Haddis Alemayehu as a Social Critic
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1987-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
An understanding of a writer ' s socio- political milieu
is essential for the ove r all ::tp;')reci;:,tion of his work . The
socio-p olitical milieu th ~ t surrounds a writer is the source
of the content m8.tter he uses. It 2.1so explains whv a g iven
author reB.cts as he does tr; his enviromnE'nt.
The reactions to a given soc ia-political mil ieu can
be expressed in ths form of satire. Haddis Alemavehu a lso
used satire to critioize his society . 30cj~1, political,
religious and moral crib CiSl~!S ~r(: some of the major themGs
that recur in his work.
Authors in f';eneral ap:)caJ:' to t ake a posit i ve and
progressive stand. But 8. cle,se anCtl'(sis 0f their works reveals
some of them as being hplf-he::t rted i~ their dedication for
the welfare of the oppressed m8SSCS. Some , like Haddis
Alernayehu, want a grD.dual ch.:n[;e ,:ic.h"ut uprooting the
established system .
'rhe seemingly clear casire for chan!".e can be seen in
t h e works of many authors. Hovievcr, t rw "ray they So about
that change ano what they vlant to replace in the chanfced
systems become vague and hazy as one looks closely into their
work's . Thev tend to forfTet (;h(! 0') jecti ve realities and 'become
utopians . Raddi s "',lemayehu is ('He of them.