"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
"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. In his own words: 'Poetic knowledge is born in the great silence
of scientific knowledge.'" -from the Introduction
Césaire's rich and insightful adaptation of The Tempest draws on
contemporary Caribbean society, the African-American experience and
African mythology to raise questions about colonialism, racism and their
lasting effects.
AIMÉ CÉSAIRE 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. Césaire died in
2008.
RICHARD MILLER has translated many books, both nonfiction and
fiction, including works by Roland Barthes, Brassa? and Albert Camus, as
well as poetry, many articles and a number of plays. Among his more
recent translations are Scent by Annick Le Guérer and Beethoven's
Ninth by Esteban Buch, which was published in 2002. He lives in
Paris.
