A complete study resource for the play by Athol Fugard titled 'The Road to Mecca'.
Including a summary of each act, as well as quotes by theme and character!
,Table of Contents
Overview .......................................................................................................... 2
Summary ......................................................................................................... 3
Epigraph ................................................................................................................ 3
Act 1 ....................................................................................................................... 3
The letter ................................................................................................................................................ 4
Act 2 ....................................................................................................................... 4
Themes ............................................................................................................ 6
The Necessity of Creative Freedom ....................................................................... 6
Pursuing Independence from Social Norms.......................................................... 6
Individual versus Institutional Spirituality .......................................................... 7
Individual vs. Society (paternalism, religion) ....................................................... 7
Stereotyping (generalization = racism, prejudice, sexism, discrimination,
ageism) .................................................................................................................. 9
The Artist (freedom of expression, imagination, inspiration, creativity) .............11
Friendship and Trust (relationships) ................................................................... 13
Religion and Beliefs ............................................................................................. 16
The South African Political Situation .................................................................. 20
Characters ......................................................................................................21
Miss Helen............................................................................................................ 21
Elsa Barlow ........................................................................................................... 25
Marius Byleveld ....................................................................................................26
Analysis ......................................................................................................... 28
Quotes ........................................................................................................... 29
1
, Overview
The Road to Mecca is a play by Athol Fugard that dramatizes the life of Helen Martins, an
elderly South African woman who refuses to go to a nursing home, instead building her
personal "Mecca" in her yard.
− Helen Martins realizes that her neighbours expect her to move into a nursing
home. Helen refuses to go.
− Helen has been depressed since her husband's death and has repudiated the
Christian values of her community.
− Helen has been building her own personal Mecca in her yard in a search for
spiritual fulfilment. After her Mecca is finished, it is implied that Helen commits
suicide.
2
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller tutoringwithhannah. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R99,00. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
