimes women are asked for an opinion. He insists “I
warn you again, you must beat your wives! yes beat them! And treat your
daughters just the same way”
j)
Family
and Community
An individual is supposed to be loyal to the family and community
at large. Individual`s wishes are not such important. Bella for example, tells
Julliette, “since when do girls fall in love without the permission of their
family?”. Therefore, love and marriage are the matters to be decided by the
family in accordance with the norms and values of the community.
Her bride price is to be used by Oyono, her brother to pay the
bride price for the wife she want to marry.
k)
Change
Although the villagers are still leading a large traditional life,
the coming of the Europeans has introduced many changes into the society.
Education changes the altitude of the young. They start go against
their traditions. Julliette, for example, goes against the traditions like the
bride price. To her, bride price has no great meaning, that is why she even
steals the bride price and give it to Oko.
She also, dares to speak before men like her father Atangana which
is contrary to the norms of the society
