GR 10 English The Lighthouse Keepers Wife Introduction

The Lighthouse Keeper’s Wife
Elements of a drama
Stucture of a drama
Explanation The Lighthouse Keeper’s Wife
The exposition Introduces setting, characters and Act I and II. The purpose is to acquaint us
background information. with the four characters and their
attitudes to each other.
Rising actions Series of events that begin after the Begins in Act III with Barney’s destruction
exposition and build up to a climax. The of Plaatjes’ boat and it rises further in Act
rising action is usually the result of either IV where the tensions mount during
internal or external conflict. Barney’s visit to the Lamprechts.
The climax The turning point, which changes and Lamprecht’s cutting out of Plaatje’s
decides the protagonist’s fate. tongue in Act V is the climax of the play.
It is a dreadful fulfilment of Lamprecht’s
jealousy and the turning point in Stella’s
grip on sanity.
The falling action The conflict between the protagonist and During the falling action in Act VI we see
the antagonist unravels in favour of one how Stella has responded to Plaatjes’
of them. inability to speak by using the very words
he used earlier in the play. They are
united in being victims of captivity.
The dénouement This concludes the play. Conflicts are Stella being fitted with a strait jacket is
resolved and there is release of tension the dénouement that concludes the play.
and anxiety
Characters and characterisation

 We get different types of characters:
1. Major versus minor characters:
A major character is central to the development of the plot and to the resolution of the
conflict and minor character less so.
2. Round versus flat characters:
Round characters are complex and undergo development. They are often conflicted. A flat
character usually has a single character or personality trait and is likely to be static.
3. Dynamic versus static characters:
A dynamic character changes during the course of the play, usually through facing a crisis or
resolving a conflict. Static characters do not change during the course of the play.
4. Protagonist and antagonist:
The protagonist is the main character, faced with a conflict that he she must resolve. The
protagonist is not necessarily virtuous or admirable, but if the play is to succeed, the
audience should feel involved in his or her conflict and, if possible empathetic. The
antagonist represents the opposite – the obstacle in the protagonist’s way.
 Characters are revealed in various ways:
1. Stage directions.
2. How characters behave towards or speak about other characters.
3. The action of the characters.
4. Their body language.
5. The words of the characters.
Themes
1. Imprisonment and freedom
2. Jealousy, fear and isolation
3. Sanity and insanity
4. Human rights and dignity
5. Love
About the setting
 Robben Island
Before Robben Island was used as a prison for political prisoners like Mandela,it was used to isolate
various people considered undersirable. This included prisoners such as the Khoi Khoi in 1591 and
Xhosa captives during the Frontier Wars between 1779 and 1878. It was also used for tuberculosis
patients during the early 1800s and later that century for lepers and the mentally ill. The island was
a hospital for lepers and the mentally ill. The lighthouse itself was built in 1864. One of the
characters, Barney, refers to strongman Tromp van Diggelen who was born in 1885. This places the
time of the play as the early 1900s.
What makes it suitable as a prison is that it is surrounded by icy, shark-infested water, and the Cape
mainland is seven kilometres away.
 The lighthouse
Jan van Riebeeck arranged for a bonfire to be kept alight on the top of Fire Hill, the highest point on
Robben Island. The curren lighthouse was built on the same hill, now called Minto Hill, in 1864 and
converted to electricity in 1938. Where all the other lighthouses along the South African coast use
revolving lights, the Robben Island lighthouse uses a flashing light. Despite the warning light, over
the past three and a half centuries many ships have struck the rock surrounding the island and
nearby Whale Rock. The heavy Atlantic Ocean surf has pounded them to pieces. It is planks from
these shipwrecks that Plaatjes collects on the rocky shore and uses his boats.
Prisoners arriving at Robben Island

Mandela in prison
Robben Island
Minto Hill View of mainland from Robben
Island
Tromp van Diggelen

The lighthouse Tromp van Diggelen

GR 10 English The Lighthouse Keepers Wife Introduction

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The Lighthouse Keeper’s Wife

Characters and characterisation

Prisoners arriving at Robben Island

Tromp van Diggelen

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