Themes in Lusophone African Literature
Keywords |
Classification |
Keyword |
OFICIAL |
Portuguese Language Literature |
Instance: 2015/2016 - 1S
Cycles of Study/Courses
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
This programme aims to provide students with knowledge of the dominant themes in the writings of paradigmatic African authors of the five Portuguese-speaking countries, promoting, at the same time, a critical reflection on the modes of representation of African realities and the processes of self-representation in the standard Portuguese written language – or in “languages”, dialects and varieties resulting from a process of miscegenation with local “languages”.
Some of the selected authors: Alda Espírito Santo, Ana Paula Tavares, Baltasar Lopes, Conceição Lima, Corsino Fortes, David Mestre, Eduardo White, Francisco José Tenreiro, Jorge Barbosa, José Craveirinha, José Eduardo Agualusa, Luís Bernardo Honwana, Luis Carlos Patraquim, Luandino Vieira, Mia Couto, Noémia de Sousa, Ondjaki, Paulina Chiziane, Pepetela, Rui Knopfli, Ruy Duarte de Carvalho, Vasco Cabral, Viriato da Cruz.
Focusing on a synchronic and diachronic approach, we will seek to account for the specificities of literatures and cultures of each country (for e.g., the specific difference of Cape Verde) and of the various movements, magazines, newspapers, generations and currents that have characterized the literary history of those countries.
Whenever necessary, in this study we will bring the texts studied throughout the semester into a historical and cultural context.
Learning outcomes and competences
At the end of the teaching of “Themes of African Literatures in Portuguese Language”, students are expected to have acquired a steady and critical knowledge of the major themes of the African literatures written in Portuguese language before decolonization – of their close relationship with the historical and geographic peculiarities of each country (for instance, the significant differences between Cape Vert and Mozambique) – as well as a more generic knowledge from a comparative and postcolonial perspective of the different ways followed by each country after independence, of the plurality of voices and experiments both in poetry and in prose. Therefore, there is a diachronic and synchronic approach of African Literatures in Portuguese Language so that one can understand better the development and consolidation of these literatures.
Working method
Presencial
Program
I. Framework
1. Terminology issues: critical reflection on “Themes in Lusophone African Literatures”;
2. Images of Africa (stereotypes, clichés, unilateral and plural visions);
3. Landmarks of Portuguese colonisation;
4. Colonial culture (and/or colonising) and native cultures;
5. The issue of language(s): Portuguese and local languages;
6. Orality (the voice) versus writing (the word).
II. Selected topics
1. Slavery;
2. War;
3. Identity and otherness;
4. Childhood and old age;
5. Memory and ancestral wisdom;
6. Miscegenation;
7. Migrations;
8. Myths;
9. Negritude;
10. The contract (the contracted);
11. Urbanity and rurality.
Comment: These topics will be based primarily on brief narratives (tales and novels) and poetry texts.
SELECTED ACTIVE LITERATURE
Anthologies of literary texts
AAVV. Antologias de Poesia da Casa dos Estudantes do Império (1951-1963), 2 vols., Lisboa, ACEI, 1994.
AAVV, Poesia Angolana de Amor dos Anos 80 (Breve Antologia), Pontevedra / Braga, Irmandades da Fala da Galiza e Portugal, 1991.
ANDRADE, Mário de, Antologia Temática de Poesia Africana 1 – Na noite grávida de punhais, Lisboa, Sá da Costa, 1975.
ANDRADE, Mário de, Antologia Temática de Poesia Africana 2 – O canto armado, Lisboa, Sá da Costa, 1979.
CÉSAR, Amândio, Antologia do Conto Ultramarino, Lisboa, Verbo, 1972.
FERREIRA, Manuel (org.), No reino de Caliban: antologia panorâmica da poesia africana de expressão portuguesa, Lisboa, Plátano, 1988.
FERREIRA, Manuel, 50 Poetas Africanos: Angola, Moçambique, Guiné-Bissau, Cabo Verde, São Tomé e Príncipe, Lisboa, Plátano, 1989.
HAMILTON, Russel G., Literatura Africana Literatura Necessária I: Angola, Lisboa, Edições 70, 1981.
RAMOS, Ricardo (Org.), Contos Moçambicanos, São Paulo, Global, 1990.
SAÚTE, Nelson, As Mãos dos Pretos: Antologia do conto moçambicano, Lisboa, Dom Quixote, 2000.
SAÚTE, Nelson, Nunca Mais é Sábado: Antologia de poesia moçambicana, Lisboa, Dom Quixote, 2004.
TENREIRO, Francisco; ANDRADE, Mário Pinto de, Poesia Negra de Expressão Portuguesa, pref. de Manuel Ferreira; Linda-a-Velha, África Editora, 1982.
UNIÃO NACIONAL DOS ARTISTAS E ESCRITORES DA GUINÉ-BISSAU
Antologia Poética da Guiné-Bissau, Lisboa, Inquérito, 1990.
NOTE: Theory-critical literature will be made available to students in the first lesson (the contents of a selected short reading list exceed the space allowed in this subject factsheet).
Mandatory literature
Andrade, Mário de (org.),; Antologia Temática de Literatura Africana I - Na Noite grávida dos punhais, Porto, Sá da Costa.
Teaching methods and learning activities
Expository theoretical classes on the programme contents. In some cases, these classes may be theory-practical.
Practical classes, with literary reviews and comments and critical texts on the topics taught in theory classes, which can take the form of discussions or work done individually or in groups.
Tutorials, in which work done by students will be constantly supervised on a personal basis, provided that the number of students enrolled allows this type of supervision.
keywords
Humanities > Literature > African literature
Evaluation Type
Distributed evaluation with final exam
Assessment Components
Designation |
Weight (%) |
Exame |
70,00 |
Trabalho escrito |
30,00 |
Total: |
100,00 |
Amount of time allocated to each course unit
Designation |
Time (hours) |
Estudo autónomo |
108,00 |
Frequência das aulas |
54,00 |
Total: |
162,00 |
Eligibility for exams
Mandatory attendance of at least 75% of estimated classes, according to Assessment Regulations, Article 9.
Calculation formula of final grade
Reading report or Research assignment: 30%;
Exam: 70%.
Examinations or Special Assignments
Not applicable
Internship work/project
Not applicable.
Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)
Not applicable
Classification improvement
According to the Assessment Regulations