Kunda Mutoki

This book sets out to demonstrate a fact that, as simple as it may seem, is nonetheless complex. This fact stems from an observation: Congolese dramatic art is problematic in terms of its evolution, themes, and characters. The main objective of this study is to show how Congolese theater came into being and gradually progressed from its first attempts to full mastery of the means of artistic expression, from a phase of initiation into Western literary models to the affirmation of Africanity and Congolese identity, from the acceptance of colonial reformism and the ideology of assimilation to the demand for political and cultural independence. The texts allow us to see the influence of the socio-political climate on thematic expression, with each major period corresponding to a certain thematic attitude.