Abstract the Epic of 1804: Based Upon And
ABSTRACT THE EPIC OF 1804: BASED UPON AND INCORPORATING AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF MAURICE A. SIXTO’S J’AI VENGE LA RACE Myriam Souffrant, M.A. Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures Northern Illinois University, 2017 Matthew Smith, Director This thesis is a play written in English based upon the French audio recording entitled J’ai vengé la race by Maurice A. Sixto, famed Haitian story teller, comedian, diplomat and language professor (1919-1984). Mr. Sixto is regarded in Haitian literature as an oratory genius for his uncanny ability to analyze every segment of Haitian society using a rich and prolific narrative. With humor, wisdom, and a deft understanding of Haitian societal norms, he used his iconic voice to create authentic characters that have become part of the Haitian cultural fabric. His stories exposed the ills plaguing 20th century Haitian society; everything from the psychological remnants of slavery, to class differentiation and discrimination and beyond. As it is written, the play is in keeping with the Haitian literary tradition of a narrative within a narrative style of storytelling that Sixto uses in J’ai vengé la race. The play also does not support a fixed chronological canon, leaving its conclusion without closure and open to speculation. Thematically, the play is polymorphous, its themes ranging from the supernatural, to historical criticism, to personal testimony, to mysticism, to sex. NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY DEKALB, ILLINOIS MAY 2017 THE EPIC OF 1804: BASED UPON AND INCORPORATING AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF MAURICE A. SIXTO’S J’AI VENGE LA RACE BY MYRIAM SOUFFRANT ©2017 Myriam Souffrant A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE MASTER OF ARTS DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES Thesis Director: Matthew Smith DEDICATION This play is dedicated to my father, Pierre Jean-Baptiste, who spent his life fighting for the Haitian cause and like Moses and Martin Luther King Jr., died before seeing the Promised Land.
[Show full text]