Dear Shakespearian Partisan Theatre Company Analysis

He uses different perspectives to convey the different moments throughout the book, albeit some are biased toward the European imperialism (opposing Hochschild’s thesis). The diverse reference points throughout the story make for an effective support for Hochschild’s argument because he cross-applies these sources and justifies why one may be more reliable to use. Hochschild even uses the evidence which appears to controvert his thesis to give an explanation for why the imperialism occurred in the first place. He quotes Leopold when the Belgian king was still looking to receive the Congo, reciting “We… wishing to secure for Our beloved fatherland the fruits of the work which, for many long years… have been pursuing on the African continent… declare by these presents, to bequeath and transmit… all Our sovereign rights over [the Congo Free State]” (Hochschild 95). Hochschild then writes, “There was one added twist. When the king made public his will, it was backdated, so that his bequest looked like an act of generosity instead of part of a financial bargain” (Hochschild 95). By exposing Leopold’s actions, Hochschild convincingly allows the reader to understand the moral flaws in Leopold’s imperialism. Additionally, Hochschild backs up these claims with eyewitness accounts of the Congolese peoples who had suffered. One report explains the natives hatred for one general,

What is evident on reading and listening to the play is that the chorus is a key character within the play with a number of functions, namely linking the narrative, introducing the historical perspective, action as a “devil’s advocate”/advisor to many of the characters and also serving as the voice of the city. It is clear that without the Chorus the play would have been quite unstructured and not had as much context within it. The chorus gave insightful historical and mythical

From 1914 to the present, one of the most powerful trends of the postwar era was the importance of the developing world and their desire for independence. Nationalism was an important factor in the growing independence movements in Sub- Saharan Africa. Regardless of political changes, social conflict and tensions remained a problem. Tensions between Europeans and Africans, which had been a problem since the Europeans’ arrival and social unrest in communities didn’t change.

African people could no longer live how they wanted, they had to follow the rules and laws of the Europeans. The natives couldn’t work were the wanted, say what they wanted, or practice their own religion. They were told what to do, how to do it, and how much money they would make at work. The resolution of the All-African People’s Conference condemns imperialism and colonialism because of this statement, “…fundamental human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of movement, freedom of worship, freedom to live a full and abundant life . . . are denied to Africans through the activities of Imperialists”.

In 1885 at Berlin, the major european powers meet together, each seeking to increase their influence on the world by taking control of the African continent. Europe had a grip on Africa until a series of African independence movements in the 1960s. Between that time the native people of each African colony were treated differently and used for different purposes. Compare and Contrast how each European country used and treated the people of their respective colonies.

Nelson Mandela spoke, “I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself”. Africa did have that peace, that sense of disclosure. Africans lived in a time when they did not have to worry about anyone else's religion, politics, or culture but their own; however, due to the European nation’s thirst for power, Africans now had to face those realities. Their individual countries began to turn against one another because of European influence. Some countries lost their roots and modernized to the European standards. Some countries, even lost hope in regaining the freedom they once had. Europeans wrote Africa’s single story through colonization, which left long lasting cultural, dehumanizing, and emotional effects upon each culture, furthermore changing

The story unfolds around the turn of the twentieth century when European powers began to explore and colonize Sub-Saharan Africa. Belgian king Leopold II laid individual claim to the enormous chunk of land surrounding the Congo River and proceeded to strip the land of its resources, including, but not limited to, rubber, ivory, and people using a deadly system of forced labor. Under the ironic and spurious guise of humanitarianism, Leopold built himself an empire in central Africa, lining his pockets and satisfying his egotism, becoming the largest individual landowner in the world, while the brutality of his reign slashed the Congolese population by 10 million people, or approximately in half (Hochschild, 233). The narrative is uplifting at points as it also tells the story of the courageous few Africans, Europeans, and Americans that stood up to Leopold in what, in hindsight, was the first major humanitarian effort of the twentieth century (Straus).

Watching a theater performance allows one to escape reality for a short period of time and delve into a world full of humor, clever banter, and tragedy. William Shakespeare’s plays are no exception to this. His plays cover a spectrum of interests which attracts a wide variety of people. Shakespeare’s Macbeth was performed with its audience as its primary concern; it pays almost no attention to historical accuracy or scenic realism due to an impatient audience, and because it was written during the early Jacobean Period, it reflects

One of the most expansive themes underlying Shakespeare’s second tetralogy is the idea of authenticity; who is authentic, who is not, what is means to be authentic.

This is a tale of horror and tragedy in the Congo, beginning with the brutal and exploitative regime of King Leopold II of Belgium, and culminating with the downfall of one of Africa’s most influential figures, Patrice Lumumba. The Congo is but one example of the greater phenomenon of European occupation of Africa. The legacy of this period gives rise to persistent problems in the Congo and throughout Africa. Understanding the roots and causes of this event, as focused through the lense of the Congo, is the subject of this paper.

Through a soliloquy telling about his inability to sleep in a mad tone, audiences can realize that Henry’s complex, frustrated feelings got intensified throughout the play as the war goes on as an external conflict of this play. This soliloquy is significant because it exemplifies the disorder of King Henry’s inner thoughts, feelings as well as it helps audiences foreshadow that next unfolding story will be about worsened news from the war as a symmetry of disorder in both internal and external conflicts in Henry’s

Beginning in 1880, there was a growing desire for European countries to expand and control their rule. The only continent at that time that was left uncontrolled and, in the European's eyes uncivilized, was Africa. This was the start of Western Imperialism. All European countries wanted their piece of Africa and to get it, they would let nothing stand in their way. They would change the entire government, religion, market, and behavior of most of the African nation and affect almost every person living there. An account of the impact of Imperialism is given in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. This book shows the changes that occurred in Africa during Imperialism and its affect on the community and the people

The role of the Chorus in the Shakespeare's play, Henry V, is significant. Due to the subject matter that the play deals with, it is hard to present in the way that it deserves. The Chorus helps the audience follow the play by helping them to picture things as they were through the use of imagery. It uses descriptive language in describing events that take place in the play. The Chorus also helps in making the plot of the play flow together better by filling the time lapses that occur between acts due to the fact that the event being depicted in only a few hours actually occurred over several years, leaving some gaps between events. It also explains what happens in an act

“In roughly built playhouses and cobblestone inn yards, an extraordinary development took place in England in the 1500s.” (Yancey, 8). At that time, an opportunity combined to produce literature achievement never before witnessed in the history of drama and theater. The renaissance, helped spark this movement by inspiring scientific and artistic creativity throughout the land. Models began writing dramas that portrayed life in both realistic and imaginative ways. This created work later captured the attention of the world that changed the English drama. The many aspects of Elizabethan theater helped to shape the acting and theater world forever.

The movie “Lumumba” displays the ironic struggle that came with newfound independence in postcolonial Congo, specifically in the year 1960. It follows the story of Patrice Lumumba, an educated African man with a craving for independence. Early in the movie, Lumumba is arrested for promoting dissent, but is soon released to attend the “round table” meeting in which he is able to create a deal that would allow for the Congo to finally be independent from Belgian rule. Lumumba is elected as prime minister and is quickly thrown into governing a postcolonial state with a complete lack of order. He begins with a large range of supporters and high hopes for the state’s success without being under Belgian control. The ways in which the state had been run under colonialism, which created the lack of a viable economy, a nonexistent nationalism among the Congolese people, and violent race relations derived from the struggle for power, all set Lumumba up to ultimately fail as a postcolonial leader through the struggle to build a state, create a sense of nationalism, and find a general unity among the Congolese people.