"Senafas Takbir Akhir" directed by Zulkifli Ali, a Malay drama aired over TV3 last Saturday had my family and I glued to the television even during the commercial break. Throughout the drama all ten of us (my husband, our six children, my two nieces and me myself) responded in various emotional condition as we watched with great interest to the fate that befallen the hero, a tragic hero, Zamarol.
Zamarol, who otherwise lives a very normal family life, faces a series of misfortune the day his wife was raped and murdered in their house. Interestingly, the murder was never the main plot or even the sub plot of the drama. There was only a brief mentioning pertaining to the murderer but again the focus was on the effect of the death of his wife to Zamarol and his two sons, Abang and Adik rather than the murderer per say. The death of his wife leads to a series of misfortune that befalls Zamarol to the day he himself was murdered.
Zamarol unable to cope with taking care of the daily needs of his sons and his demanding work had them both living with his mother in the village. The separation break ups the father and sons bonding, effecting the three especially the sons who now not only lost their mother but the loving care of their own father. Misfortune befalls Zamarol the third time when his mother and his youngest son, Adik died in an accident on their way back, cycling from school. At this point of the drama, the whole family of mine was already emotionally involved and was saddened by the death of both grandmother and grandson.
As for Zamarol his fate never recovers when his superior was very angry of a miscalculation of his action over a huge amount of transaction than ends him in a very threatening situation. It is threatening because Zamarol, after the death of his mother and younger son, had made a solemn promise to his living son, Abang his only surviving family that he will never leave him again, ever. The thought that he will end up in prison of breach of trust should he not able to recover the mistaken RM350 000 transaction makes Zamarol a runaway. They both live a very hardship life to the day Zamarol runs out of money and have no means of surviving.
His decision on leaving Abang all by himself to "earn" some money is a fatal one as he "vanished" from Abang's life. The devastated Abang has no one but cried to himself, feeling so alienated and cheated by his father. Zulkifli has successfully maintained his audience throughout "Senafas Takbir Akhir" as we all became very critical, actively involving ourselves, and voicing out our opinions while watching the remaining part of the drama.
I enthusiastically became very engrossed observing the audience of this drama sitting in the comfort of our living room responding to the twist and turn of Zamarol's fate. During the commercial break nobody moved for they were very busy discussing among themselves about Zamarol and Abang, giving opinions and sympathizing on the fate that kept befalling Zamarol and Abang. Suddenly I found myself explaining to my family the literary elements of drama, telling them Zamarol is a tragic hero because of the inevitable fate that keep befalling him.
Remembering Oedipus the King that I studied last semester, it's helpful to know that Aristotle believes that art should be an "imitation" of life. It should hold a mirror up to life. It should be "truthful," or "true to life." Aristotle in elaborating what he considers the essential qualities of the tragic hero explains that "with regard to the characters there are four things to aim at":
Goodness.
They should reveal through speech and action what their moral choices are, and a "good character will be one whose choices are good." Any "class of person" may be portrayed as "good"-even women and slaves, though on the whole women are "inferior" and slaves are "utterly base."
Appropriateness.
Men can be domineering or "manly" (what does he really mean here, I wonder?), but for a woman to appear formidable would be inappropriate.
Lifelike.
He never explains this one. What do you think he means? How is "lifelike" slightly different from "appropriate" and "good"? I think he might mean "believable" or "true to life." Maybe he means the tragic hero should not be godlike, not like the mythical heroes of legend, but like real human beings.
Consistency.
Once a character is established as having certain traits, these shouldn't suddenly change.
The best tragic plot, he concludes, moves the hero from prosperity to misfortune, occasioned not by depravity, but by some great mistake he makes. Zamarol the protagonist in "Senafas Takbir Akhir" definitely always making the same mistake, the trait he carries throughout the drama, thus succumbing to the fate that befalls him.
Well, I can keep writing on and on about this experience of mine. There is so much to say about writing literature that is really to my understanding now in compared to before I made the first step to the theatre. I should have done that during that first semester but anyway it is never too late for learning as learning is life long. So much for consolation, I must say.
After skimming and scanning articles on Thesis Statements, Rhinoceros, and Research Papers last weekend, I guess I am practising one already.
All life is experiment- Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr, US Supreme Court Justice (1841-1935)
Life is easier to take than you'd think; all that is necessary is to accept the impossible, do without the indispensable and bear the intolerable- Kathleen Norris, American author (1880-1960)
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