Theory of African Literature: Implications for Practical Criticism PDF
Preview Theory of African Literature: Implications for Practical Criticism
African Culture Archive Over the past forty years, Zed has established a long and proud tradition of publishing critical work on African issues, offering unique insights into the continent's politics, development, history and culture. The African Culture Archive draws on this rich backlist, consisting of carefully selected titles that even now have enduring relevance years after their initial publication. Lovingly repackaged, with newly commissioned forewords that reflect on the impact the books have had, these are essential works for anyone interested in the cultural and literary landscape of the continent. Other titles in the archive: Land, Freedom and Fiction: History and Ideology in Kenya David Maughan-Brown Theatre and Cultural Struggle under Apartheid Robert Mshengu Kavanagh Writing African Uibmen: Gender, Popular Culture and Literature in U!est Africa ed. Stephanie Newell About the author Chidi Amuta is a leading Nigerian intellectual, literary critic, journalist and public affairs consultant. He has taught literature and communications at the Universities oflfe and Port Harcourt. In addition to interviewing world leaders like Margaret Thatcher, Francois Mitterand, Robert Mugabe and Yoweri Museveni, he has written articles and columns in several newspapers in Nigeria and the United States. He previously served as chairman of the editorial board of The Daily Times and managing director of The Post Express, and is currently the chief executive ofWilson & Weizmann Associates, a media and public affairs consultancy based in Lagos. Biodun Jeyifo is a professor of African and African American studies and of comparative literature at Harvard University. His previous books include Wble Soyinka: Politics, Poetics, Postcolonialism (2004). Theory of African Literature Implications for Practical Criticism Chidi Amuta With a new Foreword by Biodun Jeyifo ZED Zed Books LONDON Theory ofA frican Literature: Implications for Practical Criticism was first published in 1989 by Zed Books Ltd, The Foundry, 1 7 Oval Way, London SEl 1 SRR, UK. This edition was published in 201 7. www.zedbooks.net Copyright © Chidi Amuta 1989 Foreword copyright© Biodun Jeyifo 2017 The right of Chidi Amuta to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988. Cover design by Kika Sroka-Miller. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of Zed Books Ltd. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978-1-78699-068-6 hb ISBN 978-1-78699-006-8 pb ISBN 978-1-78699-004-4 pdf ISBN 978-1-78699-003-7 epub ISBN 978-1-78699-005-1 mobi For wamanu and Ihueze Amuta Husband and wife Who in faith Sent me into this great unknown And for Tosin who made the great crossing Then ... And to my teachers, students,friends and colleagues with whom in dialogue I travelled this lonely road long ago Contents Foreword by Biodun Jeyifo xi Preface xv Introduction 1 I. Ideological Formations in the Criticism of African Literature 12 2. Traditionalism and the Quest for an African Literary Aesthetic 33 3. Marxism and African Literature 52 4. A Dialectical Theory of African Literature: Categories and Springboards 77 5. Issues and Problems in African Literature: A Dialectical Revision 103 6. History and the Dialectics of Narrative in the African Novel 125 7. Drama and Revolution in Africa 154 8. Poetry and Liberation Politics in Africa 176 9. Beyond Decolonization 197 Select Bibliography 200 Index 205
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