Le Quatrième Siècle

novel by Glissant

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

Le Quatrième Siècle (The Fourth Century) is a novel by Édouard Glissant, a French-speaking West Indian poet and novelist. Published in 1964, the novel explores the history of slavery in Martinique and the emergence of a new generation of West Indians educated in European universities who seek to reclaim their heritage. Glissant was influenced by Aimé Césaire and was part of the literary Africanism movement, which aimed to promote an African culture free from colonial influences. His work often delves into the colonial history of Martinique and its contemporary experiences.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Édouard Glissant
In Le Quatrième Siècle (1964; “The Fourth Century”), he retraced the history of slavery in Martinique and the rise of a generation of young West Indians, trained in European universities, who would reclaim their land. The narrative structure of his novel Malemort (1975) interweaves the colonial…
Read More
In Le Quatrième Siècle (1964; “The Fourth Century”), he retraced the history of slavery in Martinique and the rise of a generation of young West Indians, trained in European universities, who would reclaim their land. The narrative structure of his novel Malemort (1975) interweaves the colonial…
Read More