Question.1275 - Reading Response 11: LITERATURE of the Caribbean No unread replies.1010 replies. Chose one of the following two readings: St. Lucia: Derek Walcott, Omeros, Nobel prize 1990. Haiti: Alejo Carpentier, The Kingdom of this World. First published in 1949. Trinidad: Earl Lovelace, The Wine of Astonishment. 2021. Post a response to Week 8 from your reading choice of one of the above options. Write between 500 and 600 words (80% credit): Give a summary of the book: who? what? when? where? What are the basic ideas? (20%) Give your critical (and personal) reaction to the readings. Which things do you agree with? Which do you disagree with? What did you learn that was new? How did text impact you emotionally, if at all? (20%). What are the strengths and weaknesses of this work? Will it be useful in your research interests? Do not forget to proofread your post for grammar, punctuation and verb agreement. Use the spell checker!
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Considering the island called Saint Lucia during the 1970s period, as in Omeros by Derek Walcott, provides a sprawling epic poem that intertwines with varying methodologies to explore the historical narratives from a personal experience lens; the narration seems to be in the form of poetic expression through 192 rhythmic blank verses, while the central theme is about a fisherman named Achille reminiscent of the Trojan hero and a painter named Ephraim who grapples with his artistic vision along with his troubled marriage to Helen. The poetic expression tends to tie together their stories with the lives of others; considering the French title, Walcott narrates the poem pun in that mer evoking a sense of both sea and mother signifying the sound through the conch from the sea, which includes Maud, a schoolteacher who is fascinated by the archeological findings, and Philomel, who is a maid with a gift of storytelling; utilizing these characters, Walcott explores themes of love, loss, memory, colonialism, and the search for identity in the Caribbean. In terms of critical reaction, the author tends to employ the language undeniably, since his vivid descriptions of the Caribbean landscape; for instance, Homer himself takes multiple shades, wherein he tends to be a blind Greet poet Seven Seas, or the Americant painter Winslow Homer with a painting from Atlantic ocean, or the African rhapsodist, also several other personalities like the wounded archer called the Philoctete, or the Major contemporary Plunkett, even the African slave's son named Achilles, as these names tend to possess names of Greece or Rome - all of these elements have been positioned through a specific cultural lens intertwined to create a sense of multifaceted nature of Caribbean identity. Nonetheless, the poetic expression could be a little confusing, particularly due to the narrative revolving around thoughts and reflections on history that consistently references Greek mythology, and the focus on male characters could be seen as neglecting the female experience in the Caribbean. In terms of exploring the book's strengths and weaknesses, firstly, the rich literature the author tends to reference across the narration as a reflection on history, for instance, the reflection of the flag by smoke, which the author has employed to exemplify Troy, Carthage, Pompeii; such exploration of a historical event like the siege of Troy, the battles between English and French navies that communicates how African villages were exposed by slave traders captivates the level of tragic realities, but the same can be said as a weakness since due to the increased level of complexity in the narration, and also the voices emphasizing mostly male narration tends to house biased information which is one-sided which limits the possibility of critical thinking, and also instill a sense of forced perspective to the readers which unconsciously as the reader progresses. From the lens of gender and power dynamics, the poems emphasize narratives from the male gaze through experiences; female characters like Helen and Philomel are often seen through the eyes of men, which limits their agency and complexity meaning from the feminist literary theory that signifies the importance of deconstructing patriarchal narratives, tends to imply that this book does not highlight the need for centering female voices and experiences within the literature. Also, as the author tends to utilize Homeric myth, risks romanticizing the colonial past could overshadow the unique cultural heritage and actual history of the Caribbean.More Articles From History
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