Derek Walcott’s "Dream on Monkey Mountain": Theme/ Colonialism/ Significance of dreams/ Identity crisis/ Decolonisation/ a Post-colonial text
In Derek Walcott’s play Dream on Monkey Mountain , we come across the character of Corporal Lestrade as well as the character of Makak. Makak is an older black man. He is the protagonist of the play. He used to live alone on the Monkey Mountain. There is a search for one’s own identity in the play. The play opens in a small West Indian jail. In the play, t he action occurs in real as well as in imagined locations. The most real place is the jail. Again, on the other hand, Makak is a dreamer and full of human emotions to some extent. On a country road, Makak heals a sick man. This act throws ample light to his sense of humanity. The play has been given manifold interpretations. by many critics. Some of the interpreters have compared Makak to Christ, while the others have stressed on his name meaning ‘monkey’. The play depicts African myths and customs. Corporal Lestrade was pretty oppressing. He cannot accept his lack of identity. Since he is a Mulat...