A Tempest: Based on Shakespeare's 'The Tempest;' Adaptation for a Black Theatre

“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.