FULL NAMES:
STUDENT NUMBER:
MODULE CODE: ENG2602
MODULE NAME: GENRES IN LITERATURE AND
LANGUAGE: THEORY, STYLE AND POETICS
ASSIGNMENT: 03
QUESTION 2: DRAMA
DUE DATE: 18 AUGUST 2025
, QUESTION 2: DRAMA
The extract from I Will Marry When I Want presents a deeply layered portrayal of
economic hardship and despair experienced by a working-class Kenyan family. The
playwrights focus on Kigũũnda, Wangeci, and Gathoni’s domestic life to reveal the
daily struggles they face under the weight of poverty. Through their interaction, the
authors not only highlight the harsh socio-economic reality of post-colonial Kenya but
also bring forward the psychological and emotional impact of such conditions. This
essay explores how the playwrights use didascalia, dialogue, and rhythm as dramatic
techniques to express themes of economic hardship and despair. The characters'
physical surroundings, their conversations, and the flow of the play all reflect a life
where poverty intrudes upon every aspect of daily existence.
The first literary technique employed in the extract is didascalia, or stage directions,
which visually and symbolically represent poverty and hopelessness. The scene
opens with a description of Kigũũnda’s home as a “square, mud-walled, white-ochred,
one-roomed house” with fading paint. This visual cue sets the tone for economic
decline. The house is described as not only small but also in decay, with white ochre
that is “fading,” suggesting a past aspiration for dignity that is slowly eroding. The
presence of a pot on three stones and Gathoni’s bed being “a pile of rags on the floor”
makes it clear that the family lacks basic household resources. The use of the word
“rags” symbolises not just material poverty, but also a loss of comfort and security.
Even their clothing reflects despair: Kigũũnda and Wangeci’s coats are “torn and
patched,” indicating long-term deprivation and a need to preserve whatever little they
have. These details do not simply paint a picture; they echo the silent suffering that
poverty brings. The didascalia acts almost like a photographic snapshot of what it
means to live in scarcity, every item in the room is a reminder of economic distress
(ENG2602 Study Guide, 2025:102).
Beyond physical description, didascalia also builds an atmosphere of tension and
unresolved hope. The fact that the family is expecting guests and preparing a meal
despite their condition reflects an internal struggle to maintain dignity and hospitality.
Wangeci’s peeling of potatoes and sorting rice shows how ordinary rituals are
STUDENT NUMBER:
MODULE CODE: ENG2602
MODULE NAME: GENRES IN LITERATURE AND
LANGUAGE: THEORY, STYLE AND POETICS
ASSIGNMENT: 03
QUESTION 2: DRAMA
DUE DATE: 18 AUGUST 2025
, QUESTION 2: DRAMA
The extract from I Will Marry When I Want presents a deeply layered portrayal of
economic hardship and despair experienced by a working-class Kenyan family. The
playwrights focus on Kigũũnda, Wangeci, and Gathoni’s domestic life to reveal the
daily struggles they face under the weight of poverty. Through their interaction, the
authors not only highlight the harsh socio-economic reality of post-colonial Kenya but
also bring forward the psychological and emotional impact of such conditions. This
essay explores how the playwrights use didascalia, dialogue, and rhythm as dramatic
techniques to express themes of economic hardship and despair. The characters'
physical surroundings, their conversations, and the flow of the play all reflect a life
where poverty intrudes upon every aspect of daily existence.
The first literary technique employed in the extract is didascalia, or stage directions,
which visually and symbolically represent poverty and hopelessness. The scene
opens with a description of Kigũũnda’s home as a “square, mud-walled, white-ochred,
one-roomed house” with fading paint. This visual cue sets the tone for economic
decline. The house is described as not only small but also in decay, with white ochre
that is “fading,” suggesting a past aspiration for dignity that is slowly eroding. The
presence of a pot on three stones and Gathoni’s bed being “a pile of rags on the floor”
makes it clear that the family lacks basic household resources. The use of the word
“rags” symbolises not just material poverty, but also a loss of comfort and security.
Even their clothing reflects despair: Kigũũnda and Wangeci’s coats are “torn and
patched,” indicating long-term deprivation and a need to preserve whatever little they
have. These details do not simply paint a picture; they echo the silent suffering that
poverty brings. The didascalia acts almost like a photographic snapshot of what it
means to live in scarcity, every item in the room is a reminder of economic distress
(ENG2602 Study Guide, 2025:102).
Beyond physical description, didascalia also builds an atmosphere of tension and
unresolved hope. The fact that the family is expecting guests and preparing a meal
despite their condition reflects an internal struggle to maintain dignity and hospitality.
Wangeci’s peeling of potatoes and sorting rice shows how ordinary rituals are
