Form 4 English - READING LITERARY WORKS [PDF] » Page 4 of 14

THREE SUITORS: ONE HUSBAND

ACT ONE

It starts in front of Atangana’s house. Atangana is making a basket. A be sollows buy sculpting an ebony figurine. Ondua and Oyono are playing a game of Jongho and drinking palm wine also there is Bella and Matalina.

Atangana is complaining that his wife has stayed long in the farm. Ondua also complains that his wife (Monica) denied him a local beer (Arki). This reflects oppression of women. Women work while men are just enjoying their time. Women are like servants to men.

On the other hand women have been positively reflected. Maknta and Monica are feeding their families. They are responsible although reglected.

Oppression of women is shown in two incidences. First Abessolo advises his sons (Ondua and Atangana) to beat their wives and daughters he adds that no sensible man should ask for an opinion from a woman.

Secondly we see Juliette’s parents and relatives have already arranged her marriage without consulting her. She has two suitors. The first one is Mbia who is expected to arrive later. Juliette is considered as an item for change. The entire family expects to prosper due to her marriage Atangana says he will get a gon permit while Ondua says, the police commissioners will no longer beat and arrest him for drinking Arki.

Protests reflected though Juliette. She rejects the opinion of her parents getting married to either of the suitors. She says that they should have cons ulted her. Abesollo says women have no right to speak over their marriage uses.

The role of formal education is reflected through Juliette is aware of her rights due to the formal education she has received at Libamba. She says she is not a source of income she has nglish-swahili/courage” target=”_blank”>courage of protesting against selfish wishes of her parents.

Lastly we see Maknta coming back from the bush where she has been working since morning. She is carrying cassava, banana, and sugar cane in her basket.

Poverty is reflected through Oyono and Atangana as they are planning to we Juliette’s bride price to pay for the wife Oyono wants to marry in Ebolowa

Polygamism is exposed in this society as Ondua comments that Meka’s daughter get married to the deputy secretary states as the twelveth wife.

ACT TWO

This act starts with a meeting between Mbia and Villagers. There is gender discrimination. In this meeting of receiving the bride price for Juliette no any woman has been invited to attend the top palaver.

Mbia is given a chance to introduce himself (his genealogy). He says that his mother was a Yembong. Abessolo intervenes and says that there should be no marriage because the grandmother of Juliette’s grandfather was also a Yembong. This represents traditional customs.

However after having considered that the evil servant from Sangmelima they decide to abandon their traditional customs due to the time factor.

Polygamism is reflected as Mbia is already married to eight with poor traditional customs and selfishness is reflected. Juliette’s parents ended a lot of things from Mbia. Atangana demanded the following things. Three large lion clothes, one whole sack of cola nuts a nice lawn chair, a raduset with gramophone, four terylene suits, five woolen blankets a sewing machine with a pedal, ten large loin clothes, a complete set of kitchenware, ten sacks of vice of kilograms each, four oxen, fifteen sheep, ten goods, twenty pigs and thirty court of red wine.

Protest is shown through Juliette who protested to get married to Mbiosle says she has someone who is studying at Lycee Lectere in Ywinde.

Lastly Juliette and O’ko meet and arrange take the money that has been paid by the two suitors and use it as bride price. At the end of this act we are informed Juliette managed to take the money. She gave three hundred francs to O’ko and Kooma.

ACT THREE

It is in Makrita’s kitchen. The position of women is reflected in the kitchen. They occupy the interior position. They cook and talk in the kitchen there is Makrita Bella and Juliette.

These women are advising Juliette to get married to Mbia.

Bella says that the villagers were laughing at Atangana for sending a mere daughter (Juliette) to school. This shows discrimination. The girls are discriminated in this society. Worse still women support this gender discrimination

Page 57 Bella said………….yes! My son had become the laughing stock of Mvoutessi. Everybody said it was very stupid of him to waste a lot of money he got from cocoa on a mere instead of getting himself more wives.

Then, Atangana, Abessolo and Mbarga a some back. In this act we are introduced to Ndi who came to see Juliette. It is at this move not when Atangana discovered the left.

Traditional customs are shows Young people are not allowed to eat viper Mbarga is complaining about the missing quarter of the viper meat. He says it is Owono and Belinga who have stolen it. In this society the viper is only for old men but a taboo food for others.

Conflicts have not been put aside in plays. There is conflict between Ndi and Atangana’s family and friends. This id reflected as Ndi rejects to add 200 thousand francs on his bride price so as to marry Juliette. Mezoe and Oyono more threateningly at him. He runs away and says that he will report this issue to the police. He wants his one hundred thousand francs back.

The other conflict is between Mbia and the villagers. Mbia has been asked to add one hundred thousand francs on his bride price and take Juliette right away. He rejects and threatens the whole village. He says that he will bring ten police commissioners.

Witchcraft is shown this society Mbarga (the Headman) Proposes to bring the witchdoctor from Sangmelina to recover the missing money

ACT FOUR

This act centered on traditional belief (Witchcraft). Atangana under the Influence of Mbaga called Sangatiti to find the stolen bride price. All villagers admire the witchdoctor. The society is deep rooted in witchcraft.

However, the witchdoctor is discovered to be a liar (not reliable due to the following thing:-

(i) He is repeating what Atangana has already said.

(ii) He starts to deal with irrelevant issue example he asks Mbarga to tell the number of his wife, he talks about deaths in the village and relationship between men and women

(iii) He is demanding. The villagers discover that he is an opportunist. He uses the following phrases; of course. I can’t speak with empty hards. I must have something for my trouble, decidmen never speak unless it has rained, when as river has dried up the water no longer runs.

(iv) He is telling lies

(a) He says Atangana went to Sangmelina to sell his cocoa two days ago while it is almost week.

(b) He says Atangana sold ten sacks of cocoa while be sold three sacks

Ignorance is also shown in this Act. The villagers are ignorance to believe in withcraft, although they discover later:

Sangatiti is ignorant of world directions). He cannot differentiate north from south. He says Sangmelina and Ngaounaere are close. Kauma (educated Youngman) says Ngaoundere is in the north while Sagmelima is in the south. Sangatiti says south and North are same.

The role of formal education is seen. It liberates people. Kauma helps the village to discover that Sangatiti is a liar. He does not fear the witchdoctor and he contradicts him.

Lastly we see that the villagers become aware (awareness) of the witchdoctor’s true they chase him away. This can be marked as the conflict between the villagers and Sangatiti.

ACT FIVE

It takes place in front of Atangana’s main house Mbarga, Abessolo, Atangana, Ondua and Mezoe are in front of Atangana’s house. They are complaining about Juliette who has rejected to get married to either of the suitors.

Poor traditional customs are reflected in which girls we supposed to take orders from parents as they are. There should be on discussion. A girl has no discussion. A girl has no right to speak or select a husband. Girls are supposed to be docile, meek, loyal and submissive. Ondua, Mazoe and Mbarga say that Juliette has been corrupted by secondary education.

Position of women and oppression are the inseparable themes in this act Ondua in page 60 swears that he cannot take a girl to secondary school. He says a girl should stay at home and grow peanuts like his wife Monica. Also Abessolo says that Girls are nothing.

Humiliation is shown when Mbarga proposes that Juliette should be taken to Yaounde by force and call at all government offices so as to get rid of her. In this regard Mbarga advises Atangana to take Juliette to Yaounde and sell her to any man who will pay three hundred thousand francs.

Humiliation is futher shown as Tchetgen comes in Atangana asks him to pay three hundred thousand francs takes Juliette right away. However he fails in the bargains. He can pay up to two hundred thousand francs.

Lastly, changing roles and position of women are reflected as Oko and Kouma arrive Oko insists that Juliette should agree to marry first, they be will pay the bride price. He is introduced by Kouma as doctor of doctorates, doctor of mathematics and palm tree leaves. Later on the four leaves are presented. One for Ndi the second for Mbia the third for Tchetgen and fourth for Oko. Juliette selects the leaf which stands for Oko. The marriage is settled.

Form 4 English – READING LITERARY WORKS

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