Skip to main content

LEADERS CAN BOTH BE DISGRACEFUL AND HONORABLE

The Caucasian Chalk Circle presents a paradoxical situation as it presents Azdak as filthy leader who is loved by the masses and despised by the rich.

Azdak in the play Caucasian Chalk Circle is a disgraceful character. Despite this, he is believably one of the best characters because of his witticism and bravado at turning situations against those that he sees as profiteers of the law. Being a village scrivener, Azdak comes out as a learned incorrigible citizen who always goes against the norm to insult the custodians of the law like Shauwa. And as a judge, he takes the advantage of anarchy to rein terror on any corrupt wealthy individual who presents a case to him.
The character of Azdak can be captured in individuals within a country like Kenya. Of late, the newspapers (in Kenya) have been awash with tales of corruption that the unwitting Kenyans are of the opinion that, for the first time in 20 years, the government is committed in curbing the widespread corruption.
Grusinia in the play the Caucasian Chalk was at wits end when Azdak became a judge. At the time- a time of war- Azdak says, in a play with a play that, the Princes profited from the war coffers. He says, Although Grusinia lost the war, the princes won. To the princes, the time of war was like winning the lottery. With massive corruption, Azdak took advantage of the situation and openly accepted bribes in court.
Many who gave Azdak bribes thought that the case will be decided in their favour, however, the witty Azdak would always turn the case those he profited from. For example, in the case of the doctor and the invalid, after taking the money of the invalid, Azdak went ahead and stamped a penalty of 1000 piaster on the poor fellow.

This is to show that, in country with rampant corruption, one doesn’t need to take bribes to give favours. One need to stand on principle and do what is best for the interest of the society. Kenya can benefit from such wisdom in a leader! 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

EXPLORING FEMINISM IN BLOSSOMS OF THE SAVANNAH AND A DOLL'S HOUSE

Feminism emerged as a movement to fight for the social, political and economic rights of the women. It is more of a political movement that recognises the individuality and sexuality of women and how historically and religion wise have been segregated. Before the advent of feminism, women lived under the tutelage of their male counterparts. For instance, a woman did not have any right to choose whom to marry, it was the prerogative of the male family member to choose. In the TV Serial, Rome, Julius 'Octavian' Caesar, who later became Augustus Caesar, makes a decision that affects both his mother and sister in a way unimaginable. The mother, Artia of the Julii is in love with Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) and she plans to marry him. However, Caesar decides it will be impossible for the two lovebirds to make it official. For political reasons, he settles for his sister Octavia as a suitable wife for Mark Anthony! There are many examples of male subjugation in numerous cultu...
7 comments
Read more

VIHIGA COUNTY- THE ECONOMY, IN FOCUS: MUDETE TEA FACTORY, A WATER DOWN OR ???

         Mudete Tea Factory is located in Vihiga county of Western Kenya. The factory Is to serve the Tea rich Western Kenya especially Vihiga county which receives an annual rainfall of about 1500mm to 2000mm. The factory established in the mid 1990s has seen a fair share of progress but has remained a dimunitive figure in the progress of the county. One could argue that maybe it is due to the fact that the tea farmers within the region are much less reluctant in upping their game to produce higher and quality tea for the factory. The factory which is supposed to run on a 24hour basis goes on occasions where it runs out of tea to process!Clearly someone is sleeping on the job. the wellbieng of this factory fundamentally lies in two people; the farmer and the farmer.therefore this factory can only be a success story if the farmer realised how much he can reap from the factory. But one problem comes into mind when you talk about the farmer not del...
3 comments
Read more

NEGATIVE CULTURAL PRACTICES AMONG THE PEOPLE OF NASILA IN BLOSSOMS OF THE SAVANNAH

The book Blossoms of the Savannah explores both the positive and negative cultural practices. H. R Kulet describes intimately those cultural practices he believes are best and on the other hand, lets us in on some of the cultural practices he believe were injurious. Interestingly, the negative cultural practices are aimed at women. The most poignant cultural practice that negatively affects women is Female genital mutilation. Although according to Parmuat, the practice was started by women to resist the evil Ilarinkoi, it continued to cause wanton pain and torture on women. Taiyo and Resian are determined to fight it. Resian manages to evade the brutal practice however Taiyo barely makes it having been forcibly cut. FGM is a global menace affecting millions of women in Africa and Asia. Although its benefits are only anthropological, its effects are very damning and could lead to death.  Second among the negative Nasilian culture is early marriage. Resian still has go...
35 comments
Read more