The Politics of Ethnicity, Unity and the Historic Past in Yäburqa Zïmïta, Dertogada and Ramatohara
Abstract
This article deals with the politics of ethnicity, unity and the historic past, in three Amharic novels, namely Yäburqa Zïmïta(2000) by Tesfaye Gebreab, and Dertogada(2009) and Ramatohara(2010) by Yismaeke Worku, aiming to analyze and interpret the differences of the novels in representing these themes. The analysis is based on the viewpoints of New Historicism and Critical Discourse Analysis, taking the fact that both critical approaches are interested in the political, historical and cultural backgrounds in which literary texts are produced, consumed, and in the interrelatedness of systems. From the analysis made these contemporary Amharic novels reflect the topical political issues of ethnicity, unity and the historic past, however their manner of representation is not uniform. In Yäburqa Zïmïta(2000), the question of nationality comes after the right of the ethnic group up to cessation is respected. Conversely, the other two novels advocate unity through development. The latter two novels value Emperor Tewodros and Menelik II as symbols of the country, while the former condemns especially Emperor Menelik II as colonizer of the Oromo people. With these explanations, it is possible to infer that the novels have reflected the different political ideas or stands of the Day. And also, as they have been influenced by the different political ideas of the day, they can also shape the politics of the Day. Finally, the analysis of the selected novels confirms that the literature and the politics of the society in question influenced one another. Hence, the novels were not only means of entertainment, but also a field of discussions and interactions for the social and the politics.
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