Predecessors
The first references to Africa in literature began in the 15th century with Portuguese and Spanish exploration of the Atlantic. This period was one of exploration and conquest, and the literature written then contains travel accounts, memoirs, chronicles, and reports.
The next period, one of occupation and exploitation, is characterized by colonial literature. The central theme of this literature is a savage, wild Africa; the protagonists are idealized white characters with a negative, paternalistic vision of the Africans, who are portrayed as inferior beings. These novels were written for the audience of the colonialists, not a local audience, and were used as justification for colonialism.
Read more about this topic: Equatoguinean Literature In Spanish
Famous quotes containing the word predecessors:
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—Alexander Herzen (1812–1870)
“No philosopher understands his predecessors until he has re-thought their thought in his own contemporary terms.”
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