Aimé Césaire is the best known poet in the French Caribbean. In this study Gregson Davis examines Césaire's extraordinary dual career as writer and elected politician. As one of the most profound critics of colonialism, Césaire, the acknowledged inventor of the famous term "negritude", has been a hugely influential figure in shaping the contemporary discourse on the postcolonial predicament. Gregson Davis' account of Césaire's intellectual growth is grounded in a careful reading of the poetry, prose and drama that illustrates the full range and depth of his literary achievement.