Northampton Electronic Collection of Theses and Research

Anansegoro: modern storytelling as narrative trope in contemporary Ghanaian literary theatre

Ukaegbu, V. (2010) Anansegoro: modern storytelling as narrative trope in contemporary Ghanaian literary theatre. In: Makokha, J. K. S., Barasa, R. S. and Daramola, A. (eds.) Tales, Tellers, and Tale-Making: Critical Studies on Literary Stylistics and Narrative Styles in Contemporary African Literature. Berlin: Verlag Dr. Muller (VDM). pp. 246-265.

Item Type: Book Section
Abstract: Storytelling was a highly developed art form in pre-colonial and colonial Ghana. The stories did more than provide evening entertainment for people, they interrogated socio-cultural subjects and themes, exposed human misdemeanours and encouraged community cohesion through periodic re-telling and enactments. Colonialism did not impact indigenous storytelling in Ghana as much as it did other cultural institutions for early in the colonial period politicians such as J.B. Danquah and Kwame Nkrumah enlisted theatre in their struggle for political independence from Britain (Okagbue 2002). This was an important factor in the later development of two distinct forms of performance, the concert party and the literary theatre (Barber et al, Gibbs) and more significantly, the emergence of Anansegoro as a narrative trope. Anansegoro is synonymous with the establishment of a national postcolonial theatre tradition. This chapter discusses the changes from Anansesem to Anansegoro and the latter’s development into a narrative trope and genre with its own aesthetic conventions
Uncontrolled Keywords: Anansesem, Anansegoro, Abibgromma, Mboguo
Subjects: P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN2000 Dramatic representation. The Theater > PN2219.3 Special regions or countries > PN2969 Africa > PN2990.4 Ghana
P Language and Literature > PL Languages and literatures of Eastern Asia, Africa, Oceania > PL8000 African languages and literature
Creators: Ukaegbu, Victor
Editors: Makokha, Justus Kizito Siboe, Barasa, Remmy Shiundu and Daramola, Adeyemi
Publisher: Verlag Dr. Muller (VDM)
Northamptonshire and East Midlands: Education, Training and Skills
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes: Faculties > Faculty of Arts, Science & Technology > Journalism, Media & Performance
Date: 18 November 2010
Date Type: Publication
Page Range: pp. 246-265
Title of Book: Tales, Tellers, and Tale-Making: Critical Studies on Literary Stylistics and Narrative Styles in Contemporary African Literature
Place of Publication: Berlin
Number of Pages: 328
Language: English
ISBN: 9783639311372
Status: Published / Disseminated
Refereed: Yes
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URI: http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/5152

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