Education of the Deprived

written by Shadrach Ambanasom

Anglophone Cameroon Literary Drama

Education of the Deprived is a perceptive socio-artistic examination of the key works of some major writers of Anglophone Cameroon literary drama today. For over two decades now socio-political developments in Cameroon, including the liberalization of the press, have led to an unprecedented proliferation of political, journalistic and imaginative writings. Availing themselves of their new-found freedom of expression, Cameroonians in general are forcefully articulating their views more than even before, and creative writers, in particular, are artistically recording intimate and painful experiences in the on-going endeavour to make sense of the socio-political environment; they are mapping out, through images and symbols, the peculiar contour of the collective Cameroonian soul. What observers have noticed, with regard to Anglophone Cameroon imaginative writing, however, is that there are few significant critical works to match the burgeoning creative literature. While in the 1970s there was a cry concerning the scarcity of imaginative works by Anglophone Cameroonians, the complaint now, at the turn of the 21st century, is that there is a dearth of critical literature capable of catapulting, on to the international literary scene, the Anglophone Cameroon literature being written. This book covers both traditional and modern drama as written by Anglophones, lays bare the technical differences between the two dramatic traditions, and brings out the central themes developed by these committed dramatists.

Shadrach Ambanasom

Shadrach A. Ambanasom was born in Ngie Sub-Division in the North-West Region of Cameroon. He holds the following academic diplomas: CAPCEG, Modern Letters (University of Yaounde 1); BA (Hons) English (University of London); M.Ed; MA and PhD (Ohio University). He is an initiated member of the American KAPPA DELTA PI, an honour society which encourages high professional, intellectual and personal standards and recognizes outstanding contributions to education. Presently he is Associate Professor and Head of the English Department at E.N.S. Annexe Bambili, University of Yaounde 1. His publications include The Radical Romantics: An Introduction (2001), Education of the Deprived: A Study of four Cameroonian Playwrights (2003), The Dregs of Humanity(2005), Homage and Courtship: Romantic Stirrings of a Young Man (2007), Son of the Native Soil (2009) and numerous articles in national and international scientific journals.