Isabelle Constant, "Antillanite, Creolite, Litterature-Monde"
2013 | pages: 170 | ISBN: 1443842036 | PDF | 9,0 mb

The term Francophonie has been an issue of debate among literary critics for some time. Since the 2007 manifesto many of them have gravitated to the term literature-monde. This more inclusive term is already found in the work of Glissant who saw his concept of antillanite evolve towards creolite. The term litterature-monde has now become predominant, encompassing all the branches of a literature as diverse as the regions and experiences it describes. An important feature of this collection of essays is that they explore how this change came about and the concepts present in literature in French that are associated with this change. In particular, many of the essays demonstrate how the three movements of antillanite, creolite and litterature-monde break the continuum of French literary studies while simultaneously each of the concepts distances itself from the hexagonal centre. The authors in this collection of essays show how writers seek to represent an authentic view of their history, culture, identities, reality and diversities. For each of these articles the introductory essay asks the following questions: Is this study a conflict-based study or a study that pays attention to accommodation, i. e. one that brings cultures together? We examine to what extent critics in the collection identify the writers of the most recent movement, litterature-monde, looking for division in their writing or do they envisage that the writers are attempting to create something new? The very definition of creolite or creolization suggests a mixture of cultures that eschew the notions of purity and essence. The key feature of this concept is, ultimately, the ability to create something new out of different cultures. How do the writers avoid or resolve the idea of essence? This collection of essays demonstrates that a number of different strategies are pursued. Of course, there are some theoretical problems. If litterature-monde is as its name indicates all-encompassing, what scope is there for a continuing process of change whereby a new literature beyond litterature-monde might be created? According to many of the writers in this collection, creolization or litterature-monde have both created a new kind of literature. For example it is argued that a new type of detective story is created in the works of Nick Stone or that Gabonese novels are informed by Fang epic poetry to form a new genre of literature. The editors of this collection are of the opinion that these essays will appeal to all literary critics and readers of world literature written in French.