The Controversial Dialectic of the "Self" and the "Other" in Alexander Buzo’s <i>Norm and Ahmed</i>
Abstract
Alexander Buzo's Norm and Ahmed is one of the most outstanding Australian plays dealing with general human yet contemporary issues of particular interest in post-colonial studies as well as multi-cultural literature. This paper explores the play in terms of the problems of racial prejudice, social mobility, and the isolation of non-English speaking immigrants in Australia in the 60's, who are aliens in color, religion, and culture. In addition, it examines the character of Norm, who not only exists in a multicultural neighborhood of a growing city, but also suffers from the isolation from his own white race. Therefore, he seeks someone to communicate with, but that encounter, which happens to be with a young Pakistani student, eventually juxtaposes the numerous differences and overtones of an “Aussie†and an “otherâ€; leading to an unexpected clash not only on a personal level but also on a cultural one. Â
Â
Â
References
• Barry, Helen. http://www.australianstage.com.au
• Brisbane, Katherine (1973). “Introduction: Points of Reference†in Norm and Ahmed and Other Plays, Currency Press, Sydney.
• Buzo, Alexander (1976). Norm and Ahmed and The Woman Tamer, Currency Metheun Drama Press, Sydney.
• Conrad, Joseph (2008). Lord Jim, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
• Crawley, Karen, “The Farce of Law: Performing and Policing Norm and Ahmed in 1969â€. Law Text Culture, 14, 2010, 247-276.
• Defoe, Daniel (1965). Robinson Crusoe. Penguin, New York.
• Ginters, Laura, "Glimpsing the Hidden World: Australian Directors on Rehearsal". Catching Australian Theatre in the 2000s, Richard Fotheringham and James Smith (editors), 15, 2013, 45-78.
• Lawrence T. E. (1964). Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph. Penguin Books Ltd. London.
• McCallum, John (1995). “Alex Buzo†in Companion to Theater in Australia, ed. Phillip Parsons with Victoria Chance, Currency Press in association with Cambridge University Press, Sydney.
• Said, Edward. (1993) Culture and Imperialism. Vintage, London.
• __________ . (2004) Orientalism. Penguin, New York.
• Sturm, Terry. (n.d.) Alexander Buzo: Norm and Ahmed and Rooted, Studies in Australian Drama. Currency Press, Sydney.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
- Papers must be submitted on the understanding that they have not been published elsewhere (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, review, or thesis) and are not currently under consideration by another journal published by any other publisher.
- It is also the authors responsibility to ensure that the articles emanating from a particular source are submitted with the necessary approval.
- The authors warrant that the paper is original and that he/she is the author of the paper, except for material that is clearly identified as to its original source, with permission notices from the copyright owners where required.
- The authors ensure that all the references carefully and they are accurate in the text as well as in the list of references (and vice versa).
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
- The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author.