Synopses & Reviews
This play by renowned poet and political activist Aime Césaire recounts the tragic death of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the Congo Republic and an African nationalist hero. A Season in the Congo follows Lumumbas efforts to free the Congolese from Belgian rule and the political struggles that led to his assassination in 1961. Césaire 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, Césaire was a revolutionary artist and lifelong political activist, who founded the Martinique Independent Revolution Party. Césaires 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, Césaires play will find a new audience of readers interested in world literature and the vestiges of European colonialism.
Synopsis
A revolutionary artist and lifelong political activist, Césaire's forceful opposition to imperialism, racism and the assimilation of Western culture among non-Western people has exerted a profound influence on contemporary world literature. In his play, A Season in the Congo, he recounts the betrayal and assassination of the much-loved Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the Congo Republic and an African nationalist hero. The play recounts how Lumumba helped overthrow colonialist Belgian rule and brought independence to the Congo. A deeply moving and enthralling work.
Synopsis
This play by renowned poet and political activist Aime Cesairerecounts 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. Cesaire 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, Cesaire was a revolutionary artist and lifelong political activist, who founded the Martinique Independent Revolution Party. Cesaire'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, Cesaire's play will find a new audience of readers interested in world literature and the vestiges of European colonialism.
Synopsis
A Season in the Congo recounts the tragic death of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the Congo Republic and an African nationalist hero. The play follows Lumumbas efforts to free the Congolese from Belgian rule and the political struggles that led to his assassination in 1961. Césaire depicts Lumumba as a sympathetic Christ-like figure whose conscious martyrdom reflects his self-sacrificing humanity and commitment to pan-Africanism. A revolutionary artist and lifelong political activist, Césaires forceful opposition to imperialism, racism and the assimilation of Western culture among non-Western people has exerted a profound influence on contemporary world literature.
About the Author
Aime Césaire (1913-2008) was born in Basse-Pointe, Martinique. Though educated in Paris, he was deeply involved in the struggle for French West Indian rights. He is the author of several volumes of poetry and plays, including Putting in Fetters; Lost Bodies, Decapitated Sun; and The Tragedy of King Christophe. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak is University Professor in the humanities and director of the Institute for Comparative Literature and Society at Columbia University.
Table of Contents
From the Translator
Introduction by Souleymane Bachir Diagne
A Season in the Congo
Notes
Cast list of the 4 October 1967 staging at the Theatre de l'Est-Parisien