The “Rhetoric of Animality”, Animal Imagery, and Dr. Kamuzu Banda’s Dictatorship in the Poetry of Jack Mapanje

In his poetry the Malawian poet, Jack Mapanje, uses animal imagery to respond to socio-political events in his country, especially during the dictatorial reign of Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, Malawi’s first president, who ruled that country from independence in 1964 to 1994. Using animal imagery he s...

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Main Author: Syned Mthatiwa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nordic Africa Research Network 2012-06-01
Series:Nordic Journal of African Studies
Online Access:https://www.njas.fi/njas/article/view/176
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author Syned Mthatiwa
author_facet Syned Mthatiwa
author_sort Syned Mthatiwa
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description In his poetry the Malawian poet, Jack Mapanje, uses animal imagery to respond to socio-political events in his country, especially during the dictatorial reign of Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, Malawi’s first president, who ruled that country from independence in 1964 to 1994. Using animal imagery he stereotypes, objectifies and inferiorises through ridicule and mockery those in power thereby sanctioning their overthrow and replacement. Through the use of animal imagery he also deconstructs the view of Dr. Banda as a benevolent leader or Messiah and depicts him as a greedy and bloodthirsty old man who only cared about no one else but himself.
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spelling doaj.art-751f0def44a64d72900215e1b2e22c9c2023-09-03T13:15:33ZengNordic Africa Research NetworkNordic Journal of African Studies1459-94652012-06-0121210.53228/njas.v21i2.176The “Rhetoric of Animality”, Animal Imagery, and Dr. Kamuzu Banda’s Dictatorship in the Poetry of Jack MapanjeSyned Mthatiwa0University of Malawi In his poetry the Malawian poet, Jack Mapanje, uses animal imagery to respond to socio-political events in his country, especially during the dictatorial reign of Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, Malawi’s first president, who ruled that country from independence in 1964 to 1994. Using animal imagery he stereotypes, objectifies and inferiorises through ridicule and mockery those in power thereby sanctioning their overthrow and replacement. Through the use of animal imagery he also deconstructs the view of Dr. Banda as a benevolent leader or Messiah and depicts him as a greedy and bloodthirsty old man who only cared about no one else but himself. https://www.njas.fi/njas/article/view/176
spellingShingle Syned Mthatiwa
The “Rhetoric of Animality”, Animal Imagery, and Dr. Kamuzu Banda’s Dictatorship in the Poetry of Jack Mapanje
Nordic Journal of African Studies
title The “Rhetoric of Animality”, Animal Imagery, and Dr. Kamuzu Banda’s Dictatorship in the Poetry of Jack Mapanje
title_full The “Rhetoric of Animality”, Animal Imagery, and Dr. Kamuzu Banda’s Dictatorship in the Poetry of Jack Mapanje
title_fullStr The “Rhetoric of Animality”, Animal Imagery, and Dr. Kamuzu Banda’s Dictatorship in the Poetry of Jack Mapanje
title_full_unstemmed The “Rhetoric of Animality”, Animal Imagery, and Dr. Kamuzu Banda’s Dictatorship in the Poetry of Jack Mapanje
title_short The “Rhetoric of Animality”, Animal Imagery, and Dr. Kamuzu Banda’s Dictatorship in the Poetry of Jack Mapanje
title_sort rhetoric of animality animal imagery and dr kamuzu banda s dictatorship in the poetry of jack mapanje
url https://www.njas.fi/njas/article/view/176
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