Countering Mind-forg’d Manacles in Ben Okri’s The Freedom Artist (2019)

Abstract

This article seeks to unveil Ben Okri’s antidote to the proposition that the “normal” world is an asylum for mind control. Acknowledging its rich literary undercurrent, I posit that The Freedom Artist (2019), countering Blake’s “mind forg’d manacles” in “London”, is a culmination of Mental Fight (1999); the novel is a linear progression of the anthology’s subtitle: “an anti spell for the 21st century”. Although aligning my reading with the view that Okri’s eleventh novel is a penetrating exploration of how our freedom is being eroded by today’s post truth society, I argue against the grain of organised religions’ promise of redemption, exploring the possibility of mental and emotional freedom via high order thinking/[HOT consciousness. The novel’s double narrative provides interlocking blueprints for ontopoiesis/heightened consciousness. The initiation of the young male protagonist, Mirababa, runs parallel to that of Karnak, whose lover, Amalantis, is arrested and spirited away by the thought police for voicing the forbidden question: “Who is the prisoner?” The discussion is perforce limited to the “initiations” – one a spiritual immersion, the other a transformation to intuitive logic for the Bildungsreisende. Both reawakenings are made manifest by masterfully embedding the major arcana of Tarot wisdom within the distinctly dystopian storylines for the enhancement of consciousness.

 Opsomming

Hierdie artikel is bedoel as 'n blootstelling van Ben Okri se teenspraak teen die stelling dat die “normale” wereld 'n toevlugsoord vir gedagtebeheer is. Met erkenning aan die ryk literere onderstroming, voer ek aan dat The Freedom Artist (2019) teen Blake se “selfgemaakte boeie” in “Londen”, 'n kulminasie van Mental Fight (1999) is. Die roman toon 'n lineere progressie van die subtitel van die bundel: 'n teenbetowering vir die 21ste eeu”. Hoewel ek my vertolking in ooreenstemming bring met die siening dat Okri se elfde roman 'n deurdringende ondersoek is van hoe ons vryheid afgetakel word deur vandag se postwaarheid samelewing, argumenteer ek teen die idee van georganiseerde religie se belofte van verlossing, terwyl ek die moontlikheid van geestelike en emosionele vryheid deur middel van hoer ordedenke/ bewustheid verken. Die roman se dubbelnarratief bied ineenskakelende ontwerpe vir ontopoiese/ verhoogde bewustheid. Die inisiasie van die jong manlike protagonis, Mirababa, loop parallel met die van Karnak, wie se geliefde, Amalantis, deur die denkepolisie gearresteer en weggevoer word vir die opper van die verbode vraag: “Wie is die gevangene?” Die bespreking is noodgedwonge beperk tot die “inisiasies”, waarvan die een 'n spirituele dompeling is, en die ander 'n transformasie tot intuitiewe logika vir die Bildungsreisende. Beide herontwakings word geopenbaar deur die Major Arcana van Tarot wysheid meesterlik in die duidelik distopiese storielyne vas te le vir die versterking van bewustheid.