Okot p'Bitek: Life and Works

Study Notes

About Okot p'Bitek

Okot p'Bitek was a Ugandan poet, musician, professor, athlete, anthropologist, and sociopolitical critic.
He inherited his love for literature from his mother.
His first poem was written while he was a student.
He is mostly known for "The Song of Lawino" which focuses on African values.
He was exiled from Uganda because of his political views.
His first poem "The Lost Spear" was completed when he was still a student at Sir Samuel Baker's School.
His first and only novel Lak Tar Miyo Kinyero Wi Lobo was published in 1953.
He is mostly known for "The Song of Lawino," published in 1965.
He died on July 19, 1982, because of liver disease.

My Husband's Tongue is Bitter

The poem is about a wife who feels hurt and ashamed by her husband's insults towards her and her family.
The wife is described as a traditional woman who values her culture.
The husband is described as arrogant and ashamed of his heritage.
The wife is willing to share her husband with another wife.
The poem uses metaphors (bitter tongue, Nile Perch eyes) and similes (wild cat dipped in blood).

Solitude

The speaker loves the multitude but needs solitude.
Misanthropes hate people and need them to fuel their hatred.
Love thrives on memories and hope, hate needs the present.
The speaker seeks solitude to find a deeper connection with humanity.
Miguel de Unamuno was born in 1864 in Bilbao.
He was placed under strict house arrest until his death in 1936 after denouncing the actions of General Francisco Franco.
Unamuno's greatest achievement in literature includes "Abel Sanchez" in 1917.

Idioms

A bone to pick: Complaint, dispute, or misunderstanding.
A pain in the neck/rear: An annoying person, thing, or situation.
A snap/As easy as pie: Very easy.
Across the board: Relating to everyone/everything.
All ears: Eager to listen carefully.
All in the same boat: In similar situations.
Back to the drawing board: Return to planning.
Bad-mouth: Say mean things about someone.

Research Paper Terms

Construct: A theoretical concept or definition used to describe relations among phenomena.
Data: Factual information used as a basis for reasoning or discussion.
Hypothesis: A tentative explanation based on theory to predict a causal relationship between variables.
Measurement: The process of obtaining a numerical description of characteristics or responses.
Models: Representations of objects, principles, processes, or ideas often used for imitation or emulation.
Participant: Individuals whose characteristics and responses are the object of study in a research project.
Population: The target group under investigation.
Questionnaire: Structured sets of questions used to gather information, attitudes, or opinions.
Reliability: The degree to which a measure yields consistent results.
Sample: A subset of the population researched in a particular study.
Theory: A general explanation about a specific behaviour or set of events based on known principles.

Description

Learn about the life and literary works of Okot p'Bitek, a Ugandan poet, musician, and sociopolitical critic. Discover his notable poems, such as 'The Song of Lawino', and his experiences as an exile.