About
Kateb Yacine, born on August 2, 1929, in Constantine (French Algeria) and died on October 28, 1989, in Grenoble, France, was a major Algerian writer and poet. His novel Nedjma (1956) is considered the founding work of modern Algerian literature and a reference in Francophone North African literature. Politically engaged, he fought for Algerian independence, the Berber cause, and women's rights. After returning to Algeria in 1970, he led a popular theater troupe performing in Algerian Arabic dialect.
* 1929-08-02 — † 1989-10-28
Major works
- Nedjma (1956)novel
- Le Cercle des représailles (1959)play collection
- Le Polygone étoilé (1966)novel
- L'Homme aux sandales de caoutchouc (1970)play
- Le poète comme un boxeur (1994)interview collection
Key milestones
- 1945Participated in anti-colonial demonstrations in Sétif, repressed by the French army; he was arrested and imprisoned for two months.
- 1956Publication of his novel Nedjma, considered a turning point in Algerian literature.
- 1970Returned to Algeria after years of exile in France; he devoted himself to popular theater in Algerian dialect.
Themes
Algerian independenceBerber identityWomen's rightsRevolutionExile and memory
Sources: britannica.com · larousse.fr · id.loc.gov