Course Description
An exploration of major currents in African literature from its ancient oral traditions to the European colonial period, with special emphasis on the relevance of the material under discussion to the contemporary world.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be required to write a documented paper on a given topic at the end of the quarter in addition to the other requirements for the course.
Athena Title
Origins of African Literature
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The objectives of the course are to expose students to representative works of traditional African oral literature and African literature of the colonial period, with special emphasis on the relevance of the material under discussion to the contemporary world; to inform students of the nature of oral literature as an art form; to instruct students about the cultural, social, and political concerns that shape literature of the colonial period; to enhance students' critical skills through analysis of individual literary texts; and to develop students' communication skills through oral presentations and expository writing assignments. Students' performances will be assessed through presentations, tests, essays, and a final examination.
Topical Outline
The course is structured around a series of readings of transcriptions of oral literature and literary works written during the colonial period. Special emphasis will be placed on the relevance of the material under discussion to the contemporary world. Topics considered are generated by the individual texts under analysis. The works treated vary with the individual instructor. The following is a sample syllabus of readings for a single semester: The Epic of Sundiata and other oral epics Amos Tutuola. The Palm-wine Drinkard Negritude Poetry Sembene Ousmane. God's Bits of Wood M. Beti. The Poor Christ of Bomba C. H. Kane. Ambiguous Adventure