[{"text_idx": "#000002", "text": "Y WefanY Ti\u0302mGwybodaeth i Rieni"}, {"text_idx": "#000004", "text": "so\u0302namlyfraJul 12, 20208 min read"}, {"text_idx": "#000006", "text": "Brwydr rhwng y gweithwyr a pherchnogion y pyllau."}, {"text_idx": "#000007", "text": "A battle between the workers and the pit-owners."}, {"text_idx": "#000009", "text": "Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: \u25ce\u25ce\u25ce\u25ce\u25ce"}, {"text_idx": "#000010", "text": "Hogyn o Ogledd Cymru ydw i, ac er mod i\u2019n nabod fy milltir sgwa\u0302r yn reit dda, dwi wedi rhyfeddu cyn lleied dwi\u2019n gwybod am rannau eraill o Gymru, yn enwedig De Cymru. Mi wnes i fwynhau nofel hanesyddol ddiwethaf Myrddin, Y Goron yn y Chwarel, ac felly penderfynais roi cynnig ar Drws Du yn Nhonypandy - er mwyn cael dysgu dipyn am ardal lofaol Cwm Rhondda, tref Tonypandy."}, {"text_idx": "#000011", "text": "Erbyn heddiw, mae strydoedd Tonypandy yn edrych yn debyg iawn i nifer o drefi eraill \u2013 ond os edrychwch yn ddigon agos, mae tystiolaeth o\u2019r diwydiant glo yn parhau \u2013 gadawodd ei farc mewn mwy nag un ffordd. Mae glo yn rhan annatod o\u2019r ardal, ac fe adnabyddir Tonypandy bellach fel safle\u2019r \u20181910 Riots.\u2019 Yn bersonol, ni wyddwn am y digwyddiad yma ynghynt, a dwi wedi dysgu llawer o ddarllen y llyfr."}, {"text_idx": "#000012", "text": "Mae\u2019n amlwg fod yr awdur wedi gwneud ei waith cartref \u2013 dwi\u2019n siw\u0302r ei fod o wedi mwynhau darllen a siarad gydag unigolion wrth baratoi at y gwaith \u2019sgwennu. Mae\u2019r nofel yn seiliedig ar ddigwyddiadau go iawn, ac yn cynnwys cyfeiriadau at ambell berson go iawn, ond ffuglen yw e. Dwi wrth fy modd gyda mapiau, ac mi oeddwn i\u2019n hapus fod rhai wedi cael eu cynnwys ar ddechrau\u2019r nofel. I roi cyd-destun ehangach, cawn restr enwau hefyd\u2013 syniad da iawn o ystyried nifer y cymeriadau yn y stori, ac roedd yn help i mi \u2018gadw trac\u2019 fel petai. Gwerthfawrogais y \u2018Nodyn gan yr Awdur\u2019 ar ddiwedd y stori hefyd, sy\u2019n hynod ddiddorol a defnyddiol i roi cyd-destun hanesyddol i ddigwyddiadau\u2019r nofel."}, {"text_idx": "#000013", "text": "Dilynwn hanes Guto Lewis, bachgen pedair ar ddeg oed, sydd ar fin cychwyn gweithio yn un o\u2019r pyllau glo, fel gweddill y dynion yn ei deulu. Yn rhan gynta\u2019r nofel, cawn wybod mwy am fywyd Guto, ei deulu a\u2019r gymuned. Diolch i waith disgrifio manwl gan yr awdur, cawn gyflwyniad da i fywyd yng Nghwm Rhondda yn ystod y cyfnod. Down i wybod am beryglon y gwaith wrth i un o\u2019r cymdogion gael ei anafu\u2019n ddifrifol yn y lofa. Rhywbeth oedd yn gyffredin iawn yn y cyfnod:"}, {"text_idx": "#000014", "text": "\u201cRoedd y diwydiant yn un peryglus. Ca\u0302i dros 50 o lowyr eu lladd bob blwyddyn yng Nghwm Rhondda rhwng 1900\u20131910.\""}, {"text_idx": "#000015", "text": "Mae\u2019r awdur yn llwyddo i gyfleu\u2019r amodau byw yn y cyfnod yn effeithiol iawn, a rhoddir llawer o sylw i\u2019r manylion. Mae\u2019r tai yn fychan iawn, ac mae pawb yn byw ar ben ei gilydd - does dim hyd yn oed digon o welyau i bawb. Clywn am yr adeiladau gwael, y dw\u0302r budur, y tir lithriadau a\u2019r llygod mawr sydd i gyd yn gwneud i mi werthfawrogi'r cyfleusterau moethus sydd gennym heddiw - a dwi\u2019n eithaf balch nad ydw i\u2019n lo\u0308wr. Mae cyflwr cyrff y glowyr yn dyst ei fod o\u2019n fywoliaeth galed a didrugaredd! Yn ogystal, mae afiechydon yn teithio\u2019n sydyn drwy\u2019r Cwm, ac roedd y disgrifiad ohonynt fel rhyw fath o anghenfil sinistr yn effeithiol: \u201ctamprwydd yn y tir yn cerdded drwy\u2019r waliau i\u2019w hysgyfaint\u201d. Cyfeiria hyn wrth gwrs at Diptheria, neu\u2019r Clefyd Coch, a oedd yn lladd nifer. Pan syrthiai brawd Guto, Llew, yn sa\u0302l, clywn am effaith dychrynllyd y cyflwr: \u201cO bellter, gallai Guto graffu a gweld cnawd gwyn trwchus fel afon dew o rew o gwmpas cloch y gwddw a\u2019r bibell wynt.\u201d Swnia fel rhywbeth annifyr iawn - diolch i\u2019r drefn am vaccines!"}, {"text_idx": "#000016", "text": "Gwyddwn eisoes fod bywyd y dynion yn galed gan iddynt dreulio oriau hir dan ddaear mewn amodau llai na delfrydol, ond cawn ein hatgoffa hefyd o ba mor galed oedd bywyd y merched- y nhw oedd yn gorfod gwneud y gwaith ty\u0302 a chynnal y teulu cyfan wrth grafu byw. Un peth sy\u2019n dod drosodd yn gryf yn y nofel yw pa mor glos yw\u2019r gymdeithas yn y Rhondda \u2013 rhywbeth sydd dal yn wir hyd heddiw."}, {"text_idx": "#000017", "text": "Ymgartrefodd nifer o Eidalwyr yng Nghymru yn ystod y 20fed ganrif, ac roedd cynnwys y teulu Bertorelli yn dangos fod Cymru\u2019n wlad amlddiwylliannol, hyd yn oed bryd hynny. Mi ddysgais \u2019chydig o Eidaleg hefyd wrth ddarllen!"}, {"text_idx": "#000018", "text": "Erbyn canol y nofel, er bod y cynnwys yn ddiddorol, dechreuais ofyn i mi fy hun beth oedd y prif ddigwyddiad a phryd oedd o am ddigwydd? Yn sydyn iawn, fe aiff pethau\u2019n fle\u0302r iawn yn Nhonypandy wrth i eiddo gael eu difrodi ac i lawer o bobl gael eu hanafu mewn gwrthdaro cas a\u0302\u2019r Heddlu \u2013 sefyllfa digon brawychus."}, {"text_idx": "#000019", "text": "Heb ddweud gormod, (i ddysgu mwy cewch chi brynu\u2019r llyfr!) cwffio am well cyflog ac amodau gweithio oedden nhw. Roedd y gweithwyr mewn brwydr gyda pherchenogion y glofeydd; oedd wedi cynllwynio ers blynyddoedd i gadw cyflogau\u2019n isel. Yn anffodus, aflwyddiannus fu\u2019r streic yn y pen draw, ac ar o\u0302l llawer o ddioddef a thlodi, bu raid i\u2019r gweithwyr ddychwelyd i\u2019r gwaith a derbyn cynnig y perchnogion."}, {"text_idx": "#000020", "text": "Cydymdeimlwn a\u0302\u2019r glowyr yn eu brwydr yn erbyn y perchnogion. Cant eu hecsploetio a\u2019u trin yn wael ganddynt a does ryfedd fod y sefyllfa wedi ffrwydro yn y diwedd. Ffeindiais fy hun yn wyllt gacwn ar sawl achlysur wrth ddarllen am y fath anghyfiawnder! Roedd perchennog y siop, Wilkins, yn enghraifft dda o rywun oedd yn haeddu cweir go iawn! Dwi hefyd yn deall rw\u0302an pam nad oedd fawr o groeso i Winston Churchill yn Ne Cymru wedi digwyddiadau 1910 a dwi\u2019n ei weld mewn goleuni newydd erbyn hyn."}, {"text_idx": "#000021", "text": "Tybed a yw credoau gwleidyddol yr awdur i\u2019w gweld yn y stori, ac ydi o\u2019n siarad a\u0302 ni drwy\u2019r cymeriadau? Fel y glowyr a feiddiodd frwydro am well hawliau, tybed a yw\u2019r nofel yn symbol o\u2019n cenedl ni heddiw? O ystyried agwedd ddirmygus San Steffan tuag at Gymru, efallai fod \u2019na wirionedd yng ngeiriau Gwyneth Mas o\u2019r Ffordd:"}, {"text_idx": "#000022", "text": "\u201cWeda i hyn wrthot ti, dyw Prydain Fawr ddim fawr"}, {"text_idx": "#000023", "text": "o help iti os mai un o blant y cwm wyt ti.\u201d"}, {"text_idx": "#000024", "text": "Mae\u2019r cynnwys hanesyddol a\u2019r ffeithiau a gynhwysir yn y nofel yma\u2019n rhyfeddol. Llwydda\u2019r awdur i wehyddu sawl is-naratif i\u2019r brif stori, a chawn lyfr \u2018prysur\u2019 iawn o ganlyniad, os nad mymryn yn ddryslyd ar brydiau (i ddarllenwyr iau). Bydd defnydd o dafodiaith yr ardal yn apelio at rai, ac mae\u2019n ychwanegu at ddilysrwydd y nofel - ac nid yw\u2019n rhy anodd i\u2019r \u2018Gogs\u2019 ei ddeall chwaith. Does dim oedran wedi ei awgrymu ar wefan y wasg, ond fel cyn-athro Bl.5 a 6, dwi\u2019n meddwl y byddai\u2019r nofel tu hwnt i afael y mwyafrif, heb law am y darllenwyr mwyaf aeddfed. Byddai cynulleidfa hy\u0302n yr ysgolion uwchradd yn gwerthfawrogi\u2019r nofel yma\u2019n fwy dwi\u2019n meddwl. Dwi\u2019n falch fod Gwasg Carreg Gwalch yn cyhoeddi cymaint o nofelau a\u0302 gogwydd Cymreig iddynt. Bydd y llyfr yma\u2019n ddefnyddiol iawn ar gyfer astudio hanes Cymru yn y Cwricwlwm newydd."}, {"text_idx": "#000025", "text": "I\u2019m a North Wales lad, and although I know my patch quite well, it\u2019s amazing how little I know about other parts of Wales, particularly South Wales. I enjoyed Myrddin's last historic novel, Y Goron yn y Chwarel, and so I decided to give Drws Du Yn Nhonypandy a go. The hope was, that I learn a thing or two about Cwm Rhondda and its coal mining history."}, {"text_idx": "#000026", "text": "Today, the streets of Tonypandy look very similar to many other towns \u2013 but if you look closely enough, evidence from bygone days is all around\u2013 coal has left its mark in more ways than one. Tonypandy is today remembered as the site of the '1910 Riots.' I had never heard of these until now, and I was eager to find out more..."}, {"text_idx": "#000027", "text": "It\u2019s obvious that the author has done his homework \u2013 I'm sure that he enjoyed reading and talking to individuals in preparation for the writing. The novel is based on real events, and includes references to a few real people, but it is fiction. I love maps, and I was happy that some had been included at the beginning of the novel. To give some background information, we also get a name list \u2013 a very good idea given the number of characters in the story, and it helped me to 'keep track.\u2019 I also appreciated the \u2018Note by the author' at the end of the story, which not only gave more context, but is extremely interesting."}, {"text_idx": "#000028", "text": "We follow Guto Lewis, a fourteen-year-old boy, who is about to start working in one of the mines, like the other men in his family. In the first part of the novel, we find out more about Guto\u2019s life, family and the community. Thanks to detailed descriptive work by the author, we get a good glimpse of day to day life during the period. We learn of the dangers of mining as one of the neighbours is seriously injured in the colliery. Something was very common in the period."}, {"text_idx": "#000029", "text": "The author tells us of the living conditions of the mining families, and there\u2019s a lot of attention to detail. The houses are very small, and everyone is crammed on top of each other. Without enough rooms and beds for everyone, as the men work shift, they share the beds \u2013 a form of hotbedding. We hear about the poor quality of the buildings, the dirty water, frequent landslides and rats - all make me appreciate the modern-day luxuries we enjoy today. It also makes me pretty glad I\u2019m not a miner. Their bruised and battered bodies is proof enough of how tough it was. Disease and illnesses spread quickly through the valley, and the sinister description of the mould working it\u2019s way into the lungs of the residents was akin to a monster. This refers of course to Diptheria, which killed many. When Guto's brother, Llew, falls ill, we hear about the condition in graphic detail. Thank goodness for vaccines is all I say!"}, {"text_idx": "#000030", "text": "We already know that the men's lives are tough because they spend long hours underground in less than ideal conditions, but we are also reminded of how hard the women work \u2013 doing housework and caring for the family, all whilst scraping a living. One thing that really comes across in the novel is what a tight-knit community it is in the Rhondda- something that\u2019s still true today."}, {"text_idx": "#000031", "text": "A number of Italians settled in Wales during the 20th century, and the inclusion of the Bertorelli family shows us that Wales was a multicultural country, even then. I learned a little Italian whilst reading too!"}, {"text_idx": "#000032", "text": "By mid-novel, although I was still intrigued by the historical content, I did begin to ask myself where was the novel going? But then, all of a sudden, things get quite messy in Tonypandy as riots break out, property is damaged which results in some ferocious clashes with the constabulary."}, {"text_idx": "#000033", "text": "Without going into detail (you\u2019ll have to read the book!) the workers were fighting for more rights-to receive a basic payment of 2 shillings and 9 pence per tonne of coal. The workers were locked in battle with colliery owners who had conspired for years to keep wages low. The miners wanted a better standard of living and, of course, this was something worth fighting for. Unfortunately, the strike was unsuccessful, and after much suffering and poverty, the workers had to return to work and accept a reduced offer."}, {"text_idx": "#000034", "text": "The miners were manipulated, exploited and treated quite badly on the whole so its no wonder the situation exploded in the end. I found myself getting really wound up on numerous occasions because of the injustices of it all! Wilkins, the grocer is a prime example of someone that deserved a punch in the face! I now also realise why Winston Churchill got such a frosty reception in South Wales following these events, and I think I see him in a different light now."}, {"text_idx": "#000035", "text": "I wonder if the author's political leanings come across in the story, as if he is talking to us through the characters? Is the miners struggle for better conditions, against the regime symbolic of our Nation today? Given Westminster's contemptuous attitude towards Wales, there may be some truth in Gwyneth\u2019s words:"}, {"text_idx": "#000036", "text": "\"I\u2019ll tell you this, Great Britain is not much help if you\u2019re one of valley children.\u201d"}, {"text_idx": "#000037", "text": "The historical content contained in this novel is remarkable but I wouldn\u2019t say the plot was action-packed. The author successfully weaves several sub-narratives into the main story, and as a result we get a \u2018busy' book, if not a tad confusing at times (for younger readers anyway). Use of the local dialect will appeal to some, and certainly adds authenticity to the novel- it\u2019s not too difficult for the \u2018Gogs\u2019 to understand either. I can\u2019t find a suggested age on the publisher\u2019s website, but as a former Yr 5&6 teacher, I think the novel would be beyond their grasp, apart from the most mature of readers. An older audience (secondary school age) would better appreciate this novel, I think. I am pleased that Gwasg Carreg Gwalch publishes so many Welsh historical novels and I can see this book being very popular as part of the new curriculum."}, {"text_idx": "#000038", "text": "Sgrech y Creigiau - Elidir Jones"}]