Chaka (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Thomas Mofolo
- First Published: 1925
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Historical realism
- Time of Work: Nineteenth century
- Setting: Zululand, Africa
- Genres: Long fiction, Historical fiction
- Subjects: Dictators, Africa or Africans, Magic or magicians, Blacks, War, Inheritance or succession, Kings, queens, or royalty, Fratricide, parricide, or filicide, Massacres
- Locales: South Africa, Lesotho, Africa, Zululand, Africa
Characters Discussed
Chaka (SHAH-kah), the most powerful of all Zulu warriors and kings. At first, Chaka is depicted as an undeserving victim in every respect. Because of circumstances of birth, he cannot peacefully ascend to his father’s kingship. Moreover, he and his mother, Nandi, are driven from his father’s house by the other wives. Chaka is described as having the most painful of childhoods because of this banishment. Even so, he acts the part of the hero-warrior, destroying a lion, hyena, and madman, all enemies of the tribe. Midway through his life, however, Chaka...
[The entire page is 788 words long]
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