THE ROAD TO MECCAATHOL FUGARD

Lecture 10Lecturer : Greta de Wet

Introduction

í Road to Mecca : Playscript/Dramaí Meant to be performedí All the action takes place via spoken words or

dialogueí Literary texts can be divided in three genres :

Prose : fiction or non­fiction (chapters), Poetry(stanzas), Drama (Acts : divided into scenes)

í Road to Mecca filmed in 1992

Drama Terminology

í Dramatis personae : List of characters in playí Stage directions : Tells director and actors what is

happening on the stage at any point in playí Dialogue : Words spoken by characters in playí Road to Mecca : divided into two Actsí First Act : Elsa Barlow arrives at Miss Helen’s

home in Nieu­Bethesda : Introduction of problemstwo women are facing

í Second Act : Marius Byleveld arrivesí Third Act : Helen has to make a decision about her

life

Nieu Bethesda

í Little town in Karooí 12 hours’ drive from Cape Towní Cold in winter/hot in summerí Semi­desert but town has plentiful supply of

water to sustain farming communityí Conservative community : most people know

each other and strangers are fewí At the time of Helen Martins : no running

water or electricity

Characters

í Helen Martins : Miss Helen : 1897­1976í Based on the life of the real Helen Martinsí Play based on important events of her life : divorce

from her husband and return to Nieu Bethesda in the1930’s to care for ill mother who died in 1941

í Stayed alone in house after mother’s deathí Ill one night and while watching moon shining

through window decided would change it by bringinglight into environment

í Fugard based play on Helen’s life, but not everythingbased on true life

í “ Stefanus “í Piet vd Merwe and Koos Malgas

Elsa Barlow

í Character based on young social worker thatmeant so much to Miss Helen in her later life

í Details changed : not real name : becomes teacherinstead of social worker in drama

í Play opens with Elsa’s arrival from Cape Town :tired and irritable

í Gave lift to young African lady with baby betweenCape Town and Cradock : significant

í English speakingí Single, relationship with married man, abortioní Essence of friendship : Trustí Play ends on note of hope

Dominee Marius Byleveld

í Pastor/Dominee : Dutch Reformed Churchí Part of job to take care of people, physically and

spirituallyí Knows everybodyí Helen describes him as old friendí Unspoken conflict over religious and artistic issuesí Conflict politeí Sees Helen’s art as idoltaryí Feel statues refer to another religion or visioní In conflict with religion : church

Symbols in Road to Mecca

í Symbols : An object, event etc that represents a more generalquality or situation

í A symbol is an image or object that represents anotherquality or meaning

í Religions are particularly rich in symbolsí Literature uses symbols too e.g. red rose = romantic loveí Owl : Helen’s personal totem animal : insight and wisdomí Mecca : Capital of Saudi Arabia : holy city of Islam. Symbol

of spiritual or personal goalí Glass : Reflects light : symbol of clarity and happinessí Camels and riders : Mecca desert country : camels ability to

undertake long journeys across desert landscape

Religion and Conflict

í Human history full of religious conflicts and warsí Pilgrimage : religious people travelling to holy places :

pilgrims : Canterbury, Lourdes, Jerusalem, Mecca (Hajj )

í Conflict between Helen’s Mecca and Ds MariusChristian faith

í Opposition between what Christian church wants forHelen and what she wants for herself

í Idea of Mecca : Helen associates religious values withher art : freedom to express herself and inner vision

í Mecca goal of Helen’s journey as artistí As long as work continues on her Mecca, she will have

a reason to liveí Art : expression of freedom : images of imagination

Interpretation of Helen’s art

í Helen : Mecca : spiritual fulfilment : rebelliousagainst what society expects from her : threatto established norms of village

í Elsa : Beautifulí Marius : Cement monstrosities, dangerous,

idoltaryí Play : explore problems of freedom, art,

religion, women’s place in society

Women in Road to Mecca

í Helen : Divorced, single, no children, sculptor: did not conform to society

í Katrina : Seventeen, beaten by drunkenhusband, baby, poor

í Elsa : single, affair with married man, teacherat coloured school outspoken against policy ofracial inequality