Book Cover; Title; Copyright; Contents; Preface; Acknowledgments; 1 Introduction; 2 The Role and Function of the Supernatural; 3 The Supernatural in African Epics; 4 The Hero's Use of Supernatural Devices; 5 The Hero's Excesses; 6 Women as the Bearers of Supernatural Powers in the African Epic; 7 Conclusion and Recommendations for Further Study; Bibliography; Index
Summary
There exists a strong tendency within Western literary criticism to either deny the existence of epics in Africa or to see African literatures as exotic copies of European originals. This book revises traditional literary canons in examining the social, cultural and emotional specificity of African epics
