Aimé Césaire war eine zentrale Stimme in Poesie und Politik, dessen Werk die Themen Identität und Kolonialismus eindringlich untersuchte. Verwurzelt in der Négritude-Bewegung, zeichnet sich sein Schreiben durch tiefen Lyrizismus und Dringlichkeit aus. Césaire strebte nach politischer und kultureller Befreiung, und seine Essays und Gedichte wurden zu grundlegenden Texten für den Kampf der afrikanischen Diaspora um Rechte. Sein Vermächtnis liegt in seiner Fähigkeit, künstlerische Brillanz mit politischem Aktivismus zu verbinden und den Marginalisierten eine Stimme zu geben.
»Im »Discours sur le colonialisme«, erstmals 1950 veröffentlicht, prangert Césaire leidenschaftlich die Verbrechen und Gräuel an, die jahrhundertelang von Weißen an Schwarzen verübt worden waren und selbst nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg in Indochina, auf Madagaskar und andernorts weiterhin verübt wurden. Mit unerbittlicher Logik hält Césaire der weißen Zivilisation den Spiegel ihrer Barbarei vor und zeigt, dass der Faschismus schon immer in ihr vorhanden war.« Heribert Becker
Über zwanzig Jahre nach der letzten deutschen Ausgabe erscheint eine umfassende Sammlung der Gedichte Aimé Césaires, die seine antikolonialen Themen und den Reichtum seiner Sprache betont. Enthalten sind das berühmte Poem „Cahier d’un retour au pays natal“ sowie ein Gespräch mit Daniel Maximin und Anmerkungen des Übersetzers Klaus Laabs.
This unique collection stands out as the sole bilingual edition, showcasing a fresh and innovative approach to its themes. It offers readers an opportunity to engage with the text in two languages, enhancing the experience and accessibility. The work challenges conventional narratives and invites readers to explore diverse perspectives, making it a significant addition to contemporary literature.
'We shall speak. We shall sing. We shall shout.' This blazing autobiographical poem by the founder of the négritude movement became a rallying cry for decolonisation when it appeared in 1939. Following one man's return from Europe to his homeland of Martinique, it is a reckoning with the trauma of slavery and exploitation, and a triumphant anthem for Black identity, one which reclaims and remakes language itself. 'Nothing less than the greatest lyrical monument of this time' André Breton 'A Césaire poem explodes and whirls about itself like a rocket, suns burst forth whirling and exploding' Jean-Paul Sartre 'The most influential Francophone Caribbean writer of his generation' Independent
This play by renowned poet and political activist Aime C sairerecounts the tragic death of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the Congo Republic and an African nationalist hero. A Season in the Congofollows Lumumba's efforts to free the Congolese from Belgian rule and the political struggles that led to his assassination in 1961. C saire powerfully depicts Lumumba as a sympathetic, Christ-like figure whose conscious martyrdom reflects his self-sacrificing humanity and commitment to pan-Africanism. Born in Martinique and educated in Paris, C saire was a revolutionary artist and lifelong political activist, who founded the Martinique Independent Revolution Party. C saire's ardent personal opposition to Western imperialism and racism fuels both his profound sympathy for Lumumba and the emotional strength of A Season in the Congo. Now rendered in a lyrical translation by distinguished scholar Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, C saire's play will find a new audience of readers interested in world literature and the vestiges of European colonialism.
Césaire’s rich and insightful adaptation of The Tempest draws on contemporary Caribbean society, the African-American experience and African mythology to raise questions about colonialism, racism and their lasting effects.
This book presents the long-awaited English translation of Aimé Césaire's account of Toussaint Louverture, the iconic leader of the Saint-Domingue revolution—a slave revolt against French colonial rule that ultimately led to Haiti's independence. Saint-Domingue was the first modern nation to grapple with the complexities of colonialism. When Louverture emerged, various movements sought political autonomy, free trade, and social equality. The French Revolution introduced a powerful notion of universal liberty, particularly through the Declaration of Human Rights, which inspired wealthy free Black men in the colony to demand their rights. When these demands went unmet, enslaved Blacks rose in armed rebellion. This struggle for one class's liberation evolved into a broader revolution for equal rights for all. For true emancipation, Saint-Domingue required independence. Louverture actively embodied the Declaration's principles, proving that no race should be marginalized. He united disparate groups into a cohesive army, transforming a peasant uprising into a revolutionary movement that forged a nation-state. Césaire's profound historical and analytical insights illuminate Louverture's context and actions, making this work essential for students and scholars of critical theory, Latin American history, and those interested in colonialism and race.