Voices from the Postcolonial World

In this course we will study seminal 20th century plays from countries that do not belong to the so-called “dominant west.” While our primary focus will be close analysis of dramatic texts, we will occasionally read other kinds of writing (critical work, historical essays, primary documents) with a view to gaining insight into the historical and cultural context underlying each work. Our ultimate goal is to understand the plays as three-dimensional artistic interventions into the fabric of diverse societies. The reading list will include playwrights such as Aimé Césaire, José Triana, Nelson Rodrigues, Oswald de Andrade, Griselda Gambaro, Athol Fugard, Wole Soyinka, and Derek Walcott. All readings in English. 3 hrs. lect. (Dramatic Literature)/