Voodoo in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson
Major
English – Literature
Submission Type
Oral Presentation
Area of Study or Work
English-Literature
Faculty Advisor
Michael Theune
Location
CNS C102
Start Date
4-12-2025 11:15 AM
End Date
4-12-2025 12:15 PM
Abstract
Numerous works of criticism—such as “The Piano Lesson: Spirituality and African Retentions” and “Claim What is Yours”: August Wilson on African American Identity in The Piano Lesson”—reveal that August Wilson’s play The Piano Lesson is deeply rooted in African American cultural traditions, particularly in their engagement with spirituality and ancestral memory. My work develops these insights to argue that Wilson’s work acknowledges African spiritual influence and reclaims Voodoo as a legitimate and vital component of Black heritage. By first centering Voodoo as a distinct and historically grounded spiritual system and then interpreting the play through the lens of Voodoo, my presentation will reveal new insights into The Piano Lesson that previous analyses overlooked. Going deeper into exploring supernatural themes, ancestral presence, and symbolic figures via Voodoo traditions will detail and highlight the ways Wilson’s work keeps Black spiritual practice from being erased. This research contributes to the field of African American literature and religious studies by demonstrating how Wilson’s play functions as an act of cultural reclamation, specifically through Voodoo. It reinforces the significance of its rituals, ancestral connections, and spiritual continuity in the Black experience.
Voodoo in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson
CNS C102
Numerous works of criticism—such as “The Piano Lesson: Spirituality and African Retentions” and “Claim What is Yours”: August Wilson on African American Identity in The Piano Lesson”—reveal that August Wilson’s play The Piano Lesson is deeply rooted in African American cultural traditions, particularly in their engagement with spirituality and ancestral memory. My work develops these insights to argue that Wilson’s work acknowledges African spiritual influence and reclaims Voodoo as a legitimate and vital component of Black heritage. By first centering Voodoo as a distinct and historically grounded spiritual system and then interpreting the play through the lens of Voodoo, my presentation will reveal new insights into The Piano Lesson that previous analyses overlooked. Going deeper into exploring supernatural themes, ancestral presence, and symbolic figures via Voodoo traditions will detail and highlight the ways Wilson’s work keeps Black spiritual practice from being erased. This research contributes to the field of African American literature and religious studies by demonstrating how Wilson’s play functions as an act of cultural reclamation, specifically through Voodoo. It reinforces the significance of its rituals, ancestral connections, and spiritual continuity in the Black experience.