The Stranglehold

A reader-response to “Stranglehold of English Lit” by Felix Mnthali

The poem “Stranglehold of English Lit.” by Felix Mnthali is what seems like a rally cry for those who need/want to think for themselves. Stranglehold was read in class by our teacher, Ruth Benander, with a lot of emotion and volume, most likely not as loud or emotional as the author would read it. I believe that Felix Mnthali literary yelled as loud as he could to be heard by all in earshot. The message of this poem is to not lose your culture and lifestyle in the midst of a new culture taking over (in this case European culture vs. African culture). Jane Austin and her works glorifying the “calf-love” (line 24)of European culture is the target of “Stranglehold”.

During this time few black Africans were leaving the rural villages and moving to universities (those who were “smart enough”) and were forced to study European Literature, and eventually forgetting their own culture for a time, falling in love with the perfect European picture drawn by Jane Austin and other writers.  Mnthali calls for a return to the heritage that will soon be lost and undermined by the powerful European culture.  He calls it the heart of the alien conquest (lines 34-35), and I agree with him. The first few steps of conquest of a new government/culture are to assimilate the old ways and replace them with your own; as the Christians did with the Pagans of Europe.

When I read this aloud I put more feeling into the words. The first stanza uses line spacing to separate powerful words (stand, stab, jab, and gore) from the main lines. These words set the tone for the rest of the poem, something is dying and we must do something to rescue and protect it.