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Author: Aimé CésaireTitle: La Tragédie du Roi Christophe
Genre: Play
Original Publisher: Présence Africaine
First Published: 1963
New Edition: 1970
Pages: 153
English Title: The Tragedy of King Christophe
Publisher: Random House Tradepaperback
Translater: Unknown
I don't read a lot of plays to say the least. Quite frankly, the last play I read was probably back in 7th grade and chances are, it was probably a Molière. Yet, here I am again, reading another play for a class, my Caribbean literature class. It's also my first introduction to Aimé Césaire's work and knowing my relationship with poetry, I think it's best for me to start with his plays than with his weird and obscure poetry which would have, without a doubt, put me off *permanently*.
I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I'd never taken a serious interest in the man before. His works seems to be more famous in English-speaking circles than in French ones. I grew up in the Caribbean and not once, in any of my literature classes, was he mentioned. Never once was I taught was his movement "négritude" was all about. I only knew because my father told me about it but truth is, most people from the French Caribbean only know him by name and that's sad.
School programs are imposed by the French government and the latter does not leave any room for the teaching of regional literature or culture... and I'm not only trying to defend Caribbean culture here, I'm also talking about Brittany, Corsica and all those other French regions which have strong identities and are literally being squashed by the main government in the name of equality and fraternity.
It seems completely surreal that, me, someone who grew up in the Caribbean, with a whole part of her family living in Guadeloupe, has never been given the chance, within the teaching institution, to discover the richness of a part of her inheritance. Had I not gone to college, had not looked for this specific class (which is only opened to a small number of people within the university itself!), I might have never known all that I've learned in the past month!
Anyway, enough rambling. I'm frustrated enough by French's educational system (methods and content) as it is. Let's get down to the play.
After the Haitian revolution (1791-1804) which freed the island from French domination and put an end to slavery, Jean-Jacques Dessalines comes into power and rules as a despot. When he is murdered in 1806, the country is split in two: President Pétion rules over the South while Henri Christophe, proclaimed King Henry I, rules over the North.
The play tells the story of Christophe, from his accession to the throne to his death. It tells the story of men who freed their country from slavery and ended up turning into tyrants themselves. It's a very strong and poignant tragedy about decolonization which makes a point of highlighting the ridicule of Christophe's court which only aims at imitating the courts of Europe in search of legitimacy. It's a carefully constructed and written piece of work. Some images and phrases hold a very poetic note to them and sometimes you can't help but laugh out loud though you realize how sad the whole situation actually is. You fight for your freedom, you obtain it, you manage to keep it but what then? How are you to break the circle when you only have one model of governing to choose from?
A short read, a profound reflection. A must read for all those interested in issues of race and colonialism.
Brief note: I think the play deserved a proper introduction which gave a bit more context to the story but also to the place the story held in Césaire's work instead of the long and vague back cover it got.
Current Location: Orleans, France
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