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"The weapon of poetry may be Césaire’s greatest gift to a modern world still searching for freedom. As one of the last truly great 'universalists' of the twentieth century, he has had a hand in shaping or critiquing many of the major ideologies and movements of the modern world—Marxism, nationalism, Pan-Africanism and fascism, among others. All of these ideas are rooted in notions of progress, all are products of modernity, and all fall short when it comes to envisioning a genuinely emancipatory future. Césaire must have known this, which is why more than half a century ago he wrote: 'Poetic knowledge is born in the great silence of scientific knowledge.'" —From the Introduction
Césaire’s rich and insightful adaptation of A Tempest draws on contemporary Caribbean society, the African-American experience and African mythology to raise questions about colonialism, racism and their lasting effects.
"Césaire’s Tempest, in translation by Richard Miller, is a sprightly and song-filled enchantment. The luminous intelligence of Mr. Césaire’s meditation on the absurdities of colonialism shines through the antics of the bewildered characters." —New York Times
Aimé Césaire (1913–2008) was a world-renowned poet, essayist and dramatist, whose best known works include Notebook of a Return to My Native Land, The Tragedy of King Christophe and A Season in the Congo. He was the founding editor of Tropiques, which was instrumental in establishing the use of surrealism as a political weapon. He co-formulated the concept of “negritude,” which urges Black Africans to reject assimilation and cultivate consciousness of their racial qualities and heritage. Césaire held a number of government positions in his native Martinique, including that of mayor of Fort-de-France.
Richard Miller (1931-2010) translated many books, both nonfiction and fiction, including works by Roland Barthes and Albert Camus, as well as poetry, articles, and a number of plays.