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The Negritude Poets and Their Critics: a Literary Assessment and Implications for Education

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The Negritude Poets and Their Critics: a Literary Assessment and Implications for Education INFORMATION TO USERS This material was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the original submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or patterns which may appear on this reproduction. 1.The sign or "target" for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is "Missing Page(s)". If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting thru an image and duplicating adjacent pages to insure you complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a large round black mark, it is an indication that the photographer suspected that the copy may have moved during exposure and thus cause a blurred image. You will find ja good image of the page in the adjacent frame. 3. When a map, drawing or chart, etc., was part of the material being photographed the photographer followed a definite method in "sectioning" the material. It is customary to begin photoing at the upper left hand corner of a large sheet and to continue photoing from left to right in equal sections with a small overlap. If necessary, sectioning is continued again - beginning below the first row and continuing on until complete. 4. The majority of users indicate that the textual content is of greatest value, however, a somewhat higher quality reproduction could be made from "photographs" if essential to the understanding of the dissertation. Silver prints of "photographs" may be ordered at additional charge by writing the Order Department, giving the catalog number, title, author and specific pages you wish reproduced. 5. PLEASE NOTE: Some pages may have indistinct print. Filmed as received. University Microfilms International 300 North Zeab Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 USA St. John's Road, Tyler's Green High Wycombe, Bucks, England HP10 8HR 7824893 LATIMER, GEORGIE BLANCHE THE NEGRITUOE POETS AND THEIR CRITICS! A LITERARY ASSESSMENT AND IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT GREENSBORO# ED.D.t 1978 University Microfilms International SOON, ZEEB ROAD, ANN ARBOR, MI 48IO6 (c) 1978 GEORGIE BLANCHE LATIMER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THE NEGRITUDE POETS AND THEIR CRITICS: A LITERARY ASSESSMENT AND IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION by Georgie Blanche Latimer A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education Greensboro 1978 Approved by Dissertation Adviser APPROVAL PAGE This dissertation has: been approved by the following committee of the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dissertation * i -*•* A CP I Adviser k. U . \StA\yUA Committee Members J)j p // - M IWi \«n Date of^Examination n LATIMER, GEORGIE BLANCHE. The Negritude Poets and Their Critics: A Literary Assessment and Implications for Education. (1978) Directed by Dr. Elisabeth Bowles. Pp. 248 This study was designed to define and to analyze the work of four negritude poets, Langston Hughes, Leon Damas, Leopold Senghor and Aime Cesaire, in relation to the literary assessment by their critics and potential implications for education. It proceeded to consider and to develop the interrelation of four broad areas: first, the tradi­ tional and changing place and role of literature in the school and college curriculum; second, the ontological and literary qualities of poetic negritude and its relation to the literature curriculum; thirds the reaction of African and Western critics to negritude as a literary movement; and fourth, an assessment of negritude poetry and its historical reality and essential realism by responding to the poetry and by reacting to views of its critics. A review of materials related to theory and practics in the literature program revealed that the traditional place and role of lit­ erature at all levels of the curriculum are recognized as means of providing intellectual and affective content of literary experiences. Literature is also a means of providing student-teacher interaction with a variety of genre from which the student develops a theoretical understanding and literary appreciation of literature in general. How­ ever, literary theorists stand firm on their belief that the consequen­ tial position of the changing role of literature is inherent in its function and restrictive in its selection of content for the curriculum. They maintain that current changes in student population and world view have altered the school curriculum and the educational process. Both of these changes have affected tradition in the selection of literature. Literary images, the theorists maintain, are indispensable to the basic human process of world comprehension and self definition. This study concluded that there is an urgent need for greater consideration of literary selections for the curriculum that provide personal and cultural identity for all students, especially the black student. This study was based on the assumption that the historical develop­ ment of the Language Arts Program in the American education system predicated a logical place for the inclusion of literature such as African and Afro-American literature in the school curriculum. This would also include non-African higher studies where French and English language and literature are taught to English-speaking non-African students. This view argues literary merit and a viable contribution of negritude poetry to the English curriculum. The orientation of negritude as related to the four parts of this study was the result of two specific forces. One force was the influence of the Negro Renaissance movement in America. The other force was "the mind of the assimilated African in French-speaking territories and the literary awakening associated with the political awakening." Negritude poetry, defined by Senghor as "the sum of the cultural values of the black world as they are expressed in the life, the institutions and the works of Negroes" expresses cross-cultural and universal values as historical fact and as Black specificity. The negritude poets saw these two positions, referred to as situational and essential negritude, as highly significant. Both accounted for the themes, rhythm, imagery, symbolism, style and language that gave the poetry its distinct uniqueness. Both provided a basis for understanding what negritude is in terms of African and Afro-American literature. What negritude brings to the curriculum, the writers and critics alike concurred, was to be ascertained by the critical analysis and discussion of the poets and their poetry. A major concern of the study was to ascertain an established attitude of African and Western critics regarding the negritude poets. A review of critical literature of negritude showed that negritude was not without merit. It had the attention of writers and critics of African literature more than any other concept to the extent that it was accepted as a literary standard, in spite of some disparate views. Criticism ultimately became for the writer and critic a common concern for "What constituted African literature?" and "By what standards should African literature be judged?" Both writer and critic, once sharply divided on these questions, reached a consensus that the same high standards of literary criticism for both African and European writings should be used. Literary assessment, the African writer and critic contended, should be based on two major assumptions: one, that there is a traditional set of literary standards to which all critics must adhere; two, that literary criticism must take account of the cultural context in which the works were written. Analysis and discussion of the major areas of negritude poetry in this dissertation suggested that it does have literary and cultural merit for the literature curriculum. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My gratitude to: Dr. Elisabeth A. Bowles for her interest, understanding, construc­ tive suggestions and guidance. Committee members: Dr. Richard H. Weller, Dr. Lois V. Edinger, Dr. Donald Russell, and Dr. Robert 0. Stephens for their interest, support and constructive guidance. My brother, William Ernest Latimer, my sisters, Helen Latimer Anderson, and Catherine Latimer Larkins for their love, faith and encouragement. Bennett College for the support which contributed to this study. iii DEDICATION To Larkin Augustus Latimer and Estelle Lomax Latimer, my late parents, for their great spirit and sustaining love. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page APPROVAL PAGE ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii DEDICATION . iv Chapter I. INTRODUCTION 1 Statement of the Problem 1 Definition of Terms 2 Assumptions 4 Scope of the Study 9 Significance of the Study 20 Significance of the Harlem Renaissance 23 Summary 28 II. LITERATURE AND THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM 33 Background 33 The Polemics of Literature: Toward a Definition .... 40 The Traditional Roles of Literature in Education .... 43 The Changing Role of Literature in Education 55 Summary 69 III. NEGRITUDE POETRY ..... 72 The Poetic Characteristics of Negritude 72 The Merits of Negritude Poetry for the Curriculum .... 76 Langs ton Hughes 76 His Family 80 His Education 83 His Poetry 85 Leon Gontran Damas 108 His Family 113 His Education 114 His Poetry 119 Leopold Se'dar Senghor 133 His Family 136 v Chapter Page His Education
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