RUINS OF A GREAT HOUSE - Derek Walcott

"though our longest sun sets at right Declensions andmakes but winter Arches, it cannot be long before we Lie down in darkness, and have our Light in ashes . . ."

- Browne, 'Urn Burial'

Introduction:

"Ruins of a Great House" by Derek Walcott is both a patriotic and a humanistic poem. Here, the poet compares Africa to a great house in ruins. The poet is sad that the long African day is over and that winter and night will soon envelope their lives. The light is now expended and only the ashes remain.

Browne's "Urn Burial" and Its Relationship with Africa:

Thomas Browne wrote his "Urn Burial" when some urns were discovered. Walcott feels that Africa is full of urns carrying dead bodies. The Great House (Africa) is now in ruins. The British lizard with dragon-like claws has swallowed the moth-like girls of Africa. The Guardians (gate-cherubs) of the gates had been slaughtered (streaked with strain). The African coach wheel could not move as the axle had been clogged (like a cart immobilised by cattle droppings).


The Poet's Farewell to the Fields and Groves of Africa: His Reminiscences of Africa:


The country has only eucalyptus trees. Crows are its only birds. Its lime trees are dead and stinking. The British Empire is leprous and contaminated. The poet sadly bids farewell to the green fields and the happy groves of Africa, which are no more.


Africa was once beautiful. It was polished like marble, but now it was a symbol of struggle, like Faulkner's South (of America, where the haves and the have nots clash). Its temporary deciduous beauty is gone. The trees near the lawn are diseased (rashes). They have already shed their leaves. These leaves cover dead animals or human beings. Obviously the colonial rulers have robbed Africa of its wealth and destroyed its people.


The Moral Death of the Great British Empire:


Now, it appears as if Africa has only lime trees, which grow in the silt, not in pure waters (corrosive and corrupt people). The British imperious rakes have carried away the African beauties. The African life (river) flows and the past hurt is slowly forgotten. The great artists of Africa, the craftsmen, have been banished. Now, the great house is worm-eaten ... ...


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Africa Speaks - Michael Dei-Anang

Introduction:

Michael Dei-Anang is furious with people, who call Africa, 'Dark Africa.' Africa is dark, neither geographically nor intellectually. In this poem, Michael Dei-Anang makes Africa speak in a monologue.

Tracing the Origin of the Adjective 'Dark':

Africa traces the origin of the adjective "dark" which is unjustifiably attached to its name. Long long ago, when faithlessness was the order of the day, when man's vision was short and knowledge very limited, men called the continent 'dark Africa.' Men, then, could not understand the real worth of nations because of their bigotry and narrow outlook. They had little knowledge about the world and its treasures.

The Title 'Dark' - Unjustified:

The title 'dark' cannot be justified, according to the poet. Africa was neither ignorant, nor backward, nor stagnant. She has raised the magnificent pyramids, which is one of the wonders of the world. It has not been a dry land and has been in possession of vast fortunes. She has attracted great emperors like Julius and Octavius Caesar; Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt has held Antony and his country under her grasp.

Civilization on the Fertile Banks of the Nile:

The life-giving Nile has nursed the child of civilization on its fertile banks. The Nile valley civilization is considered one of the oldest of civilizations. Africa was on the zenith of civilization when the western nations were struggling to find the roots of civilization. Greek culture and civilization which was copied by the West, has been a gift of Africa.

Cultivation of 'the Tranquil Art' by Africa:

The industrial progress and technological development of the West, is no doubt, unquesionable. But a non-technological nation cannot be denied her virtue and value. In their struggle for supremacy over the world, the West has been producing and using more and more powerful weapons of human destruction. But Africa has thrown away even her primitive and pristine bows and arrows because she believes more in peace and arts than in industrial war and technological struggle. When Africa has chosen to remain peaceful, calm and contended, the West has dubbed her as "Dark."

Africa asserts that peaceful arts of coexistence are dearer and more helpful for international understanding and fearless existence than the cold war generated by the might of atoms and multiplicity of industries. Such fine arts of thinking and living together produced by Africa is more valuable than cold steel and iron.

The Kingly Whistling Palms: Its Significance:

The material prosperity of the West produces fear, envy, cut throat competition and war. But the desert regions of Africa containing kingly whistling palms keep a treasure which none can measure. The palms of Africa symbolise peace and spiritual progress, which is awfully wanting in the West. The West has, therefore, no right to call Africa 'Dark."

Conclusion:

Finally, Africa is in the East. The sun rises in the east. Spiritual meditation, philosophy, Fine Arts and everything useful for a peaceful life dawns in the East. One can see for oneself one of the seven Wonders of teh World, one of the civilizations and one of the most peace-loving citizens in Africa. None has any right and evidence to call the calm continent, "Dark."

Michael Dei-Anang's poem is not a mere outburst of patriotic sentiment, but is a mature judgment of African contribution to the world and to the society at large.

Experience of Literature - Internal Mark Statement

Department	Name	Average
History (R)	Prakash, V	31
Pol. Science	Chidambaranathan, P	32
	Murugavel, K.M	27
	Thanga Manikanda Prabhu, S	30
Economics	Lakshmi Vettom	36
	Jerry Sebastian	39
	Rakesh Kumar Reddy, L	35
	Sadhu Sathiaraj, J	33
	Savio Antony Bernard	38
	Sujoy Nath	39
Philosophy	Manikandan, A. K	30
Commerce	Prasanna, S	30
Commerce(V)	Deepu Jose	35
Mathematics	Jhenifer Sagaya Selvi, A.J	36
	Sarah Faith, J	38
	Shwetha, S	39
	Alfred Williams, J	35
Statistics	Mary Lucia, M.S	38
	Sruthi, S.R	36
Physics	Anu, A	37
	Jansi Rani, R	36
	Mahalakshmi, K	38
	Mercy Gunaseeli	36
	Roselin Jebakani, A	38
	Sharmila, K	37
	Sowmya Keerthi, A	36
	Uvarani, N	38
	Harris George W. Denver	39
	Jaya Prakash, P	32
	Ram Kumar, R	34
	Santhosh Chelladurai, A	35
	Subhakar, S.R	34
Chemistry	Anu Mathew	38
	Jansi Mary, V	37
	Lakshmi Reddy Yannam	22
	Leny Thomas	37
Plant Bio&PBT	Abishek Ebenezer	35
	Albert Selvakumar, M	32
	Perumal, S.M	33
Zoology (R)	Shanthini, C	36
	Barnabas Praveen, M	36
	Kalluri Melliusperemroge	34
	Kannali Jawaharjamaison	34
Zoology (V)	Bhuvanesware, B.G	34
	Rama Poornima, S	35