African literature has its origins in ancient Egypt and hieroglyphs, with oral traditions like folk tales, myths, and proverbs flourishing for centuries. The arrival of missionaries and colonizers in the 19th-20th centuries led to literature being written in both indigenous African languages and European languages. Major themes included the clash between cultures during colonialism and the struggle for independence. Famous African writers expressed these experiences through various genres like novels, poems, and plays.
African literature has its origins in ancient Egypt and hieroglyphs, with oral traditions like folk tales, myths, and proverbs flourishing for centuries. The arrival of missionaries and colonizers in the 19th-20th centuries led to literature being written in both indigenous African languages and European languages. Major themes included the clash between cultures during colonialism and the struggle for independence. Famous African writers expressed these experiences through various genres like novels, poems, and plays.
African literature has its origins in ancient Egypt and hieroglyphs, with oral traditions like folk tales, myths, and proverbs flourishing for centuries. The arrival of missionaries and colonizers in the 19th-20th centuries led to literature being written in both indigenous African languages and European languages. Major themes included the clash between cultures during colonialism and the struggle for independence. Famous African writers expressed these experiences through various genres like novels, poems, and plays.
African literature has its origins in ancient Egypt and hieroglyphs, with oral traditions like folk tales, myths, and proverbs flourishing for centuries. The arrival of missionaries and colonizers in the 19th-20th centuries led to literature being written in both indigenous African languages and European languages. Major themes included the clash between cultures during colonialism and the struggle for independence. Famous African writers expressed these experiences through various genres like novels, poems, and plays.
2. Describe the history of African literature 3. Evaluate a written work of an African writer HISTORY
There are 54 nations which make
up Africa. Each of these countries have their own history, culture, tribes & traditions. Build upon the history of slavery, oppression, violation & humiliation. AFRICAN LITERATURE
written out of disgustful life
HISTORY
Origin dating back thousands of
years to Ancient Egypt & hieroglyphs. African & Arabic culture blend with the European culture to form a unique literary form. ANCIENT EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPHICS ALPHABET
Origin dating back thousands of
years to Ancient Egypt & hieroglyphs. African & Arabic culture blend with the European culture to form a unique literary form. HISTORY
Africa faced many hardships in its
history & its impact can be seen in the themes of literature colonization is one of the hardships HISTORY
Africa faced many hardships in its
history & it’s impact can be seen in the themes of literature colonization is one of the hardships for it led to slavery and African diaspora HISTORY
Sub-Saharan Africa developed a
literature during the 19th & 20th centuries Due to the arrival of the missionaries, African started writing in both European & indigenous languages NEGRITUDE
Literary movement initiated by the
Black intellectuals from French colonies in the 1930s. NEGRITUDE
founders of the movement tried to
rediscover African values that had been erased by the French cultural superiority NEGRITUDE
Negritude writers wrote poetry in
French and present African culture and tradition equal to European culture NEGRITUDE
slave narratives gained attention
reacted against colonial repression in their works since 19th century, writers used newspaper to air their views NEGRITUDE
After World War II, Africans
demanded independence More writers published their works Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Ben Okri, etc. NEGRITUDE
writers were writing in European
languages themes: clash between indigenous and colonial cultures, condemnation of European subjugation, pride in the African past and hope for the independence NEGRITUDE
contemporary African literature
reveals disillusionment and dissent with current events LITERARY FORMS
Oral Literature Written Literature ORAL LITERATURE
also known as “orature”
flourished in Africa for many centuries variety forms including folk tales, myths, epics, funeral dirges, praise poems and proverbs Myth
• A traditional story, especially one
concerning the early history of people or explaining a natural or social phenomenon and typically involving supernatural beings or events Epics
• elaborate literary forms
usually performed only by experts on special occasions. • often recount the heroic exploits of ancestors Funeral Dirges
• chanted during funeral
ceremonies, lament the departed, praise his memory and ask for his protection Praise Poems
• Epithets called out in
reference to an object in celebration of its outstanding qualities and achievements Proverbs
• short, witty and metaphorical
• communicate a response to a particular situation • to offer advice and to persuade Proverbs
• often employed as a rhetorical
device by presenting its speaker as the holder of the cultural knowledge or authority WRITTEN LITERATURE
• include poems, novels, plays,
hymns and tales • only 50% of Africa’s population is illiterate and the others do not have access to the written literature Waves of Literacy in Africa
1. Ethiopia- written books
have been discovered that appeared before the earliest literature in Celtic and German languages Waves of Literacy in Africa
2. Spread of Islam Waves of Literacy in Africa
3. Europe through trade
relationships, missionary activities and colonialism. Waves of Literacy in Africa
• Missionaries translated Bible
into the local languages • Resulted in the production of hymns, morality tales and other literatures in African languages POETRY
• Paris in the Snow
• Totem- Leopold Senghor • Letters to Martha- Dennis Brutus • Train Journey- Dennis Brutus POETRY
• Telephone Conversation- Wole
Soyinka • Africa- David Diop • Song of Lawino- Okot P’Bitek NOVELS
• The House Boy- Ferdinand Oyono
• Thing Fall Apart- Chinua Achebe • Heart of Darkness- Joseph Conrad • Arrow of God- Achebe NOVELS
• A Grain of Wheat- Ngugi Wa
Thiong’o • Anthills of the Savannah- Achebe • The Joys of Motherhood- Buchi Emecheta FEATURES OF AFRICAN LITERATURE • Written in both African and European languages • Represent different period in African history • Includes oral and written literature • During colonization, written slave narratives documented horrors of slavery