Introduction From the past until now, people always need an Entertainment for amusement.

People need an amusement to relieve themselves from their tiring daily activities. There are many kinds of amusement. Some people prefer to read books, some prefer to play or listen to music, some other likes to watch movie, while other play sports or games. Reading is a very effective form of entertainment. We can relax when we read and we can do it anywhere. The best material for reading is a piece of literature because reading a piece of literature can expand our vocabulary and understanding of foreign countrys culture. Drama is also a form of entertainment. Drama is like a real representation of a story. But unlike a television, dramas are more simple and it gives a deeper impression to all the audience. It also gives many advantages that we can get from reading. Drama are very great because when we watch drama, its as if we were watching the real scene in the story. Dramas are short, compared to television shows. In this short time, the playwrights has to able to picture the theme of the story, the plot and characters clearly. The expressions of the actors and the way they perform their role helps a lo t in picturing the character. Characters are the most important aspect in the story, aside from the theme because There will be nos story if there are no character. Thats why playwrights had to give a clear picture to the aoudience about the characters. In this paper Im going to talk about how Shakespeare and Athol Fugard present the characters in Othello and Sizwe Banzi is Dead. Both Othello and Sizwe Banzi is Dead contains a hints of racial Issue. Characters from both play are deeply affected by the fact that the main character of the story is from a different race. And Im going to compare their characters that are faced with same issue, which is racial issue. Characters that Im going to compare from Othello are Othello and Brabantio who seems to be deeply concerned with racial issue. Summary Othello, the moor of Venice is written approximately in 1603 by William Shakespeare, a famous playwright from England. Othello is also well-known as one of Shakespeares most famous tragedy. It tells a story about a moor, Othello who became a well-known General in Venice because of his past experience as a war hero. He got married with the daughter of Venetian senator, whose name is Desdemona. Desdemonas father disagreed with their
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wedding because he hates the idea of letting his daughter marrying a Moor. Desdemona chose Othello instead of her father, and she went with Othello to Cyprus to fight against the Turks. The tragedy was started by Iago, Othellos subordinates who felt dissatisfied because Othello chose Cassius as his second in command. Iago thinks that he is better than cassius so he provoked Othello to hate Cassius. During a party after Othello defeated the Turks, Iago instigated Cassius to get drunk and cause a ruckus so that Othello would hate him. Iago also instigated Othello that Cassius had cheated with Desdemona. At first, Othello kept on believing that Iago was wrong, but Othello was too innocent that he eventually believes everything that Iago said. Because of Iagos provocation Desdemona died in Othellos hand and Othello followed after her after knowing that he was only tricked by Iago. Othello is a story full of treachery and deception with strong spice of racial issue. Desdemonas father disagreed with Othello and Desdemona relationship because Othello is a black man, and Othellos reason for not believing Desdemona is because he is ashamed of himself as a black man. Sizwe Banzi is Dead is a modern drama witten by Athol Fugard in 1972. Sizwe Banzi is Dead was said to be a portrait of Othello in South Africa. This story is also filled with Racial issues in South Africa. The story began in a photo studio belonged to Style. He started by telling a story when he was still working in a car manufacturing company until he eventually became a photographer as he is now. The story continues As the protagonist takes the stage, His name is Sizwe Banzi. He worked in Port Elizabeth to support his family in King williams town. But one day he was told by people from administration office that he had to return to his hometown, King Williams town. Feeling despair, he went to see a friend named Buntu. Buntu kept telling him that theres no other way out but to go back to king Williams town. Until one day, when they go back from a bar they found a dead body. Buntu told Sizwe that he better take the dead mans work permit so that he can stay in Port Elizabeth but as a different person. At first Sizwe hesitated, but then he agreed and ever since then he became another person and Sizwe Banzi had died. Theoretical Background of Characterization One way to define drama is a story with dialogue performed on stage by actors. Everything happening in a drama is happening right in front the audiences eye. According to Lawson (1949) as cited by Shroyer, et. al, (1970) the essence of a drama is a struggle and a conflict that is really meaningful. Lawson noted: The essential character of drama is social conflict
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person against person, or individuals against group, or group against social or natural forces in which the conscious will, exerted for the accomplishment of specific and understandable aims, is sufficiently strong to bring the conflict to a point of crisis. (Lawson 1949) Characters in a play are real. They live and breathe, stand up and sit down, sigh and smile, enter and exit. The action and expression of several characters can be conveyed on stage in a matter of second, (Pickering, 1981). Writer always tries to discuss them through the actions of the characters during the play. Characters has many definitions. According to Rodrigues, Dameron, Iftekharuddin, and the stephensons, character is a person presented in a dramatic or narrative work. Characters can be presented in two way, dramatically or directly (narrative). Characters are presented directly by the author by giving details about the character. For example, the narrator can give physical details and their psychological traits of the character when the character is introduced for the first time. On the contrary, in dramatic presentation of a character, the traits of the character are not stated clearly. They are viewed from their actions, the way they speak, or their thoughts. characterization can be through dialogues (what is being said, the identity of the speaker, the identity of the addresser, etc) and through action from the way the character speaks to provide a persons background and intelligence by his dialect, word choice and grammar, from the way a character responds to others and from what other says about the character (Pickering and Hoeper, 1981). The way the character deals with the conflicts also reflects his personal qualities. Every character in a story has a motivation, a reason for every of their action. An author gives a character motivation for his behavior; that is the author supplies a reason for the characters actions. This reason or motivation is usually suggested, not directly stated by the author. (Eller; Reeves; Gordon, 1996). There are several motives that characters have: hope for reward, love, fear of failure, religious feelings, revenge, greed, and jealousy. (Reaske, 1966) Characters in a story have 2 major specifications, a protagonist and antagonist. Protagonist is basically, the main character of story. The story revolves around him. The protagonist can be either a good guy or a bad guy. Antagonist is the counterpart of protagonist. Antagonist in a story creates obstacles for protagonist; the conflicts between these two will create a plot. Antagonist is like a rival for the protagonist because antagonist will always stands in the protagonists way.

Apart from protagonist and antagonist, we also have side character or a confidant. Pickering (1981) notes, The confidant is character to whom a major character confides his or her most private thoughts and feelings. The foil is a minor figure whose contrasting personality in some way clarifies or enhances that of a major character. A side character is also important in a story because he/ she will support or affect the protagonist in a certain way so the protagonist will become the way he is. Characters in a story can be either flat or round. Pickering and Hoeper (1981) notes, Flat character are those who embody or represent a single characteristic, trait, or idea, or at most a very limited number of such qualities. Flat characters are also referred to as type characters, as one-dimensional characters, or, when they are distorted to create humor, as caricatures. Forster (1962) notes, They [the flat characters] remain in [readers] mind as unalterable for the reason that they were not changed by circumstances. Flat characters usually appear as minor characters because they didnt have much part in the story. Round character are the opposite of flat character. According to Pickering and Hoeper (1981), round character are character that represent a number of qualities and traits and are complex multidimensional characters of a considerable intellectual and emotional depth who have the capacity to grow and change. Round characters are complex, they are flawed just like a real person. Round characters are usually main character in a story. Hubenka (1973) notes, When a dramatist is concerned with depicting psychological complexity in one or more of his character, he is creating dynamic, kinetic, round characters. Characters in a story can be either dynamic or static. Dynamic characters develop a changes as the story goes. The changes can be either drastic or it might even goes unnoticed by the audience. Pickering and Hoeper (1981) notes, change in in character may come slowly or incrementally over many pages and chapters, or it may take place with a dramatic suddenness that surprises, even overwhelms, the character. Static characters are usually minor characters. They didnt develop any changes in the story. Rodrigues, Dameron, Iftekharuddin and the stephensons (1998) said that flat characters are almost always static while round characters maybe static or dynamic. Sometimes its difficult to differentiate round and dynamic characters. If at the end of a story the character remains unchabged, then the character is static. If the character has become noticeably more mature, wiser, more understanding, or more patient, the character is dynamic, which means that he or she has experienced a change in personality.

Dramatist gives each of their characters distinctive habits to express their characters through their actions and speech. However, dramatist only sets general actions or movements so that different actors can perform that role as well. Every actors have their own differences, thats why the dramatist will give them a space for using their own imagination to develop their own unique character. Pickering (1981) notes, a dramatist is required to leave some slack in the characterization to accommodate the actors differences in the physical appearances as well as their need for creative self-expression; he or she must not allow these freedom to get out of hand. There are three vital components in a story, which is Plot, Theme, and Character. Plot is the results of the actions that the characters have taken. If there is no plot, there would be no story. Some people assumed that plot is more important than character. It is a wrong assumption because plot, character, and theme are correlated with each other. According to Brooks and Warren : A plot cannot exist without characters, who act and are acted upon, a character fulfills himself only in action, and all human action involves a judgment of values, that is, and idea, a theme. (1936). Comparison between characters in Othello and Sizwe Banzi is dead Harold Athol Lanigan Fugard or Athol Fugard was a white with English and Afrikaner parents. He was brought up in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Hes a sensualist writer with an obvious intelligence and humanity. He describes himself as an Afrikaner who writes in English. Most of Fugards plays are about politics in South Africa (Apartheid and post-Apartheid). However the politics never affects his insight into people. Like Tennessee Williams, Fugard creates characters with strengths and weaknesses which make them unable to fit into what society requires. Fugard says "[my] real territory as a dramatist is the world of secrets with their powerful effect on human behaviour and the trauma of their revelation. Whether it is the radiant secret in Miss Helen's heart or the withering one in Boesman's or the dark and destructive one in Gladys, they are the dynamos that generate all the significant action in my plays". Sizwe Banzi is Dead was a play co-written by John Kani, Winston Ntshona, and directed by Athol Fugard in 1972. The story begins at Styles photographic studio in the African township of New Brighton, Port Elizabeth. The first character that appeared in the story was
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Style itself. He used to be a worker in Ford car factory. He was presented as a funny person. Styles character can be considered as dynamic character even though he was not the protagonist. But he is a flat character because he only represent one characteristic. Back when he was a worker in the car plant, he was a bland character, only listening to his boss orders. Even Styles himself described himself as monkey back in the factory. Come on Styles, youre a monkey, man, and you know it. Run up and down the whole bloody day! Your life doesnt belong to you. Youve sold it. For what, Styles? Gold wrist-watch in twenty five years time when they sign you off because youre too old for anything anymore? Upon realizing that he was just wasting his time in the factory, he quit his job and started following his dream to become a photographer. He was a lot happier after he became a photographer because it was his dream from long ago. At first, he had to face many hurdle to open his store, but he faced all of them happily because he can finally open his own store. He became a lot more cheerful after he opened his shop compared to when he was still working in the factory. Another reason for his change is because he didnt like to become someone elses underling. He prefer himself to be free eventhough the pay might not be as much. Daddy, if I could stand on my own two feet and not somebody elses tool, Id have some respect for myself. Id be a man. He is basically a free man with a wide vision for life. Even in his factory, he truly obey his officer. He can give realistic comments to everything and his cheerfulness often helps many people. The next character is Sizwe Banzi, who later became Robert Zwelinzima. He is the protagonist in the story. He is like a native African people that are still pure, innocent. He is an honest person but hes not a well educated person. Buntu: You? Job as garden boy? Dont You read the newspaper? Man ( Sizwe) : I cant read Sizwe is a dramatic character. His character began to change when he had to act as Robert Zwelinzima. He is also a round character because his character is filled with many characteristic and he always has a conflict about things going against his beliefs. He is working hard for his families in King Williams town. He lived in port Elizabeth with his
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friend Zola but then he was told to return to king Williams town by the labor bureau. Then he was introduced to Buntu by Zola. When Sizwe talked to Buntu, he is very desperate. He kept asking Buntu for a way out, but there is no other way. When Sizwe talked about many things with Buntu, we can see a hint of hate toward the current politic. Ja, I remember that one. Bloody mister member of the Advisory board. Talking about Ciskeian Independence! [to the audience] I must tell you, friend When a car passes or the wind blows up the dust, Ciskeian Independece makes you cough. Im telling you, friend put a man in a pondok and call that independence? My good friend, let me tell you Ciskeian independence is shit! Sizwe is a very honest man. He didnt seem to care much about worldly materials or power. His only hope is to earn some money for his family. When Buntu found the dead body of Robert Zwelinzima, Sizwe is still worried about Robert because he wants to report it to the police. Even when Buntu insisted to leave Robert, Sizwe still insisted not to leave him. Would you leave me lying there, wet with your piss? I wish I was dead. I wish I was dead because I dont care a damn about anything anymore. [Turning away from Buntu to the audience] Whats happening in this world, good people? Who cares for who in this world? Who wants who? Who wants me, friend? In the end of the story, he accepted Buntus proposal to become Robert Zwelinzima. He was allowed to continue working in Port Elizabeth to earn money for his family. But he is still dissatisfied with the current politic. Buntu, you know what are you saying? A black man out of trouble? Impossible, Buntu. Our skin is trouble. The last character in Sizwe Banzi is dead is Buntu, friend of Sizwe. Buntu is a static character. He is a flat character and he only acted as side character. He is a place for Sizwe to rely on when Sizwe is terribly distressed with his problems. At first, he didnt care much about Sizwe, only as a friend introduced by another friend. His attitude began to change after knowing that Sizwe has a similar situation with him. He also had a lot of trouble because of the politic. And he seemed to be dissatisfied for the colonization because he kept emphasizing eventhough I was born in this area
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Hai Sizwe! If I had to tell you the trouble I had before I could get the right stamps in my book, even though I was born in this area! The trouble I had before I could get a decent jobborn in this area! The trouble I had to get this two-roomed houseborn in this area! In the end, he helped Sizwe to become Robert Zwelinzima. He fulfilled his role as side character. Without the help from Buntu, Sizwe would have ended up in King Williams town without any job. Othello was a play written by William Shakespeare. He was born in the year 1564 in England. He was an actor and a dramatist. As a dramatist he wrote many plays and most of them became famous. Being an actor and a dramatist helped him to write the plays that were interesting. Othello is one of the tragedies written by Shakespeare. He wrote Othello in 1604. The drama Othello came from the collection of Elizabethans Hecatommithi written by Giraldo Cinthio, an Italian in 1565. Othello is about jealousy that changes the main character, Othello, from a noble man to a murderer. Shakespeare, in Othello , as in his other works, develops his characters through his use of language . poetry, imagery, etc. Othello tells about the story of a moore general that served Venice. The main character, Othello is a dynamic character. The changes in his personality is truly shocking. At the beginning of the story, he was a praised hero, but at the end of the story he became a murderer who killed his own wife out of jealousy. He is a round character because he has many characteristic. Othello is a very noble and honest man. It also seems that he knows how to speak well. Most powerful, serious, and respected gentlemen, all noble and honored wisemen, it is true that I have taken this old mans daughter. It is true that I married her. The extent of my fault is only marrying her, nothing else. I am not an educated speaker or gifted with pretty words; until nine months ago, I had been a soldier in the field for a span of seven years. I dont know much about the world beyond battlefield courage. I have little to say to build a case for myself. If you will be patient, I will tell you straight what drugs, what magic spells, what

sorcery and magic (for which Brabantio charges me) I employed to court his daughter. Eventhough Brabantio kept insulting him with harsh words, he remains calm and collected. He didnt try to throw back insults against Brabantio. He knows how to speak in honorable manner. He is a good person and heart and honest. But he seems to have feel an inferiority because of his skin colour. Iago is quite honest and understands human character from his experience with people. If I find Desdemona unfaithful, even though she is tied to my heart, I would abandon her. Maybe because I am black and lack the coy talk of seducers. He felt so insecure just because Iago provoked a bit about Cassio and Desdemona. His fragile characteristic leads him to a tragic end. In the end, his honest nature for trusting people have caused him to waver from his beliefs. Brabantio is Desdemonas father. He is a powerful senator in Venice. He loved his daughter deeply and he was very angry when he found out that his daughter have married with a moore without his knowing. He is a static, flat character. He didnt have many roles in the story. He seems to think like a modern person because he still believes in magic. Oh, God! How did she escape? Betrayal by my own daughter! Parents, dont trust anything from your daughters but what you see them doing. Arent there love potions by which men charm young girls and steal their virginity? Have you read of such drugs, Roderigo? When he first met Othello (according to Othello) he was very kind to Othello because at that time he see Othello as a war hero, a noble person. The fact that he was deeply disturbed by the fact that his daughter was marrying a moore shows that he is only a traditional people who judge people only from their outer appearance. You wretched felon, where are you hiding my daughter? Damned demon, you have tricked her! It seems reasonable that, if you hadnt bewitched her, so naive, pretty, and contented a girl so unwilling to marry that she rejected rich, pampered young Venetians would never
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risk ridicule by eloping with a black. She would be more afraid than delighted to marry the likes of you. Let the world see how obvious it is that you deceived her and spoiled her young womanhood with concoctions or powders that dull the senses. Ill take it to court. My charge is likely and reasonable. I arrest and hold you as a heathen seducer, a practicer of evil, unlawful plots. Grab him. If he fights back, threaten him with death. Eventhough Brabantio only played few roles in the story, he holds the key that decides the future of Othello and Desdemona. If only he had accepted Othello and Desdemonas marriage, and let her stay with him in Venice, the tragedy in Cyprus wouldnt have happened. And Othellos reason for not believing Desdemona was because Desdemona had tricked Brabantio, his father. Conclusion Othello and Sizwe Banzi is dead are two famous play written by different writers but have the same settings, that is racial issue. Both characters from the two story are disturbed by the fact that the protagonist of the two story is a black man/ moore. The same fact is causing conflicts in the story, hence moving the story as the plot. Both Othello and Sizwe Banzi is a picture of traditional Afrikaner. They are both honest, full of righteousness. And they both felt that white people had been treating them unjustly just because their skin color is different. Both of the story also have character like Brabantio and Buntu, that eventhough they were just a side character that have minor roles, had played a big part in determining the fate of the protagonist. If Brabantio had accepted Othello as his son in-law, the tragedy in Othello wouldnt have occurred, and if Buntu hadnt helped Sizwe, Sizwe would had been deported back to his hometown without a job to support his family.

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Works Cited Berman, Morton. and William Burto. 1963. An Introduction to Literature. Boston: Little, Brown. Hornby, A. S. 1996. Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford. Hubenka, Lloyd J. and Reloy Garcia. 1973. The Design of Drama: An Introduction. New York: David McKay. Kennedy, X. J. 1979. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Boston: Little, Brown. Pickering, James H. and Hoeper, Jeffrey D. 1981. Concise Companion to Literature. New York: Macmillan. Reaske, Christhoper Rusell. 1966. How to Analyze Drama. New York: Monarch Press Simon and Schuster. Shroyer, Frederick B. and Louis G Gardemal. and 1970. Types of Drama . Illinois: Scott, Foresman. Wilson, Roderick. 1983. Othello: William Shakespeare, Complete School Edition. London: MacMillan. http://www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/ http://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/15/theater/john-kani-to-portray-othello-in-southafrica.html http://absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/othello/othello.htm http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/209627/flat-and-round-characters http://www.iainfisher.com/fugard/athol-fugard.html

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