Chinua Achebe masterfully navigated the complexities of Nigerian society, offering profound insights into the traditions of the Igbo people and the disruptive forces of colonialism. He adeptly captured the clash of values, the influence of Christianity, and the enduring power of cultural heritage. His narrative style, deeply rooted in Igbo oral traditions, vibrantly incorporates folk tales, proverbs, and oratory, creating a rich tapestry of storytelling. By wielding the English language, Achebe intentionally amplified marginalized voices, challenging the colonial narrative and cementing his legacy as a pivotal figure in African literature.
Chinua Achebe kritisierte 1975 Joseph Conrads Kurzroman "Herz der Finsternis" als rassistisch und verzerrend. Er betont, dass das Bild der afrikanischen Völker im Werk die Gleichwertigkeit Schwarzer Menschen infrage stellt. Achebe verteidigt das Menschsein und die Geschichte Afrikas gegen solche herabsetzenden Darstellungen.
Essays on the history, complexity, diversity of a continent
Chinua Achebe, regarded as the father of modern African literature, created a significant impact with his African Trilogy, which includes Things Fall Apart, Arrow of God, and No Longer at Ease. These novels vividly portray the lives of three generations within an African community facing the upheaval of colonialism, from the initial British arrival to the decline of empire. The trilogy begins with Things Fall Apart, featuring Okonkwo, a village hero whose tragic pride and conflicts with missionaries lead to his downfall. Arrow of God explores the struggle between tradition and change through Ezeulu, the chief priest, whose authority is challenged by colonial forces and rivals, yet he remains resolute in his leadership, even at great cost to his people. The narrative concludes with No Longer at Ease, where Okonkwo's grandson, educated in England, returns to Lagos for a civil-service position, only to witness his moral decline as he navigates the complexities of the ruling elite. Drawing from traditional Igbo stories, the trilogy serves as a literary milestone, offering a mythic and universal perspective on modern Africa. As Toni Morrison noted, Achebe's contributions are essential to the understanding of African literature, showcasing unmatched passion, intellect, and clarity in his prose.
Encompassing many different visions of Africa, the stories in this comprehensive collection feature characters struggling to survive grinding poverty, tyrannical governments, cultural upheavals, and disintegrating relationships. Reflecting a continent with a tragic history, An African Quilt depicts a place where even everyday life is extraordinary, and the continent’s history changes what it means to be a woman, an employee, a couple, a passerby, and, of course, a citizen. Revealed through the backdrop of postcolonial Africa, the struggles within these stories resonate beyond their context and appeal to every reader’s sense of what it means to be human. With Stories by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nadine Gordimer (Winner of the Nobel Prize), Bessie Head, Doris Lessing (Winner of the Nobel Prize), Ngugi wa Thiong’o, and Others
An eleven-year-old boy yearns to cross the Niger River to reach the city of Asaba but lacks the fare. With his friend S.M.O.G., he embarks on thrilling adventures to earn money, experiencing new delights and challenges along the way. From savoring street food to consulting a village magician, Chike's journey is filled with excitement and fear. Upon finally reaching Asaba, he discovers a reality different from his dreams, prompting a personal quest for courage and understanding. This enchanting story by Chinua Achebe explores themes of bravery and growth.
Druhý díl série Postkoloniální myšlení I–IV, navazující na překlad knihy Frantze Fanona, se zaměřuje na historické východisko postkoloniálního myšlení jako emancipačního programu druhé vlny dekolonizace. Tento proces, probíhající v Asii a Africe od konce druhé světové války do poloviny sedmdesátých let, byl na Západě vnímán jako rozklad evropských imperiálních říší. Autoři v knize vyjadřují perspektivu osvobození od koloniální nadvlády a systémů útlaku. Klíčovou otázkou je postkoloniální identita a konstrukce nové politiky identity: bude vycházet z národního esencialismu, nebo z konstruktivistického pohledu na národ jako myšlené společenství? Tyto nekompatibilní koncepce reflektují problémy, které se objevují i v kontextu postsocialistické transformace po roce 1989. Publikace zahrnuje klasické texty, které definují témata univerzality, diference, rezistence a jazyka jako struktury moci. Specifikum výběru spočívá v dvou místních aspektech pohledu na postkoloniální situaci: roli autora a dědictví totalitního režimu, které formovalo stereotypy ideologií.
"The trilogy opens with the groundbreaking Things Fall Apart, the tale of Okonkwo, a hero in his village, whose clashes with missionaries -- coupled with his own tragic pride -- lead to his fall from grace. Arrow of God takes up the ongoing conflict between continuity and change as Ezeulu, the headstrong chief priest, finds his authority is under threat from rivals and colonial functionaries. But he believes himself to be untouchable and is determined to lead his people, even if it is towards their own destruction. Finally, in No Longer at Ease, Okonkwo's grandson, educated in England, returns to a civil-service job in Lagos, only to see his morality erode as he clings to his membership in the ruling elite"-- Provided by publisher
Collects three of the author's novels, all inspired by the tragedies faced by the Igbo people during the European colonization of Africa.
For the past three decades, Dowden has travelled this vast and varied continent, listening, learning, and constantly re-evaluating all he thinks he knows.
Examines the political nature of culture and specifically literature. This title challenges the way the West has appropriated Africa with a particular emphasis on how 'imperialist' literature has been used to justify its dispossession and degradation. schovat popis
The defining experience of author's life was the Nigerian civil war, also known as the Biafran War. A marriage of history, remembrance, poetry and vivid first-hand observation, this title is a work of wisdom and compassion from one of the great voices of our age. schovat popis
n Ein Bild von Afrika untersucht Chinua Achebe die rassistische Voreingenommenheit in der Prosa und Moralauffassung während der Kolonialzeit am Beispiel von Joseph Conrads Herz der Finsternis. Der Band enthält außerdem die Texte Afrikanische Literatur als Wiedergeburt der Feier, Arbeit und Spiel in Tutuolas 'Palmweintrinker' und Gewidmet Victoria, Königin von England
Using the conflict between the city and tribal villages, the ravages of the great African drought, and Third World politics as a compelling backdrop, Achebe weaves a potent drama of modern Africa.
Román nigerijského spisovatele (nar. 1930) je politickou satirou na nově založený nezávislý africký stát, kde bují korupce a podvody.
Set in the Ibo heartland of eastern Nigeria, one of Africa's best-known writers describes the conflict between old and new in its most poignant aspect: the personal struggle between father and son. The third book in Achebe's "African Trilogy", following Things Fall Apart and No Longer at Ease, Arrow of God is the story of Ezeulu, the chief priest of several villages who wrestles with colonial powers as he butts heads with Christian missionaries dispatched to the area. A fictional discussion of Colonial rule in 1920's Nigeria, Achebe brings religion and family relations into a discussion of politics and national identity. From the Trade Paperback edition.
By the renowned author of Things Fall Apart, this novel foreshadows the Nigerian coups of 1966 and shows the color and vivacity as well as the violence and corruption of a society making its own way between the two worlds.
THINGS FALL APART tells two overlapping, intertwining stories, both of which center around Okonkwo, a “strong man” of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first of these stories traces Okonkwo's fall from grace with the tribal world in which he lives, and in its classical purity of line and economical beauty it provides us with a powerful fable about the immemorial conflict between the individual and society. The second story, which is as modern as the first is ancient, and which elevates the book to a tragic plane, concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo's world through the arrival of aggressive, proselytizing European missionaries. These twin dramas are perfectly harmonized, and they are modulated by an awareness capable of encompassing at once the life of nature, human history, and the mysterious compulsions of the soul. THINGS FALL APART is the most illuminating and permanent monument we have to the modern African experience as seen from within.
Obi Okonkwo is an idealistic young man who has now returned to Nigeria for a job in the civil service. However in his new role he finds that the way of government seems to be corruption. Obi manages to resist the bribes offered to him, but when he falls in love with an unsuitable girl, he sinks further into emotional and financial turmoil. .
