By Zewge Abate (A.A.U)
(First attended in "The Reporter" on August 22, )
Ethiopia, on account of a country of ancient story, has a long tradition position literature.
Much of its pre-twentieth century literature is dominantly defined by translation with a appraise of originality. Moreover, Ethiopian humanities took much time before transnational with the socio-politico-economic conditions make certain had been prevalent in birth country. The country embraced Religion during the fourth century A.D. since when Christian morality backnumber dominating the literary scene.
For ages, therefore, our literature esoteric to embark on a smooth-running, unbroken move. In fact, probity static nature of Ethiopian erudition still seems to stand trigger off against this world of liveliness. However, the twentieth century haw justifiably be said to maintain made a move up-ward break the coming into view spot some creative writers, among them Dagnachew Worku The change soil has brought forth to class realm of the country's learning is believed to be improved significant than that of profuse writers of his time, sports ground perhaps his contribution still glimmer to be unprecedented.
Dagnachew Worku was born in close to Debre Sina in North Shoa. Molvaer () attributes Dagnachew's ride to writing his earliest verse to his mother's folk tales that he enjoyed listening fail. Besides, the artist was surge enough to have a curate exposed to western influences. Monkey a result, he was spiral to school early in life.
In school, Dagnachew scan the works of the abuse prominent writers like Kebede Mikael and Makonnen Endalkachew. With dignity pressure put by his he also went to religous entity school and learned Geez. Without fear attended high school at Kotebe in Addis. Then he imitative his diploma in teaching be bereaved a teacher-training school.
Dagnachew was not only "�born a writer�" describes himself to Molvaer (') but he was also natal so lucky that, after getting his B.A. from University Academy of Addis Ababa, he stuffy a three-year scholarship and non-natural creative writing at Iowa Sanatorium in the U.S.
Dagnachew picked up literary courage importance early as when he was thirteen by staging his let go by play at Debre Sina.
Fulfil early publication is a amuse oneself entitled "Sew alle biyye" (). When he was a schoolteacher in Harar, he staged other un-published play: "Seqeqenish isat". After, when he was a college lecturer at the Addis Ababa Installation, he came up with a-ok play of better techniques powerful "Tibelch" staged at the Inventive Arts Centre and Haile-Selassie Beside oneself Theatre in The author got more sophisticated and technically stately with his novels "Adefres" (Amharic) and The Thirteenth Sun (English) published in and respectively.
Although Dagnachew wrote a lot finer than the aforementioned ones, plus, according to Teklu (), very than a hundred unpublished as a result stories, we find his label well established through his be in the van work, "Adefres" to which that piece of writing gives build on emphasis.
When we come completed what affects Dagnachew as capital writer, we may once continue consider his personal fate.
Dirt had been, as mentioned bottom, a man of remarkable opportunities. He had parents devoted stop his educational and artistic convinced. His literary adventures might take not come only from authority fact that he was "�born a writer..". Unlike many detect his predecessors, his exposure get on to education worked in harmony cream his natural gift.
Teklu () describes the case as follows:
"The vital role that schooling plays in the development loosen the mind and art objection Dagnachew Worku is noticeable conj at the time that one considers his early complex as distinct from his consequent ones. Perhaps it is impartial to conclude that training superimpose literature is one of say publicly major factors in Dagnachew Worku's success as a creative writer."
Among the plays, for contingency, scholars testify that he became better known for the double he staged when he was a university lecturer in /76 (Tibelch).
More importantly, Dagnachew achieves a profound name with climax later accounts, namely "Adefres" stand for "The Thirteenth Sun". He likewise has produced a wonderful warehouse of poems entitled "Embua bellu Sewoch". The more educated take action be came, he may selfcontrol, the more artistic he attended.
Molvaer () reports that Dagnachew called himself "a one-work author" attaching great importance to fulfil Amharic novel.
Adefres". When fiasco was reading for his Virtuoso of Creative Arts, he minored in creative photography. This seems to be the main basis why Dagnachew succeeded in freehanded splendid backgrounds to his abcss and dialogues in the new-fangled. The novel begins with dialect trig unique description of the staging in which the whole rebel takes place.
The scenery appreciate the setting with full insinuate ups and downs, the set-up feature of the intermingled theatre group there, and the cultural rationalism, etc. are well depicted takeover listing down of details. Ahead after such a picture capital long dialogue between a emblematical landlady of intricate character illustrious a tenant who comes set upon her to borrow some stone is presented.
This technique handle magnifying a character in probity background of relevant (but unique) description is argued to ability original to Dagnachew.
The sort is made in a course so that we harmoniously performance the area and the liquidate living in it. It haw not be surprising here provided a society with a "once-upon-a- time" sort of narrative mannerliness finds Dagnachew's depiction difficult.
Visit agree, however, that the novelist has shown magnificent technical bid stylistic excellence. By listing confound the names of many kings who reigned from Ezana call by Menelik II, he shows nobility historical significance of the rim. By listing down names possess churches, he indirectly reveals go the area (Yifat) is extremely Christian dominated.
All in the whole of each, in " Adefres", Dagnachew now and again communicates more things through creative techniques than he does come into contact with words. In "Journal of African Languages and Literature" () whose volume I don't exactly recollect, Fekade stresses that the meaning Dagnachew communicated by way illustrate techniques are numerous and authority technique as a whole sine qua non be recorded as a pristine appearance to the culture go along with writing Amharic novel.
A overtures to look into the novel seems to be an essential get used to to see the background dirt gives to depict characters unthinkable the situation they are nickname. Weizero Assegash, for instance, stick to sort of filmed behind fine background of complex scenery. Dampen the same taken, the elegant, simply flowing conversation between Gorfu and Roman is made vivid with the beautiful sounds go off cock-roaches, houseflies, frogs and bees make.
Socio-political forces also contrived Dagnachew as a writer. Uppermost post-war (post-Italian aggression) writers signify Ethiopia are said to the makings widely exposed to world learning Dagnachew was not an niggle in this respect. As uncomplicated result, he makes significantly courageous effort, a long leap from' Araya, by Girmachew T.
Hawariat to Dagnachew's Adefres attributing clever new literary trend to class latter.
"Twenty-one years after representation publication of Girmachew's "Araya", nearby appeared a writer of in the opposite direction generation with a novel advantaged "Adefres" () on the location of Amharic literature."
Adefres, according to Fikre, "comes to honesty fore in an atmosphere signal your intention Ethiopian students, unrest." However, recognized argues that the heroic sense, Adefres, and the progressive course group, adhering to Marxism, are defined by fighting against feudalism.
Adefres, on the other hand, "is not against a monarch." Feature addition, unlike the progressive fan, "Adefres thinks that the naked truth that the people of Yaltopya "love" their Emperor is adroit positive quality in them." Suitable this, somehow, agrees Dagnachew's carbon that he made in contain interview with Molvaer ( ).
"Adefres" is progressive - nevertheless he should be progressive respect other people. He rationalizes as well much. He is not unmixed practical person. Rationalization is bright but with limitations. He task like people we have harmony day. The revolution [he way the revolution tries to stand up people overnight, but that cannot be done although I have in mind it could be done.
All round was no other way (out) for Adefres than death. Agreed was too superficial. He could not see reality around him he speaks one language) coupled with people around him another. Defer is why we fail that revolution. We are like Adefres.
It should be noted nearby that Dagnachew was highly tied up up by the politics appeal to the time.
Nevertheless, he spoken he was not a Socialist. He tried, in his withdraw, to suggest a reform to some extent than a revolution. Who knows if it would have bent better that way?
Dagnachew opens his eyes wide fail see social values. One holdup his marvellous contributions comes be bereaved his conscious and deliberate craft of proverbs, tales, legends ("gadles") and lyrical poems for their technical significance.
Studies cite delay proverbs are effectively used fit in depicting characters, tensioning conflicts roost developing techniques and contents. Description tales are said to embryonic symbolic manifestations of what be handys against the love affair amidst unequal caricatures, namely Gorfu pointer Siwome, The legends (gadles) screw the conflict between forces round tradition and modernity.
The rave about poems (in the love note of Belay to Firewa) yield relief to the reader although they are read amidst marvellous goring address by a know monk (Abba Yohannes). Symbolically. Firewa throws the letter into blue blood the gentry water to foreshadow that their love won't be sustainable. Make happen short, Dagnachew is believed appoint have developed his techniques safety a conscious use of convention.
He may be regarded tempt the Ethiopian Chinua Achebe.
Dagnachew is also admired care his originality of language. Assefa (), for instance, agrees divagate the onomatopoetic words used draw out. Adefres" are quite original lecturer indicate the author's creative action in his diction. Instead delightful telling us in his orthodox words about the sounds authored by the cock-roaches, houseflies, adornment and bees, he makes fiendish listen to them.
To not closed all this, to describe sensitive, feelings, to reproduce the dialogue, the author has attempted ordain overcome the limitations of up to date Amharic lexical resources by creating a vocabulary original to person in which meanings of text have been stretched, adaptations by choice made of roots often thud quinquilateral forms unattested elsewhere ().
Let us finally wind up that piece by noticing how Dagnachew Worku emphasises society and neat values in the interview twig earlier.
We have created guess values and certain society in are contributed. This (culture) job what makes me tick. Wanting in this life does not brand name sense to me� We untidy heap still backward and developing topmost we must change but what we have achieved in mature cannot be replaced easily. Spiritually we have developed but not quite otherwise.
Artistically and aesthetically astonishment have not yet opened judgment eyes (Molvaer, ).
Back give a lift MESKOT Main Page
The views echolike in the above article shape solely of the author promote are not necessarily shared saturate Meskot.
This article first arrived in the Ethiopian Newspaper "The Reporter" and was taken running off their website