ANALYSIS OF THE PLAY

THE BLACK

HERMIT

WRITEN BY NGUGI WA THIONG’O

UGANDA, 1968 (POST INDEPENDENCE)

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 INTRODUCTION OF THE PLAY
“The black Hermit” is an impressive social play just talks about social realities and
his centered in both rural and town life.
· The play talks about tribalism as the biggest problem be setting the new East African
countries.
· Inheritance of widow (women) just put as something crucial/centre theme to the
play. It is topic that makes society to disintegrate (separate) and conflicts.
· The characters are Remi, Thon, Nyobi, Jane Omange, Pastor, leaders and elders,
some of them presents as upholders of African traditional.
· They play divided into form of scene.

OVER VIEWS
An author used Remi as main character in this plays, Remi loved a girl called Thom
in his village but he feels shy to tell her the truth. He tried to conflict his brother but
refuses to do so, finally Remi went to college.

One day when he was at the college; Remi received a letter from home informing
him that Thoni and his brother were to be married, Remi was hert about that.

Few months after married (hardly six months) his brother died an accident, Remi’s
brother knocked by car due to that situation his father fell it as a result of the shock
following the death of Remi’s brother.

Remi’s father during his illness he called to his bed and told to marry Thoni, his
brother’s widow (Thoni).

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Father told Remi “you know our custom, you brother’s wife is now your wife” Remi
did not believe that Thoni really loved him because she had, already identified her
love to his brother, later Remi decided to go the city as HERMIT.

Remi decided to run to town in order to escape tribal pressure that required him, to
marry Thoni.

After reaching in the city he is employed as a clerk in an oil company, he began

receiving the salary but could not send it home, Remi changed in the city, he started
to share love with girls and engaged in Luxurious life, when Remi visiting the clubs
in the city, he meet with Jane finally they introduced relationship (girl friend), Remi
having longtime in the city his mother and wife. (Thoni) became so unhappy hence
mother decided to consult the pastor so that so that could help them getting Remi
back from the city.

The village people were also in need of him back to the village. Villagers considered
him to be their sanior who could save them out of exploitation, land alienation, they
sent the elders to go and convince, him to come back, also the pastor went to
convince him to return at home.

Remi went back to the village with his friend Omange being in the village blaming
the villagers for being tribalists and the pastor for having divided the people with his
church Remi urged them to live together and work. Without rising some difference
among htem so that they could solve. Their problems and develop, such building of
more schools, and to work hard in order to create a new nation. He later blamed his
mother so sarcastically sayng that she had made him marry a woman who loved
another man. Remi spoken badly about Thoni that she didn’t even care to listen
to what he had to say, Thon feels so bad with harsh words, insults and how Remi
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 undermined infront of people finally, Thoni decided to run away from the meeting
and hang up in the forest, Remi causing her death.

CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERIZATION

Characters refer to persons who participate to the work of an art and characterization
is the total way in which character use to perform in the work of an art.
Characters in the story are divided into two types like
(i) Main character
(ii) Minor character

1. Main character
Just a person almost appears or plays a large part in the story or work of art (eg)
Remi.

2. Minor character
Is a person who appears in the story but in some parts not all parts of the story and
does not concentrate in main topic/them (eg) Nyobi.

REMI
- Is the son of Nyobi and Ngome only one who sent/went to university.
- He has changing behavior (at beginning was God – fearing child and feels shy with
girls).
- He refused to marry Thoni
- He gets whit girl friend called Jane in the city
- He wanted to back home by his mother and elders.
- He causes death of Thoni.

THONI
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- Is a village girl first loved by Remi.
- She is given to Remi but he runs away in the city
- She is committed to Remi and ready to wait for him
- She decided to kill herself

NYOBI
- Thon’s mother in law
- She is widow, her husband died after shock
- She takes care of Thoni, advice and love her
- She had written many letters to Remi but no relpy
- She gets frustrated following Thoni’s death

JANE
- Remi’s whit girl friend in the city
- She loved Remi but not aware ready having a wife back in the village
- She is already live with Remi despite their race

PASTOR
- Is a strong Christian
- He influenced Remi to be a God fearing child
- He is strong against traditional beliefs

OMANGE
- He is a Remi’s friend in the city
- He is from another to go back in the village
- He takes Remi to be a true nationalist

LEADERS AND ELDERS

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- They want Remi back in the village
- The decide to follow him since they considered him to be their savior
- They are traditionalist and believe in magic powers
- They go to Remi with Marua medicine to convince him to come back.

THEMES
Theme, refers to a central main idea in the story. In this book of “THE BLACK
HERMIT” contains a variety of themes, the following are discussed themes;-

CONFLICTS (CONTRADICTIONS)
There are several conflicts, which can be analyzed as follows.
Conflicts can be defined as the situation of engaged in misunderstanding among the
group of people.
The playwright categorized conflicts in various ways

A. Christians (pastor) vs traditionalist (elders)

The conflict between two sides occurs because all they wanted Remi for their
interests example pastor wants Remi to be the future leader of the church.

B. Remi vs his mother

Remi and his mother are in conflict since Nyobi (Remi’s mother) support the idea
of marrying Thoni, a wife of Remi’s brother.

C. Remi vs Jane
Also Remi and Jane engaged in conflict after Jane discovered that Remi lying her
that they could marry while he left a wife at the village Thoni.

D. Remi vs Omange
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 Remi was in conflice with Omange because of how the new government system
should and be, Remi wants new government to be strict (eg) people should not have
the rights to strike while Omange is suppose the ideas of Remi.

E. Remi vs tribal members

Remi is in conflict tribe members because he talked to them in a bad way, not
politely.

INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT
- Nyobi is/not happy with the death of her husband
- Disappearance of Remi
- She writes many letters but there is no reply

TRADITION (AFRICAN TRADITION)

SUPERSTITION
- We see the elders believing in Marua medicine that can change Remi’s mind
- We see also when elders go to Remi one of them carries a bundle of medicine in
banana leaf.
- The elders also believe that the neighbouring village has been witched them
because of jerous.
In this book an Author shows us according to Marua tribe one can inherit a wife of
his brother example is Remi.
RELIGION
In this book we have seen some people are traditionalists like the elders and leaders
others are Christians who believe in Jesus Christina like the family of Remi and
Pastor.

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PROTEST
This means to go against something or someone
People protest against unfair government
Remi is protesting against tribalism
Remi is still protest against exploitation land alienation and oppression done by the
government.

BUILDING THE FUTURE (CHANGES)

Buildings the future is the situation of someone struggle to bring new appearance
(changes) in the society. Remi struggle to bring changes in the village, wants to be
free to find own development. But elders are not ready to change because of
primitive.

LACK OF DISUNITY
Is the situation of lacking unity.
In the book disunity is the problem caused by tribalism and religious factions.

IRRESPONSIBILITY
Remi is irresponsible person when the problem occurred in his society, he does not
want to run away from because to run away from the problem or responsibility can
create even bigger problem.

AWARENESS
Is the situation of being conscious in the society
Remi is aware in the village just like God – fearing child, respects his parents, pastor
and the elders of the village.
Remi is always willing to do the right things.

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 ROLE OF WOMEN (POSITION OF WOMEN)

The role of women means how the women play parts in the society, like
responsibility, duties, respects and decision making.

Women are seen to be inferior because they are used as instruments for leisure
(luxury) in the society.

MESSAGE OF THE PLAY

This means the lessons that someone can get from the work of an art (eg) books,
films, pictures, Ngugi wa Thiong’o is among the great playwritters who teach us, so
that we can get the message and to make the society change when we tell that:-
(i) Brings changes in the society is not overnight process, so that it’s the struggle that
need the time or responsibility.
(ii) To run away from the problems is not a way of solve it, since she/he can cause
problems.
(iii) People are supposed to united, courageous, committed when they want to solve their
problems.
(iv) When one want to organize for changes, should be careful in mobilizing people, since
she/he can use confusion if not well organized.
(v) Lack of proper stand and how understanding can make fail to solve problems.

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