Women writers of gabon : literature and herstory.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Toman, Cheryl.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Gabonese literature--Women authors--History and criticism.

Gabonese literature.

Gabonese literature (French)--History and criticism.

Gabonese literature (French).

Women authors.

Place of Publication:

[Place of publication not identified] : Lexington Books, 2016.

Summary:

Women Writers of Gabon: Literature and Herstory demonstrates how the invisibility of women (historically, politically, cross-culturally) has led to the omission of Gabon's literature from the African canon, but it also features an in-depth discussion about the unique elements of Gabonese women's writing that show it is worthy of critical recognition, proving why Gabonese women writers must be considered a major force in African literature. This volume is the only book-length critical study of Gabonese literature that exists in English; although there are titles in French that provide analyses of the works of Gabonese women writers, no one work is comprehensive or considers the history of women's writing in Gabon in the same manner. Throughout the various chapters, this book explores, among other things, contributions that are unique to Gabonese women writers such as definitions of African feminisms as they pertain to Gabonese society; the rewriting of oral histories, rituals, and traditions of Gabon's ethnic group; one of the first introductions of same-sex couples in African Francophone literature; discussions on the impact of witchcraft on development; and the appropriating of the Fang epic poetry known as the mvet by women writers. The chapters explore works by all major voices in Gabonese women's writing, including Angèle Rawiri, Justine Mintsa, Sylvie Ntsame, Honorine Ngou, and Chantal Magalie Mbazoo-Kassa, and the book concludes with brief introductions to writers of the younger generation, such as Edna Merey-Apinda, Alice Endamne, Nadia Origo, Miryl Eteno, and Elisabeth Aworet among others. Book jacket.

Contents:

Introduction: Assessing an 'absence' of literature in Gabon and the invisibility of women

The emergence of the Gabonese novel: the works of Angèle Rawiri

Justine Mintsa and Gabonese writers of Fang heritage: orality, culture, and tradition

Fang culture, Bwitifang spirituality and the mvet in the novels of Sylvie Ntsame

Gender and sexuality in selected works of Honorine Ngou

Taking literature to the schools: Gabo's children and the contribution of the woman writer.

ISBN:

1498537200

9781498537209

OCLC:

953630892