Pantomime
How does Derek Walcott challenge the political vision of Defoe's Robinson Crusoe in his play Pantomime?
Difference between the political vision of Robinson Crusoe and Derek Walcott's play Pantomime.
Difference between the political vision of Robinson Crusoe and Derek Walcott's play Pantomime.
The play can be interpreted as an allegory of the debate on colonialism and the underlying master-slave relationship. As such, the conversation between Trewe and Jackson is a symbol of the political, social, cultural and economic discussions between white and black. In case the audience has not understood the implications of the reversed roles of Robinson Crusoe and Friday, Jackson explicitly mentions that "[t]his moment that we are now acting here is the history of imperialism; it's nothing less than that." He exposes imperialism as a violent act of forcing an entire country to forget their identity to adopt new beliefs and a new language. By using synonyms for the word 'master' from other languages, he states that all colonies of the British empire had to endure similar hardships. Jackson's lines also present colonialism as a random act without legitimation, because he assumes the role of a superior power like Robinson Crusoe took on the role of God and master of Friday by himself.
Pantomime, GradeSaver, Theme of Master/ Slave Relationship