African literature has origins dating back thousands of years to ancient Egypt. It includes oral traditions passed down through generations as well as contemporary written works in African languages and European languages. There are several types of African literature including oral literature, pre-colonial literature, colonial literature, and post-colonial literature. Famous African authors include Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Their works often address themes of colonialism, nationalism, cultural conflicts, and hopes for the future.

1. THE AFRICAN LITERATURE
* Name : PayalChudasama
* Topic: Discuss about the African
literature.
* Roll no: 18
* Sem : M.a. sem - 4
* Enrollment no : 2069108420200005
* Submitted by smt. S.B.Gardi
Department of English MKBU
* Email I’d:
chudasmapayal1997@gmail.com

2. ☆INTRODUCTION :-
African literature is the body of traditional oral and written
literatures in Afro- Asiatic and African languages. Together with
works written by Africans in European languages. African literature
come from Africa, East Africa and Suburb Rhodesia (Zimbabwe).
African literature has origins dating back thousands of years to
Ancient Egypt and Hieroglyphs, or writing which uses pictures to
represent words. African literature is defined as literary works
created by authors living in countries on the African continent,
mainly lying in south of the Sahara. The traditions of numerous
African people and the interwoven historical development of the
cultural traditions of Europe , Asia and America are intertwined.

3. ☆ TYPES OF AFRICAN LITERATURE:-AFRICAN
LITERATURE :-
☆ [1 ] Oral Literature :-
Simply means “ literature delivered by word of mouth.”
Traditional oral literature of Africa Flourished in Africa
primarily in absence of widespread literacy and was
handed down the genration through memorization and
reatation. Forms of orature; folk Tales and, Myths , Epic ,
Couneral Dirges; praise poems, and proverb .

4. ☆CONTINUE…☆ CONTINUE…
[2] Pre- Colonial African literature:-
Means literary works done before the coming of the white men to the
African continent.
[3] Colonial African literature :-
written during the colonial period or that speaks about the colonial
period in Africa.
[4] Post – Colonial literature :-
Refers to writings produced at the political independence of Various
African states which were formerly to European colonial rule.

5. ☆☆ CHARACTERISTICS OF AFRICAN LITERATURE :-
CHARACTERISTICS OF AFRICAN LITERATURE :-
《1》 Slave Narratives :-
written by fugitive slaves about their lives in the south and , often, after
escaping to freedom.
《2》 Protests against colonization :-
African writers aimed at revealing the social evils of colonial rule, and to
encourage a sense of African. West African authors used their writings to
speak out against enslavement and for racial equality. They argued against
colonial stereotypes of African as “ primitice.” “Savage” and lacking distinctive
cultural and political system of their own .

6. ☆☆CONTINUE…
《3》 Calls for independence :-
Independence campaigns were led by nationalist leaders with characteristic personalities and great
intellectual ability. In touch with international pan- Africanist, they were able to frame ideas of equality
nationalism and pan – Africanism in a way that both reach the masses and resonated at home and
abroad.
《4》African Pride :-
Creating African identities that promote the idea of a cultural movement of African literary
Renaissance.
《5》Hope for the Future :-
Focuses on the literature betrayal and despair over the goals of liberation struggle in Africa.
《6》 Dissent :-
writers express a differ opinions through writing poems , Stories etc. In which characters have
profound message to political issues.

7. ☆ THREE WAVES OF AFRICAN LITERATURE :-
THREE WAVES OF AFRICAN LITERACY :-
1. Ethiopia where written works have been discovered that
appeared before the earliest literatures in the Celtic and the
Germanic languages of Western Europe.
2. Africa with the spread of Islam from 7th century to 9th century.
3. The encounter with Europe through the trade relationship
missionary activities and colonialism propeted the third wave of
litercy in Africa in 19th and 20th centuries.

8. ☆ THEME OF AFRICAN LITERATURE THEME OF
AFRICAN LITERATURE :-
1. Colonialism
2. Subjugation
3. Nationalism
4. Cultural conflicts
5. Alienation
6. Gender business
7. Poverty
8. Disillusionment
9. Diopora and Exile

9. ☆AFRICAN LITERACY GIANTS:
《1》 wole Soyinka
《2》 Eskia Maphaele
《3》Nigugi Wa Thiongo’s
《4》 Chinua Achebe .
These writers of African ancestry weary
committed restore faith of people in themselves
and society that is “ Decolonizing the mind.”

10. ☆AFRICAN WRITERS :-
《1》Chinua Achebe :-
Full name : Albert Chinualumong Achebe.
• Born : November 16, 1930 Ogidi , Nigeria.
• Death: Marche 21,2013, Boston
Massachusetts U.S.
• Father of African literature.
• Major works like :-
• "Things Fall Apart” - written in 1958 and
published in 1959
• Arrows of God” - 1964

11. ☆CONTINUE…
“A man of the people” - 1966
“ No Longer at East” - 1960
“ Anthills of Savanah” - 1987
《2》 wole Soyinka :-
Wole Soyinka Nigerian contemporary of Achebe’s , was
the first person in Africa to be awarded the Nobel prize
in literature. He is best known for his poetry and plays
and frayer recommends .
His best play like :-
“ Death and the King’s Horseman ” - 1975

12. ☆ CONTINUE…
《 3》Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie:-
Born : in Nigeria in 1977.
Her novel like “ Purple Hibiscus ( 2003)
“ Americanah” (2013)
Won numerous awards ,Including the
orange prize and Booker prize.

13. ☆FAMOUS WORK OF AFRICAN LITERATURE:-

14. ☆CONCLUSION:
• African literature is not important only because of its relevant setting and
relatable storylines. It also increases our social consciousness, and raises
awareness of social, political, and economic crises that the African continent is
facing. English and other colonial languages have come and stayed in Africa;
African writers must continue to write with them since they are lingua franca
in the mix of multiple African languages: one linguistic group is unable to
understand the language of another group.

16. ☆ CITATION
• Olaniyan, Tejumola, and Ato Quayson. African Literature: An Anthology of Criticism
and Theory. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub, 2007.
• Herdeck, Donald . African Authors. Washington, D. C.: Black Orpheus
Press, 1973. “Chinua Achebe,” pp. 22–25.
• Achebe, Chinua. “Things Fall Apart (1962 Edition).” Open Library, Heinemann
Educational, 1 Jan. 1962, openlibrary.org/books/OL13809847M/Things_fall_apart.
• Gunner, Elizabeth Ann Wynne and Scheub, Harold. "African literature". Encyclopedia
Britannica, 14 Aug. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/art/African-literature.