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John Brough (translator), Poems from the Sanskrit. Penguin Classics, 1968, $ 1.25

John Brough (translator), Poems from the Sanskrit. Penguin Classics, 1968, $ 1.25 231 The second novel of Asare Konadu has the misfortune to come after a long list of books which deal very generally with a similar theme. In a sense this is one more "culture conflict" debate in the guise of a novel. Although there is much to find sympathetic in the main character, Boateng, there is still a good deal of explanatory anthropology as the hero is forced to go through the com- plex forty days ritual of mourning which tradition has decreed necessary upon the death of a wife. The hero finds himself divided between disbelief and con- viction as the rituals are carefully undertaken. The contrast between the in- herited tradition and contemporary social change is a theme that must attract many African writers since it is very near the core of their own present expe- rience. But it is a theme that requires enormous skill to develop if the conflict is to be made into a real emotional battle and not be merely a series of comments on local social change. A novel has to move into the heart of its characters if it is to reflect the true personal urgency that will allow us http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Asian and African Studies (in 2002 continued as African and Asian Studies) Brill

John Brough (translator), Poems from the Sanskrit. Penguin Classics, 1968, $ 1.25

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Publisher
Brill
Copyright
© 1972 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
ISSN
0021-9096
eISSN
1568-5217
DOI
10.1163/156852172X00436
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

231 The second novel of Asare Konadu has the misfortune to come after a long list of books which deal very generally with a similar theme. In a sense this is one more "culture conflict" debate in the guise of a novel. Although there is much to find sympathetic in the main character, Boateng, there is still a good deal of explanatory anthropology as the hero is forced to go through the com- plex forty days ritual of mourning which tradition has decreed necessary upon the death of a wife. The hero finds himself divided between disbelief and con- viction as the rituals are carefully undertaken. The contrast between the in- herited tradition and contemporary social change is a theme that must attract many African writers since it is very near the core of their own present expe- rience. But it is a theme that requires enormous skill to develop if the conflict is to be made into a real emotional battle and not be merely a series of comments on local social change. A novel has to move into the heart of its characters if it is to reflect the true personal urgency that will allow us

Journal

Journal of Asian and African Studies (in 2002 continued as African and Asian Studies) – Brill

Published: Jan 1, 1972

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