Instructions: Read the following dramatic scene and answer ALL the questions that

follow.

It is late afternoon and there is a festival in progress with singing and dancing, ODALE is in
the midst of the dancers, carried away by the chanting and drumming.

Soldiers enter. They push roughly through the crowd and go off. Following close behind is
LEICHO, ODALE’S twin sister who is obviously distraught. She tries to draw ODALE’s
attention, but ODALE is too intent on what she is doing.

Drumming, dancing and singing continue.

LEICHO Odale! Odale!

(ODALE dances, possessed.)

Odale! Listen! Stop it and listen to me!

(ODALE still dances.)

Odale! Akwele! I’ve got news for you

(LEICHO is holding her sister now, restraining her)

Listen! Listen Odale! Listen to me! I have news!

ODALE (Still dazed, still dancing) What? 5

LEICHO News! News I tell you!

ODALE What news?

LEICHO It’s our brother, Odale!

ODALE Our brother?

LEICHO Yes! 10

ODALE Tawia?

LEICHO Yes!

ODALE What has happened to Tawia?

LEICHO Oh, Odale! ...I hear ...Oh I’m sure it’s not true! I hope it’s not true! But I hear
that he’s captured! 15

ODALE (Stops dancing, alert now. The rest of the dancers have gone off)

What Leicho! Are you sure? Who told you this?

LEICHO Those soldiers …

(Soldiers enter again. The twins are silent, while the soldiers march off.)

I overheard what they were saying. It seems there was a bloody battle just outside the
own and our brother was captured. 20

ODALE Captured? O Tawia …If they capture you, they will …

(Women from ODALE’S household rush on, wailing, mourning cloths on their heads.)

LEICHO What has happened?4

ODALE Tell us, quickly, who is dead?

(Wailing continues.)

Please, what has happened?

LEICHO Tell us, tell us, tell us. 25

THE WOMEN O the curse of the gods is upon us

The curse of the gods is upon us

Our household is ruined

Our cooking places destroyed.

(The wailing continues.)

LEICHO But what has happened? 30

ODALE Who is dead, whom are you weeping for?

Adapted from: Odale’s Choice Act 1 Scene 1

By Edward Kamau Brathwaite

1. Consider the stage directions at the opening of the scene.

(a) State two (2) activities in which people at the festival participate.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________(2 marks)

(b) Identify the atmosphere created at this point.

_____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________(1 mark)

2. Look closely at lines 1 – 21.

(a) What is Leicho’s major role in this scene?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________(2 marks)

(b) How do her words affect Odale’s behaviour?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________(2 marks)

3. During this scene, soldiers march on and off the stage.

(a) Why do the sisters fall silent when the soldiers come on the second time?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________(2 marks)

(b) What effect would the presence of the soldiers have on the audience?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________(2 marks)
4. (a) Give one example of repetition from the passage.

_____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________(1 mark)

(b) What effect does the example have on the audience?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________(2 marks)

5. (a) State two (2) ways in which the entrance of the women from Odale’s household

would attract the attention of the audience.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________(2 marks)

(b) In what way does the atmosphere change at this point?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________(1 mark)

6. (a) As suggested by the scene, say what might have happened to their brother, Tawia.

_____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(b) Explain what leads you to this conclusion?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________(2 marks)