Browsing by Author "Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)"

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    A Psychoanalytic Analysis of the Thematic Preoccupations of Dhaba Weyessa's Godaannisaa and Gadisa Birru's Kuusaa Gadoo
    (Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Beco, Yosef; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)
    Psychoanalytic literary criticism serves as a tool to excavate the landscape of any literary work. Following Freud's concept of psychoanalysis as a method to examine the workings of the human mind, there are motives and meanings that become center of attention among the classical psychoanalytic critics. The classical psychoanalytic critics treat a literary text as a dreamlike and the literary analysis as a dream interpretation. The literary characters are also the imaginary beings that the repressed desire of the author is incarnated into. On the basis that any literary work can lend itself to any critical approaches, the two Oromo novels: Dhaba Weyessa's Godaannisaa ("The Scar" and Gadisa Birru's Kuusaa Gadoo ("Cumulative Grudge") are under examination of the established principles of psychoanalytic literary criticism. It is also the objective of the study to analyze the psychoanalytic approaches to the thematic preoccupations of the two works. The researcher attempts to analyze the thematic obsessions that revolve around the main characters. As psychoanalytic literary criticism is often coupled with other literary theories, due attention is also given to psychoanalytic feminism and psychoanalysis and Marxism. The two novels, which are written in the aftermath of the transitional government of Ethiopia, in post 1991, appeared with recurrent themes and hence they are selected to be examined from psychoanalytic perspectives. Using techniques of criticism and hermeneutics a thorough textual analysis and interpretation is made in order to attain the objectives set to the study. The two works reflect the unconscious motives of the authors which are repressed in their unconscious and later projected into the characters in the imaginary world-the novels. The central male characters who are coupled with women characters characterize the traumatic life experiences of the Oromo people, particularly during the Dergue regime. The repressed wounds, unresolved conflicts and bitter memories appear with such mechanism repression, projection and symbolism.
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    The Social Function of Amharic Folk Poetry with Reference to Shänä in Rayya Qobbo
    (Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Nigussie, Beakal; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)
    In countries like Ethiopia, where the rate of literacy is very low, and the written word is deficient to wave public opinion, the role of folk literature is mammoth. Contrary to this fact, folk literature in Ethiopia is overwhelmed by western cultures and many such heritages are on the verge of oblivion, in the country in general and in Rayya Qobbo in particular; and Shänä a folk poetry is among the victimized assets. Bearing such assumptions in mind, this study was designed to record Shänä a folk poetry in Rayya Qobbo and to examine its social functions through thematic as well as contextual analyses. The study embraces six chapters, of which the first provides a general background to the study, physical and social setting of the study area and insights about the magnitude of the problem, the objectives, significances and scope. In the second chapter, different theories, approaches and studies are reviewed and definitions of terms are given to substantiate the research with guiding framework. In chapter three, the different methods employed in collecting Amharic Shänä a folk poetry using audiotape recorder and classifications used in the study are described. In the fourth chapter, a brief description of the ceremonial process of Shänä a and major occasions of performances of Shänä a folk poetry are given. Chapter five, mainly deals with a contextual analysis of Shänä folk poetry to brought to the fore its themes and social functions. Thus, forty poems were selected, transcribed on paper, translated in to English and analyzed accordingly. Chapter six, the conclusion, gives a succinct summary of the social functions of Shänä a folk poetry as reflected in the data collected and analyzed. Thus, the study revealed blessing, curse, praise, socio-political commentary, historical record and cherishing patriarchy as the major social functions of Shänä a folk poetry. Blessing appeared as the most common function served and wealth, power and fame, victory, successful marriage, health, long life and righteousness were identified as the main focuses. Regarding curse, contrary to blessing, weak sides of individuals got expressions. Praise also appeared playing roles in upraising individual’s generosity, wealth and heroic deeds. In the category of socio-political commentary, criticism of the manner of the society like envy and malevolent and protest against a government were reflected. In recording history, historical places, names of heroes and heroic deeds appeared as points of focuses. Finally, Shänä a folk poetry was also found playing roles in maintaining conformity to male supremacy by cherishing patriarchy.