african literature essay

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• Introduction

The nature of storytelling

• The proverb
• Heroic poetry
• History and myth
• The influence of oral traditions on modern writers
• Southern Sotho

African literature

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• African literature - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
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African literature , the body of traditional oral and written literatures in Afro-Asiatic and African languages together with works written by Africans in European languages. Traditional written literature , which is limited to a smaller geographic area than is oral literature, is most characteristic of those sub-Saharan cultures that have participated in the cultures of the Mediterranean. In particular, there are written literatures in both Hausa and Arabic, created by the scholars of what is now northern Nigeria , and the Somali people have produced a traditional written literature. There are also works written in Geʿez (Ethiopic) and Amharic, two of the languages of Ethiopia , which is the one part of Africa where Christianity has been practiced long enough to be considered traditional. Works written in European languages date primarily from the 20th century onward. The literature of South Africa in English and Afrikaans is also covered in a separate article, South African literature . See also African theatre .

The relationship between oral and written traditions and in particular between oral and modern written literatures is one of great complexity and not a matter of simple evolution. Modern African literatures were born in the educational systems imposed by colonialism, with models drawn from Europe rather than existing African traditions. But the African oral traditions exerted their own influence on these literatures.

Oral traditions

The storyteller speaks, time collapses, and the members of the audience are in the presence of history. It is a time of masks. Reality, the present, is here, but with explosive emotional images giving it a context . This is the storyteller’s art: to mask the past, making it mysterious, seemingly inaccessible. But it is inaccessible only to one’s present intellect; it is always available to one’s heart and soul, one’s emotions. The storyteller combines the audience’s present waking state and its past condition of semiconsciousness, and so the audience walks again in history, joining its forebears. And history, always more than an academic subject, becomes for the audience a collapsing of time. History becomes the audience’s memory and a means of reliving of an indeterminate and deeply obscure past.

Storytelling is a sensory union of image and idea, a process of re-creating the past in terms of the present; the storyteller uses realistic images to describe the present and fantasy images to evoke and embody the substance of a culture ’s experience of the past. These ancient fantasy images are the culture’s heritage and the storyteller’s bounty: they contain the emotional history of the culture, its most deeply felt yearnings and fears, and they therefore have the capacity to elicit strong emotional responses from members of audiences. During a performance, these envelop contemporary images—the most unstable parts of the oral tradition , because they are by their nature always in a state of flux—and thereby visit the past on the present.

It is the task of the storyteller to forge the fantasy images of the past into masks of the realistic images of the present, enabling the performer to pitch the present to the past, to visualize the present within a context of—and therefore in terms of—the past. Flowing through this potent emotional grid is a variety of ideas that have the look of antiquity and ancestral sanction. Story occurs under the mesmerizing influence of performance—the body of the performer, the music of her voice, the complex relationship between her and her audience. It is a world unto itself, whole, with its own set of laws. Images that are unlike are juxtaposed , and then the storyteller reveals—to the delight and instruction of the members of the audience—the linkages between them that render them homologous. In this way the past and the present are blended; ideas are thereby generated, forming a conception of the present. Performance gives the images their context and ensures the audience a ritual experience that bridges past and present and shapes contemporary life.

Storytelling is alive, ever in transition, never hardened in time. Stories are not meant to be temporally frozen; they are always responding to contemporary realities, but in a timeless fashion. Storytelling is therefore not a memorized art. The necessity for this continual transformation of the story has to do with the regular fusing of fantasy and images of the real, contemporary world. Performers take images from the present and wed them to the past, and in that way the past regularly shapes an audience’s experience of the present. Storytellers reveal connections between humans—within the world, within a society, within a family—emphasizing an interdependence and the disaster that occurs when obligations to one’s fellows are forsaken. The artist makes the linkages, the storyteller forges the bonds, tying past and present, joining humans to their gods, to their leaders, to their families, to those they love, to their deepest fears and hopes, and to the essential core of their societies and beliefs.

The language of storytelling includes, on the one hand, image, the patterning of image, and the manipulation of the body and voice of the storyteller and, on the other, the memory and present state of the audience. A storytelling performance involves memory: the recollection of each member of the audience of his experiences with respect to the story being performed, the memory of his real-life experiences, and the similar memories of the storyteller. It is the rhythm of storytelling that welds these disparate experiences, yearnings, and thoughts into the images of the story. And the images are known, familiar to the audience. That familiarity is a crucial part of storytelling. The storyteller does not craft a story out of whole cloth: she re-creates the ancient story within the context of the real, contemporary, known world. It is the metaphorical relationship between these memories of the past and the known images of the world of the present that constitutes the essence of storytelling. The story is never history; it is built of the shards of history. Images are removed from historical contexts , then reconstituted within the demanding and authoritative frame of the story. And it is always a sensory experience, an experience of the emotions. Storytellers know that the way to the mind is by way of the heart. The interpretative effects of the storytelling experience give the members of the audience a refreshed sense of reality, a context for their experiences that has no existence in reality. It is only when images of contemporary life are woven into the ancient familiar images that metaphor is born and experience becomes meaningful.

Stories deal with change: mythic transformations of the cosmos, heroic transformations of the culture, transformations of the lives of everyman. The storytelling experience is always ritual, always a rite of passage; one relives the past and, by so doing, comes to insight about present life. Myth is both a story and a fundamental structural device used by storytellers. As a story, it reveals change at the beginning of time, with gods as the central characters. As a storytelling tool for the creation of metaphor, it is both material and method. The heroic epic unfolds within the context of myth , as does the tale. At the heart of each of these genres is metaphor, and at the core of metaphor is riddle with its associate, proverb. Each of these oral forms is characterized by a metaphorical process, the result of patterned imagery. These universal art forms are rooted in the specificities of the African experience.

Essay on African Literature

Students are often asked to write an essay on African Literature in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on African Literature

Introduction to african literature.

African literature is a collection of stories, poems, and plays from Africa. It’s a way for Africans to share their history, culture, and beliefs. This literature is written in many languages, including English, French, and African languages like Swahili.

Early African Literature

Early African literature was mostly oral, passed down from generation to generation. These included folk tales, myths, and songs. They taught morals and values, and were a big part of cultural celebrations. Some of these stories are still told today.

Modern African Literature

In modern times, African literature is often written. Many African writers have gained international fame. Their works talk about African life, social issues, and history. Some famous writers include Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and Ngugi wa Thiong’o.

Themes in African Literature

African literature often explores themes like colonialism, post-colonialism, and the struggle for independence. It also focuses on social issues, like poverty, corruption, and gender inequality. These themes help to show the realities of life in Africa.

Importance of African Literature

250 words essay on african literature, what is african literature.

African Literature is a collection of written and spoken work from Africa. This work can be in many different languages, like English, French, Portuguese, and African languages like Swahili or Hausa. The work can be stories, poems, or plays. African Literature shows the culture, history, and experiences of African people.

Types of African Literature

There are two main types of African Literature. The first type is oral literature. This is when stories, poems, or songs are told by word of mouth. They are not written down but are passed from one person to another. The second type is written literature. This is when stories, poems, or plays are written down.

African Literature often talks about important topics. Some of these topics include the struggle for freedom, the effects of colonization, and the importance of tradition and culture. These themes help us understand the experiences of African people.

Notable African Writers

There are many famous African writers. One of them is Chinua Achebe from Nigeria. He wrote the famous book “Things Fall Apart”. Another important writer is Wole Soyinka, also from Nigeria, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Why is African Literature Important?

African Literature is important because it gives us a view into the life, culture, and history of African people. It helps us understand their struggles and triumphs. It also shows us the beauty and richness of African culture and tradition.

500 Words Essay on African Literature

African literature is a rich and diverse field, full of stories that tell about the cultures, histories, and experiences of people from all over the African continent. It’s a broad term that includes works written in many languages, including English, French, Portuguese, and a multitude of African languages.

Roots of African Literature

African literature has deep roots. Long before people wrote books, African cultures passed down stories orally. These oral traditions are a very important part of African literature. They include folk tales, myths, and legends, and often teach lessons or explain the world. Today, many African authors still use elements of these oral traditions in their works.

Colonial Influence on African Literature

In the modern era, African literature continues to evolve and grow. Authors from Africa are now recognized around the world for their unique and powerful storytelling. They write about many different topics, from the struggles of post-colonial Africa to the experiences of Africans living in other parts of the world. Some well-known modern African authors include Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Wole Soyinka, and Nadine Gordimer.

African Literature and Society

African literature is not just about telling stories. It also plays a big role in society. It helps people understand and think about important issues, like race, gender, and politics. Many African authors use their works to critique social norms and challenge injustices. In this way, African literature can be a powerful tool for change.

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Ato Quayson

Ato Quayson is the Jean G. and Morris M. Doyle Professor in Interdisciplinary Studies and Professor of English. He studied for his undergraduate degree at the University of Ghana and took his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge, after which he held a Junior Research Fellowship at Wolfson College, Oxford before returning to Cambridge to become Reader in Commonwealth and Postcolonial Literature in the Faculty of English from 1995-2005. He was also Director of the Centre for African Studies (1998-2005) and a Fellow of Pembroke College while at Cambridge (1995-2005). Prior to Stanford he was Professor of African and Postcolonial Literature at New York University (2017-2019) and Professor of English and inaugural Director of the Centre for Diaspora and Transnational Studies at the University of Toronto (2005-2017). In 2016 he was appointed University Professor at the University of Toronto, the highest distinction that the university can bestow. 

Professor Quayson has published 6 monographs and 10 edited volumes. His monographs include  Strategic Transformations in Nigerian Writing  (1997),  Postcolonialism: Theory, Practice, or Process?  (2000),  Calibrations: Reading for the Social  (2003), and  Aesthetic Nervousness: Disability and the Crisis of Representation  (2007).  Oxford Street, Accra: City Life and the Itineraries of Transnationalism  (2014) was co-winner of the Urban History Association's 2015 Best Book Prize (non-North America) and was named in The Guardian as one of the 10 Best Books on Cities in 2014. His most recent book is  Tragedy and Postcolonial Literature  (Cambridge University Press, 2021), winner of the Warren-Brooks Prize in Literary Criticism for 2022. Edited volumes include  Relocating Postcolonialism  (with David Goldberg, 2001),  African Literary Theory: An Anthology of Literary Criticism and Theory  (with Tejumola Olaniyan, 2007),  Fathers and Daughters: An Anthology of Exploration  (2008),  Labor Migration, Human Trafficking, and Multinational Corporations , (with Antonela Arhin, 2012),  The Cambridge History of Postcolonial Literature , 2 volumes (2012),  A Companion to Diaspora and Transnational Studies  (with Girish Daswani, 2013),  The Cambridge Companion to the Postcolonial Novel  (2016), The Cambridge Companion to the City in World Literature (with Jini Kim Watson, 2023),  and Decolonizing the English Literary Curriculum (with Ankhi Mukherjee, 2023).  He also wrote a new Introduction and Notes to Nelson Mandela’s (2003). Works-in-progress include Accra Chic: A Locational History of Fashion in Accra (with Grace Tolequé; Intellect Books and Chicago University Press) and Exile and Diaspora in African Literature. 

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• > Introduction: African Literature in African Languages: Orality and the Burden of Modernity

Book contents

• Frontmatter
• Notes on Contributors
• Introduction: African Literature in African Languages: Orality and the Burden of Modernity
• Literary Supplement Four Poems
• Featured Articles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2024

A year after the much-celebrated ‘Conference of African Writers of English Expression’, which took place in Uganda in 1962, Obiajunwa Wali published a scathing article, ‘The Dead End of African Literature?’ in the journal Transition , in which he criticized the privileging of African literatures written in European languages over those in indigenous African languages, as evidenced by the category of African writers invited to the conference. Much has been made of his problematic attempt to define African literature and prescribe texts that fit the form, but Wali threw an important challenge to his readers towards the end of his short essay, stating: ‘What one would like future conferences on African literature to devote time to, is the all-important problem of African writing in African languages, and all its implications for the development of a truly African sensibility’ ( Transition , 10 September 1963: 14). Central to this debate on the politics of language in African literature are two canonical essays by two of Africa's foremost novelists, ‘The African Writer and the English Language’ by Chinua Achebe and ‘The Language of African Literature’ by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. These two texts, to which we shall return later, have come to represent, broadly, the two ‘tendencies’ writers and scholars of African literatures exhibit when debates about the languages of African literature are wont to erupt.

Sixty years have passed since that historic Makerere University conference in which indigenous African language literatures were conspicuously cast aside for those written in English or French. In the intervening years, discursive approaches such as postcolonialism, postmodernism, and world literature (Damrosch; Prendergast) have compounded the debate and stretched the binary/dichotomy between African (oral) literatures in indigenous languages and ‘modern’ African literatures in European languages or languages of the colonizers. Given the renewed interest in this abiding question of the language of African literatures in the context of decoloniality and the promotion of prizes to recognize and encourage writing in African languages and to kindle translation from, between, and into African languages, exemplified by the Safal-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature (see https://kiswahiliprize.cornell.edu), it is pertinent to return to Wali's submission and ask: What is the state of African literatures in African languages today?

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• By Nduka Otiono , Chiji Akọma
• General editor Ernest N. Emenyonu , University of Michigan, Flint
• Edited by Nduka Otiono , Carleton University, Ottawa , Chiji Akọma , Villanova University, Pennsylvania
• Book: African Literature in African Languages
• Online publication: 22 February 2024
• Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781805431077.001

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Afrocritik’s 20 Remarkable African Essays of 2021

By Michael Chiedoziem Chukwudera

There is a widely-held consensus that 2021 is a great year for African literature because of the relative widespread success of African writers in the global publishing scene. In an essay published earlier this year about the dying art of literary criticism, it was pointed out that critical thinking should be seen as a necessary arbiter of growth. Hopefully in the coming years, it would not be as challenging to pinpoint dozens of amazing essays from across the continent. Interestingly, most of what African writers have published this year are poetry and fiction.

Young writers of this generation boast an enviable canon in the writing of those two leading genres of literature, with drama relegated to the backstage. Much like drama, creative nonfiction and critical essays are also on the decline. Over the years, writers like Otosirieze Obi-Young from his Brittle Paper days, as well as the Kenyan short story writer and Caine Prize nominee, Troy Onyango, have advocated for people to write more essays.

At some point, too, it did seem there were a boom of personal essays, many of them exploring topics like trauma, sexuality, but largely uncritical in nature.

In 2021, it could be argued there was a serious decline in essays from the continent. Any serious researcher and follower of creative writing cannot help but feel the need for more essayists to critically examine the much-touted growth of literature in the continent and its consequences, to point out the growing trends and the often-neglected issues.

Below, in no particular order, is Afrocritik ’s top 20 critical essays published in Africa in this year under review.

“ The Worldly Ways of Teju Cole ”  Author: Otosirieze Obi-Young Publisher: Open Country Magazine Publication date: 4th July

A comprehensive profile of Teju Cole’s writing which details the writer’s biography and history of his writing.  Here, Teju Cole discusses his growing up in Nigeria and moving to America as an adolescent, getting his first degree before dropping out of medical school to focus on his writing and photography career. Teju Cole discusses his writing career, earmarking the search for artistic freedom as the driving force behind his art.

“ Happily, Cautious After (A Lockdown Memoir )”  Author: Temitope Owolabi Publisher: Isele Magazine Publication date: 22nd March

A memoir which details the author’s life immediately after COVID-19. Owolabi’s writing is rich in details and picturesque in the way it narrates her experiences. She critically examines the behaviour of the British society in the wake of the pandemic and expresses hope in the lessons from these events that we may learn in the future.

“ On the Wonders of Epiphanic Writing ” Author: Teju Cole Publisher: Lithub Publication date: 26th October

Here, Teju Cole expands on the meaning of epiphanic writing, some of the most important epiphanic writers in history, how he has come to write in this way and how important it is to him that he writes like that. He draws examples from important figures in history like Teresa of Avila, and Julian of Norwich. He also explores how his writing has evolved from the vantage of epiphanic writing.

“ When Dambudzo Marechera Met Aaron Chiundura Moyo: A Brief History of Zimbabwe’s Language Wars ”  Author: Onai Mushava Publisher: Brittle Paper Publication date: 4th November 

A historical piece on some important arguments by icons of Zimbabwean literature, Aaron Chiundura Moyo, and Dambudzo Marechera. An important piece, especially as it is a critical examination of an important aspect of African literature.

“ & Other Stories ” Author: Eloghosa Osunde Publisher: The Paris Review Publication date: 22nd July

In this essay, the author takes apart the surreality of time and senses. She examines society, the labels in it, as well as the words that define it. Osunde reimagines the way we look at society. It is the third essay in her column on The Paris Review.

“ A Man of Scarce Means ”  Author: Emmanuel Iduma Publisher: n+1 Publication date: Fall 2021 Issue: Snake Oil

“Scarce” in this essay is a metaphor for the writer’s limitedness in the Igbo language, his native tongue. Iduma writes of his relationship with the language and how he once tried to translate a novel from Igbo to English Language. According to Iduma, he attempted the translation, not because he was able to understand Igbo language well enough to translate between both languages, but because he wanted to see how far he could go. He writes, “I was testing, not for accuracy, but possibility.”

“ Your Power Ends Where Mine Begins ” Author: OluTimehin Kukoyi Publisher: The Republic Publication date: 18th August

OluTimehin Kukoyi responds to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s call out of Kukoyi and Akwaeke Emezi in Adichie’s “It is Obscene” essay. Kukoyi’s essay is beautifully worded. And although it is imperfect in the way it argues its point, it is, relatively, one of the most intellectual attempts to make a case for the transgender community in Nigeria.

“ Hearing the Silence ”  Author: Panashe Chigumadzi Publisher: Johannesburg Review of Books Publication date: 15th April

Feminist essayist, Panashe Chigumadzi discusses the plight of women and the various methods through which women are prevented from voicing their pains. Panashe Chigumadzi continues in the path which has put her on as one of the leading feminist thinkers in Africa.

“ The Revolution is a Song! ”  Author: Karsten Noko Publisher: The Republic Publication date: 13th October

This essay discusses the role of music in various African renaissance struggles. Ir discusses the legacies of the older generation of revolutionary musicians in relation to the current, drawing reference from how musicians like Bobi Wine continue to draw inspiration from singers like Fela.

“ The Detachment of Onlookers ” Author: Nzube Ifechukwu Publisher: Isele Magazine Publication date: 5th July

In this personal essay, the author narrates his personal experience with lisp, a speech defect. He narrates the story of the first time in his childhood when he discovered he had the defect, his journey from then to adulthood, battling the defect. Ifechukwu examines the self-consciousness which one suffers from dealing with such defects.

“ Travelers ”  Author: Nzube Nlebedim Publisher: The Republic  Publication date: 17th March

The essay discusses the growth of African literature and critically examines the various shifts in paradigm through the lens of two indigenous African novels. The author examines these important topics, both from a vantage of personal opinion (as the essay begins with an answer he had given to someone who asked him what the growth of African literature meant to him), and also from a critical standpoint where he discusses the shifts and evolution of the industry to accommodate discussions about other topics.

“ The Case Study of the Pelican (Insights from Hours in the Life of a Bipolar Girl)”

Author: Abigail George Publisher: The Kalahari Review Publication date: 2nd August

Examining the life of a bipolar girl and what it means to suffer from bipolar disorder, this essay is a story as well as an examination of a personality defect of which a lot of people are ignorant. It provides insight to this disorder by examining a day in the life of a girl suffering from it.

“ Nigerians and the We Meuve Culture ”  Author: Ahmad Adedimeji Amobi Publisher: Brittle Paper Publication date: 19th July

Akwaeke Emezi’s Latest Novel, “Little Rot” Set to Hit Shelves in 2024

A critical essay which examines the harmful habit of Nigerians, moving on too quickly instead of confronting their problems. The essay makes an argument for why this culture is detrimental for growth. It is a critical examination of society, and the implications of current trends in societal behaviour.

“ A Sombre School Story ” Author: Sindi Leigh Mc Bride Publisher (Doek!) Publication date: 12th March

An essay which examines contemporary times as well as historical times. It also surveys how education has been affected in Africa in relation to the west and contemplates the likely chasm in inequality this is likely to result in.

“ Books As Ammunition ” Author: Ope Adedeji Publisher: The Republic Publication date: 17th May

Ope Adedeji recounts her experience of loneliness and uncertainty after leaving Nigeria to take a creative writing course. Despite traveling abroad to further her writing career, she struggled to see writing in her future. Faced with this dilemma, the only ammunition she could turn to was books, especially those of foremost Nigerian novelist, Buchi Emecheta.

“ Japa ”  Author:  John Babalola Publisher: The Republic Publication date: 30th July

An essay which explores how young Nigerians leave Nigeria in search of opportunities to better their life, and how leaving Nigeria is almost the only alternative to many young people. It examines this trend, and attempts to take on its implication for Nigeria’s future.

“ The Writer’s Voice in a Political, Social and Artistically Conscious World ”  Author: Zukiswa Wanner Publisher: Brittle Paper Publication date: 15th March

This essay, adapted from Zukiswa Wanner’s speech at “The Time of the Writer’s Festival” is an interesting take on the writer’s responsibility in a politically-, socially- and artistically-conscious world, especially in a time like this when the world is plagued with a pandemic.

“ The Ludicrousness of Ungodly Things ”  Author: Ifesinachi Nwadike Publisher: Kalahari Review Publication date: 10th November

A memoir which tells the sad story of ancestral myths and superstition, and how an ancient tree was destroyed by overzealous Christians for the superstition that it was behind the lack of progress in the community. The memoir is a story which is also a criticism of religious intolerance and the harmful habits resulting from unsubstantiated superstition. It is also ironic in the way it looks at how societies blame their misfortunes on superstitions rather than combatting the problems head-on.

“ Confraternities vs Fraternities: Where did the Nigerian Experiment go Wrong? ” Author: Joshua Chizoma Publisher: Afrocritik Publication date: 13th October

In this essay, Joshua Chizoma examines the original purpose for which confraternities and fraternities were created, the elite status many of them have in western community. He contrasts it with the Nigerian scenario, where they have become cesspools of crime and criminal activities. The essay attempts to examine what may have gone wrong with the Nigerian form of confraternities.

“ A Book Collector’s Journal ”  Author: Kola Tubosun Publisher: Olongo Africa Publication date: 9th April

An essay in which Tubosun details how he began to acquire old books in London during COVID-19 lockdown, and his experience while at it. The author describes his reasons for acquiring these books: as for their sentimental values rather than for his desire to reread them. He describes in detail how first editions of books become expensive as their sentimental values increase. It is a critical examination of books as cultural artifacts.

There you have it, Afrocritik’s 20 Remarkable African Essays of 2021.

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East African Literature: Essays on Written and Oral Traditions , ed. J. K. S. Makokha, Egara Kabaji, and Dominica Dipio

2012, Research in African Literatures

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