This is the first anthology to bring together the key texts of african literary theory and criticism. To be sure, the arabic, english, french, and portuguese literary traditions along with christianity and islam and other effects of colonialism in africa also had a dynamic impact on african literature, but african writers adapted those alien traditions and made them their own by placing them into these african classical frames. There is no standard definition as folklorists have varying descriptions for oral literature or folk literature but a broad conceptualization refers to it as literature characterized by oral transmission and the absence of any fixed form. Apr 03, 2016 african literature is literature of or from africa and includes oral literature. African literature is literature of or from africa and includes oral literature or orature, in the term coined by ugandan scholar pio zirimu as george joseph notes in his chapter on african literature in understanding contemporary africa, whereas european views of literature often stressed a separation of art and content, african awareness is inclusive. He comments, until these writers and their western midwives accept the fact that true african literature must be written in african languages, they would be merely pursuing a dead end. Perhaps the chadwicks put it best when they defined oral poetry as speech.
African literature essay example free essays, term papers. In reality, however, the phrase african literature calls to mind a whole series of debates about the archival and critical boundaries of the field. Literature can also simply mean an artistic use of words for the sake of art alone. African literature consists of a body of work in different languages and various genres, ranging from oral literature to literature written in colonial languages french, portuguese, and english. As george joseph notes in his chapter on african literature in understanding contemporary africa, whereas european views of literature often stressed a separation of art and content, african awareness is inclusive. A similar problem arises when trying to define african literature. Imaginative or creative writing, especially of recognized artistic value. The prose is often mythological or historical and can include tales of the trickster character. However, for a common understanding and, to give us a working definition, we shall adopt the definition of literature as. Apr 17, 2017 african american literature refers to literature written by americans of african descent. African literature is an empty designation, as is asian literature, european literature, latin. Many people are accustomed to speaking of african literature as if the phrase defined a clearly demarcated and coherent body of work. African literature article about african literature by. The body of written works of a language, period, or culture.
Morals and lessons are typically woven into wellcrafted and engaging stories. Ghana published what is probably the first african novel written in english, ethiopia unbound. This religion of the african, named african traditional religion has proved very difficult to define. African literature is literature of or from africa and includes oral literature. In discussing african culture and values, we are not. Ethical and moral nature of african civilization traditionally, african literature is an informal evening fireside. Oral literature or orature may be in prose or verse. The term african literature generally refers to a comprehensive, complex and creative literature of and from africa. In reply to wali, achebe expresses, you cannot cram african literature in a small, neat definition. Was african literature, literature produced in africa or about africa. Is about the subject dealt with by a particular book or it must have an african theme. The role of the reader in traditional literature sigmund freud made two large claims that answers the question as to why people continue to comeback to old stories that are told and retold in traditional literature.
Beginning in the prerevolutionary war period, african american writers have engaged in a creative, if often contentious, dialogue with american letters. Despite this sonorous and rather solemn title, it turned out to be a very lively affair and an exciting and useful. Brings together key texts that are otherwise hard to locate covers all genres and critical schools provides the intellectual context for understanding african literature facilitates the future development of african literary criticism. She is on the faculty at guilford college, where she teaches african american literature and creative writing. African literature, the body of traditional oral and written literatures in afroasiatic and african languages together with works written by africans in european languages. African american literature terms flashcards quizlet.
A critical anthologynairobi east african literature bureau, 1973 pp. Traditionally, africans do not radically separate art from teaching. Things fall apart by chinua achebe, half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie, americanah by chimamanda ngozi. It contains almost 700 entries on the major historical and cultural study. African literature refers to literature of and from africa. Feb 16, 2015 the first published works of african american literature came about in the 18th century, at a time when the united states was just coming into being and when newly recognized citizens, with clearly defined rights and freedoms, owned slaves. African american literature presents experience from an african american point of view. Some of these writers will be cited in order to highlight the status of poetry in a cultural context. African literature department of english language and. The monograph provides as well current trends in the african literature after 1960 and the response of a panel of african authors. The basic characteristics of african english literature are 1 written in both african and european languages.
That is why i trace response to oral poetic performances as of the udje and ijala and the continuation into modern works in english, french, or portuguese, among others. African literature is as diverse as the continent itself, but several characteristics and themes prevail throughout much of the written works emerging from africa. Ethical and moral nature of african civilization traditionally, african literature is an informal evening. Traditional written literature, which is limited to a smaller geographic area than is oral literature, is most characteristic of those subsaharan cultures that have participated in the cultures of the mediterranean. African american vernacular traditionalso known as black talk, folklore, the form of things unknown, or lowpopular culturehas been around for centuries and existed as a global phenomenon for most of that time. The main objective of this paper is to examine african culture and values. In african oral literature for schools, jane nandwa and austin bukenya define oral literature as those utterances, whether spoken, recited or sung, whose composition and performance exhibit to an appreciable degree the artistic character of accurate observation, vivid imagination and ingenious expression 1983. The conference failed to come up with any authentic identifiable definition and a year later, a nigerian critic, obi wali, writing in his famous essay the dead end of african literature.
Characteristics of african american literature pen and. In her article motherhood in african literature and culture remi akujobi analyzes the place and the role of women in african religion and tradition and also interrogates the place of motherhood in the production, circulation and consumption of items in african tradition. African american vernacular tradition american literature. Doctor of literature and philosophy in the subject african languages at the university of south africa promoter. These peoples have long maintained trade and cultural relations with arabia, india, iran, and indonesia, so that the influence exerted by the cultures of. The first published works of african american literature came about in the 18th century, at a time when the united states was just coming into being and when newly recognized citizens, with clearly defined rights and freedoms, owned slaves.
Characteristics of african american literature pen and the pad. For instance, there is often a great emphasis on the history, culture and customs of a group of people when telling their stories. Postcolonial writers who continue to write in the colonizers language have been subject to criticism, but they have helped to create important postcolonial literature. African countries, as colonies and even today as neocolonies, came to be defined and to define themselves in terms of the languages of europe. It permeates nearly every cultural aspect of black lives and history throughout the african diaspora. Precolonial literature often takes the form of oral narratives that are sometimes accompanied by music and center around the trickster figure. By 2016, 35 au members had joined it, but less than half actually subjected themselves to being assessed. The encyclopedia of african literature is a largescale work of over 350,000 words covering important aspects of african literature produced in all the major languages. Defining south african literature for a new nation njabulo s ndebela south africa is the one country where social and political contradictions have been so stark that the influence of politics on other social activities and vice versa, has been most easily observable. Each of these separate countries have their own history, culture, tribes, and traditions. The paradoxical primacy of european languages in african literatures necessitates another anomalythe inclusion of a separate chapter on literature in african languages. The obligations of literary history scholars of african american literature, whether they work in china or in the united states, have to think deeply about the consequences of their choices. Declaration i declare that content, form and technique of traditional and. Modern african literature is the natural inheritor of traditional african literature and though.
Oral literature is the repository of the critical knowledge, philosophy, and wisdom for nonliterate societies. What are the characteristics of african literature. For example, literature in english is the subject of five chapters, and french the subject of three, while literature in portuguese is confined to a single chapter. African literature is literature of or from africa and includes oral literature as george joseph.
I suggested that the task might bec,me easier when more of our produce had entered the. Every colony had an emerging literature which was an imitation of but differed from the central british tradition, which articulated in local terms the myths and experience of a new culture, and which expressed that new culture as, to an extent. A brief history of american literature richard gray. Ayi kwei armah and a commonwealth of souls, in chris wanjala ed. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Many participants quickly scribbled a few words like african literature is literature by an african, but after reading the arguments of other participants with the same speed, they quickly made a uturn and began again redefining the term. Pdf away from a definition of african literatures daria tunca. An introduction to postcolonialism, postcolonial theory and. The criticism of african literature awakened and grew by means of controversy during the 1970s and 1980s, with some of the critics taking the view that african literature can only competently be. Shelley regards poetry as imaginative passion while coleridge and others consider it from the point of view of its form and structure and regard it as the best words in the best order. Traditional written literature, which is limited to a smaller geographic area than is oral literature, is most characteristic. By african literature, i refer not to the body of written and oral texts produced by storytellers on and from the continentbut rather, to the category.
In his death and the kings horsemen 1975, wole soyinka makes the colonial setting incidental, a mere catalyst, in what is the metaphysical crisis of a hawed. In discussing african culture and values, we are not presupposing that all african societies have the same. African literature is meant in large part to be educational as well as entertaining. There has never been a better time than right now to be a reader of african literature, especially in the united states historically, an underdeveloped nation in this regard. This is certainly a question that requires a broad answer but i will make it as short as possible. African american literature, body of literature written by americans of african descent. There is also great pride in sharing stories about history and culture, even if the stories arent always pleasant and uplifting. Anyone with a passing acquaintance with discourses concerning african literatures is aware that the mention of the subject.
Although there were certainly slaves writing in the early days of slavery and colonization, the african american literary tradition began to take root in the 17th and 18th centuries, when former slaves such as frederick douglass. A conference of african writers of english expression. African literature possessing those qualities that define it as such. Pdf african languages and african literature researchgate. Literature definition of literature by the free dictionary. A brief history of american literature a brief history of american literature richard gray. The result is a literature rich in expressive subtlety. In a recent debate in a cameroonian forum, there was a struggle to define african literature. Conditions of slavery produced a certain genre of writing, which weve come to describe as slave. The predominant african languages used are amharic, zulu, hausa, and swahili. African traditional religion in a globalizing world. Before the high point of slave narratives, africanamerican literature was dominated by. East african literature article about east african. It is this cultural distinctiveness that i intend to tackle in discussing modern african literature in english.
Brings together key texts that are otherwise hard to locate covers all genres and critical schools provides the intellectual context for understanding african literature facilitates the. In the early republic, african american literature represented a way for free blacks to negotiate their identity in an individualized republic. The comprehensive account of the development of african literature from its. Jun 23, 2009 in a recent debate in a cameroonian forum, there was a struggle to define african literature. Although there were certainly slaves writing in the early days of slavery and colonization, the africanamerican literary tradition began to take root in the 17th and 18th centuries, when former slaves such as frederick douglass. African literature is any literature that tells the african story, be it from the perpestive of the coloni. Since i had studied english literature at university, many of my friends wondered why i chose belgium. African literature article about african literature by the. African writers create works which are peculiarly african and yet set in the modern world mbiti 1969, 228. Literature definition is writings in prose or verse. It begins with the works of such late 18thcentury writers as phillis wheatley. What is african literature history of african literature.
Am african literature english and the african wrie from transition i8 i965 chinua achebe in june i962, there was a gathering at makerere university, impressively styled. While the european perception of literature generally refers to written letters, the african concept includes oral literature or orature, in the term coined by ugandan scholar pio zirimu. East african literature the literature of the peoples of east africa who speak the swahili language and live in kenya, uganda, the united republic of tanzania, and malawi and on the island of mafia. This literature through narrative, poetry, song, dance, myths and fables, and texts for religious rituals provides a portrait of the meaning of life as experienced by the society at its. Africanamerican literature refers to literature written by americans of african descent. They often tried to exercise their political and social autonomy in the face of resistance from the white public. But different critics belonging to different schools. Culture, language and evolution of african literature. African literature can be divided into three distinct categories. Africanamerican literature is the body of literature produced in the united states by writers of african descent. A new study suggests that classical english literature is essential to the teaching of english. African literature, literary works of the african continent.
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