Brother Jero flees leaving the MP alone. Jero is happy because he has managed to full him. He hopes that he will go and tell it to others. The Member thinks that he is on the holy ground and takes his off his shoes. Brother Jero watches as he is about to sleep so that he may re-appear and make the member believe that he fell from heaven. The Title of the Play. In other words it is talking about the temptations of different dimensions that Brother Jero faces in his ministry as a prophet.
The title of the play is relevant to its content as the playwright has discussed several trials befalling our main character the protagonist Brother Jeroboam. The temptations he gets are from women and from his ministry. Brother Jero is very fond of women and this has become his greatest weakness as he admits in scene one.
A girl passes sleepily in front of him clothed only in a wrapper going to take a swim. When she comes back she is clean, wet, with shiny face and hair. Brother Jero follows her with his eyes all the way. Then he tells himself. Her wrapper was pulled so high that half the length of her thigh is exposed. Brother Jero finds it difficult to allow Chume to beat his wife and tells him it is against the will of God.
He encourages Chume to bear it as a cross telling him that she was his trial sent from heaven. He is careful to tell only those prophesies that have a probability of coming true so that they may continue believing in him.
For example he says he prophesied that one man will be made a chief in his home town. As safe as out most popular prophesy, that a man will live to be eighty. He for instance tells one man that he will be the first Prime minister of the new Mid-North-East State — when it is created. There are also sub-settings, setting the actions in the scenes of the play. The beach is used as a place where most prophets have erected their churches and struggle for customers.
It is this same setting that gives awareness to Chume who was once ignorant and blind follower and Assistant of Brother Jero. He comes to discover that the man he has trusted ever is a liar and a hypocrite because he has a house but claims to sleep at the beach. Also he discovers that the permission he got to punish beat his wife was a careful plan to make Brother Jero get rid of his Creditor who is actually his own wife.
The play begins with a monologue in which Brother Jero addresses the audience directly introducing himself as a prophet from birth. He does not know it of course, but he is a follower. All I need to do is claim him. Call him and say to him, My dear member of the House, your place awaits you…or do you doubt it? This was a direct address to the audience. The dominant point of view through which the story is told is First person Point of view.
The story unfolds almost entirely through the eyes and words of the main character Brother Jero who every now and then takes himself aside and tells the audience what they should expect to see in the subsequent scenes. Language use. He has also made use of idiosyncratic variation perhaps to stress a point of ignorance and awareness within one person. Chume speaks Standard English when he converses with his wife but when he talks to Brother Jero he speaks Pidgin English.
That one no fool me any more. They make the prophets richer and richer but they remain poorer and poorer. Thus she represents the exploited individuals in the society who are enlightened have come to realise the real men behind the mask and cannot be easily deceived. The Prophet presents himself as a poor and humble man of God who has nowhere to sleep except the beach while in fact he as e very nice house at Ajete Settlement.
This is used as a symbol of poverty in the play. Those rich guys drive cars but the poor like Chume can only afford the bicycle. In this play the television is used as a symbol of spiritual hypocrisy. This is hypocrisy. Brother Jero is portrayed ironically. The playwright has used a dramatic irony in which case the audience and some characters like Amope are aware of the real Brother Jero but others in the play have no idea of his real identity.
This is done purposely to create suspense and make the readers long to see what Chume will do after discovering the real man behind the mask. The words Heavenly cowboys are also used ironically because a cowboy is someone who does their jobs badly or one who is dishonest in business. Whole play is a satire to the Christian church and shows that from the past symbolised by old prophet to present symbolised by Jero and even the future symbolised by Chume the false prophets who practice Christian charlatanism have not changed.
The names are not only funny but they portray their hypocritical outlook as well. Prophet Jehu in the biblical rendition, wiped away evil from Israel, Cherubims and seruphims refer to angels, who are sweet and innocent doing only the will of God, but the activities of these churches, spread evils among Gods people showing their ugliness, ungodliness, and lack of genuineness. Thus they are causing immorality in the church of God and Soyinka warns them about the terrible fate that awaits them on the Judgment Day.
Help him. There are biblical allusions that are used in the play to place the play in its real context. I see him entrenched in your eyes. Brother Jero. He is the main character portrayed as charlatan who attempts to achieve his ambition as an important and distinctive prophet by appearing immaculate in a velvet cape, which he had not yet paid for, and articulate in prophecy.
Brother Jeroboam Jero is a self-professed man of God who preaches water but drinks wine. He runs after women, he buys the velvet cape from Amope on credit but refuses to pay her. This is moral corruption for a man of God. He lies even to his own assistant that he has no house and he sleeps at the beach but in reality he has a house somewhere in Ajete settlement area.
Chume says in page This is highest level of hypocrisy. Brother Jero exploits his subjects through offerings they pay. Skirt-chaser Brother Jero admits that his weakness is women.
He is the husband of Amope and usually quarrels with her. He helps Brother Jero to administer in his church. He is employed as a chief messenger. Chume is among the devoted followers of Brother Jero who are exploited unawares. He thinks that Jero is a genuine man of God until he discovers the real man behind the mask. Chume is very poor something that causes him troubles with his wife who claims that he has better become a Sanitary Inspector for he can at least take bribes and buy a motorcycle than the bicycle he has.
Chume believes that women beating can be a solution to silence his wife Amope and stop her from abusing him. She usually quarrels with her husband. She earns her living by engaging in petty trade selling things including the velvet cape she sold to Brother Jero for one pound eight shillings and he has not paid her. She is a hard working woman and manages to prepare the food for her husband.
She is very courageous and has a firm stand. For example she goes to camp at the house of Brother Jero until she is paid her money. She uses abusive language when talking to people like the fish seller, her husband and her debtor Brother Jero. Do you think my money is for the likes of you? She complains too much almost in every situation and against everybody she encounters. She complains against her husband, against the fish seller, against the drum boy and against brother Jero.
A chief of a Prophet, a swindler of a fish-seller and now that thing with lice on his head comes begging for money. Member of Parliament. He is a senior member of the Federal house. We are told that he is a member of the federal house- a backbencher but with one eye on a ministerial post.
He goes to Brother Jero every day to be taught the tricks in speech making but he never makes the speeches. He is too scared. He is one of those Brother Jero cheats with false prophesies that their dreams would be fulfilled.
Brother Jero prophesies that he would be appointed as a Minister for War. And he believes him. Soyinka has discussed different controversies that arise as a result of the kind of religion introduced in Africa which brought both hopes and disappointments.
Brother Jero is the main source of conflicts in the play. The Velvet Cape ; has been used not only as a symbol of wealth exploited from the masses by the prophets but also as a mask behind which the prophet has camouflaged himself to hide his real identity.
The Prophet presents himself as a poor and humble man of God who has nowhere to sleep except the beach while in fact he as e very nice house at Ajete Settlement.
This is used as a symbol of poverty in the play. Those rich guys drive cars but the poor like Chume can only afford the bicycle.
The television. In this play the television is used as a symbol of spiritual hypocrisy. This is hypocrisy. Brother Jero is portrayed ironically. The playwright has used a dramatic irony in which case the audience and some characters like Amope are aware of the real Brother Jero but others in the play have no idea of his real identity. This is done purposely to create suspense and make the readers long to see what Chume will do after discovering the real man behind the mask.
The words Heavenly cowboys are also used ironically because a cowboy is someone who does their jobs badly or one who is dishonest in business. The playwright mocks the Christian religion. Whole play is a satire to the Christian church and shows that from the past symbolised by old prophet to present symbolised by Jero and even the future symbolised by Chume the false prophets who practice Christian charlatanism have not changed. Soyinka mocks the names of the churches. The names are not only funny but they portray their hypocritical outlook as well.
Prophet Jehu in the biblical rendition, wiped away evil from Israel, Cherubims and seruphims refer to angels, who are sweet and innocent doing only the will of God, but the activities of these churches, spread evils among Gods people showing their ugliness, ungodliness, and lack of genuineness.
Thus they are causing immorality in the church of God and Soyinka warns them about the terrible fate that awaits them on the Judgment Day. I am glad I got here before my customers — I mean worshippers — well customers if you like.
This woman whom you so desire to beat is your cross —bear it well. There are biblical allusions that are used in the play to place the play in its real context. The brotherhood of Jehu, the Cherubims and seraphims, the Sisters of Judgement day, the heavenly cowboys… p. Forgive this sinner, father, Forgive him by day, Forgive him by night, Forgive him in the morning, Forgive him at noon… p.
He is the protagonist. He is the main character portrayed as charlatan who attempts to achieve his ambition as an important and distinctive prophet by appearing immaculate in a velvet cape, which he had not yet paid for, and articulate in prophecy. He is a fake phoney prophet. Brother Jeroboam Jero is a self-professed man of God who preaches water but drinks wine. He is corrupt. He runs after women, he buys the velvet cape from Amope on credit but refuses to pay her.
This is moral corruption for a man of God. He is a liar. He lies even to his own assistant that he has no house and he sleeps at the beach but in reality he has a house somewhere in Ajete settlement area. Chume says in page He is a hypocrite prophet.
This is highest level of hypocrisy. He is an exploiter. Brother Jero exploits his subjects through offerings they pay. He is a womanizer. Skirt-chaser Brother Jero admits that his weakness is women. He is the husband of Amope and usually quarrels with her. He helps Brother Jero to administer in his church. He is a chief messenger. He is employed as a chief messenger. He is a blind follower of brother Jero. Chume is among the devoted followers of Brother Jero who are exploited unawares.
He thinks that Jero is a genuine man of God until he discovers the real man behind the mask. He leads a poor life. Chume is very poor something that causes him troubles with his wife who claims that he has better become a Sanitary Inspector for he can at least take bribes and buy a motorcycle than the bicycle he has. He is a traditionalist who believes in Women beating. Chume believes that women beating can be a solution to silence his wife Amope and stop her from abusing him.
She is a wife of Chume. She usually quarrels with her husband. She is a petty trader. She earns her living by engaging in petty trade selling things including the velvet cape she sold to Brother Jero for one pound eight shillings and he has not paid her.
She is a very hardworking woman. She is a hard working woman and manages to prepare the food for her husband. She is brave and courageous. She is very courageous and has a firm stand. For example she goes to camp at the house of Brother Jero until she is paid her money. She is abusive. She uses abusive language when talking to people like the fish seller, her husband and her debtor Brother Jero. Do you think my money is for the likes of you?
She likes complaining. She complains too much almost in every situation and against everybody she encounters. She complains against her husband, against the fish seller, against the drum boy and against brother Jero. A chief of a Prophet, a swindler of a fish-seller and now that thing with lice on his head comes begging for money.
He is an M. He is a senior member of the Federal house. He is a power monger. We are told that he is a member of the federal house- a backbencher but with one eye on a ministerial post. He is poor in speech making. He goes to Brother Jero every day to be taught the tricks in speech making but he never makes the speeches. He is too scared. He is ignorant. He is one of those Brother Jero cheats with false prophesies that their dreams would be fulfilled.
Brother Jero prophesies that he would be appointed as a Minister for War. And he believes him. Soyinka has discussed different controversies that arise as a result of the kind of religion introduced in Africa which brought both hopes and disappointments. Brother Jero is the main source of conflicts in the play. Conflict between Brother Jero and Old prophet. This conflict occurs as result of a quarrel over a piece of land at the beach where Brother Jero erects his church.
He decides to chase away the old Prophet despite the fact that he is the one who trained Brother Jero as a prophet. Conflict between Brother Jero and Amope. This conflict occurs because of the money Brother Jero owes Amope.
She has sold him a Velvet cape for one pound and eight shillings but Brother Jero has been avoiding paying her claiming that his money is in the bank.
This causes a serious conflict between the two. Conflict between Amope and the trader. This occurs when Amope comments that her fish smells a bit. The two exchange hot potatoes and the fish trader decides to leave avoiding the unnecessary quarrel. This conflict arises as a result of two major factors. One is from their personality traits. Amope is so hot-tempered that she evokes a quarrel over just a minor issue while Chume on his side seems to be so church-centred ignoring to provide for his own family.
Secondly the poor state at home stirs the conflict to the point where Amope regrets to have married a mere messenger and wishes he had been at least a sanitary inspector for it is a better job than a messenger. This causes a serious conflict in which case Chume seeks for permission from the Prophet to beat her but the permission is not granted.
The prophets are quarrelling over a piece of land where to establish their churches. The conflict is so intense to the point that the town council had to intervene and divide the land peacefully among the prophets. Brother Jero betrays the Old Prophet by chasing him away while in fact he is the one who trained him to become a prophet.
Brother Jero drives him away after a clash over the land at the beach where he later establishes his church. Brother Jero has betrayed his Christian faith and his followers by acting contrary to what is expected of a prophet of God. He uses his position to exploit the ignorant mass and he calls them his customers. Furthermore, he does things that are morally contrary to the Christian faith in the name of religion like being lustful for women.
Brother Jero betrays his closest assistant Chume. First he does not tell him the truth about his really life. He has a house at Ajete Settlement area and he keeps it a secret claiming that he sleeps at the beach. Secondly, he allows Chume to go and beat his wife after realising that she is the one he owes the money saying it is the will of God while he does so for his own interest. Brother Jero has betrayed Amope. He bought a Velvet Cape from her promising to pay for it but it has been three months and the debt is not paid.
Moreover he keeps on avoiding her something that shows that he is not willing to pay for the Velvet cape. The worshippers in this play are portrayed as ignorant as they trust Brother Jero as a man of God not realising the real man who has camouflaged himself behind the mask of Christianity.
He uses that opportunity to exploit them since they are not aware that he is just a womaniser, a liar, and an exploiter. He serves Brother Jero faithfully and with reverence and ends up becoming poorer and poorer as he has dedicated much of his time to church service leaving his family starving. Other editions. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page.
Get A Copy. Published More Details Edition Language. Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about The Trials of Brother Jero , please sign up. Be the first to ask a question about The Trials of Brother Jero. Lists with This Book.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list ». Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Start your review of The Trials of Brother Jero. Sep 25, Oludare Suulola added it.
Very interesting! Jan 17, Nontokozo Ndlovu marked it as wole-sonyika. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. How do l download this book.
0コメント