history and characteristics of African literature

Summary

This script explores the complexities of defining African literature, with its rich history dating back to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and blending with Arabic and European influences. It discusses the impact of colonization and the African Diaspora on literary themes, highlighting the emergence of written literature in the 19th and 20th centuries. The script emphasizes the broad scope of African literature, its roots in oral tradition, and its evolution into various forms, including slave narratives and protest literature, with a focus on the works of authors like Chinua Achebe.

Takeaways

• 🌏 The concept of 'being European' or 'African' is complex due to the diversity within these continents, including different countries, cultures, and histories.
• 📚 Defining African literature is challenging because of the vast number of nations and languages, with opinions varying on whether it should be written in African languages or any language by African authors.
• 📜 African literature has ancient roots, tracing back to Egyptian hieroglyphs and Arabic poetry, which influenced the development of a unique literary form.
• 🌐 The blending of African, Arabic, and European cultures contributed to the rich tapestry of African literature.
• 🏰 Colonization had a profound impact on African literature, with themes of exploitation, slavery, and the African Diaspora being central to many works.
• 📖 The development of written literature in sub-Saharan Africa was influenced by missionaries who established language schools and translated religious texts.
• 📚 Post-1950s African literature gained global recognition, with works like 'Things Fall Apart' by Chinua Achebe becoming particularly influential.
• 🎭 African literature is characterized by its broad scope, being written in both English and African languages for diverse audiences.
• 🗣️ It has deep roots in oral tradition, with early writings often telling folktales and legends that carry cultural guidance and history.
• 📰 The medium of African literature expanded over time to include various forms such as newspapers, hymns, poetry, fiction, and autobiographies.
• ✍️ 20th-century African literature was marked by themes of protest, with authors like Othman sim ban Ola sinka and Chinua Achebe writing about the desire for independence and African pride.

Q & A

What is the significance of the question 'What does it mean to be human?' in the context of the script?

The question 'What does it mean to be human?' is used to initiate a broader discussion on the shared human experiences and to transition into a more specific exploration of what it means to be European, highlighting the complexity of defining a collective identity.

Why is defining African literature considered complicated?

Defining African literature is complicated due to the diversity of the continent, with 54 nations each having distinct histories, cultures, tribes, and traditions. There is debate over whether African literature should only be composed in African languages or can also be in any language by authors from Africa.

What are the origins of African literature mentioned in the script?

The origins of African literature date back thousands of years to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, which later influenced Arabic poetry and spread through Egypt and western Africa during various conquests.

How did colonization impact the themes of African literature?

Colonization, which involved the exploitation of indigenous people and resources, led to themes of protest and calls for independence in African literature, reflecting the general feeling of African pride and hope for the future.

What is the African Diaspora, and how did it affect African literature?

The African Diaspora refers to the forced spread of African people to Western countries due to slavery, which had a profound impact on African literature by influencing themes and the experiences of those displaced.

How did the arrival of missionaries contribute to the development of written literature in sub-Saharan Africa?

Missionaries coming to Africa to build churches and language schools facilitated the development of written literature by translating religious texts, leading to Africans writing in both European and indigenous languages.

What are some of the prevalent forms of expression in African literature?

African literature encompasses a wide range of expressions, including oral traditions, folktales, newspapers, hymns, romance, epic poetry, fictional narratives, plays, diaries, philosophy, biography, and autobiography.

Can you provide an example of a slave narrative in African literature?

An example of a slave narrative is 'The Interesting Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African,' published in 1789, which provided a vivid account of the slave trade.

What is the significance of the 1950s in the context of African literature?

The 1950s marked a significant period for African literature, with the emergence of notable works that contributed to the understanding of African identity and the critique of colonialism, such as 'Things Fall Apart' by Chinua Achebe.

What are some of the themes that dominate 20th-century African literature?

Themes of protest against colonization and the call for independence dominate 20th-century African literature, with a focus on capturing and communicating African pride in their past and hope for the future.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Origins and Complexity of African Literature

This paragraph delves into the intricate nature of defining African literature, acknowledging the diversity of the continent's 54 nations with their unique histories, cultures, tribes, and traditions. It highlights the debate over whether African literature should be written in African languages or can be composed in any language by African authors. The script traces the roots of African literature back to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and Arabic poetry, and discusses the blending of African, Arabic, and European cultures to form a distinct literary tradition. The impact of colonization and the African Diaspora on literature is also explored, noting the spread of African people against their will to Western countries, which influenced the themes of African literature. The paragraph concludes by mentioning the development of written literature in sub-Saharan Africa during the 19th and early 20th centuries due to the influence of missionaries.

05:01

🌏 Characteristics and Themes of African Literature

The second paragraph focuses on the defining characteristics of African literature, emphasizing its broad scope of production in both English and African languages for diverse audiences. It outlines the various forms of expression, from oral tradition and folktales to newspapers, hymns, poetry, and autobiographies. The paragraph underscores the importance of folktales in passing on cultural history and providing guidance, particularly to children. It also touches on the use of literature as a medium for expressing views and capturing the spirit of African pride in the past and hope for the future. The slave narrative, exemplified by 'The Life and Adventures of Gustavus Vassa' published in 1789, is highlighted as a significant form that drew attention to the horrors of the slave trade. The paragraph concludes by discussing the themes of protest in 20th-century African literature, which called for independence and decried the effects of colonization, with notable authors like Othman sim ban Ola sinka and Chinua Achebe leading this literary movement.

Keywords

💡Human

The term 'human' refers to a member of the species Homo sapiens, characterized by high intelligence, complex language, and the ability to create and use tools. In the context of the video, it is used to initiate a philosophical inquiry into the common experiences of all people, setting the stage for a more specific exploration of what it means to be European or African.

💡European

The term 'European' denotes someone from Europe or relating to Europe. The video script uses this term to discuss the difficulty of defining a common identity or experience across diverse European countries, each with its own history, culture, and traditions.

💡African Literature

African Literature refers to the body of literary works produced in Africa or by African authors. The script discusses the complexity of defining this literature due to the continent's linguistic and cultural diversity, as well as the historical influences on its themes and forms.

💡54 Nations

The term '54 Nations' refers to the number of countries in Africa, each with its unique history, culture, tribes, and traditions. The script uses this to emphasize the challenge of generalizing about African literature given the continent's vast diversity.

💡Oral Tradition

Oral Tradition is a method of transmitting knowledge, stories, and history through spoken word rather than written text. The script mentions that African literature has its roots in oral tradition, which is a significant characteristic of its storytelling and cultural expression.

💡Colonization

Colonization is the process of a more powerful nation taking control over a less powerful one, often leading to exploitation of the land and people. The script describes how colonization impacted African literature by introducing themes of protest and calls for independence.

💡African Diaspora

The African Diaspora refers to the widespread dispersion of African people outside of Africa, largely due to the slave trade and colonization. The script mentions this term to illustrate the forced migration of Africans and its impact on the spread of African culture and literature.

💡Indigenous Languages

Indigenous Languages are the languages spoken by the original inhabitants of a region before the arrival of colonizers. The script discusses the debate over whether African literature should be composed in these languages or any language by African authors.

💡Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe is a renowned Nigerian novelist and author of 'Things Fall Apart,' which is highlighted in the script as a noteworthy work of African literature. His writing is an example of capturing African pride and the hope for the future.

💡Slave Narrative

A Slave Narrative is a literary genre that recounts the experiences of enslaved individuals. The script cites 'The Interesting Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African' as an example, illustrating the vivid and horrifying depiction of the slave trade.

💡Protest Literature

Protest Literature refers to works that express opposition to social, political, or economic conditions. The script notes that themes of protest, particularly against colonization, began to dominate 20th-century African literature, reflecting a desire for independence and recognition of African heritage.

Highlights

Defining African literature is complicated due to the diversity of 54 nations in Africa, each with their own history, culture, tribes, and traditions.

Some authors believe African literature can only be composed in African languages, while others argue it can be in any language as long as it's by African authors.

African literature has origins dating back thousands of years to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Arabic poetry spread in Egypt and western Africa due to the Arabic conquest and influenced African literature.

Colonization, which led to exploitation of indigenous people and resources, had a significant impact on the themes of African literature.

The African Diaspora, the forced spreading of African people around the world from the 16th to 19th centuries, is a key theme in African literature.

Sub-Saharan Africa developed written literature in the 19th and early 20th centuries due to missionaries who established language schools and translated religious texts.

African literature has a broad scope of production, being composed in both English for Western and African audiences and in African languages for African readers.

African literature has its roots in the oral tradition, sharing stories, advice, and history through talking and presenting.

Early African writing often tells folktales and legends passed down through a culture to provide guidance and pass on cultural history.

African writers began expressing themselves in newspapers to spread their views, expanding the forms of African literature.

African literature includes various forms of expression such as hymns, romance, epic poetry, fictional narrative, plays, diaries, philosophy, biography, and autobiography.

The slave narrative, such as 'The Interesting Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Gustavus Vassa' published in 1789, was one of the first forms of African narrative to draw attention.

Themes of protest, decrying colonization and calling for independence, began to guide 20th-century African literature.

Notable 20th-century African writers like Othman Simban, Ola Sinba, and Chinua Achebe captured the general feeling of African pride in their past and hope for the future.

Understanding the complete development of African literature requires looking beyond the most recent works to its rich history.

Transcripts

[Music]

what does it mean to be human what are

the common experiences of all people

these may be large questions so let's be

more specific what does it mean to be

European any answer to this question

would have to ignore specifics for each

country a similar problem arises when

trying to define African literature

there are 54 nations which make up

Africa each of these separate countries

have their own history culture tribes

and traditions that being said there are

some commonality is shared by literature

which comes from the continent as a

whole defining African literature can be

complicated there are some authors who

believe African literature can only be

composed in African languages others

believe African literature can be

composed in any language so long as it

is composed by authors from Africa

in this vlog we'll narrow our focus to

the broader history and characteristics

of African literature in general African

literature has origins dating back

thousands of years to ancient Egyptian

hieroglyphs or writing which uses

pictures to represent words these

ancient Egyptian beginnings led to the

Arabic poetry which spread during the

Arabic conquest of Egypt in the 7th

century CE II and through western Africa

in the 9th century CE these African and

Arabic cultures continued to blend with

the European culture and literature to

form a unique literary form Africa

experienced several hardships in its

long history which left an impact on the

themes of its literature one hardship

which led to many others is that of

colonization colonization is when people

leave their country and settle in

another land often one which is already

inhabited the problem with colonization

is when the incoming people exploit the

indigenous people and the resources of

the inhabited land colonization led to

slavery millions of African people were

enslaved and brought to Western

countries around the world from the 16th

to the 19th centuries this spreading of

African people largely against their

will is called the African Diaspora

sub-saharan Africa developed a written

literature during the 19th and early

20th centuries this development came as

a result of missionaries coming to the

area

the missionaries came to Africa to build

churches and language schools in order

to translate religious texts this led to

Africans writing in both European and

indigenous languages

though African literature's history is

as long as it's rich most of the popular

works have come out since 1950s

especially the noteworthy things fall

apart by Chinua Achebe looking beyond

the most recent works is necessary to

understand the complete development of

this collection of literature now let's

take a look at some of the

characteristics of African literature

[Music]

literature from Africa has many

characteristics we will highlight some

of the most prevalent characteristics

here to begin let's look at African

literature's broad scope of production

this literature has been composed in

English for Western and African

audiences it is also composed in African

languages for African readers this

literature comes from all parts of

Africa both northern Africa and

sub-saharan from this general

perspective let's shift to the several

forms of expressions which African

literature has this literature like many

others has its roots in the oral

tradition or sharing stories advice and

history through talking and presenting

early African writing tends to tell

folktales or stories and legends passed

down through a culture these folktales

are meant to provide guidance and pass

on cultural history these stories are

for all members of the community but

especially for the children African

writers began to express themselves in

newspapers to spread their views African

literature then expanded to include

hymns romance epic poetry fictional

narrative

pistols Diaries philosophy biography and

autobiography

one particular form of African narrative

which may have been the first to draw a

stern attention for the first time was

composed by slaves an example of the

slave narrative is the interesting

narrative of the life and adventures of

Luud Ariano

or gustav vasa the African published in

1789 this narrative gave a vivid and

horrifying image of the slave trade

though it took many forms of expression

themes of protest began to guide 20th

century African literature the focus has

been dominated by writing which decries

colonization and calls for independence

such writers as Othman sim ban Ola sinka

and Chinua Achebe famously wrote during

this time they captured and communicated

the general feeling of African pride in

their past and the hope for the future

[Music]