" Defiance", a postcolonial novel by the Ethiopian Abbie Gubegnathe rights of a free people under Italian Fascism

Zusammenfassung

This article seeks to divulge general knowledge about the varied and rich cultural, linguistic and literary heritage of the oldest African nation, i.e., Ethiopia. In addition, it studies in some detail the impact of European colonialism on that heritage: firstly, Italian and then British colonialism, and finally the constant struggle of the proud Ethiopian people for their freedom against any invader. Among the literary examples provided as case studies, attention will be mainly focused on a 1975 novel �Defiance� by the Ethiopian writer Abbie Gubegna. This novel was published in English, but it is based on previous texts in Amharic, the national language of culture and literature. It clearly and effectively symbolizes all the ideas in play: from the struggle against invading Italian Fascism to the deep appreciation of Ethiopia�s indigenous culture. The article ends with a discussion of postcolonial Ethiopian literature in English, which until now remains largely unknown for many readers.