Pitseng

novel by Mofolo

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June 17, 2026

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Pitseng is a novel by Thomas Mokopu Mofolo, published in 1910. It is considered the second Western-style novel written in the Southern Sotho language.1

The novel is described as a Christian fable that explores conflicting views on marriage, contrasting Christian ideals with traditional practices. The story centers on a young hero who comes to understand that white people have betrayed the promise of their religion. Mofolo, a significant figure in Southern Sotho literature, was influenced by Christian allegories like John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. His works often explore the tension between Sotho tradition and Western influences, including Christianity.12

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Thomas Mokopu Mofolo
Mofolo’s second novel, Pitseng (1910), is also a Christian fable, but in this case his young hero understands that white people have betrayed the promise of their religion. Mofolo’s third and last book, Chaka (1925), became the classic on which his reputation rests. A historical novel about the…
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Mofolo’s second novel, Pitseng (1910), is also a Christian fable, but in this case his young hero understands that white people have betrayed the promise of their religion. Mofolo’s third and last book, Chaka (1925), became the classic on which his reputation rests. A historical novel about the…
Read More