Structure of a play

Plays are often structured by the playwright (writer of the play) into acts and scenes. An Act is a
major division in a play; whereas, a scene occurs within an Act. The scene allows the action of the
play to be broken into different segments. In so doing, each scene is often comprised of different
characters and locations, which allows the plot of the play to progress.

The Structure of Anansi by Alistair Campbell

In the play, Anansi by Allistair Campbell, the playwright does not divide the play into the traditional
Acts or scenes. Instead, the playwright presents different aspects of the story (what might have
traditionally been scenes) in the form of events happening in different sections of the boat (The
Hold, The Cabin, etc.) along with different Anansi stories.

The first question is: “Why?”. Why did the playwright choose to present the action of the play in this
way? What is the significance of this?

I can posit that Campbell structured the play in this way to allow the events of the play to mirror the
journey and feelings of the characters. At first glance, there is a sense of disorientation as one reads
the play. However, the structure of the play allows the playwright to weave all the events of the plot
together like a web.

Yet, if you look closely, you will realize that the playwright has retained the traditional play structure
( Acts and scenes).

The Acts are indicated by large bold lettering, starting first with The Good Hope Ship, West African
Coast, 1781, then moving on to The Forest of Stories, then back to the ship in On Board. This is the
general pattern of the play. The playwrights, in relating the events of the play, often move us (the
audience) from the ship to stories, then back to the ship and back to the stories. It is almost as if we
are taken from the real world to fantasy and back to the real world again.

whereas “the scenes’ are physically separated by dotted lines and held in different locations. The
playwright juxtaposes the action in the cabin to that of the deck and the hold to show perspective on
the slave trade along with its impact.

In a number of Shakespeare’s plays; he presents the subplot in different scenes. This allows the
subplot to run in parallel (alongside) with the main plot. This allows the subplot to be a secondary
storyline in the play.

 Are the stories of Anansi a subplot?

 Do they have moral lessons that can be learnt from the plot?
In closing, it must be noted that this is just one perspective on the structure of the play. I would love
to hear your analysis and thoughts on the structure of the play.

Play- ANANSI ALISTAIR CAMPBELL QUESTIONS:

1. Comment on the difference of attitudes of the father/captain to that of his son. What do we know
of these two characters so far?

His father is harsh to him being concerned about the people on the ship. He dislikes being questioned because
he is in power and doesn’t like to be questioned by his son who knows little to nothing about what’s going on.

The little Boy is concerned/ eager to learn and innocent to what’s happening.

While the father is eager for money and to please his masters back in London and only gave a care in the world
about the disease affecting the people because their money would shorten and he would have to answer to the
leaders as he was captain.

2. We know of a woman and a girl. No names given. Comment on the role of the woman to the girl.

The woman role to the girl is as of a mother encouraging her to not be afraid in such horrific time and using
things, such as the spider to give her hope. Quite frankly the role of a mother.

Dramatic Techniques in Anansi

1. Contrast- One of most noted contrast in the play is between the captain and woman. Both of them play a
parental role in the play- captain to his biological son, the boy, and the woman to the girl. Even though both
play that role, the do so differently. The woman is maternal towards the girl, encouraging her to remain strong
and to imagine herself being free. The captain is more domineering and bullying to the point where he slaps
the boy and orders him to destroy his diary.

Another contrast can be seen between the boy and the girl. Even though they are both children and are affected
by what is happening on the Good Ship Hope, their reactions are different. Where the girl is bound in the hold
of the ship, the boy is in the cabin as the captain son. Where the girl is bound and enslaved, the boy is free.
Where the girl patterns herself after the woman and begins to defiantly tell Anansi stories as means of drawing
strength when the ship docked in Kingston, the boy has taken over the task of selling the slaves because his
father was sick.

2. Symbols

In the play, the playwright largely incorporates the symbols of the Spider and Tiger to draw reference to
inner strength. In The Forest of Stories', Tiger is described as 'strong' and 'bold: He can be compared to
the white slave masters. Anansi (the spider) is seen as cunning, persistent and resilient by 'spinning a
web'. He represents the spirit of the Africans.

3. Setting

At the start of the play we see Boy and the Captain In a scene with books and ledgers. This sets them
apart as educated Europeans whose concern is the profits of the slave ship. As the audience, we are
estranged from them and even more so when two sailors are seen 'untying a body and dragging it out
of sight". Our sympathy is evoked with the images of the 'Hold' where the slaves are kept and
transported to the West Indies. The hatch is described as dark and filthy and where ·'slaves are huddled
together like cattle'. We hear that, 'Some of them are crying and falling down .,. Some are whipped and
beaten.' The audience is inspired when Girl is encouraged to imagine a happier setting. 'A forest full of
stones ... a mix of fairy tales you heard as a child to high tech cartoon fantasy.· The tales of Anansi are
also set against the endless expanse of the forest setting. Here you see Anansi playing out his tricks near
rivers, trees, bushes and in the deep forest. The playwright uses this setting to liberate Girl, as she finds
comfort in familiar tales.

4. Dramatic irony and twists in the plot There are several instances of dramatic Irony in the play. This
playwright uses this device to re reinforce the reversal of ro1es of characters, such as Anansi and Girl. At
the start of the play, both Girl and Anansi are introduced as helpless and weak. By the end of the play,
we see a Girl that has demonstrated resilience and a spider that becomes a legend of hope and free-
spiritedness. In the process of the play, the Captain, Boy and Sailor are not aware of the growing
strength of Girl. Also, the characters of the forest take Anansi for granted: Tiger, Snake, Mancrow, Crab
and Her are all deceived by his cunning ways as he attempts to confront the powerful.