The Emperor Jones

Join the conversation.

You may use these questions to help direct your discussion.

• Is there any justification for the early crimes that Brutus Jones commits—that is, the killing of his friend Jeff and of the white prison guard? Does the guard’s brutality, for example, in any way exonerate Jones or justify his action?

• In terms of the film: is Brutus Jones destined to fail? Or could he have changed his circumstances or otherwise have forged a different fate? If so, how? Where exactly did he fail?

• What is the irony of Jones’ death?

• Discuss the nature and meaning of the hallucinations that Jones experiences in the forest.

• A number of critics and scholars have called The Emperor Jones “a modern tragedy.” Do you agree or disagree—and why?

• What are some of the symbols that director Dudley Murphy uses in the film? What, for instance, is the purpose of the drum-beating?

• Discuss the meaning and importance of clothing and uniforms in the film.

- Barbara Tepa Lupack