28 pages • 56 minutes read
Derek WalcottDream on Monkey Mountain
Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1970A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Dream on Monkey Mountain by Derek Walcott is an allegorical post-colonial play set on an unnamed Caribbean island where a jailed black man named Makak, who despises his own identity, dreams that a white goddess inspires him to become an African king, transforming his former jailer into his new enforcer. Themes include colonial oppression, racial identity, and dreams versus reality. This story includes depictions of imprisonment, violence, and racial discrimination.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Dream on Monkey Mountain by Derek Walcott has received acclaim for its poetic language and exploration of post-colonial identity. Reviewers praise its rich imagery and complex themes, though some find its abstract narrative challenging. Overall, the play is celebrated for its profound cultural insights and evocative storytelling, despite occasional difficulties in clarity.
Who Should Read Dream on Monkey Mountain?
Readers who relish rich, poetic language and themes exploring post-colonial identity, myth, and spirituality will appreciate Derek Walcott's Dream on Monkey Mountain. Comparable to works like Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart and Aimé Césaire’s A Tempest, this play appeals to those intrigued by cultural narrative and historical reflection.