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This book provides a historical survey and a critical analysis of the literature in French from West and Equatorial Africa.
List of contents
Frontispiece; Preface; Map; Table; List of abbreviations; Acknowledgements; Introduction: background to a literature: 1. Earliest beginnings; 2. Historical review; 3. The educational system; 4. First awakenings of Black consciousness and interest in Africa; 5. The birth of Negritude; Part I. The Transition from Yesterday to Today: 1. The oral tradition: the role of the griot; 2. The evolution of the folk-tale, short story and fable; 3. The heyday of folk-lore in French West African literature; 4. The rear-guard and the decline of the folk-tale; 5. Legends from Central and West Africa in novels and novellas; 6. The historical novel; Part II. Dramatic Literature: 1. Origins and development of a French language spectacle; 2. Historical and legendary drama; 3. Comedy, satire and morality plays; 4. Conclusion; Part III. Negro-African Poetry: From Negritude to 'Disengagement': 1. The birth of Negritude; 2. Conclusion; Part IV. The African Novelist and the Negro-African Novel in French: 1. Towards a definition of the African novel; 2. 1935-55: authors and works in the margin of commitment; 3. 1954-64: Around the anti-colonialist cause: 'Romans à thèse'; 4. 1958-64: period of transition: releasing the tensions of the past and drawing up blueprints for the future; 1964-74: in the light of Independence; 5. Familiar writers - new inspirations; 6. New voices in fiction; 7. Conclusion; Appendix; Bibliographical notes; Index.
Summary
This 1976 book provides a historical survey and a critical analysis of the literature in French from West and Equatorial Africa. Professor Blair discusses the social, educational and political influences which led to the formation of the Negritude movement and to a flowering of French-African creative writing in various genres.
