'Albert Wertheim's study of Fugard's plays is both extremely insightful and beautifully written. This book is aimed not only at teachers, students, scholars, and performers of Fugard but also at the person who simply loves going to see a Fugard play at the theatre.' -- Nancy Topping Bazin, Eminent Scholar and Professor Emerita, Old Dominion University Athol Fugard is considered one of the most brilliant, powerful, and theatrically astute of modern dramatists. The energy and poignancy of his work have their origins in the institutionalized racism of his native South Africa, and more recently in the issues facing a new South Africa after apartheid. Albert Wertheim analyzes the form and content of Fugard's dramas, showing that they are more than a dramatic chronicle of South African life and racial problems. Beginning with the specifics of his homeland, Fugard's plays reach out to engage more far-reaching issues of human relationships, race and racism, and the power of art to evoke change. The Dramatic Art of Athol Fugard demonstrates how Fugard's plays enable us to see that what is performed on stage can also be performed in society and in our lives; how, inverting Shakespeare, Athol Fugard makes his stage the world.

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This paper examines Athol Fugard’s creative exploitation of the means of drama in garnished protest against South Africa’s apartheid. The focus is on his three plays: “Sizwe Banzi is Dead,' 'The Island,' and 'Statements after an.

Essays and criticism on Athol Fugard - Critical Essays. 'The Island'€€ by€€ Caspian Tredwell-Owen. You’re moving out to The Island! (another burst of cheers) And the rest of you, never lose hope.

Very quick read, and equally enjoyable. I enjoyed Fugard's use of Antigone as an intertext, especially because, if I'm not mistaken, the prisoners on Robben Island actually did put on this play. Antigone's reminder that King Creon is just one individual--and a fallible one as well-- forces the characters and the reader to remember that the National Party, and its Apartheid policies, are equally as human.

Creon, and his 20th century political descendents, views himself as metonymic with the state Very quick read, and equally enjoyable. I enjoyed Fugard's use of Antigone as an intertext, especially because, if I'm not mistaken, the prisoners on Robben Island actually did put on this play. Antigone's reminder that King Creon is just one individual--and a fallible one as well-- forces the characters and the reader to remember that the National Party, and its Apartheid policies, are equally as human.

Athol Fugard Play

Creon, and his 20th century political descendents, views himself as metonymic with the state-- a human construction he hopes to put forward as divinely inspired. To remind the characters in the play, and the readers/audience, is to call everyone to action. “The Island” by Athol Fugard is short but deeply moving.

The Island is Robben Island, South Africa's notorious prison, where John and Winston are political prisoners and cellmates. After absurdly grueling days laboring under the sun, they return to their dark cell to rehearse a makeshift performance of Sophocles' play Antigone.Winston takes the part of young Antigone, who defies the laws of the state for the sake of her conscience. The Island is a play written by Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona. The apartheid-era drama, inspired by a true story, is set in an unnamed prison clearly based on South Africa's notorious Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held for twenty-seven years. Leave a Comment on ATHOL FUGARD SIZWE BANSI IS DEAD PDF Sizwe Bansi Is Dead & The Island has ratings and 10 reviews: Published May 18th by Viking, 79 pages, Hardcover. The theory of apartheid was first introduced in South Africa by Hendrick Verwoerd under his National Party.

This short-story follows two prisoners, John and Winston, who have been imprisoned on Robben Island for unknown reasons. The two men are tasked with performing the ancient Greek tragedy, “Antigone”, for a concert that is being put together by the inmates. However, a few days before their performance the two men are given the bittersweet news that John’s sentence had been shortened to three months.

Meanwhile, Winston will have to continue “The Island” by Athol Fugard is short but deeply moving. This short-story follows two prisoners, John and Winston, who have been imprisoned on Robben Island for unknown reasons. The two men are tasked with performing the ancient Greek tragedy, “Antigone”, for a concert that is being put together by the inmates. However, a few days before their performance the two men are given the bittersweet news that John’s sentence had been shortened to three months. Meanwhile, Winston will have to continue to serve his life sentence. The story ends shortly after the two men conclude their performance, leaving both the fates of John and Winston to the imagination of the reader.

Although it is said from the start that both men are criminals, it is still easy to grow fond of them throughout the story. Their friendship is solid and built up from the beginning.

This makes the reader feel even more sympathy when they are given the news that John only has three months left. You feel happiness for John because he is able to go home to his wife and children; but there is still that lingering sadness for Winston. These men have spent the past seven years of their lives sharing a jail cell and because of this a tight bond is formed. They have a brotherly love for each other and created a routine to keep one another going.

Both men are black and this play is set during a time where apartheid was a large issue in South Africa. This allows the inference to be made that they are most likely in jail because they were protesting the apartheid laws in some way. This connection can lead back to Antigone as this is exactly what she did in the play. Antigone protested the law that prevented her from burying her brother, Polyneices, which was put in place by her uncle, King Creon. The protagonists in both “The Island” and “Antigone” were protesting laws that opposed doing what was morally right. The writing style in this play is very rich and you really get a feel as to what life was like to be stuck on that island.

The imagery in the parentheticals does an excellent job of letting you know exactly where you are. It is a play so all of the actions are written out, but that almost makes everything more vivid in your mind. The friendship between John and Winston is written so well. You can tell how much they care for one another in their words and actions. It isn’t until the end of the play that you realize that they will never be able to see each other again and the emotions they are feeling when the characters themselves start to realize this.

“Forget me.because I’m going to forget you. Yes, I will forget you.

Others will come in here, John, count, go, and I’ll forget them. Still more will come, count like you, go like you, and I will forget them.

And then one day, it will all be over.” This quote in particular really shows the pain that Winston goes through when he learns of John’s appeal being approved. It is obvious that Winstone will never forget John and vice versa.

Both men know this and yet they feel the need to hide their feelings from each other. It is their way of sparing their own feelings and the others feelings, when in reality both of them are suffering. Overall, this play is a great companion to anyone who is reading Antigone or someone who just wants a quick, moving read. The author did a stellar job at weaving in similar themes from Antigone, such as civil disobedience and oppression.

The writing was beautifully stylized and did an excellent job at conveying everything the characters were feeling. You easily come to care for these characters and their emotions become your own. “The Island” is an excellent play to read or watch. It is a must read for anyone that wants a clear perspective as to what life was like for those who protested apartheid.

Harold Athol Lannigan Fugard (b. June 11, 1932, Middelburg, South Africa), better known as Athol Fugard, is a South African playwright, actor, and director. His wife, Sheila Fugard, and their daughter, Lisa Fugard, are also writers. Athol Fugard was born of an Irish Roman Catholic father and an Afrikaner mother.

He considers himself an Afrikaner, but writes in English to reach a larger audience. Hi Harold Athol Lannigan Fugard (b.

Athol Fugard Wiki

June 11, 1932, Middelburg, South Africa), better known as Athol Fugard, is a South African playwright, actor, and director. His wife, Sheila Fugard, and their daughter, Lisa Fugard, are also writers. Athol Fugard was born of an Irish Roman Catholic father and an Afrikaner mother. He considers himself an Afrikaner, but writes in English to reach a larger audience. His family moved to Port Elizabeth soon after he was born.

In 1938, he was enrolled at the Marist Brothers College — a Catholic primary school (although he is not known to be a Roman Catholic). After being awarded a scholarship, he enrolled at the local technical college for his secondary education. He then enrolled in the University of Cape Town but dropped out.

He sailed around the world working on ships (mainly in the Far East). Fugard married Sheila Meiring, now known as Sheila Fugard, then an actress in one of his plays, in September 1956. She later became a novelist and poet in her own right. They started the Serpent Players in Port Elizabeth before moving to Johannesburg where he was employed as a court clerk.

Working in the court environment and seeing how the Africans suffered under the pass laws provided Fugard with a firsthand insight into the injustice and pain of apartheid. Working with a group of black actors (including Zakes Mokae), Fugard wrote his first play No Good Friday. Returning to Port Elizabeth in the early 1960s, he worked with a group of actors whose first performance was in the former snake pit of the zoo, hence the name The Serpent Players. The political slant of his plays bought him into conflict with the government.

In order to avoid prosecution, he started to take his plays overseas. After Blood Knot, was produced in England, his passport was withdrawn for four years. In 1962, he publicly supported an international boycott against segregated theatre audiences which led to further restrictions. He worked extensively with two black actors John Kani and Winston Ntshona and workshopped three plays viz. Sizwe Banzi is Dead, The Island and Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act. The early plays workshopped with Kani and Ntshona were staged in black areas for a night and then the cast moved to the next venue – probably a dimly lit church hall or community centre. The audience was normally poor migrant labourers and the residents of hostels in the townships.

The plays at this time were political and mirrored the frustrations in the lives of the audience. Fugard's plays drew the audience into the drama, they would applaud, cry and interject their own opinions.

Fugard used feedback from the audience to improve the plays – expanding the parts that worked and deleting the ones that did not. For example in Sizwe Banzi is Dead, migrant worker Bansi can only survive by assuming someone else's identity and getting the important apartheid pass in order to get a job. When he debates how Sizwe would effectively “die” and whether the sacrifice would be worth it, the audience would cry out “Go on, Do it,” because they appreciated that without a pass you were effectively a non-entity. Per Ty Seriali Maria E Antonio.

Sets and props were improvised from whatever was available which helps to explain the minimalist sets that productions of these plays utilise. In 1971, the restrictions against Fugard were eased, allowing him to travel to England in order to direct Boesman and Lena. Master Harold.and the Boys, written in 1982 is a semi-autobiographical work. Fugard showed he was against injustice on both sides of the fence with his play My Children! Where he attacked the ANC for deciding to boycott African schools as he realised the damage it would cause a generation of African pupils.

With the demise of apartheid, Fugard's first two postapartheid plays Valley Song and The Captain's Tiger focused on personal rather than political issues. His plays are regularly produced and have won many awa.