Redeeming the Voice of African American Women in Wilson’s Plays
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August Wilson’s plays are distinguished from their respective values of his Pittburgh Cycle. Preservation of oral tradition and historical reality represented in only African Americans’ experience of slavery indicates the importance and values of the blues music in his female characters. That is, music and tradition is inseparable in discoursing African Americans’ lives. In particular, Wilson’s emphasis on female characters are not outstanding in main stream studies on him. Among them, three plays are intertwined to present the aspects of the female characters’ roles. To deal with this theme three plays are selected as follows: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom , Fences and The Piano Lesson . Ma Rainey initiates African American’s intrinsic experience of conflicts and segregation from white Americans, to draw their own stories through the power of the blues. In The Piano Lesson , Wilson points out comparison between black and white through the visual image of a piano, which comprises black and white. These visual differences of color disclose literal racism and ethnocentrism at a superficial meaning. The process of acceptance that includes both black and white is seen through the piano playing. Visual effect is closely related to aesthetics of difference. Just as the colors of the piano keys do not mix and each exists respectively, their identity must also be a different color that exists in diversity. On top of that, it offers the most cogent illustrations of how music is adopted for female characterization, especially with use of the blues. In particular, female characters redeem their voices by singing their stories and playing their history through music. Therefore, redeeming their voices shows the meaning of their music and can make their history more vividly inscribed in their storytelling. In conclusion, Wilson speaks, delivers, and represents African American stories through women characters not male protagonists, especially by using their own music, the blues.
Abstract
August Wilson’s plays are distinguished from their respective values of his Pittburgh Cycle. Preservation of oral tradition and historical reality represented in only African Americans’ experience of slavery indicates the importance and values of the blues music in his female characters. That is, music and tradition is inseparable in discoursing African Americans’ lives. In particular, Wilson’s emphasis on female characters are not outstanding in main stream studies on him. Among them, three plays are intertwined to present the aspects of the female characters’ roles. To deal with this theme three plays are selected as follows: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom , Fences and The Piano Lesson . Ma Rainey initiates African American’s intrinsic experience of conflicts and segregation from white Americans, to draw their own stories through the power of the blues. In The Piano Lesson , Wilson points out comparison between black and white through the visual image of a piano, which comprises black and white. These visual differences of color disclose literal racism and ethnocentrism at a superficial meaning. The process of acceptance that includes both black and white is seen through the piano playing. Visual effect is closely related to aesthetics of difference. Just as the colors of the piano keys do not mix and each exists respectively, their identity must also be a different color that exists in diversity. On top of that, it offers the most cogent illustrations of how music is adopted for female characterization, especially with use of the blues. In particular, female characters redeem their voices by singing their stories and playing their history through music. Therefore, redeeming their voices shows the meaning of their music and can make their history more vividly inscribed in their storytelling. In conclusion, Wilson speaks, delivers, and represents African American stories through women characters not male protagonists, especially by using their own music, the blues.
참고문헌 (20)
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