University of Nigeria Research Publications

NWANKWO, Patience Chika

Aut

hor

PG/MA/84/2499

Title

Language and Audience as Criteria in African Poetry Criticism

Facu

lty

Arts

Dep

artm

ent

English

Dat

e

October, 1986

Sign

atur

e

LANGUAGE AND A U D I E K E AS CRITERIA

I N iiFRICAR POETRY CRITICISW

CHIKi\ Nb!ANKYO

DEPiiRTMENT OF ENGLISH

UNIVE1?SI1ZY OF NIGLRIA

NSUKi<!i

4 LONG ESSAY SUS&!ITTED IU PARTIAL

I'ULFILHENT OF THE REQUIREi4ENTS FOR

THE DEGREE OF M.GTERS IN ENGLISH

DEGRZE

SUPERV I S O R

ACKNOWZEDQEMENT

ABSTRACT I

., .

iii .;, . ,

INTRODUCTION v i

CHAPTER ONE: e

I0 Background t o s t udy 1

11. L i t e r a t u r e Qeview , ;. * + 2

I I a . I n t r o d u c t i o n 2

I I b . European C r i t i c s of ~ f r i c a n L i t e r a t u r e 6

b 116. The Response of Af r ican C r i t i c s 18

IIL Methodology 25

I I e . he+ Chosen M B ~ h o d ~ l o g ~

I I f . L i m i t a t i o n s and Scope o f - S t u d y

I I g . Conclusion

CHAPTERTWO: The Role of t h e Af r ican Poet 38

I. The C r i t i c a l problem' 38

I f . A t t i t u d e s of C r i t i c s 40

f 11. Conclus ion 50

CHABTER.TMREE: The Audience of Af r ican Poe t ry 52

I. The C r i t i c a l Problem

110 A t t i t u d e s of C r i t i c s 54 e

111. The Right Audienco f o r Af r ican Poe t ry 63 \,

I V . A t t i t u d e s of C r i t i c s 64

V. Conclus ion 72

11. A t t i t u d e s . of C r i t i c s 76 i

111. Conclueion 93

CHAPTER FIVE: S i m p l i c i t y and Complexity i n P o e t i c Performance

I. The C r i t i c a l Problem 97

11.. A t t i t u d e s of C r i t i c s

111. Concluaion

CHAPTER SIX: Conclus ion

w I. Summary of I s s u e o and P o s i t i o n s 12 1

11. What C r i t i c a l C r i t e r i a ? 123

111. V R ~ U Q 6f ~ i n d i & s 124

I I V . Area f o r F u r t h e r Research 1 26

REFERENCES

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to him i f i s r a t i t u d c . .

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c'!:.ildreg, ;(;nacc;?l., O b i n q a , idzu'oe, xrncka z:"incI C h i k : ~ s u f f ' e red u n t o l d

. l e ~ h c t :a:-;ile I b!ns w o r k i n g 03 t h i s p r o j e c t , f o r t k e i r p a t i e n c e

qnd u n d e r s t n q d i n g I s a l u t e them, g u t t h e most d e p r i v e d o f tkem

r a . l l nad g e t tkc mos t c o g s i s t e ! ~ t l y s u p p o r t i v e i s my d z r l i g g h u s b z n d ,

' ;oung N w z ~ k v o - I owe a l l t o you.

ii i

The f i asnc iql s u p p ~ r t f o r t ?;is p r o j e c t C ; Z E ~ Z f ram T'Ii.iEK

S d u c a t i o r l a l S e r v i c e s L i m i t e d , who, t r u e t o i t s grime, is dedica ' ic : i

t o t h e p u r s u i t of learning i n e v e r y f i e l d . My t k a a k s g o t o t k e

v k c l e board of i t s d i r e c t s r s m d more e s p e c i a l l y t o i t s ~ X n i r m n n j

Xnaagigg Di reckur , Rr. T. C * f lnankv!~ .

x v c r y p r o j e c t i s as n e a t a s the t y p i s t :.rho g e t a i t done ,

!-or s p a i n s t a k i a ~ ; nnd i n t e l l i g e q t s e c r e t a r i a l j o b I t h n a k

l.:r. Onwudc, t k s !>ropric.ti:r of Rex Commercial i g s t i t u t e ,

I!o.. 7 Lumumta S t r e c t , K e w Haveg, Enugu,

!,!-id f i g c t l l y my most p rofound s r . s t i t u d e ascend t o Jehovah

God my maker a n d s u s t n t ~ e r , t k e S r e a t c s t a c a d e m i c , a r t i s t , and

s c i e n t i s t i n t h e cosmcs , :..r;?o made t h i s p r o j e c t p o s s i b l e through

&is m a t e r i a l and s p i r i t u a l suppor t . .

Evcry e r r o r and shor tcor : i ins i r l t h i s work i s s o l e l y my

A R S T R i C T

T k e c a l l f o r a a A f r i c a n a e s t k e t i c k a s gone o u t f o r a b o u t a

d e c a d e now. This p r o j e c t s e t s o u t t o a n s w e r t h i s c a l l i n its

u w n l i t t l e way , t o a n a l y s e t i l e l a . n p a , c e anri a u d i e q c e c r i t e r i a

, x s t h e y a r e a p p l i e d t o t k c c r i t i c i s m of A f r i c a n p o e t r y by

r i c a a c r i t i c s . ~ i r s t , c h a p t e r one i:agdles t h e problern of i i f r i c a : ~

a e s t h e t i c s aqd t h e i n c t h o d o l o ~ y t o b e employed i n t h e p r o j e c t .

T h e a t. e t x o b r o a d c r i t e r i a a r e 'orokca d o w i i r l t o f o u r

s p c c i f i c c r i t e r i a : t h c r o l e o f t h e ~ f r i c a n p o e t , t h e a t id ience

of A f r i c a n p o e t r y , t h e l a a g u a s c o f A f r i c a n p o e t r y , a n d s i m p l i c i t y

-- a g d c o m p l e x i t y i g p o e t i c p e r f o r x a n c e , 2;ack o f t h e s e c r i t e r i a

a r e a g a l y s e d i r l c h a p t e r s t w o , t k r e e , f o a r a n d f i v e u a d e r t h e

s u b h e a d i n g s - t h e c r i t i c a l p r o b l e m , a t t i t u d e s o f c r i t i c s ,

a g d c o n c l u s i o n .

3 t h e c o ~ c l u s i o a ( c h a p t e r s i x ) the p r o b l e m s and a t t i t u d e s

,.3re sunrf!ar izcd, t h e c r i t i c a l c r i t e r i a a re i d e q t i f i e d , v a l u e of

f i n d i q s s a r e d i s c u s s e d , aad a r e a f o r f u r t h e r r e s e a r c h a r e p o i n t c d

o u t .

I N T R O U U C T LOP!

Thc r e l a t e d i s s u e s of t h e l a n g u a z e and a u d i e a c e f o r Africar!

: )octry ikave o c c u p i e d c r i t i c s c f A f r i c a 9 p o e t r y f o r o v e r t k r e e

d e c s d c s n0:r.l. The l a n p a g e c o n t r o v e r s y i s t w o - - p r o g ~ e d : car!

p o e t r y ! \ * r i t bn i g non- ; i f r ic l r l l n ~ p a g e s r i z h t l y be r e f e r - c d t o as

i f r i c a n p o e t r y 4 ? And i s t:;c poe t r -y of s i m p l e laj:ipas:c i!lkcre-nt l::

clorc. . i f r i . can t k a a i t s complex c o u q t e r p n r t ? I r ! o t h e r w o r d s , must

a poem p o s s s s n c c n d i l y available s u r f a c e rneaqi93 t o q u a l i f y

2s a s u c c e s e ~ f u l Africa11 poem:

ri c s r e f u l e x a u , i a a t i o o of t h c t x o issues r e v e a l s t 3 a i b o t h

i,L Africark arc- r o o t e d i r _ l ar!ot;;cr fuadarnenta l c r i t i c : : l i s s u e - t'-

c r i t i c s ' c o n c e p t of t k e r o l e of a p o e t , ' ?ke b a s i c co!icept k d l d

::y t h e s e c r i t i c s a b o u t t k c p r i r i a r y r o l e of a poe t w i l . 1 c i s te rminc

ti-.eir pos i -L ions on t?!-;. r i g k t l a n p a z e and a u d i c n c s f o r hi:;.

Goes t k c work of a pout c o g s i s t i n f a i t h f u l l y , i n i a 5 i a a t i v c l , y ,

:2nd l y r i c a l l y expressin:: and a x p l o r i ~ ~ h i s i ~ d i v i d u a l i t y ? O r

i s h e t o f u n c t i o ! ~ as t i l e c u l l r c t i v e v o i c e o f ?.is p c o p l a , s u b l i -

r r i a t i n ~ ;-:.is i q d i v i d u a l i d i o s y n c r , c i c s and p e c u l i a r o s p e r i c a c c s

i n f a v o u r of t i i c i r c o l l e c t i v a acid s h a r e d cxpdr icnce: ; , O r , i s

h e a a o r a c l e , a v i s i o n a r y , p e e p i n g i a t o t k e complex nssrcgatc of

!;roup and i q d i v i d u a l e x p e r i e n c e and !nakiq;; p r o p h e t i c proaougce-

n c n t s t h e r e f r o m f o r t k s guidance of ;-:is ~ o c i c t y ?

k g a i ? , s i n c e t h e a h s e q c c of v r i t t ~ q c r c n t i v e literature

i.1 t k c ; : i s to ry of m a Q y A f r i c a 9 s o c i e t i e s was oqc of t h e f a c t s

used by t k e i m g e r i n 1 , i s t s t o s u p p o r t t k e i r f ~ l l a c y o f t i i e n o b l e

vi

salIaEe, s k o u l d A f r i c a 9 p o c t s f u ~ c t i . 0 ~ 1 as :~clvocnt o s r o r .4f r i c n ,

d i r c c t i n z t k c i r c r e a t i v e w o r k s at t k e Z u r o p s a g a u d i , ? n c e i f o n l y

t o skohr t k e m t k a t b . f r i c a n s t o o w r i t e c r e n t i v e l y ? 13 o t ? i c r >!orda ,

s h o u l d A f r i c a n v!orks of poc: t ry becorn;: e x l l i b i t s iq ,T w o r l d c o u r t

o r s k o u l d t h e y c a t c r . f o r t h e needs o f !:.fricc.ns t lAc?mrc lves?

f iha11 i n t h i s csssy t u r n t c t h c c r i t i c s a n d s e c x k o t h c r

a f t e r a b o u t t h r e e d e c a d e s o f d i s c u s s i o r ~ s and ar ,aurnents some

c o r e l i t e r a r y : ? o s i t i o a s k a v c c r y s t a l i z a d a= a n s w e r s t o t k e a b w ~ c

q u e s t i o n s .

T h r e e m a j o r t c x d c n c l e s c n u r S c f r01:i an e x n r n i n n t i o a sf t h e

p o s i t i o n s o f A f r i c a n c r i t i c s eq tikcse i s s u e s . IT>'e f i r a c is

t e a d e n c y t o r e v e r t t o t r a d i t i o l i , t o t k e way t k i n z s 7:erc. b s f o r c

c o n t a c t x i t h E u r o p e , And tkis is r c z a r d l e n s of t h e p o ~ i s i b l c

immsdinte o r f u t u r c d i s s d v a ~ t a ~ e s t h a t mny n r i s e a s a c o a s c q u c n c o ,

T Z e r e is implicit i a t k i s ; > o s i t i n a a b e l i e f t k t t . r u e c u l t u r a %

o r l i t e r a r y p r o g r e s s c a f l n o t bcgi .9 t i l l ~ f r i c n r e t r l c c s l:cr s t e p s

t o t r z d i t i o r i a l i ~ n o c e a c e , I ~i :al l c a l l t k i o c r i kic:+l sc;:ool

t h e r a d i c a l t r n d i t i o g a l i s t s .

A s e c o n d tead:?acy is t o j o i n tkLc r e s t o f t h e w o r l d v h e r c

*.,~e f i n d t h o - R a t h c r t h a n l o o k h a c k i n a r o n a n t i c l . o q i n g f o r

a l o s t g l o r y , t k i s u l t r a p r o g r e s s i v e a p p r o a c h a c c e p t s t h e f a c t

o f E u r o p e a q c o n t a c t wit?: A f r i c a a l o ! ~ ~ w i t > :,9?:atavor cama o u t

o f i t Th&y n o t o n l y f r e e l y use w k n t e v o r l e s a c y t b ' i c c o z ~ t a c t

b s q e n t k e d or! A f r i c a , b u t r i l s o , i n t k qame of a coitifios ZumanLky,

tT-, L L ~ ., s t r z t c i : o u t t h e i r i-iands t o b 3 k e evsa >?tat E u r ~ p C d i d n o t

g ive. Tkey see n o t k i n . 5 p a c u l i a r a b o u t b a i ? l c nq [;fric:4!i 2nd s o

v i i

a l s o s e e a o t h i n t ; s p c - c i a 1 a b o u t A f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e . . L i t e r a t u r z

is un iv t ! r s a l and s o i s i t s c r i t i c i s m , S o r a t k s r t 3 x n wcrry a b o u t

f i ! id inz / i f r icc?a ?ns:,wrs t o t k e nbovs q a c s t i o a s t k e y E r c c l y adop t

N e s t e r n c ~ i t i c a l theories, ]Tor t k e p u r p o s e s of t? is e s m y I

w i l l c ~ l l them ~ : n i v ~ : r s c ? l i c t c r i t i c s .

T k c t,:ird i s a t e n d c ~ c y t o a d j u s t t o p r k s u q t realities a n d

make t h e b e s t of them. x r ~ nfi e c c l c c t i c cianncr t k i s .?ppro:.:ck

c o l t in:louslY: r c t r i v e s ::l:znt is valurlblc. in ~ f r i c a n t r a d i t i o n r i l

k e r i t a ~ t r o f c r 3 t : ~ r w v k i l e retaining t h e u s c f u l b y - p r o d u c t s of t h e

. -. 1,uropran c o ~ t n c t , '!lit:: t l :~ t x o c ~ m b i n e d t k e y forge. c r i t l c , : l

t o o l s wit: : ~ ~ i c k t o e x p l o r e A f r i c a ' s ~ r z s e n t r e n l i t i u s .

I m p l i c i t i . n , t h i s r;.pproack is tl:e c o n v i c t i o n t k 3 t ?, wkol;: s c a l e

r v c t u r n t o t r r : d i t i o n z l k f r i c a g !c:ays would bc r c t r o s r c s s i v e

::nd i n e f f a c t i v c b:!czuse Ai r ic .2 k n s c:inngcd from :vi~nt i t was

b e f o r e t h e s e centuries of t u r : : ~ o i L C o a s c q u e g t l y , what was

e f f e c t i v e f o r o u r forebears ;:lay no t be e f f e c t i v e f o r u s t o d a y

i f wc d o a c t r e s h a p e a5d a d o p t them t o s u i t p r ~ s o a t c i r c u n s t x ~ c c ~ ; ,

p o e t r y and p o e t i a q p l a n t e d i a a remote v i l l a g e s e c o ~ d a c y schoo l 1 . .

a f t e r t h e N i g e r i a s c i v i l war. During t h o s e y e a r s , I was i n i t i n -

t e d i n t o p o e t r y by a t e a c h e r whose l o v e f o r Roetry brookkd no ,

d i s c r i m i n a t ion . With him as o u r g u i d e , we ranged t b r ough ~ n g l $ s k

and A f r i c a n p o e t r y , d i f f i c u l t Soyinka, eaay Awoolor Williams

(as he was then known), e x o t i c C l a r k , and t r a d i t i o n a l Okasa - a l l w i t h equal a v i d i t y and PeverenObb My f g e c i n a t i o n w i t h

p o e t i ~ is t h e r e f o r e baaed on an i m p l l d l t f a i t h i n t h e beau ty *.

b and power o f p o e t r y of &11 a o r t a - simple, complex, E n g l i s h ,

~ f r i c a n , Arneri$an, Asign, w r i t t e n , o r o r a l *

C * More r e u e n t l y , Roweves, i t i s a r e s u l t of c o n t a c t i n my

u n d e r g r h d u a t s k o r k wi th mu& c d n f l i o t i n g ~ n d u a e n l i g h t e n i a g

c r i t i c a l work on ~ i c i c e n p o e t r y . ALthough my undergradua te

Programme i n E n g l i s h expoeod me t o a l o t of Eng l i sh p o e t r y and

v e r y l i t t l e A f r i c a n p o e t r y , I diBcovered t h a t whi le T enjoyed

much of t h e E n g l i s h p o e t r y f d i d no t enjoy t h e l i t t l e I had of

A f r i c a n poe t ry . T h i s , Z d i ~ c o v e r s d l a t e r , i s because t h e

E n g l i s h p o e t s a r e h i s t o ~ i c a l l y and o b j e c t i v e l y preaef i ted , ,,

e x p l a i n e d and ranked , b u t t h e A f r i c a n p o e t s anre k o s s e d up and

down, n e g a t i v e l y compared t o t h e i r f e l l o w poet^ ,Afrioan a8

welL as E n g l i s h and f i n a l l y d i s c a r d e d ars poor o r f a i r i m i t a t o r s

of t h i s or t h a t E n g l i ~ h goe tqor a@ no good a t a l l .

S o , whi le Eng l l sk p o e t s were s t u d i e d as p o e t s i 9 t k e i r owl

r i g h t s w i t h a d e q u a t e a l l a w a m e f a r minor and major p o e t s , ou r

s t u d y of Af r i can p o e t s l e f t u s w i t h no c l e a r impress ion of wko

i s who i n Af r i can poe t ry . T h i s c r e a t e d an i n t e r n a l d i s c o m f o r t ,

a h i a t u s i n me because i t c o f i t r a d i c t e d mv f i r s t i rngrcss ions a b o ~ l t

A f r i c a 9 p o e t r y , e s p e c i a l l y o f s a a e o f t h e p o e t s qow r e c e i v i ~ g

t h o rous;: ends of c r i t i c a l b u t t s . T h i s s t u d y is a modest ~ t t e r ; : ~ ~

t o c l o s e t h i s gap and r e c o g c i l e t h i s c o n f l i c t , and p e r h a p s , savz

f u t u r e l o v e r s and s t u d e n t s of Afr ican p o e t r y from a s i m i l a r

e x p e r i e n c e .

INTRCDUCTIO?;

? u t p l a i q l y , t h e c r i t i c a l problem w?ich h a s q e c c s s i t a t e d

t l ie s t u d y i s t h e l a c k of cohes ion i o tXe c r i t i c i s m of Af r i can

p o e t r y , t h e random and a r b i t r a r y maq9er i n wkick c r i t i c s botk

A f r i c a n a n d n o g - A f r i c a ~ approach a d c r i t i c i s e works of Lf r i can

p o e t r y . Some of t k e s e c r i t i c a l works c o n t a i n v a l u a b l e i q s i g h t s ,

o t k e r s do n o t , and some even c o a f u s e tF+o readers . . 3 u t onc

t h i n e t h e y a l l s h a r e i n commoq is t h e l a c k of a c l e a r l y de f incd

t k e o r e t i c a l framework w i t h i n wkic): Af r i can p o e t r y can b e r e a d ,

a p p r e c i a t e d , and e v a l u a t e d ,

'Two r e a s o n s a r e behigct t k e c o r d i t i o n of ~ f r i c a n l i t e r a r y

c r i t i c i s m . One i s i t s r e l a t i v e youth a r i s i 9 g from t h e yout;?

a l s o of A f r i c a n p o e t r y w r i t t e a i f l non-Africa9 l a n p a g e s . TLa

3

s e c o n d r e a s o n a r i s e s frorn ti:@ f i r s t : because A f r i c a n p o c t r y i s

writ t e n i n X n g l i s k , and because ~ f r i c a c s were ulr lderstasdably n o t

immed ia t e ly r e a d y t o s t a r t a a y s e r i o u s c r i t i c i s m of t h e s e poerrs :...;

Af r i c a g poems, noa-kf r i c a n c r i t i c s q u i c k l y t o o k t h e f l o o r ,

B e s i d e s , s i n c e most of t k u budding ~ f r i c a q c r i t i c s were t r a i n e d

a c c o r d i n g t o t h e Western a e s t k e t i c mode, t h e y were awed and

overwhelmed by Wester9 l i t e r a r y and c r i t i c a l ~ t c h i e v e i r r e ~ t s a ~ d

were t h e r e f o r e g o t r e a d i l y bo ld e . ~ o u @ t o v e n t u r e i n t o l i t e r a q

c r i t i c i s m which would i n m y way d i f f e r from wLat t h e i r s e l f

a c c l a i m e d m a s t e r s t a u g k t tkem,

T h e r e f o r e , European c r i t i c s dorninatzd A f r i c n ~ ~ c r i t i c a l

s c e n e f o r t h e g r e n t e r p a r t o f i t s f i r s t decade , The few youq;

ospi r i l r lg A f r i c a n c r i t i c s were more or l e s s bc inf : l e d by t k e s c

European c r i t i c s , The t h e o r e t i c a l b a c k g r o u ~ ~ d of t k i s Europe-:rh; -

c r i t i c i s m of A f r i c a n works w i l l form one ma jo r p a r t of t k e

r e v i e w . g u t l e t u s at t h o momeqt c o n s i d e r t h e p r a c t i c a l i m p l i -

c a t i o c l s of t h i s u~E.ee1t'r.y s i t u a t i o ~ f o r A f r i c a n l i t e r a r y c r i t i c < - . - - .

F i r s t , when same A f r i c a n c r i t i c s l a t e r brolce l o o s e frorn

Zuropean c r i t i c o l a p r o a - s t r i f i g s , because nuch of t h e i r i n i t i a l

c r i t i c i s m b o i l e d dowg t a r e f u t a t i o ~ l s o f c r i t i c a l f a h c i e s a l r e a d y

d i s h e d o u t by European and E u r o c e n t r i c A f r i c a n c r i t i c s , most c f

them t o o k ex t r eme p o s i t i o g s . They s imp ly d i d no t a l d cou ld q*lr(:i-

h a v e t h e s o r t o f i n t e l l e c t u a l fzeedom i n which A r i s t o t l e , t k a t

famed f a t h e r of Westerg c r i t i c i s m , f o r m u l a t e d ; : i s p o e t i c s .

4

2 , ~ d we a l l kgow t h a t v i t k o u t t k a t p o e t i c s Westerq l i t e r a t u r e

s q d 1 i t i ; r a r y c r i t i c i s m cou ld not keve been what i t i s t o d a y , TI:e

i q i t i a l Europe?? dominat ion of AfTican c r i t i c a l s c e n e h a s a l s o

Gccq r e s y o q s i b l e f o r some dubious arid pan ic c ~ i t i c a l p o s i t i o m

raken by r a d i c a l ; ~ f r i c a ~ c r i t i c s , To S c put o n t h e d e f e a s i v e

I-s t o be a t a d i sadvaqta- : ;e , ~ n d A f r i c a n c r i t i c s were on t h e

d 2 f e l o i v c . Eer one t h i n g , t k e y Zad t o p r o v e , even wken i t w a s

clot yet v e r y c l e i i r t o ti-:cm, t!:.a\t A f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e d e s e r v e s

, , , f r o - c e n t r i c no t L 'uro-cent r ic c r i t i c i s n . The r e s p o s s e s c i v e a

ijy come Europeaa c r i t i c s t o t l r i s p e r f e c t l y l o g i c a l and l e g i t i m a t e

, . z;:ough a s y e t p o o r l y informed d e m a d i n f u r i a t e d t h e i r a s c i b l e

m o n g them , (A£ r i c a n c r i t i c s ) and t k e y t o o k ras:-. d e c i s i o a s , But

t ? s Q Q s i _ ~ k t f u l o n e s .3a i ! l ta incd a h a l a n c e d view of X u r o - i ~ f r i c n n

. . r r , : l a t io?s i : lp . ; I cnce o u r p r e s e n t prcdicamecit of a c r i t i c a l b a b e l ,

3 u t above a l l , t h o i , r ~ i t i a l u s u r p z t i o a of f i f r i c a n c r i t i c a l

:; c e 2 I> Y Turopcaaz c r e s t e d a deep psyccolo[:ical f e e 1 i . q ~ of

h t e l l ~ c t u n l i q c a p a c i t y amo5g u l t r a s e n s i t i v e A f r i c a a c r i t i c s ,

1 -1- <. . .eg i t dnwqcd on t2:e~i t k ~ t m c e ;:lore Europe was p l a y i n g t i l e

c r i t i c a l t u n e t o wilick t k e y were a l l u q k o w i q ~ l y d a ~ c i g z , t h e y

c r i c d o u t i g skarnc and a l a r m , Wkile some q u i c k l y b u t awkwardly

;:-c.traced t h e i r s t e p s , o t l l e r s c r a d u l o u s l y and a a i v e l y c a r r i e d

,- ,, ? . xiti . : E u r o - c s a t r i c c r i t i c i s m , a ~ d t h e r e s t s w u n ~ back i n t o

,3-,s cxtx,emely e c c m t r i c t y p e of ; + f r i c a n l i t e r a r y c r i t i c i s m . Tbe

c o n f u s i o a z r s i s i - n g from t i le u a d i r e c t e d c r i t i c a l a c t i v i t y

5

y c n e r a t e d by t h i s c s n f l i c t is what w e s t i l l see i s t k e c r i t i c a l

s c e n e o f b f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e ,

Solomon Cgbede I y a s e r e t s e s s a y , " A f r i c a 5 C r i t i c s on

!::f r i c n n l i t e r a t ~ i r e : A Study i n i i i s p l n c ~ d I i o s t i l i t y " e x p e r t l y

a r ~ d i g c i s i v e l y a f in lyscs t k ~ s i t u a t i o q . T k e msin p o i n t s of his

a n a l y s i s w i l l b e d o a l t v i t k i n t k e main body of ti-;is r e v i e w of

l i t e r a t u r e , s u f f i c e i t f o r -clo:.r t o n o t e t:-:at I y s s e r e was p s r c e p -

tive cnuugk t o obs:.rvc t:.e d o u b t f u l boon of a seeming r e a a i s s a g c c

o f A f r i c a n l i t e r a r y c r i t i c i s m by A f r i c a a s , m o t i v a t e d got by aq

i a t e r n s l s e l f a w a r e n e s s , bu t by a b a s i c f c c l i n g of i n s e c u r i t y

ci iuscd by a,n i n f e r i c r i t y complcx. He coac luded t i ~ c essay w i t h

a l a m e a t

Looking back o v e r t h e c r i t i c i s m and c r e a t i v e w r i t i ~ g

by A f r i c a n s i n r e c e n t y e a r s , 1 t::ink rrre A f r i c a g s kave

been g u i l t y of a e g l x c t , :.,ic k a v e experlded o u r e f f o r t s

s t a k i a z a f u t i l e c l a i m oa i i f r i c s n l i t e r a t u r e , w a s t i n g

p r e c i o u s t i m e , a t t c : ; t i o n and v i g o u r oa '.!estc.rn c r i t i c s

t o t k e ae l ; l cc t of ~ f r i c a ~ t e x t s . , A?d when we Lave

t u r n e d t o t h e l i t c r a t c r e w c kave b e c q t o o ear;ur t o

d e m o n s t r a t e i t s - aqd o u r ow? - .?ift*ica?icrn t o t h e

n c ~ l e c t of t k c o e s t 1 : e t i c s o f a p 7 r t i c u l a r p i ece , , . . 1

i j r i e f ' c ' m l y s e s of c r i t i c a l s t a t e~ i l c r l - t s by noteworti;y and c o n t r o -

v ~ r ~ l a l non-Afr icaa c r i t i c s o f A f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e e s p e c i a l l y t h o s e

? w i l l e x m i n e tf ie s i g ~ i f i c ~ n t i f r i c a n r e s p o a a c s t o t h i s b a s t a r d

b ~ o u t i c s b o r n a n d b r e d i2 Europe f o r , l f r i c n . . A f t e r tLis I w i l l

Three upproackcs have ci:alnac t c r i z c d European c r i t ic isrn of

s o c i o - c u l t u r a l and antk.rc .?olo!; ical d s t a a work y i e l d s t h e

; Ief ice , L i l y a n Lagncau Kcste loo$ a E e l s i n n c r i t i c says

~ i v e back t o t'iie ciowntrodde!l ~ f r i c a a w r i t e r h i s k u f i ~ a ~ d i g n i t y . >

:md st:l.f r e s p e c t , t h u s p r e v e : ~ t i n 3 h,irn from comple t e ly t urnin*?

7

from t k e most prominent c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f c o l o ~ i o l rn iseducs t io :

v i v i d l y d e s c r i b e d by F ranz Fanon i a V e a u L o i r e , ;,iasn,ue b l a n c s , , - . .

I r k i s u r c e t o e s c a p e from t k e Hezro c o a d i t i o n t j : . ! ; - : lc ; i cl:arcicterir;-

t i c r e c u r s f r e q u e n t l y i n t h e p r o c e s s of c r s t i v e i r r i t i , , i r - . _I

Tke o b v i o u s problem wit;-: t k i s s u ~ ~ c s I ; i o ? 1 cor:!ig:: as i t do;:,

f rom a !.lenterg c r i t i c i s tkwt i t is co!~descendin : ; , p u t e r n a l i s l ' i c .

a a d a r r o z a n t . T h i s is t h e seccrnd c k a r a c t e r i c t i c of t ? l s appro=;c'

t o r r f r i c a n l i t e r a r y c r i t i c i s m d e s c r i b e d by J,,l!,, C h r k c:s t' ~ . e

:rJoP.n 1 3 ~ 1 1 - a l i a s - 1 know m y Af r t c s " . a t t i t u d e . S i n c e

t k e s e c r i t i c s a r e n c t u a l l y i n s e a r c h of e x o t i c material f o r

t h e i r q u a h t l i t e r a r y t a s t e s , t h e y a r e q u i t e : r ~ i l l i : 1 ~ t o r e c o ~ n i - , c

t h e w i d e s o c i o - c u l t s r a l gap between Zuropeaa a n d k f r i c z ~

l i t e r a t u r e . 9 u t t h e i r s is o g l y t h e l i i d of r e c o c ~ i t i o ~ ! k i c k

a a e l d e r b r o t h e r g i v e s t o h i s s i b l i g g s ,

To them A f r i c a 3 l i t e r a t u r e i s s t i l l i r l a p r i m i t i - ~ c s t a g e

and t h e y hope t k a t i a a v e r y d i s t a n t f u t u r e 1 1 2 r i c z m ~azy be

a b l e t o w r i t e l i k e Zuropeags , a f t e r a l l qobody c v ~ r b e l i e v e d

t h e y cou ld w r i t e a t a l l . T k e i r c r i t i c a l appro:+ci; is t 2 : e r e f o r ~

t o p a t r o q i z e t h e s e f i r s t - c e n c r a t i o q j i f r i c a q l i t e r n t i , p r . y i s e

w k a t e v e r t h e y p roduce a s an i n c e n t i v e t o t:-:.em, and ill re- tura

t h e Wes te ra c r i t i c can l e a r n some a n t k r o p o l o s y i:) t:. f;. ;)recess,

It i s t k e r e f o r e g o t s u r p r i s i n ~ t k 3 t t ?cy v a l ~ e d t;-;ose .;;or.;:-,

wkick y i e l d e d more an t i i ropo1 ie ; i ca l f a c t s . 'i'7;c.y d i d qut pay s : ~ ~ -

a t t e n t i o n t o t h e f o r m a l i s t i c , a a d t e c h n i c a l d e t a i l 5 o f CLfr icao

w o r k s . I n t h e i r o m o p i ~ i o a i t !??auld b e dernnndi?l; t o c 7;1uc?; t o

e x p e c t a n A f r i c a n w2o o q l y s t a r t e d c r e n t i v e wr i t igc rccc ! - , t ly t o

a l s o be a b l e t o pay a t t c n t i o n t o t k e a r t a q c i c r a f t of x r i t i r ~ s ,

elite who t r i e d t o , a l b c i t c l u m s i l y , :pply nny tj.,-j(; 01 formalistic

t o tl?e p e a s a n t s t h a t t h e Z u r o p e a n e n c o u n t e r was , lo t t - i c k i n d

o f u n q u a l i f i a b l y b e n e f i c i a l e x p e r i e n c e tk;t t k c w k i t e ! 7 i s ~ i ~ w ? . r i ~

a a d c o l o a i a l a d ~ ) i r l i s t r a t o r s w e r e s t r a i n i g g t c make i t o u t t o

ape E u r o p e n g l i f e - s t y l e i i i d r e e s i a s , s p e a k i l g , a:xl s o c i ; ? l i z i ~ i ~

t h e b u r d e n of t h e r i ? v i e y i s sumninrizod by Lc:-e'oe :;\s b o r n c basi-

c a l l y by two q u e s t i o q s : T k e s c b r i g h t n c p - o b a r r i s t e r : ; who

t a l k s o g l i b l y a b o u t A f r i c a n c u l t u r e , ;lo:.: would t t c y l i k e t o

h c h e b e e l s o r i g h t l y p o i a t e d o u t t k e t k r e e w i t g e s s e s t ~ . i s

c r i t i c i n v o k e s a g a i n s t ti-:e Slack e l i t e p k f r < c a l s ! l o t o r i . o u s

p a s t , t h e b l e s s i n g o f \ : les tern c i v i l i z a t i o a , a d ~ i ' r i c r : ~ i i : l y r n t i t . . .

v i l l a s e of t h e i r ck i ldhood t o v 'c ick t k e y ~ o s t ~ l ~ ; i c n i l y

l o o k back was o%e w?iic;: kad b ~ c ? pusged o f b1oodsi;ed

and s l c o k o l i s m by an a p e - r i d d e n d i s t r i c t o f i i c e r and

S c o t t i s k m i s s i o n l a s s i e wkose j fea . r s were c u t :;;.:art by

e v c r g k i q d of i 2 t e s t i a a l parasite, 5

I i n p l i c i t i n t h e m two i l l u n t r s t i o n s a r e t v o h a s i c n s ~ u ~ i p t i i : * - ~ . - .

One , t ' ca t the c o l o r i i s l i e t c r i t i c k r ~ o u s n o r e n b o ~ t ? , l r i c s . s ~ 5 3 t

t h 3 ~ his Afr ican c o u r i t e r ~ n r t . Two, t 5 3 t t k e s e i q t e l l e c t u n 1

e l i t e a r e ow tk:e wors t .!+fricnn species a l i v e , f o r , i t i s o b v i o x s

t k a t w k i l e t h e i r a t t e m p t at a c q u i r i a g zuropenq c i v i l . i z c t i o a

kas f a i l e d w o e f u l l y , t h c y Lave also beell a l i cnc . tod f . rm fksir

? C' . \

t r a d i t i o n a l b a s e t h e r e b y l o s i n g w:-.ntever n o b i l i t y t h e A f r i c a 3

s a v a g e had.

Al though t o i t s c r e d i t , a s I kave no ted c n r l i c r , t h i s appro;.c'-.

c o n c e d e s autonomy and u n i q u e n e s s t o A f r i c a n l i t e r . - i t u r e , i t s b a s i c

flaw l i e s i n i t s mercena ry a t t i t u d e t o t h i s l i t e r z t u r e . Tn

l o o k a t a p e o p l e ' s l i t e r a t u r e o3Ly a s a s o c i o - z n t i i r o p o l o ~ i c d

document is t o n e g l e c t t h o s e v e r y a r t i s t i c c lement s which form t';:

b3.5i.s of c r e a t i v e a c t i v i t y , , I n v a r i a b l y suck c r i t i c i s m i s

d i v e r s i o a a r y , i t l e a d s immature w r i t e r s avay fro12 ti;c p u r s u i t of

a r t i s t i c e x c e l l e n c e i n t o e t h n i c r e p o r t a g e of a n c i e n t e x o t i c

cus toms .

U l t i m a t e l y t h i s a p p r o a c h l e a d s t o t h e debescment of

l i t e r a t u r e , t b a hawking o f s a c r e d and p ro fouad cus toms t h ~ w3y

A f r i c a 3 ar t p i e c e s a r e hawked i a i ~ t e r q a t i o m l a i r p o r t s , It

. . . d e p r i v e s l i t e r a t u r e of i n t e r n a l f o r m a l dynarnis!: , t k i t t e n s i o n wi::::.

3 work of a r t must p o s s e s s t o be a l i v e ; i t Leads t o l i t e r a r y

a n e m i a . Most o f t h e A f r i c a n n o v e l s w r i t t e r l n f t a r Achzi.bevs t x o

q o v e l s : T h i n g s F a l l Apart a a d Arrow of God. a r e c a r r i e r s of ti:is

d i s e a s e ,

G. D. K i l l a m , C h a r l e s L a r s o n , Austen Si:eltog, and J u d i t k G l z - ..:.

a r e t h e l e a d i ~ g c r i t i c s of t h i s a p p r o s c h ,

~ 3 5 E U R O C E N T R I C A P P R C A C H

The E u r o c e n t r i c app roach i s t h e d i r e c t a n t i t h e s i s of t h c

c o l o n i a l i s t app roach . It is f o r m a l i s t i c and b e l l e r i s t i c , I ts

co,ncerr l i s more w i t h t h e a r t nod c r a f t employed i n a l i t e r z r y wc;.r!i

3 n d l e s s w i t h t h e c o g t e n t -

I n t h i s approach, A f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e i s n o t r e c o z n i z e d as

u n i q u e o r au tonomous , I t is r a t h e r s e e n a s sn e x t e a s i ~ . q of t h e

l i t e r a t u r e o f t h e e x - c o l o a i a l c o u n t r i e s . 'They t h e r e f o r e t r e a t t::..~.

c u l t u r a l c o n t e n t of !,f r i c a g l i t e r z r y works as p l a i o l i t e r a r y re,.,1

m a t e r i a l j u s t as material f rom a n y o t k e r c u l t u r e is t r p a t e d . So

t k e q u a l i t y o r q u a n t i t y of e x o t i c cus to ins e x p l o r c d o r d i q l n y c d ir:

A f r i c a n works .

Irl t h e i r c r i t i c i s m of k f r i c s n l i t c r a t u r c t l l ey apj! ly ';!estcbrl

s e s t k e t i c s t a n d a r d s . Tbey have t h r e e r e a s o n s f o r d o i n z t h i s , i-:?c,

k f r i c s a w r i t e r s w r i t e p r i m a r i l y f o r sn Europe3n a u d i e n c e , I leacL

;ohn E. Fovey , a membcr o f t k i s g r o u p a r s u e s , " t k e q u c s t i o n o f

i n t e n d e d a u d i e n c e seems t o me f u n d a r n e ~ t a l n s o u r b a s i s f o r o u r b

d e c i s i o a as t o t h e p r o p e r q u s l i t y o f o u r c r i t i c e l judgerne_?t, . , l

Two, A f r i c a 3 w r i t e r s a r e i f i f l ruenced more by t h e l i t e r a r y

t r a d i t i o n of E u r o p e t h a n by t k e A f r i c a n l i t c r a r y t r , ~ d i t ic .9 , Oac::

m o r e Povey s u p p o r t s t h i s a s s e r t i o n . T a l k i n g a b o u t J, 7 , Clark' ::

p o e t r y h e e x p l a i n s :

We a r e f o r c e d t o c o n s i d e r t h e demonstrable f a c t t h a t

C l a r k is d r s w i a g u p o a t h e whole t r a d i t i o n o f t w e g t i e t k

c e n t u r y p o e t r y i a E o s l i s k .

It s o o a becomes c l e a r , I t k i q k , a s o r ~ c r e a d s t k e poems of

C l a r k t h a t t h e A f r i c a n i n f o r m a t i o n i s no t a t t h e o b v i o u s

l e v e l , a v e r y s i s n i f i c a n t p a r t of t h ? p rob lem c f n a k i n ~

a s e . q s i t i v e and j u s t e v a l u n t i o ~ , 7

T h r e e , speak in^ at t h e c o n f c r c n c u 09 i l ; k f r i c a l L i t e r l t u r e

t h e 3 n i v e r s i t g C u r r i c u l u r n ~ t e l d i q Dakar ir i 1963 ;4rs , D o r o t h y E l - ; i i

d e f e n d e d h e r E u r o c e q t r i c a p - ~ r o ~ c k t o : :Lfr ican ~~~~~~~~~y c r i t i c i s m

b y f r a n k l y o u g i n g up t;-.at b e c a u s e of h e r p h i l o l o g i c a l s t u d i e s

a n d h e r E u r o p e a g c u l t u r a l r o o t s , s k e c a n o n l y a p p l y E u r o c c q t r i c

a e s t h c t i c c r i t e r i a i n h e r c v s l u a t ioa o f ~f r i c : ~ r i l i t e r a t u r e , An(d

s k c p l e a d e d ,

Mag t h a t 9 o t b e h s l d a ~ a i q s t me! P e r s o n a l l y I c n n 4 t sce

ADg harm i n t h i s , p r o v i d e d t k n t o n e a c c e p t s (co .? t r s . ry t o

e x p e r t s and w r i t e r s whom I h a v e a l r e a d y q u o t e d ) a c e r t a i n

u n i v e r s a l i t y of aesthetics b a s c d on t r u t h o r r a t h e r on

t r u t h s t h a t a r e a p p l i c a b l e t o a n y c u l t u r e . . 8

One of t h e t r u t k s on wkich t'i:e universality of a e s t h e t i c s is

b a s e d i s , a c c o r d i n . 5 t o h e r , i f t h e l o v e o f s u f f e r i n ? ; h u n a a i t y O i ~

This l o v e s h e c la i r r !s t o r e c o c n i z e and 2 , o p r e c i a t c i n Ai ,~ lc c ~ s ~ i r ~ ~ ,

~ i m e C e s a i r e , i n h c r own o p i n i o n s i v e s Ira s t r i l t igz e x p r e s s i o n w t o

t h e l o v e of s u f f e r i n g humaaity, agd b o u 9 d l e s s p i t > r f o r t;:ose

b o $ ~ p ? d dowg i n t h e t e m c i o u s mind o f hum,?.? m i s e r y . F o r , a c ~ o r d i ~ : : ~ ~

to Xrs. B l a i r , " t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n z o f s u f f c r i n g is u n i v e r s a l , : #

I n p r a c t i c a l c r i t i c i s m Z u r o c c n t r i c c r i t i c s 3ro n o t pat ro9iz i . r : :

13

l i k e t h e s o c i o - a n t h r o p o l o g i c a l c r i t i c s , 3 u t t h e y a r e v e r y dogmat ic

, ~ ? d n r o g a n t . They t h e r e f o r e make e v a l u a t i v e s t a t e m e n t s which b c t r a y

t k c i r a r r o z a a c e as w e l l a s t h e i r i p o r a n c e , Edgar W r i g h t , a

~ ; a n s d i & n c r i t i c cou ld therefore b o l d l y a r g u e t h a t

T k r o n l y p o i g t a t i s s u e ( a s r e g a r d s c r i t i c i s m of A f r i c a n

l i t e r a t u r e ) i s whe the r t h e wave of A f r i c a s w r i t i n g i s i n - some way a l i t e r a t u r e of s n e s s e n t i a l l y d i f f e r e n t o r d e r ,

n o t t o b e s u b j e c t t o t h e same s t a n d a r d s a s , s a y , Amcrican

o r Jamaican o r I n d i a g - E n g l i s h l i t e r a t u r e as p a r t of a

9 v o r l d l i t e r a t u r e i n E n g l i s h . (Xmphasis m i n e ) ,

By i g t r o d u c i a g t h e concep t of a "world l i t e r n t a r e i n E n g l i s h i ' ,

I r ig> . t i s i m p l y i n g t h a t A f r i c a n p o e t r y i n E a g l i s h , f o r i n s t a n c e ,

~ o u l d be c l o s e r t o t h e t r a d i t i o n o f E n g l i s h p o e t r y t h a n i t would be

Lo 4 f r i c a n p o e t r y i n F r e n c h , P o r t u g u e s e o r a a y o t a e r l a r q u a g e , i3e

t k u s e i v e s uaduc prornincrlce t o t h e l i a g u i s t i c f a c t o r .

E e s i d e s , by a p e a k i q ~ of A f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e i a E n g l i s h as

' X ~ V C of A f r i c z n n r i t i r l g i l , Wri&t b e t r a y s ;:is S U G ) ~ G ~ O ~ tha t

: r r i c a n w r i t i n g i s o n l y a p a s s i n g p h a s e , p r o b a b l y a r i s i n g from

c o l o n i a l e d u c a t i o n , which is e x p e c t e d t o c ramble aow t h a t t h e

z ~ l o n i a l ex -mas te r s a r e gone. That e x p l a i n s why t h e s e E u r o c e n t r i c

c r i t i c s a re r e l u c t a n t t o w a s t e t h e i r t i n e i g s t u d y i n g A f r i c a n

: ; o c i e t y , c u l t u r e and wor ld view a s an a i d t o a p r o p e r c r i t i c i s m of

. f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e , l!c A f r i c a a s a re , of cou r sa , g l a d t h a t h i s t o r y

k ~ s proved them wrong on t h i s s co rc , ,

But times i n t h e o r e t i c a l a n a l y s i s t h e s e E u r o c e n t r i c c r i t i c s

: , rc f o r c c d t o make sornc c o n c e s s i o n s i n t h e i a t c r e s t of l o g i c aad

f t ~ i r p l z y - Wri@t was t k e r e f o r e o b l i g e d t o g r u d z i n c l y admit i n

r h e same e s s a y t k s t

I t i s l i k e l y t h a t r o n e s t a n d a r d c of coinparison ( i , e ,

e v a l u a t i o n ) v i l l emerge from w i t k i n A f r i c a as s u f f i c i e n t

books a p p e a r t o makc-, compar ison i n e v i t ~ ' o l e . T k i s devc lopmeat

w i l l b e h n s t e n e d a s t h e a r n o u ~ t of o b j e c t i v e , n o n - r a c i a l ,

a n d n o n - p o l i t i c a l c r i t i c i s m by A f r i c a a s i n c r e a s e s * 10

I t i s g r s t i f y i a g t o r e a d sucl: y n s i e h t f u l p r e d i c i t i o n from

-: E u r o c e n t r i c c r i t i c bu t !#ri@t's good c r i t i c a l jud@?rnent cames a s a i n

l ~ g d c r s u s p i c i o a when he b e p n t o d i s t i a g u i s h between i l l o c a l " a n d

f l u l i v e r s a l f l c r i t i c a l c r i t o r i a . While ae rming e p i t i a o .

b y A f r i c a n c r i t i c s l l l o c a l ' l aaci t h a t by ~ u r o p e a a c r i t i c s l i u n i v e r s n l l '

Z e a d v i s e s t h a t what is n e c e s ~ , a r y is t h a t t h c l~.Loczl : t s t a g d a r d s ,

, , .ci . i le - encoure::ing i t s own i d e z s . i s at t h e sane t i m e r e s p o n s i v e t o

t k e b a s i c p r i n c i p l e s and s t a a d a r d s ,

I t i s c l e a r t h a t !.!ri.?kt, w k i l e p r e t c n d i c i ~ t o concede t o

A f r i c a n c r i t i c s t k e r i g h t t o e v o l v e t h e i r owc c r i t i c 2 1 c r i t e r i a , i s

s u r r e p t i t i o u s l y i n t r o d u c i n g a k e i r a r c k y of c r i t i c i s 1 5 ig wkich

4 f r i c a g a e s t h e t i c s l a b e l l e d ~ l o c . a l ~ ~ is p u t under 1:;estern a e s t i l e t i c s

l z b c l l e d I ' u n i v e r s a l " How e l se can one i n t e r p r e t his r e f e r e n c e t o

$ : b a s i c p r i n c i p l e s and s t a n d z r d s l ! a s some th ing $.ick cou ld be

l a c k i g ~ i n u l o c a l l l A f r i c n n c r i t i c i s m ? I f t h o s e s t a n d a r d s can b e

7 5

n b s e ~ t f rom l ' l o c a l l i c r i t i c i s m , d:nt c l a i m h a v e t h e g t o b e i n g b a s i c ?

#:IT, c o n v e r s e l y , i f I 1 b n s i c p r i n c i p l e s and s t a n d a r d s i s o f c r i t i c i s m

z r e l a c k i n g i n A f r i c a n ' f l o ~ n l l t c r i t i c i s m how c a n i t q u a l i f y t o

bz r e f e r r e d t o a s c r i t i c i s m a t a l l ?

E v i d e n t l y t o ! f r i ~ h t a a d o t h e r E u r o c e n t r i c c r i t i c s ' : h s i c r r

o r I l u r i i v e r s a l ~ i s syaonymous w i t k l l E u r o p e a n ~ , ' 4Wes ta r9" o r

minon-l\fricn!i1l. I t n e v e r o c c u r s t o tkcm t h a t t h e " u n i v e r s a l t ; i s

3 c o l l e c t i o n o f a l l ' r l o c a l s ! ' o Arid t k a t i s t h e f l a w u?:ic'r, mars t k c i r

s t k c r w i s c r o b u s t c r i t i c i s m of C ~ f r i c c ~ n l i t e r a t u r e . The s c o p e a f

t k e i r c r i t i c a l v i s i o n i s t o o n a r r o w - t o o i n w a r d l o o k i n g , The r e s u l i ;

of t h i s w h o l e s c a l e a p p l i c a t i o n o f N e s t e r n a e s t h e t i c c o n c e p t s t o

" : I r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e h a s b e e n a d i s t o r t i o n a n d d e h y d r a t i o n o f t h i s

l i t e r a t u r e ,

B e r n t h L i n d f o r s , C h a r l e s L a r s o n , P h i l i p k i l l e n , and A d r i a n Roscoe

a r e some l e a d i g g c r i t i c s who h d v e employed t h i s a p p r o a c h ,

TY-IE AFROCJCITTRIC APPROAClj

The l a s t g r o u p a d o p t s t h e ; , f r o c e n t r i c a p p r o a c h . T h i s i s t h e

nios t m a t u r e d ! i e s t e r n a p p r o a c k t o t h e c r i t i c i s m o f A f r i c a n l i t e r a t i ~ r c ~ ,

I t i s c u l t u r e o r i e n t e d and a l s o a s s e r t s i t s f a i t h i n t k e e x i s t e g c c

a ? a s A f r i c e 3 a e s t k e t i c s . C r i t i c s a p p l y i n g t h i s a p p r o a c h are

c o n v i n c e d t l ~ a t a p p l y i n s W e s t e r n a e s t h e t i c c r i t e r i a t o l i t e r a t u r e

x b i c h i s n o t w h o l l y x i t h i n t k e W e s t e r s t r a d i t i o n p r o d u c e s i n c o n s i s t e a t

j u d g e m e n t s and n a i v e o r i n c o r r e c t c r i t i c i s m s .

I n a p a p e r , " A f r i c a n L i t e r a t u r e and E u r o p e a n C r i t i c s " whick he

d e l i v e r e d a t t h e s e v e n t h a n n u a l m e e t i a g o f t h e A f r i c a n A s s o c i a t i o n

i n Ch icago Rober t Pr Armstrong of Nor th-wes tern U n i v e r s i t y n o t e d

t:13t o n e ' s c r i t i c a l app roach t o A f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e w i l l b e d e t e r m i n e d

i t s e l f , o r a n e x t e n s i o n o f E n s l i s h l i t e r a t u r e , . As a c r i t i c , ke

b z l i e v e s i n t b e e x i s t e n c e of A f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e a s a n autonomous

e r ~ t i t y . , !'It makes c o n s i d e r a b l e s e n s e t o a s s e r t as S a t r e s u g g e s t s , ; '

r:c argues, ' !That a l i t e r a t u r e e x i s t s w h e n t k e u n i q u e p e r c e p t i o n s

cf a p e o p l e b e z i n t o t a k e l i t e r a r y skcipe, t o demand t h e i r ow.? modil ' i-

c n t i o a s of f o r m , t o s a a e r t t h s m s c l v c s i n t h e i r o w metaphor r e g a r d -

l i ; ~ ; ~ of ~ k a t l anguage t h e y may o r may n a t s h a r e i n comion. ?' 11

A l l t h e s t r e n g t h s a s w e l l as t h e weakness of t L i s a p p r o a c k is

c o ? t a i n c d i n A r m s t r o n g v s pnpcr . F i r s t , he r i ~ k t l y a r g u e s t L a t words

o r l a n s u a s c do no t d c t e r m i a e a l i t t r a t u r e l s n a t i o ~ a l i t y , bu t t k c

: : ~ e t i i p h o r , symbol , n ~ d s i t u a t i o n embodied i n t;ist l i t e r a t u r e do*

: ; c c o n d , he a l s o p o i n t s t h a t e f f e c t i v e c r i t i c i s m demands e f f e c t i v e

Lit,~dy of t h o s e m e t a p h o r s , symbols , and s i t j ~ a t i o n s , Hence 1:s s a y s :

. . . t k e b e s t c r i t i c i s m s t e m s from t h o s e s o u r c e s f r o a u k i c h t k e b e s t works 1 lsua l ly d e r i v e s . . , t h o s e who have Lad g r e a t e x p e r i e n c e i n anr31yzin5 l i t e r a r y works and making j u d i c i o u s d e c i s i o a s c o n c e r n i n g t ?;em, 7 2

- i t i s t h i s b e l i e f t k a t e f f e c t i v e c r i t i c i s m o f A f r i c a n l i t e r a t u ~ e can

oq1.y cornc from a d e e p knowledse of A f r i c a n c u l t u r e and wor ld view

t':at i n f o r m s t h e i i f r o c e n t r i c i n s i s t e n c e on A f r i c a n s t u d i e s as a

,, ;,.. '.. , r c q u i s i t <a e f o r c r i t i c i s m of i f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e .

3 u t t h e b a s i c f l a w i n t.i-ieir p o s i t i o n i s t h e f a l s e n o t i o n t h a t

l i t e r a t u r e i s new i n A f r i c a . I n h i s e s s a y quoted a b o v e , Armstrong

17

n r g u e s t h a t a l i t e r a t u r e e x i s t a Hn'r;efi t h e un ique p e r c e p t i o n s of 1

p e o p l e b e g i n t o t a k e l i t e r a r y s h a p e , " By i m p l i c a t i o n h2 i s sayias

? : :a t t h e u a i q u e p e r c e p t i o n s of A f r i c a n s ;-ad j u s t beyua t o t a k c

l i t e r a r y s t ape i n 1364. I n a t h e r words , t k a t is a l l m i l l e n i a p a s t ,

:,f r i c a n s were dumbly f oolin!; a round t i l l Europeans a r r i v e d and

k i n d l y s a t e them exper ic lnce as w e l l 8s a language i n w i ~ i c k t o e x p r e s s

i t ,

Apparen t ly t h e y c o n f u s e A f r i c a n l i t e r a r y e x p r e s s i o n i a E r ~ g l i s k ,

!~ r . enck , o r P o r t u p e s e : - w i t h ~ f r i c a n l i t e r a r y e x p r e s s i o n p e r s e e , . . . - ,- -

.-.. . ~ i . 1 ~ i s wrong, A f r i c a had a v i r i l e o r a l and evcn wri t t . cn l i t e r a t u r e

S e f o r e h e r c o n t a c t wit;: Europe, But t h a t c o n t a c t w i t h i t s economic,

s o c i a l , p s y c ' ~ ~ o l o g i c n l , a n d p o l i t i c a l consequences l e f t B f r i c n

h r ~ a t h l e s s agci &peeci=lessp She l o s t h e r f r eedom, s k c l o s t k e r

: ?aasuaze , a a d she was forced t o lec-lrn alnd u s e tLe l a n s u a g e s of

Europe. Naturally i t t o o k sorne t ime f o r A f r i c a n s t o overcome t k i s

t .. - . , una t i c e x - p e r i e a c e and f e e l c o n f i d e a t enough t o c r e a t e i n t h o s e

f ' o r e i s n t o n g u e s . Ffence, t::e r e l . s t i v e youtk of' A f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e

i? 'Zuropean l n s g u a g c s ,

I n p r a c t i c a l c r i t i c i s m , t k i s app roach has y i e l d e d t h e most

v : ~ % u a h l e criticism of A f r i c a q 1 i i : e r s t u r c fro:n non-Af r i caqs , It i s ,

f o r example , C k a r l c s L.2rsont 8 , Tke .Emer,qcnce o f A f r i c z n F i c t ios

, #.;,.i.ck , . - . f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e i n ~ f r i c a n c r i t i c a l h i s t o r y a t t e m p t e d t o

d c f i n e what "Afr ican a e s t h e t i c s 1 I i s , a n d t o de fend orl l i t e r a r y

: ; rounds some c u r i o u s a s p c c t s of A f r i c n n f i c t i o n such a s l a c k of

c h a r a c t e r d e l i n e a t i o g , u n d i s c i p l i n e d p l o t , t k e k i s h f r e q u e a c y o f

d i d a c t i c end ings , o r t h o s e oddities t ;-;at p e r r n c a t e w o r k s suc:? as

i ~ i o s T u i u o l a ' s n o v c l s - e l e r n ~ n t s w h i c h p e r p l e x ' Y e s t e r n s e n s i b i l i t i ? . ~ .

,.I e f f e c t , nc t o l d > i e s t e r n readers m d c r i t i c s a s w e l l t n n t Afric(7fl

c o u ~ t e r ? a r t = Due t o his c u l t u r a l b a c k s r o u a d , k c a l s o n o t e s , tP.?

i r i c a n l v r i t c r kss c r e a t e d f o r ?;.is n o v c l s nef:; u n i t i e s , u n i t i e s t h t

f'::ct e 1 ~ i d c r , t fro:!: t h e number of a t t a c k s he l:.:,s s i rzce r c c e i v c d f rorc

- : o t ; c r o p o l o g i c a l a n d E u r o - c e q t r i c c r i t i c i s m t o a t t e r ~ ~ p t a s o l i d

'THE SESPOiJSL OF AFRICAI.1 C R I T I C S ; ----

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erne, A f r i c a f i c r i t i c s a r c convinced t k a t someone who d o e s n o t

. : l u n t l y i n a n i g t e r v i z w whcn skc s a i d :

I d o n o t see t Z a t t h c r e i s oqy v a l i d i t y i g h a v i n g s o n e o w who d o e s ? o t b e l o n g t o t h e s o c j c t y f rom w k i c k t k e l i t e r a - t u r e i t s e l f s p r i q s t e l l i a s y o u kon tn wri te . , , What I rrtenn i s , i f t h e x i t i n q i s frorn a c e r t a i q b a c k g r o u n d , i t s o n l y p c o p l c who a r e f rom t k e b a c k g o u f l d who c a n t e l l tkAe w o r l d , "I'bis is $ood ' , a q d t h e ? th? world t a k e s i t , To me i t i s s o simple oQe d o c s n l t have t o talk a b o u t i t , You know, nobody b u t t a c E n q i i s h c r i t i c a l ~ o r l d c o u l d s s y t k a t John O s b o r m i s a good p l a y w r i s h t , i 4 ~ w when you set E a g l s n d r , ? c o g n i z i ~ , q C~sbornc a s good or bad, a t any r a t e c o ~ t r o v e r s i n l , t h e q otker p c o p l e become i q t e r e s t c d , s e e .{:knt 1: r n e ~ n ? 13

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t k o s c l n ~ ~ u a ~ e s t o o , t h a t o c e c a n coma c l o s e t o u g d e r s t a d i g s t k e

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y e a r c a l l a w a r e t h a t t h i s k i a d o f p r c p ~ r a t i o a i s n o t a v a i l a b l e a u t o m a t i c a l l y t o t h e A f r i c a n i a t e l l e c t u a l , i n t h e s a x e way t h a t t h e : s i cs te rn c r i t i c i s e q u i p p e d t h r o u z h h i s e d u c n t i o q t o meet l i t e r a r y works il h i s own c r r v i r o n m e n t , f o r most of u s c a u c a t e d A f r i c a n s p o s s e s s a m i d l a r g e l y t r a i w d away f rom o u r oq.dn c u l t u r a l b a c k s r o u a d The A f r i c a n vho u i s h e s therefore t o i n t c r p r e t e A f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e g c c d s t o d o h i s homcwork a s s t r e a u o u s l y as t h e W e s t e r g c r i t i c (wis:-;ia!s t o d o tiha s a m e , ) I 7

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s x f f i c i e n t l y s ~ t i t h e t i c n l t o Z u r o p e r s i m p e r i a l i s t p u r p o s e s t o danaad

:. q e w s e t o f c r i t i c a l c r i t c r i a r a d i c . r t l l y d i f f c r o g t f r o 9 t;:e Z u r o p e ~ ?

f o r t h e c r i t i c i s m of h e r l i t e r ~ i t u r e ,

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L i m i t a t i o n s of U g i v e r s a l C r i t i c a l C r i t ~ r i a , "

11 t h a t e ssay PJwozci t ook g r e a t p a i n s t o expla i ! i t k e d i f f e r e n c ~

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l e c i t i m a t e c o n t r i b u t i o n t o :I universal s e s t k e t i c s , f o r , I ' i . 9 s o f a r

f r e e t o w r i t e 09 i i f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e , t h e p r imary c r i t i c i s m of

i c.-~11 f o r , i f r i c a n c r i t i c n l c r i t c r i 3 i s r ~ o t 2 r c j e z t i o q of establ is?; .c ' ,

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,2 l i t e r a r y t e x t , C r i t i c a l t o o l s rnust b c l i t c r . ? r y , d e f i n a d ngd

c r i t i c i s m i s uaht2glthy f o r .kf r i c l i n cr i t5c: t . l deve lopmen t . B e i n g

i n c x p l c r i q ~ v i r s i a .academic g rounds f o r t k c i r p r o f e s s i o n a l adv,2ncs--

s y s t e m o r t h e c l a n s s t r u c t u r e of t k e s r o u p o r n a t i o n i a q u e s t i o a -

70 t h e s e m a r x i s t s , l i t c r z t u r e a l w a y s r e f l c c t s t h e c o n s c i o u s a ~ d

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r a f l c c t n t h e s,r?rne c l . r t s s structure.. s o a n a c c u r a t e a a a l y s i s o f t h e

t:cogornic a r r a a c m e n t of a n y s o c i e t y s h o u l d e x p o s e t 2 e b a s i s o f i t s

s o c i e t y d i c t a t e s \ . ~ ; l ~ t t ; ley d e s i r e , a n d wh2t t h e y d e s i r e d i c t a t e s wI:;;t

t k e y p r o d u c e , So i a t h i z xppro ,?ck , t k e rnctkod i s t o s t u d y t k e

c u l t u r a l norins a n d value:; o f t h e s o c i e t y i r l q u e s t i o q a t t k e v e r y

n c ~ : c ~ t you a r e i n t u r e s t z d i n ,

, i l l t h r e r v a r i e g t s o f t h e s o c i o 1 0 , q i c a l rnet;;od a re p o s i t i v i s t i c c

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f a r u s . If we want t h e c r i t i c a l c r i t c r i a f o r A f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e ,

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,f r i c . ?n t r n d i t i o n n l p ~ : i l o s u p k j - , .,f r L c , - , l s p o l i t i c z 1 imoge , t h e 7 7

S " r o p c : ~ g c a ~ p t a c i , s i r l cr i t ic ismm': ' r !c: d ~ s . 7 not s p e c i f y exactly how

e p i c s 'k'e s u s p e c t t k a t t i ; ~ ~ ; - ; ; I ~ ~ nlr:;rcdy n p p l i e d t : - ; c i r O W ~ c r i t i c ? ] .

c:ltl:ou& i t i s r c o t c d i n t;:e ee .ns ib l . l i t :y s k n r e d by t?-e coomoa

p e c p l ~ , is d i f f e r c a t a r ~ d must bc t r e a t x i ss such. AaCt::er is

t k z t ke f c e l s tLnt suck n method w i l l l e a d t a 2 q i m p o s i t i u 2 of

:12 ind i .v- idu . :> l c r i t i c 1 z c r i t i c , : ! c r - i t c r i r i cr, tile who le peupli:..

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t o t e l l tkem 'i4k.3t t h e y si.icj:lld Liki:.,

gut : ! igcef~t s rovri c c n c l u s i o r l t kn t ' laes+>et i c p r i r 1 c i p 1 c . s :II I:

u . s u . a i l y dc r i s rzd S r c n r: body cf !-.lc:i7ks c r c z t t ! d b y -~ r t i s t s vl:o r \ rc

2 5 , t k m s e l v c s s u p p w e d t c; bc v a l i d n , i r r o r : ~ o f t:: c s s ~ r i f - t c ip les i f .::!.st.:

,srn.-:cks o f t k e %.line fcrm.qlis~a aqcl ?r+c:;cr-ipt io?. F o r h c . ~ c:!n

3,rtists be b o t h t?.e crc.c!t,ors of y o r k s o f ; ~ r t . s q d tke t - i r ' o i t c r s :,f

,. *.. ~ l , . e i r . a u d i c q c e , c r i t i c s m i l s t rnrik~ :I r c c c u r s e t o t h e s o - c a l l e d

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:;ut-;i:estin2 t h n t ,?ny acw a p p r o , x c h t o l i t e r a r y h i s t o r y mus t d i s c n r d

b o t h t h e a n t i q u , ? , r i n n h i s t c r i c i s m o f l ; ' o s i t i v f i s m , t ~ n d t h e r f i s t o r i . r l r ~ i s . ?

c.f 3or:;ralism ,. S t s : :ould combif ic t k c c o c c e p t o f l i t e r : i t u r e ns

:-: j-mesls wit;.: 2 . r e c o c q i t i n n of i t s ~ o r 3 l v,?lue,. . 'It :fill cngosci

t k e so c n l l e d e x t r i q s i c ngd i a t r i , g s i c a p p r ~ n c ? i e s i q a din lcc t i c . ? . l .

t e ? s i n n i n v ; : i ck ::istory will be seeq 7s Q c c ~ p r e h c ? c i v e p r o c e s s

a.nd a l l t h a t b u a d l e o f a t t i t u d e s and a c t i v i t i e s wkic;: :.,e i n t h e 2 9

m o d e r a w o r l d c,.rll. c r i t i c i ~ ; : i , ~ ~

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l o g i c , x l a ~ d p r a c t i c a l , , i t 1 ~ s t we seem t o k.~:.ve f o u a d a w o r k n b l c

: . ~ ; ? i l e J auss v n s w r i t i ~ r ; about l i t c i r n r y a r t s , a r t i s ar t s q d no

i t s c.valu.yt i o n ,

Sane ,ifr . ic.qn c r i t i c s h a v e a l s o comc tc. ti;@ same c o n c l u s i o r . ,

k t a c o l o q u i m on B l a c k ; ~ c s t h c t i c s h e l d a t t h e U ~ i v c r s i t g of x a i r o b i

i n 1971, D a v i d Dorsey d e f i n e d bL3ck ~ e s t h ~ t i c s ns fft;;c s y ~ d r o m c ~f

f a c t o r s t k a t !;over9 t5.e reception and t h e i m p a c t o f s work n o t 0:)

34

THE CHOSEN F;.ETIIODOLOGY: -- n erefo fore q- t h e methodology of t h i s s t u d y t a s b e e ! ~ f i r s t t o

i d e g t i f y , l o c a t e , and r c : ~ d a s rnc:ly s t a t e f l e n t s made by A f r i c a n

c r i t i c s o f p o e t r y as possible, s z c c n d , upon rcndin!:; t h i s body o f

c r i t i c i s m , t u n o t e c a r e f u l l y tl;osc s t n t c m c r l t s wkich seem t c aue;gcst

c v s l u n t i v o judgen iz l t , statenents ~t/hic:i s u g g e s t t k n t :L poem i s gosd

u r bad o r t h ~ t oae p o w i s b e t t e r o r 3,corse t k n n t k c o t h s r w i t h

r o a s o n s f o r suck j u d ~ e r n t n t . T k i r d , t o classify t h e n i n t o broad

c ~ ? t e ~ c r i e s d e p c n d i a s 09 t h e o v e r r i d i n s t e ~ d e n c i e s o r p r i f l c mot iveas

b2:-.:ind s u c h c r i t i c a l st ,3.teinerits,

T k i s is p e r k o p s ti-:c most d e l i c a t e ster) i n t k e s tudy! f c r t k e

r e s e z r c h e r ' s p r e j u d i c e s c o u l d e a s i l y c r e e p i q a t t k i s p o i n t , ,'dl

c19c c a n d o , p e r h x p s , i s t o p l e n d i n n o c c a t and ;:ope t k n t t h e

o b j cc t i v i t y of t h e r e s s a r c k method w i l l b e ~ r o u t t h e c l a s s i f i c ~ t i o n : ; ,

B e s i d e s , one must b e a r i n mind t k t c r i t i c z l p o s i t i o n s a r c

neither ric;id a o r s - t a t i c , , li c r i t i c p a s s e s t h r o u ~ i : maay s t a p s i a

'!:is c a r e e r , and s~ e a r l i e r c r i t i c a l p o s i t i u q may v a r y s o much from

.. ., l a t e r o9e k ? i s t age b e g i n s t o wonder ?,.12ether t h e y a c t u a l l y i s s u e d

for t ; : from t h e same c r i t i c . I n modern Europcnn c r i t i c n l h i s tor ! !

s good example of t h i s p L e ~ o n c n c n i s T , , s . Kliot. Kc e h n g e d

fl;l - 1, c r i t i c a l p o s i t i o a s SO many t i rncs t h a t t o d a y k e is a t o& c l a s s i f i e d

as n !lu:na_?ist, Nco I - ~ u m a ! ~ i s t , and a F o r m a l i s t . ,

C k a n p s ia e t h i c a l , r c l i ~ i o u s , ecoqonl ic , and evcn p o l i t i c a l

c o ~ v i c t i o l s a r c u s u a l l y bohind s u c k d r a m a t i c c h a n g e s i n c r i t i c a l

35

v i e w p o i n t s - I n Z l i o t ' s cese, P a i s c01vers i09 f rom Xizh A n g l i c a n i s n

to A n ~ l o - C a t k o l i c i s m c a u s e d z f undarnp.nt 7.1 si:if t i f i kis a e s t k e t i c

p r i n c i p l e s . 12 t k u x f r i c ? , a c r i t i c a l s c e n e , \ ,$ole S o y i n k E ,

C k r i s t o p k s r Okifsbo, J . .F, C l z r k , and ? Z g u ~ i wa T k i o n ~ o a r e r e a d y

e x a m p l e s of t k e same p k e a o m c n o ~ , J u s t r c c e ~ t l y , wn Thio!1,qo1 s

p c s i t i o n on t h e l z i q u n ~ e i s s u e t o o k a, d r a m a t i c turn, a n d t h i s i s

q o t u a r e l a t c d t o h i s r e c e n t p o l i t i c a l a c t i v i t i o s i q Kenya,

% ' k e r c f o r e , t::c attempt i.q t h i s s t u d y i s t o c l e s s i f ' y c r i t i c a l

s t a t c m e g t s aqd t e n d e n c i e s , n o t c r i t i c s as i a d i v i d u a l p r a c t i t i o n e r s ,

; ,qd s l t k o u g i i t > . e p r o s a ~ d c o n s o f e v 2 r y c r i t i c : ~ l ,oosit io.r l w i l l bi:

d i s c i i s s e d , t h r c w i l l be a o a t tempt t o e v z l u a t e s p e c i f i c c r i t i c a l

s t ~ t e m e n t s ~

36

c r i t i c a l d e b a t e u n N a g r i t ~ d e c o u l d a o t h a v e b e e a s u s t n i n e d o t h e r -

?,ise, Two, 311d p e r h a p s more ' o n s i c , i s t i l e e n i g m a t i c q u c s t i o q of wkc;

i s an A f r i c a a c r i t i c , . , p a r t f rom t h e h i o l o g i c . ~ l s i d e . - easy t o

s e t t l e f a c e t o f a c e - a a d t h e p k i l o s o p k i c a l a n s l e - a l r e c ? d y a l m o s t

t r a s k c d o u t by c r i t i c s -, t i : ~ r ~ rem,?ins t h e p rob lem o f p r a c t i c . z l l y

; . i a ~ y m a j o r j o u r g a l s o f A f r i c a n l i t c r a t u r e p r o v i d e b i o g ; r a p l : i c \ l ,-.I , ., . : <.:

r , o t e s G n t k e i r c o n t r i b u t o r s , b u t some d o ~ o t , ~ . n d e v c l t h o s e cannot ,v,

a l ~ l a y s be. r c l i e d u p o n , s o m ~ d e l i b e r a t e l y owlit n n t i o a a l i t y - a a

o v e r r i d i n g c r i t e r i o n i n t k e i d e n t i f i c n t i o q o f A f r i c a n c r i t i c s fro::

i d e n t i f i c ~ i t i o n . But o n e c a n a o t r e l y t o o muck o a t h c t r e a c h e r o u s

s c i e n c e o f aarnes , compounded i a R f r i c n by c o l o n i a l i s m , Tho ;ff-r-i-cz

D ~ w y :-:as a l s o cornc i n h%'ldy i n t k i s t a s k o f i d c ? n t i f l c a t i o n .

T k r c e , f o r a r ~ a l . y t i c a l d e p t h , t h e s c o p e i s l i m i t e d t o t k e

l a n g u a g e a n d a u d i e n c e i s s u e s .

C CIJCLUS IOi'l : - It n a y be x c 1 1 t o c o n c l u d e w i t k t h ~ r e m a r k t h a t t h e c r i t i c 7 1

c r i t u r i a w::icl= ill e m e r s e from t h i s s t u d y !nay or. may q o t r e s e m b l e

c e r t a i n c r i t e r i a i g \ , + e s t e r 3 c r i t i c a l t r s d i t i o . n , Yhcn t k e r e is

z c l o s e r e s e m b l a n c e , we s k o u l d g o t t a k e i t t o meaq t h a t i l f r i c c ~ n s

h a v e a d o p t e d a Y e s t e r n c r i t i c a l c r i t e r i a , u : l l e s s t h e r e i s any

: I nn j 4 f r i c a n c r i t i c t r y i n g t o r e l a t e ,%ifrica1i literature o r any otxcr

l i t e r a t u r e t o A f r i c a n s must do s o a z a i n s t t l ;e background of L f r i z z c

32 - I

c u l t u r e n l we & lot r u l e out ti;e p o s s i b i l i t y ti;-~t s u c k a c r i t i c ~ a j ;

s t i l l corne up w i t h c r i t e r i a tklt rcseruble : j e s t e r n o!les.

l!s s h o u l d rc rnemb~r t k t a c r i t i c n l c r i t e r i o n aeed no t b e totz.12.:~

l ~ n i q a e and immediate31 r e c a s n i z c a b l e a s such t o q u n l i f y n s c o q t i w q c a l

in t h i s r e z n r d , He 5 z y ~ :

m. .- I ~ ; ~ q u e s t i o n of t i ~ ~ x i s t e n c c of a n , : f r icnn p h i l o s o p h y i s n o t u f i i queacs s q u c s t i o ~ , Thcrc i s no r e a s o n why, i a o r d e r t k a t tke re should be nn A f r i c z n p k i l o s o p k y it h a s t o be d i f f c r e r r t from every o t k c r pki1osop::y I t is s u f f i c i e n t t:,tit s u c h phi loso?Xy s h a u l d occu r i.7 A f r i c a such tklt i t is not d c r i v e d from o u t s i d e . , f r i c n * 5 3

T h e r e f o r e what v c a r c say ing i s t h a t t h e c r i t i c a l c r i t c r i x

:!;,;ich w i l l cinerse from t k i s s t u d y need n a t b e u q i q u e l y ~ f r i c n r , Xi;

j..5 s u f f i c i c n t ti-iat t k e y o r i g i m t c from i f r i c n ,

c r i t i c s nad s t u d e n t s c f if r i c m pce t r y t o know 1:~hnt t k e e a l i g h t e a z d

r e a d e r w i t h a t h e o r e t i c a l background f a r z p p r e c i a t i n g , i n t e r p r e t i ~ s

k e w i l l have a3 alternative t o h i e cwn n a t i v e c r i t i c a l c r i t e r i e

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THE ROLE OF T2E AFRICXK POET - 1. THE CRITICAL PROBLEM:

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i g p - ? e r a l o r t o e x p r e s s c x p e r i c . ~ c e s snd e:not;ions p c c ~ l i , a r . t o

h i n s a l f r!s n u ~ i q u e i q d i v i d u n l , T q t k c f i r s t case kc w i l l be

e x p s c t e d tombe c i t h i . r a l y r i c i s t s i n c ; i a g ig clear l?ngu.r:gl-z r+'ucut

:;is c x p e r i e q c c s nqd m o t i o a s o r 3 p h i l o s o p k i c n l poe t , n m l y z i n z

:-:is e x p e r i e ! l c e 3 arrd emot icqs ig c l e . ~ r l n ~ g u a ~ c t o o .

t k e s e c o n d c a s e ( w k c r e he i s t o c-.xpr.css >;is pt ;cul . i r : r

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w k i c k e x i s t s o n l y i !~ k i m s c l f , H c m3y b e 3 s p e c t c d t o s i c i p l y

e x p r e s s wk.::t k c aac o u g t e r s ig t ?:is , j o u r n e y of s e l f - d i s c o v i : r y

o r he m::y tc c r p e c t e d t o irlnke s i g i l i f i c a r ~ i ::.!lc! p r o p h e t i c s t a t e -

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h i s 0i+1:1 f u t u r c , ~~t kcrc :-:is l a r l ~ ; u = . ~ e m u s t n c c e s ~ c i r i l ; becon>c

s y m b o l i c , f o r T v i s i o a z r y must c o n s t r u c t .q synbolic I n ~ ~ g u . q e

i o u r n c y i n t o s e l f o n l y i~ a rne tapkor ,

3 u t i f 09 t k e c o q t r a r y p o e t r y i s t':u express ion of

corf imunsl ly s h r e d e x p e r i r - n c e s nrld m o t i o n s , tk i . p o e t r,ag "n e x p e c t 2::

t a a c t c i t k e r a s tl b r i l l i a r ~ t co rn8nea ta to r who t u r ~ s tki: gerlcral

b e l i e f c , f c e l i ? ~ : ; s , a ~ d go:3is i ! l to s o o d g o c t r y , o r a s z v i s i o s a r g

n , , ~ d g ~ ; i d e who l o o k s c r i t i c a l l y a t co~nrnuqal e x p e r i e a c o s p a s t and

::.resent a n d n a k e s i .wipir*cd pPonouncame~ ts f o r t k e f u t u r e c i t h e r

- , S n ~ u i d e o r as a w a r n i n g t o h i s s o c i e t y ,

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clekr a u d ; ; r e c l s ~ , readi.1.y a v a i l a b l e t o his a ~ i d i e ? c e v k o a r c a l s o

i q v o l v r : d i a t h e sarrtc e x r e r i . e ~ c c : ; . t1c 'oecornes a!: i n t e r p r e t e r wkosc

i : r i l l i s : l t u t t 2 r a n c c s d e z y c ~ l t h v c o l l c c t i v c awarenesz ~ n d a p p r e c i a -

t i o b ~ o f h i s ~ ? u d i e g c c ~ 3 u t i f 5::: i s s commuqal v i s i o n z r y , o r a c l e ,

o r p r o p k c t ki.5 l a n g u a g e i s n o t e x p e c t e d t o b e s o d i r c c t a:ld c l e a r

t ' l z t kc i s u r i d e r s t o o d c3.early a t f i r s t hearing. ?<~-ig?

nacsusc f i r s t , v i s i o n s a re e : c t r m c l y t r ; ~ c l s i c q t a n d b r i e f ,

? k e y d o q o t pcr rn i t tkc- s t e a d y ,sazc !,;i;-ic>: c a n s i v c r i s e t o c n r e f l i l

s . : lcc t i o n of d e s c r i p t i v e o r i n t < ; r p r ? t : i t i v c 1:!ords, A b r i l l i a n t

l i e s i d c s , i f t h e v i ~ i o n a r y s ta te rne? t s 3 r e mean t t o b e w a r n i n g s

Our f i r . & t a s k t h ~ - r e f c r c i s t o f i n d o u t ~ h . ~ t k f r i c a f l c r i t i c s

C O ~ C ~ I V C t o b e t h e r o l e of tke ;>act i n s o c i c t g ,

7. -- .,..I. ., - ATTITUDES OF CiiTTiCS:

!de 5 t 7 r t with t k e u r t i v e r s - : l i s t c r i t i c s , . C r i t i c s ~f t k i s

rc: ;ool d o riot conc3 ivc o f t k c p o c t as '=;civigc nny special r o l e o r

i ' u ? c t i o n i n s o c i e t y , TZey believe t h a t Iit. s k o u l d n o t assume ngy

E;rl;atcvcr tke s o c i q l , p s y c k o l o q i c ~ l , p c l i t i c y l nqd economic b a s i s for it in prssrnt-day a f r i c : ~ , t h i s i n t e r c k n n g e - a b i l i t y of roles betweuq tkz c r u o t i v e w r i t e r nnd t h e p r o p h e t a p p e a r s t o be s p a c i f i c phononlenon of u n d e r

k v e r y p o d example of this type of c r i t i c i s m i s A n o z i e T s

own c r i t i c i s n ~ of Oki.qbol s p o e t r y . Although h e n o t e s t ka t

@kigbo9 s p o c t r y i s t l t oo self-cegtered, t o o pcrsoml, c u b j e c t i . v e

and e r r o t i c ,17hc - Roes nhcad t o a p p l y f i r s t r n y t b i c o r r i t u a l

c r i t i c i s m asd t i l e3 st ructuralistic c r i t i c i s r ; ~ t o tkern in

i q t o t h r e e b r o a d s t r u c t u r e s - p r o s r e s s i o n , ~ssociutio/~, a n d

Tke poet Okil;bcr sees t k e E x i l e ' s home cornin5 in ~ t n i s t s ~ c e s ~ i n t e n s of a dyriarnic art e x p e r i e n c e or movement, In a x i g e a r sense, t2at is d i f i c k r o q i c a l l y t h i s mouelr;e?t i z

a n d emotional s t z t e .

, . .; .G , ,. f o u n d e r i? ti:a dungeons of despqirOf1 5

I ~ I p r a c t i c z l c r i t i c i s m t h e r e f o r e they cordcan p r i v a t c ,

:-111 of t h e m asree w i t h t i ~ c r : id ica ls l a r r o ; : s g t l y p r e s c r i p t i v e ,

t k e o r e t i c a l s t : m d from whick t h e y w r i t c o f f as nwlsensc most

of , ; , f r i c . ~ ' E b e s t poeris,

is i r i npony, he no t cn l y cxprcssPs t k n t ~.gany., h e d s o nnalyses

:::I i n d i v i d u a l cni: t2;ers:'orc canclot k e l p b u t exprkss Z i r j own joys,

" P s t k of T h u ? l d c r " sequence, wh+re tke speaking v o i c c is s trms, w h o r e t3e pcet s e a s kirnself R S n t ~ w x r i c r t a l k i n s to t h e p u b l i c = b , l u t i ssues nf t h e d a y , t k r p o e t nct m l y coqtinues to o p e r a t e -tt .? m y t k i c n l I e v c l , u s i n t ; h a z e s l i k e thc. H c r g b i l l l u g c n d 2 r . y ba th , but d i c l n r v s ki :nself n r,?ilyth mzkcr, 'h

r o n s e n s i c a l , t k c prazm,2tists d i g S e r i e n t k the s u r f a c e t~ f i g d

verse a p i g s t ;;iazrui1 s rndical a t t z c k is 2. sn<,d example of t k i s ,

r e f e r r e d t o h imse l f ns n town c r i e r . , tol.ig c r i c r d o e s :lot

y c t i v i t i e s ,

CHJZTER THREE

TI-IE AUDIEHCE OF AFRICXJ POZTRY - -

I. TdE CRITICAL TROBLEX:

L f r i c n g c r i t i c n l o p i n i o q s on t k c g n t u r e nf p o e t i c e x p r e s s i n n

a n d t k e r o l e o f t h c p o e t a r e c l o s e l y r e l ~ t ed t o t h e q u e s t i o g o f

aud ie lnce . The t r a d i t i o n a l k f r i c a n c r l t ical c o r ~ c c ~ t is tktt t h e

p c e t s p e a k i n 2 f o r t k c p c a p l e a l s o s p e a k s t o t h e p e o p l e < T k a r e

:.,:is no p r o v i s i o g f o r a n i g d i v i d u n l i s t i c a s s t i - x t i c whicl; a l l o w s

p e e t r y t o be s form o f s o l i l o q u y . I i a t Z e r t r a d i t i o n a l A f r i c a n

i ~ o e t r y was n p u b l i c c h a n t .

But modern ~ f r i c a n p o e t r y i s w r i t t e n by p o e t s w o r k i r q i n

t h e p r i v a c y of t h e i r s t u d i c s , One d e c i s i o n which A f r i c a n

w r i t i n g i n t h i s p r i v a c y : s h o u l d he ~ l w a y s f o c u s k l s mind on nn

a u d i e n c e rnnkins s u r e th .2 t h e c o r m u n i c s t e s ef f e c t i v c l y t o i t , o r

s k o u l d he w r i t e as h 2 f e e l s w i t h o u t r e g n r d s f o r a n y n u d i e g c e ?

B u t we mus t n o t e t 2 e f a c t t h t e v e r y q c t of w r i t t e n a n d

p u b l i s k c d cornpos i t i o n i s ;n a c t cf c o i : ~ : ~ i u n i c ~ t i o ! l aS i ~ i i t i o , If

.-i p o e t does n o t !%!ant t o r e a c h a n a u d i e n c e he c o u l d v 2 r y w e l l

r e c i t e alnd e g j o y h i s pcerna i l ! ~ h i s 0x9, o r h a v e them v r i t t u n b u t

n o t p u b l i s h e d . So t h e i s s u e a p y e n r s t c m e t c be a q u e s t i o n o f

53

T k e m:+jor i m p l i c a t i o n o f African c r i t i c s 1 p o s i t i o m on t:;is

i s s u e i s t h a t t h e y d i c t a t e t h e amount of tol::rnnce wit: : v k i c h

c r i t i c s a p p r o a c h poems whit;; d o a o t a p p c n r t o r e a d i l y trl.ke t k c

r eadc r i n t o c o n f i d e n c e . il. paem i g % h i c h t L e w r i t c r f r e e l y u s e s

i g c i d e a t s , c h a r n c t e ~ s , s i t u n t i o g s , s y m b o l s , a g d codes f rom h i s

.: .~riv,?t e l i f e and e x p c r i e : i c e s i s r ~ c t c o n s c i o u s l y d i r e c t cd n t .rt

1 : u b l i c a u d i e n c e . ,:nd t h e r c c c p t i o n q i v e ~ t o s u c k c ; ) o m d e p e n d s

i:n t k c c r i t i c n l j ~ o s i t i c n s o q t k e i s s u e of audience,

Rut t h i s q u e s t i . c n o f a u d i e n c e in A f r i c a n c r i t i c i s m c x t e a d s

1:eycnd mcre p r e s e y c c or n S s c q c e o f a u d i e n c e c o n s c i o u s n e s s i n t o

t k e i d e n t i t y o f t k e v i s u a l i z l ? . d a t ld ie .ace . Q u i t e of t e a , i t is

c(7.sy for c r i t i c s t o t a l l f rom t h o form and c o n t e n t of a poem t h e

i d e a t i t y of t b c p o e t 1s p c r c e i v d d o r tar: ;et n u d i e n c c , c l e a r

c.mc i s t h a t o f poerrls m e m t fr;r c h i l d r e n and t k o s e rnsagt f o r

5 4

The r z l 3 t i v e p o s i t i o a s o f ti;eiii-: i n t c r a c l nnd t2 ie c x t c r n a l C

a u d i e n c e s hav? b c e n s u b j e c t s of c r i t i c a l d i s p u t e . r;uest i o n s

i - n v r b a c ~ r n i s c d as t o t k e v ~ l u e of ck,zabcr o r c u l t i c p o e t r y

d i r e c t e d o a l y a t t h e i ~ t e l l e c t u d ;~ . f r . ic :~r , e l i t e . i"<'~d q u e s t i o n s

h a v e n l s o b c e ! ~ r a i s e d 2s t o t k c v a l u e c f ,j, p c c t r y ~,+:'::.ic:.i p n n d e r s

go I:~uc;.: t o 9 o n - i i f r i c 3 n t z s t e s t l m t i t becomes n i n o s t ,? , l ies t o

? , f r i c m s , 't!e s h a l l 901:) p r o c e e d t o s e e t h e c r i t i c a l a t t i t u d e t i

. zdop tad by ; \ f r i c n a c r i t i c s 29 t k e s c i s s u e s ,

I I ATTITUDES O F C X I T T C S :

(19 t k e f i r s t i s s u e c\f t h e seed f o r n u d i e a c c c o a s c i o u s p o e t r y

t h e t h r e e c r i t i c a l s c h o o l s i x i v e , qdop tcd a l m o s t s imilar a t t i t u d e s ,

F'irst t k e u n i v e r s a l i s t s : c r i t i c s i . n t::is S C ~ L ) O ~ b.x;icz. l ly a c c e p t

>kc n e e d f u r a form of n u d i c g c c c u a s c i o u s n e s s b u t tb*cy d o n o t

t ; . : ink t h e p o e t s h o u l d be c o n s c i u a s of t h c ~ . . a c i i ~ l c e t o t h e e x t e q t

Lhxt i t a f f e c t s ':is s t y 1 2 c r t t e f i n a l form of t i s paen. IZI o t h c r

! ! ~ r ? s , t h e y b e l i e v e t k n t t h e a c t s of c o r n p o s i t i o 9 and ; ;ub l i cc? , t i c ! ~

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t o c r k a t c i n arly fc rm t k n t c z t c k ~ a t k e f a a c y c f >;is ~i- ,~lsc ,

Spcakin:; f rom t k i s c r i t j . c a l pers ; )ect i l . re , C:-xisf;opl:cr Okigbo

c g c e s a i d i g aq i n t e r v i c ? . < t h a t s i .nce h e is c o n v i ~ c c d ti. .nt j l v c r y

I f'cw i l i q c r i n n s would l i k e t o re tad p o e t r y t h a t a p p e 2 r s d i f f i c u l t ,"

h e w r i t e s hi5 p o e s s o q l y f c r k i s f r i e q d s a ~ d f e l l ow p o e t s a l l

0 v 2 r t h e w o r l d f o r t h e n t o see v h c t h a r t h e y c m share h i s

e x p e r i e n c e . ~ 5 2 i n h e s z y s t h a t "at b e s t , p o e t r y is ,n, mere

i m p o r k n a c e . ? t t z c h e d t o t n i s r e q u i r e m e a t is l i m i t e d by t ke

j~ modern lar\nyun!:es d~ r l ~ j t p~ssess t h e 1evt ; l of perct:-;:tii-,fi needsd

c r i t i c s anc! t h e tc-::ci;c.rs 2nd o t h c r p c r c c p t i v c me!ilbcrs of t h e

nr!:ucs, b e c z u s o f o r b t ' h .0 m a s s e s , t h e r e s t i l l c x i s t s " r : v i ~ c r o u s 4

::,n;? s u r p r i s i n ~ l y ~5 rowinyU o r a l t r a d i t i o n d e a l i n g x i t k v a r y i n 5

i g !;enern1 tcrr f is t hs d e e p e s t b e l i e f s cf s o c i o t y . ;,s f cr t h e

s t u d e ~ t s , h e e x p l a i n s -t l l l t t h e b a s i c r e s p n n s i b i l i i ; y f o r w.akiag

5 6

poc t r y aveilnbls t o y o u n p r rc.-,dcrs l i e s wit;; c r i Z i c s nnd t e a c h e r s ,

s o y i n k i r s c r i t i c s 1 p o s i t i o a s terns from a c t r o n s b e l i e f ig a

r c c c i v e his :nessai;e to cornplc.ts t h e c r m m u n i c s t i ~ n xc t , ;jut t k cy

c a p , > b i l i t izs , nqtl a l s c make c e r t a i n m i ~ i m u r n ef'f ort s t c: r e c c i v c

ssnsc a d z e p i g t e r -ga l d i s c r d e r i n t k e poetry." 2'1 c;i.;:cr w o r d s

I",crle oric t y p e or 0 k i ~ ; b o cr t ic is r : : o r t h e i:t;:;er, even thouch O k i g b o

i .s universally n c . t c ; r i o u s 2s ? n i n t e n s e l y p e r s o n a l or. e l i t i s t 7ni:t.

corn- ;~osi t ic! is , b u t r t .<~src! i t as oqu cf t kc m!xt i ;n ;~c r r t r :n t q u n l i t i c . ~

r e n d e r c o u l d i d e n t i f y w i t h t k c cli lern:? of L a u i a o ,

s c L u o l i i l tkcir ' f i ,<ht f o r t i12 supremacy of t k e 3.udicncc it i s riy

; j u b l i c , to rn.?,ke t k e r e q u i r e d effort f o r cc;rr:i,l.cti:~-, t k k ; ::ct ~f

innccossiblc p o e t s to s o c i e t y ,

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p ~ b l i s i - , c d c r c o t i v c works r e v c s l s t;:zt t k c y arc d i r e c t e d morc t c

3 5 16 4nang a n d t,cwio" Nkosi. .:re nrnr?S tkr critic.?? :J'=L c c l r t t ~ 9 d t;-,:\t

x i t k c u t t h e i r so do in .5 , nc; oae s l x ~ u l 2 b l m e non-;'%f r i c a n s f o r nc t

Aqd Bumnus Z ~ u d u s 3 y s t k a t t k e most rcmmrknble failure

,-i .! , . a ; . , . . , , i l l i n 311, ifiIc3avans~ati-'l is 2 dressed-up ewt- ,s l .? r i t u a l - arid t;:crcforc-; t!:e invocqtiog of ng i n d i p g o u s d e i t y i s p a t e g t l y inoinc~rs... h.?<ving f i r s t i n v o k e d a n i n d i e e n o u s goddass i n supposed reveroncc , . . . Okigbo t k e q g r c c a c d s t o r e f ~ ~ r t o kcr r e p r e s c n t a t i v o s a=: '"idols", u s i q s d e p r e c a t o r y C c ' r i s t i a a t e rmino logy , 23

S t u r n s r n y e ; fires coc~zume nqd n f t e r ( s o t h o y sny) all s k a l l be r e s t o r e d i : l t k e Lord a l l s h a l l h e f o r s i v c f i by tXc Lord -

or s o k3s ke prorniscd 0~Brie9,

rest cf t;:c v r l d lsttigq t k c ~ u n d e r s t a a d ; ~ f r i c a morc and

p u r g i a g them o f t h e i r s u p e r i o r i t y c m p i a x , But t k e y a l s o see

r c - e d u c a t i o n w k i c k w i l l e r a s e t k e f a l s e c o n c e p t s , n o t i o n s , a d

~ ~ t t i t u d c s i a c u l c a t e d i n t o tkem by E u r o p e a ~ n i s e d u c a t i o ~ . To

some e x t e ~ t , t k e y b c l i s v i . t k n t p o e t s c a n a a d must k e l p i n do lac ;

t h i s by b c i s g c o r i s c i o u s of t k i s need i n t h e i r A f r i c a 9 a u d i e n c e , '

They t l i c r e f o r e b ~ l i c v c t k a t t k e A f r i c a n n u d i e q c e is t h e

z io re i m p o r t a n t , F i r s t b e c a u s e t h e p o e t who w i l l a d d r e s s a w i d e r

a u d i e n c e mus t Lave #a p l a t Z o r r n ; h e r r~ust h a v e a c o n s t i t u e n c y , And

n u d i e w e t o E u r o p e i s R p o e t w i t h o u t a base, n q n l i e m t e d p o e t ,

S O i n t h e i n t e r e s t o f t h e ~ f r i c a n p o e t , he n u s t r e c o s n i z e r-.od

s i v e p r e f e r e a t id a t t c g t i o n t o k i s ? , f r i c a n s u d i c n c e , F o r as

Lckebe says, "a s p i r i t u a l b a u d e x i s t s b e t w e e n t h e t r u e a r t i s t

;~,qc' ::is comrnuoity - 1 ' 25

~ 0 l s ~ i o u s l j r t o s e l l i f r i c r : t o &'uropc. c n d : l n i v u r s a l i z c E u r o p e , w

c u l t u r e , t h e A f r i c z n p o e t s h o u l d f i r s t s e l l w h n t e v e r h e i i a s

d i s c o v e r e d a b o u t h i s c u l t u r e t o f e l l o w : , f r i c a n s wl;o a r e p r a c t i c ~ d l y

a s e s l s t r a n g e d f rom i t a s tke E u r o p e a n s xr'c. IIe skould. z l s o

n u r t u r e t k c t c u l t u r e and s z t i t on i t s f e c t , i f p o s s i b l e by

he c a n c o n v i r i c e t b o s c E u r o p e a n s o f t h e s u p e r i o r i t y of A f r i c a n

;;ixnanism o v e r E u r o p e a a n i n t e r i a l i s r n - t h i s i s q o t o b v i o u s a t ti:e

f o r : ~ l o d e r n , : f r i c ,ua p o e t r y i o t L e p e r c e p t i v e member cf t h e

i n t e l l e c t u a l e l i t c of , \ f r i c a .

b e i w r e a s c d aqd i m p r o v e d f i r s t by t h e a v s i l a b i l i t y o f b o o k s - q , > v e l s , poems, c ~ - - > ~ -.-J c a l l e c t i o n a , a?d cveq t c x t b o o k s - which

a r e a t tx.;lc t i v e t o , \ f r i c , - ~ ~ s i )ccnuse t k e y n r o w r i t t e n fro:? sn

. : : f r icnn p c r s p u c t i v c , S e c o n d , b y s y n p ~ t h e t i c ~ n a l y t i c . 1 1 , and

i f r i c n n a u d i e n c e .

x i d c r n u d i e n c e , Ig assessins i n d i v i d u a l poe t s t h e y t ? e r e f o r c

';"?;is i s n s u p c r b l y s t r u c t u r e d breakin?; i n c,f tl;e r r s a d e r , and

s e n s i t i v e h f r i c : i n a u d i e n c c.

~ i t k obvious I s a n l i n g s t o .zny n u n - a f r i c r ~ a a u d i e a c a i s s u f f i c i o n t

And even t h e n o s t u S d u r 3 t e r a d i c a l traditionalists , when

t i r j c i a l i s t s a r e c:.:nviqcoi! tk:it ,!lo t r u c ,.,fric:irr l i t c r ; ? t u r r c:ln

e x i s t i n a aon- , ; f r ic .29 17q~un.r;;c .zqd t k c r c f o r z i n s i s t ti..,-tt >.fr ic: ; . i

1 i t c r : i t u r e s k o u l d be w i - i t t e n i r i ,jfricsn 1: :ngua~es. The

r i r i i v c r s a l i z t s see n u need for suck petty discrirniaat i o s s , t k e y

s k u x l d 'or: used grid t h t i t p r c s a q t s nu l o s s of : , f r i c . :n~ess t o

y~n European language. T h o s u t h x t arc so called n r e misnomers,

e q ~ a l o r c o m ~ e t e f.:vourablg w i t h w r i t e r s x;:o : I re ?st i v e speake r s ,

i l cnce t k e s . s s e r t i o n by this v o i c e of t h e r a d i c a l t r n d i t i m ~ i -

zame of t h e s e c o u n t r i e s s u f f crr:6 temporary d c f o a t a t oae t inlc

c q d r r t:-.cir p o l - i t i c a l do;:ii ni>t iog. 1 1 ~ ~ lo!iK ?,:*:ill it, t a k e to 3c;:lrvp

i n n o s s i b l o .

I l i c e r n c t i o n b e t w e e n ~ f r i c z ? communi t ies t hen n u ~ t hnvc t . l k e ~ pl:>c,?

24

: ; ; r ide of inany African critic:; trheg hc oyicqly adulate..; t h e Prenc'i.:

1 3 . ? ~ u a z e , L e t u s t a k e j u s t one example of . S e n ~ k o r ' s application

of tl-,i:; criterion i9 c r i t i c i s i n ,

*?'a , L.LII~;X , c u l t u r a i i m p r s r i a l i s t s kovc u s e d t h e le.n2l,.iage

c ~ i t e r i a r i a u a subterfuge f o r approyriating t o t k e i r m t i o n a l l5tcratures works doac ty p e r s o n s from outside t k c i r a a t i o r i , l ~ q u n ~ e i s mt t k e c r u c i a l f a c to r i~ d ~ t e r m i c i n s t k e qstional o r r e g i o a a l l i t e r ~ t ~ r ~ to b;kici: a work b e l o n ~ s . 1 ~ c 1 u s i . o ~ w i t i : i g a natioaal litcraturs. is s o m e t k i ~ r ; to be d e t e r m i n e d by shared values and assumptions, wor ld o u t l o o k , ~ n d o t k e r f u n d m e n t a l cl<:.zcnt u of cult we-ctkos i n s k o r t ,. 10

h z a l s o a d d e d sorfle c x t r i m i c f a c t o r s o !'A gat i o a n l 1 i t s r a t u r e 1 l ,

t;:roug;:ou-L ~ ; I E cont inent : .

9fi

Y i n a l l y , Achebe is i m p a t i e n t v i t k t k i s morbid braqd of

l i n g u i s t i c n a t i o n a l i s m wkick would repudiate E n y l i s k or lrench

i ~ l f a v o u r or o v e r orie t>;ousagd ~ f r i c a n lanquages as t k c a c c e p t e d

. : k d 2s complex probls-rns defyi .35 simple s o l . u t i o . ? s . " I f I get.

~f coursc, they do n o t R p p r e c i a t c u q f e l i c i t o u s w r i t i c * g , b u t

? e i t h e r d o t k e y criticize c r c a t i v c i ~ ~ o v z . t i o r l . c o n s c c j i ~ e q t l y

c r i t i c i s a .

?cme aqt-ridden f'asccts m u s t b a ready f o r t k t . v i s i . t i;f tP.e

c c r l l d h e h 3 v c f o u ~ d wn T : : i c ; q t o I s P e t a l s or" B l o o d more c r i t i c a 1 i . y --

:I l - in :? i i f i~e w k i c h c7.2 d o f o r ii.fric-i 311 tk;:t a l aagunse s k c u l d d o

f o r n p - r ~ p l e . $19 s ~ l u t i c ~ , dzfiaitcly, is a o t i n t k e p n s t .

L TI COdCLLiS IPFI ---- It mustb be c;bvj.zus f r o n t i ~ : a'oc;vc t hs t t;:~: la??yuaee issi.lc

is 'ny f7.r t::e ncs t ~ o t l y d e b 7 t e c i s s ~ e i n Afr ic39 l i t e r ~ a r y

c i c i T h i s is- nct; q s i r ; .n cf i n t e j . l<c tu . : l dcc:3dence 3 s

. . t .ofi Eueqcr Fiadjor l:o.sitt ; , R.?tt . ,or, it ScCiTIS t o me a p e r f e c t l y

'.;calt:-iy n c t i v i t y l > o c 3 u s e mazt of t k - 2 t ho rgy ~ u l i t i c ~ ~ l , pLiloso-

p?. ic3l , aqd p r a c t i c . 3 1 p r v h l v n s of t l k ~ c o a t i a e q t cna o ~ l y bc

i n i t i q l l y so lved i.9 t he polc-mics of l i t e r q r y c r i t i c i m .

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.zdvoc~lt l q g a d gctunlly conternplat int< .; p r n c t icrtl . r epud ia t i c ln

o f t ; ~ s world 1 ~ f l l ; u a ~ r - a tkroui::; w?.icl: t > , e ~ c d i s c u s s i o n s have

b e e 9 aadc p o c s i b l e , ti:c I s r ~ ~ u s ~ e s are s t i l l in use. T s c t l y

h e t t c;r i n d i , ~ o n o u s n l t c r n a t i v e ,

As t k e wrr;rld yc ts s m n l l e r t k e r c is n pr :>por t f r :na te tendency f o r s c n c c ~ u g t p i e s to shrir lk 2nd ~sit;?dr..tw i 3 t 0 t>.emselves.. . D u t can s m a l l c u u s t r i e s afford s u c k s l ~ x u r y ' wkerc t k e i r very s u r v i v a l d e p e n d s on bcin:; open to t k e world of t ~ c h n c l n g y a n d i dens? Tkc decay of S g u i a procccdtxi s t e p by s t e ~ : ~ witk he r own r i a i q s i n t o l ~ r a n c e . ~ ~

5 : : ~ u l d n c t h e c i ? ??-id e q d vi t ; : t k c c ~ ~ s u z ~ l { iad i q s x p c r i e q c c d re3i lzrs ,

101

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c l ~ ? r serk tc t h e render , t k c y i a s i s t . 1 , ~ t u s t a k e a f zw

illu$trntioas u f t.?;eir c r i t i c i s n :

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b l u r r e d i:::ages, nqd st r u c t u r n l i c i c o r r s i s t c n c i e s of t h e r)C)CITiq"

t k c y ~ ; ; r u r n b l c , "you s r c QLJ l c n ~ c r i n t c r c , s t e d fin f ' ind iq : ; ~ j ~ t whz t

cn s u c k o c c n s i c a s make lczical and l i ~ e a r ssase. B u t t h e y do

C o r n i g ~ from a people w k ~ s e love of 1 , ~ ~ y u a ~ ; e f o r i t s cwn s z k u , f o r i t s very m a n o e u v r a b i l i t y is unrnstcked os t h e c c a t i r l c n t , . , 1: t c s t i f y t o this c a g c c i t y of t k e t o u l to literally possess tl:e u s e r . ;; wise society l i s t e g s t o t h e seemin:; i ncoke rencc of tkis mcd ium i n possession. Scnc day, ncrhaps , even n tm tk o f it w i l l p rove visicanry. 2 G

T h e r e f o r e , c r i t i c s i n i;t;is s c h c o l z v o i d ex t r eme p o s i t i o n s ,

t k e y n e i t h e r s u b s c r i b e t G the. u n i v c r z l i s t p r e f e r c a c e fur r c c o n d i t c

c o n t r n l buk o f f a i l u r e uf Xntjvlc.r!{;c; n s i m p l i c i t y of ~ c r c c p t i c q

I t s s i m p l i c i t y .-at t k ? e x s c ~ s c of i t s v i s i c n s i m p l i c i t y bscomcs

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of m c d e r n Ni{;eriaq p o e t r y i s d e r i v e d frorr t h e r k y t h of t r a d i -

:,f z r e n t n n t i c n a l i z p o r t a n c c , i s a c t a?: effective of tr:.:?s-

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i t : h y r ~ - p r . e s t : . a t i n y i t i n 9 v v r i c t ~ of suo:; e x l ? r e s s i l i n , " S G ,

r.:tl.:cr t'~;r\n s t : ~ . t c : r: ccr. t . r4iq r c . : l . i t y :~!lr! ~ r o c e e d to .snalyse i t ,

t k e c e r h c u s trildif i01zn . l Af r i c a a r i r t ist ! d i l l fr\sl;io!l n c c r t n i n

C X ~ ~ ~ S S ~ V C i m a ~ e nqd repea t i t i n d i f f e r e r i t xags. ~ k i s a p p l i e s

ir: : ~ : ? e t r y 2:; well. a s i r l p i n t i q : ; , I I I U E ~ C , 3110 d a n c e , bccnuse

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; : : l i o t ,.

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GHtJ'TER SIX

COKC LUS I O N

i , ~ t k i s essay and t h e p o s i t i o n s taken on t k c m by t h c t h r e e iaain

issist that t k e p o e t >;as a distiqct rolo t o perform i r ~ s o c i e t y ;

':l!iAT C R I T I C A L CRITSRI;! HAVE EJ.IE;RCXD?

T h i s essay !:.as cc:nct.ived 2s .a scarc:; f o r :>o:.qe of the c r i t i c : ? ] -

c r ' i t ~ r i : : f o r ;if r i c a n ;;oc t r y . ;ins aqy silt:.: c r i t c r i n o!ncrscd f r u ~ )

t ;:e ,?:q~:Sysi;?

Yes, A c . - , r e f ) ~ l c x r i r : - i ? r ~ t i ~ g of tLc- v a r i o u s c r i t i c . i l pos i t io rcs

-716 t k e h ? s i c concep-i ;s S U ~ ? ; E S ~ t o 13.1: t k n t f o u r c r i t e r i a k;lv.ct

c .V: :r .~ed . O! ,: , t;"..? A f r i c : ~ n poc t i:: idc.:!ll,y i: p e o p l ( ; . ' s ! ~ ~ e t , lit.

i s b e s t wkcn ;-:e i:: a corr:;i~u.nal v c i c c , and ks hz3 a d i s t i n c t , ro1.c.

t o piny a s t?.e s p o k e s m ~ ~ a:lci t a : ;~ ; . :~ , r c;f his c c m l ~ u n i t y , T:,!o, kc

s:;ould Foszess Y good ~ n ~ . ~ s ~ r e of .~.udi<:clce c o n s c i o u s g e a r ; , b u t i t

is n o t ne:cc!ss?ry f o r l;irr: t c w r i t a as if l.:o w e r e r c c i t i a ; ; o r pcrfcii-.-.

lqiq-rr; bcf 'ore ,? live n u d i e n c z , , ; I B s):c~uLd bc rcid-,qny betwc:en t h c

erzl p e r f o r m e r 2 n d t ? ~ p r i v , - l t e p o s t bec;:usc: : : r r i t t e n r ~ o c t r y is 2 *

p r i v g t e mcdiwi , T k r e z , t i : : ~ r e : ; ; = C ; I J ~ ~ i:V;'.ry e1.ridence t k a t Li:;

p r i m a r y .?.utilz9cc is : ~ f r i c . . ~ * i : ' evt l r t ; - ,e less , ;!.<: s z o u l d q c l t b;, s~

i i f r i c , l f i u ; t o exclude? flo.?-Af'ric.,:.:ls w;-,o m..-..y b s interested in .:fricaq

p a c t r y f o r onc ri:,?son Gr t k ~ o t l x r 8 ,

F c u r i s '1 b i t d i f f i c u l t . , If >:e judy;c by t k c stateni.~:nts rn~,c?c

?>y. t k e ..r,:;l,jo:.ity of c r i t i c s , v e ~ o u l d r,o d o x b t c o n c l u d e t!:.?t s i m p l c

pcems a r e valued a n r c t k c n complex poems, B u t if' :.:e j u d g e by i l : u

n c t u a l p r a c t i c e o f c r i t i c i s m w c would c o q c i u d e c t [ : e rwi s~ !~ For

lunc >!o~;.ld l,r.vt! e x y e c t e d t L 2 t if oirnple gciems a r c v,?rllued xbove

c o m p l e x o n c s , t h e y should r e c e i v c inorc c r i t j c n l a t t c n t i o . ? , Z u t

t h e r e v e r s e i,c, t k e c a s e - q i n c t y p e r c ~ c t of' ~ ~ 1 . 1 p u b l i s h e d and

cri t. i c s would :lo: ~ . i l : n i t it , cor:!plcx pocms i q t e r c a t them inore tLa.1

. I . : - .. : - I ~ . l c e i:~,~f c o ~ ~ v i c t i o ~ t?:-;;t !:.:;at I kave done in t i : i x prr; ,>ccJi -

a sc:!r.ck f c r son;? c r i t i c ; i l c r i t c r i ? f o r : , fr ic-na p o e t r y - i s vcr::

b It is o n t inodest s t c p i;ol#:,-~rd t l ; c gorl3- of d e v e l o ? i r i g

:: c o a t e m p c r : ~ r y .';r'ric,.iq : . : e s t i - .~ t i c - a t : lsk t h ~ t i s l o n g o v e r d u s +

T : . ~ i s irk ~ i 3 1 :~ls:, " b ~ ~ c f i t t k i? s t u d e n t o f : \ i ' r i can a o c t r y

l..!!:~ r l ruds .:i c r i t i c 2 1 !jnr .- ldi~m f o r s t u d y i n : , ' \ f r i c ;kn p c e : t r y , It

? s i l l h z l p ;:"lm t o e n s i l y cl3s:;if.y c r i t i c : l l comrocqt:-; a n d e v c n p o e t s

t k c n ~ r ~ l v c s . I!I s:-;art, i-i: b ! i l 2 g::.k:r !::is t 3 s k css ic .~* r?wi more

c r . j o y ~ . b ; l ~ ~ bec.3u;;e i:c will i - 2 ~ l ~ ' r ~ l c . s s c p 0 z . t ~ :?r,d c r i t i c s !lot i.?'L:;

as b c t t c r o r worse tl;c~rl oa;: .;qot.i:i-:r b u t as b r l o n g i q s t o this c r

t:.st c r i t i c a l s c ! c o o l ,

P i o q e e r .\f r i c z a c r i I. i c s ugzn j . ! rous ly : i : ;~c r t ed ;-,bout two dc.c:u-r .s

n g o t h a t i f .!fric:aa l i t c s a t u r c i s t o Z r o w , i t s c r i t i c i s n i n u s t GI:::;:

from .4fric:trls. I't x s s no t t:.:t:ir i 2 t e n t im t o d e q y 2on-i;f ric:;!l::

t i c r t g h t t o c r i . t i c i z e ,ifric.-.,,a l i tc .rxti . : rc; . , ' cu t tltc-:y j u s t w a n t ~ d

t o p o i n t out thnt tl;? b u l k ~ n d c o r e of ti:c t a s k must h e b o r n e by

! ; f l b i c n ' 7 s if l i t e r z r y and c r i t i c 2 l , l~oc,d t c n l t h l f is t o be ensurc;r?,

;:I .-.y ,..

T % i s p r o j e c t , if i t i s s u c c e s s f u l , j u s t - i f i u s t i i c i r c l n i m ? t'l!~'

REFERENCES

CHAPTER ON2

I. Eldred D. Joqes ed, AZT No, ' 71 Focus on Criti-cisrtl (London: -- I i z i n e r m r l , 7 9 7 5 ) , p.. 26,.

, . . . o r n i q ~ Yet On C r c a t i o q Day (Ned York: Anchor hooks: 1 9 7 5 ) , ss - :.-:ell as S , ~ y a s a r a ' s review o r C k a r l e s Larsonfs The ?mergence --- of A f r i c n n L i t e r a t s r c i a ibid. ."- -

' ~ ! b f r i c , n Literature I: problorni, of C r i t i c i s m , " JCL, - ;Lo, 2 (Dzcen'oer, 7 9 6 6 ) , p , 708.~

1 0 ~ h i d r pu 7076

7 1 ~ > 3

12 pa7

1 n t v i w i t h narlne KcGragor1l, r e p r i q t ~ d i.1 i i i r icar i !!rit,ers T d k i ? 5 , 2. 25< D.. Duedog 2nd C, p i c t e r s e eds - (1,ogdon: B e i s c m a g a , . I V 3 ) , ~ ~ 2 5 , .

: ; k r i s tophe r xzywood od , , P e r s p e c t i v e s on A f r i c a n L , i t e r a t u r e (.;,ocdnn: !3cincm,~q, 1771) , p.. 19,

1 (1 , <., .- L;.C A f r i c a n C r i t i c s!ld H i s P e o p l e u , P resence A f r i c a i n e

8 3 , -3rd q u a r t e r s l y , 1 9 7 2 , p'. 7 ,

1 8 Al'ri xi C r i t i c s a7~d d ' r i c_an I , i t c r a t u r c , s t u d y of -- ---

C r i t i c a l S t ,?ndnrds (i<ichig:n: Ann ::rbor, 1971 ) , p, 7 , - --- .- r "ia E x i l e nad ' I ' r a d i t i o n : s t u d i e s i n A f r i c a n a n d C n r r i b e a q -----

L i t e r a t u r e , ~owl , - :ad s r n l t k ed . (London: Ln.qmon, 1 9 7 6 ) : ; I . 22 --

- i n T r i b ~ l S o c i e t y , ; " ;a r ia2 Smi th e d , ( G l e n o e , I l l i a o i s : --- F'rEc Press , ? O h ? ) , p . 86 :.

ig ~ i t c r : - i z ' y H i s t o r y , " i n !dew D i r e c t i o n s i n Literary H i s t o r y , - p a 44,*

Litcrnry Tllcory ," E l i z a b e t h acnz ingc r t r n ~ s . , i n New D i r e c t i o n s I n L i t c r a s . ~ H i s t o r v . rj.. 72.

";'role 5o:geq.z f o r Black t , s s the t i c s , 1 1 i n 3 l n c k Aes t h c t i c s , --

P2l\ld ,q;:BLd t k e U n i v r r s i t y of ? ; 2 i r o b i , -------. ---

b ~ n t e r v i e w e d i a A f r i c - , ~ Writers -- T d k i q ~ , D. DuWdea a n d - C .. Pieterse eds., p, 47.

1 0 f l ~ h e ~ k o i c e aad Use o f Lnn~unga" i n C u l t u n l Evenis il -- ifricn, F ~ Q . 75 ( 1 9 7 7 ) ~ p . 5, I n ?is l e c t u r e , ~ ~ c o n t i a u i t y n ~ d -- T r ? d i t i o n i., , ' t f r i cnn Li ter . s ture , I ' A!.icc;.!lor c o r r o b o r a t e s soy inks.'^ s t a t m e l t , s n y i n ! ~ t k n t " t h e r e is s d e g r e e of c l a i r o y a n c e o r !>rrj?;lc. ticisrn i r i tizc .art of p c c t r y . l 1 In I 'crson: , ' ,chcbe, .~ woonor, -- ,::.r,d scjr inka, K. i ; i ~ r r e l l ed, ( : & ~ ~ t i n : > , f r i c n n , S t u c i i c s p ros r samc , 1 9 ? 5 ) , p , 1510

'1 (3 E d g a r !!rig> t e d , p , 127.

1 2 ~ h o o I j i l c e n t , I fT ru D c c j d e s of '${uecr:l F i y c r i z n L i b i > r a t u r c ' l . 17di1~q~ 2 , 2: (1975) , p. 59- ---

131n Joqes ad . , p . 35.

I n t h i s e s s a y .'~.n??ig says t h a t

u n l e s s we bC:gia t o t e l l the o u t s i d c world what we possc s s i? our o w l f x e l d , t hey arc n o t likcly to d e v e l o p any a p p r ~ c i a t i o c ~ for t i i e v,?lues wc h o l d , Our m b s i c may b e s t r q q g r , sc y r o b ; l b l y i s c u r l a q ~ u a g e . ~ u t tkeir v z l u e depend on our sbility t c i 1 t r rp l . e t tkm t o t h c c u t s i d e world,

24 Ibid, p. q68,

8 Ibid,, p, 9 4 .

3 I b i d , , p.> 175,.

1 I b i d , , p, 166

2 0 qu~tr: .d i:? Kca Goodwio, U d e r s t n ~ d i q 3 , ~ f r i c : * q P o u t ~ ~ y : - ., S t u d y of Ten pcmts (Logdon: ; i e i n ~ m . ~ n , 1982) ?pq x - xi, -- -

~;:i.s c l r i m by s o y i n k 2 is c n r r o ' o o r ~ t c d by K ~ f i ,kwocnor i l l ::is book, T k c Breast of t h c E .n r th ( p . 6 2 ) where kc says:

32 Scnghur Froze and P e e t r y , ~ c k a ; ? o ~ d ,qqd C l i . ~ c !:!akz e d s , ; (London: ? ! e i n n - - r n . ~ f ~ 1 ~ ; lc 34,

S 3 ~ c l ! ~ - ~ . ~ ~ l $@.tri-, " 0 r p i . r ~ i:oir!q, -- ! \ n t k o l o ~ i ~ d,: - 1 ; ~ o v ~ l l ~ i ' o z s i c Hcgre e t l?.3l~g2c;-.e (134E) , p. XXIX., - --- <--

34 i ! ,,9 i,!?prc.:zcl; t o ni:?,c.k ,'!cstketics" ig Z i r i m l : c t nl

e d ~ , , P * G O ,

pp . 173 - 145.

..: I ~ ~ ' A ~ ~ R;lfld pa - r ib Jnr. .4f r i c T n C r i t i c s aqd , , f r i c q n ~i t ~ r q t u r c : -

Study of C r i t i c C l l St.q?dards. ;{ic::lyq?: fiqa ; , r b o r , 7a?l, -- - -

.d --- I? .?l?: Focus 011 C r i t i c i s m , pp, 143 - '14'7, ---

--o l t C ~ n t c r n p ~ r . ~ r y i i f r i c ? n P o c t r y aaa F r o s e , 2 " Eqy1 i s : l - S p c s k i q Wes t ,,f r i c z : S y ~ t ~ e s i z i ~ : ~ P 2 s b snd P r e s e ~ t . 1 1

-.---u l7Lirn i t at i o n c of 5 n i . v e r s n l Critic31 C r i tc-ria. I t I n Rowl.?nd Smi th ed, E x i l e .?nd T r s d i t i u g , Lc,ndo~: ~ o ? ~ ? r ~ n , 1976. ---- pp. c3 - 30.

T L - .c ovey , J O ~ F. " C V ~ Q ~ of Cri ticisrn f o r ?]eo-lif Litcrqture-~

11 P r o c c e d i ~ v s u f .a ~ m F e r c . r c c on ; , f r i c l n Lz!-~gus.ccs and - - , - - - - . - . L i t c r r l t u r e s He16 - ~ t C!tirth,,i~:.?tcrq univi.rl;ity-, ,,,n..il 22 - 30,

'..!cin.in Robe r t . 'lP.-izt s i 5 g i f i c g g c e a ! ]~ : p ~ - ~ : ~ e q t ; . l c ; ~ : ~ i ~ ~ in L i t e r q r y H i s t o r y ,. In New n i x c t i o n s i r l Li ter .r i r-y : I i ~ t o r y , ---------- pp. 43 - 01,