Postcolonial literature also works as an alternative way of writing history from the point of view of an individual or a particular community. Create and find flashcards in record time. Keep in mind that the end of colonialism is not a single, universal date. Still, many of the most-powerful local and indigenous critics of empire in the 20th century were themselves deeply influenced by European social and political theory as much as they were deeply critical of it. Through critically examining such literature, postcolonialism seeks to deconstruct the Western literary canon, which has traditionally favoured white voices. Postcolonial literary theory acknowledges these narratives and critically examines them. His work, including Orientalism, focused on exploring and questioning the artificial boundaries, or the stereotypical boundaries, that have been drawn between the East and West, specifically as they relate to the Middle East. The term recognises that the colonial past of a nation continues to impact its state. Learn about post-colonialism in literature, including its definition and effects, and explore theories and examples by Edward Said, Homi Bhabha, and Chinua Achebe. This period began in the 15th century, with the Portuguese conquest of Ceuta, Morocco, in 1415. The term Orientalism in academic circles refers to Western beliefs and teachings on the Orient. The theory is based on the idea that 'the world we inhabit is impossible to understand except in relationship to the history of imperialism and colonial rule'.1. It should be acknowledged, however, that whatever the developments were that led to the formation of the field of postcolonial studies, it has to be seen more in terms of a long process rather than a series of events, with the central impulses of this process coming from a variety of sources, sometimes outside any concern with colonialism. Previously subjugated individuals sought to assert control over not only territorial boundariesalbeit ones carved out by the imperial powersbut also their language and history. Imperialism continues to this day in different ways, whereas colonialism is no longer acceptable as a social system. Postcolonial literary theory is a critical approach and discourse that focuses on works of postcolonial writers or works written about postcolonial societies. Receive bimonthly updates on this programme which seeks to re-frame debates around childhood in both the public and policy spaces. What events helped shape modern Indian literature? Test your knowledge with gamified quizzes. For example, the British had a colonial presence in India from the 1700s until India gained its independence in 1947. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Postcolonial literature represents all these conditions and comes from various sources and inspiration. Upload unlimited documents and save them online. What is considered one of the worst atrocities committed during the British occupation of Ireland? WebPost-Colonial Literatures and the British Literary Canon: The Role of Intertextuality and Hybridisation. It is easy to think that imperialism and colonialism are the same practice; they are closely connected but not synonymous. 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Coetzee, Foe (1986) BACK NEXT Quote Coetzee's novel is a rewriting of Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. Before the term postcolonial literature existed, works which discussed or were written in British colonies were referred to as commonwealth literature. For example, plays by Shakespeare, such as The Tempest (1611), are analysed using postcolonial perspectives. In practice, the term is applied most often to writings from Africa, the Indian sub-continent, the Caribbean, and other regions whose histories during the 20th century It helped me pass my exam and the test questions are very similar to the practice quizzes on Study.com. An essay by English author George Orwell called "Shooting an Elephant" has become a prime example of the effects of Colonialism on English people in the colonies of the British Empire. It is an umbrella term used to group together works by writers from the postcolonial nations and those written about the impacts of colonialism. Although he is critical of Conrad's work, Achebe goes beyond Heart of Darkness as an individual case study, arguing that it is part of a broader colonial literary and cultural discourse. Receive updates about our programme examining the purpose of business and its role in society. As a label, it thus covers a very wide range of WebPostcolonial Literature Timeline Advertisement - Guide continues below How It All Went Down 1947: Independence of India India was the "jewel in the crown" of the British Empire. Several European countries took control of most of Africa. Stop procrastinating with our smart planner features. Said also explored how Europe and the West often portrayed the Middle East through false, romanticised images. Magic realism: a realistic narrative that contains supernatural or magical elements weaved into realistic and plausible settings. Further discrimination may have happened to a Black person depending on whether they were a woman, elderly or less abled etc. 1949) to describe how the encounters between different cultures create new identities that contain elements of both. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Homi Bhabha's work, including The Location of Culture in1994, focuses on the politics, emotions, and values that exist in the space between the colonizer and the colonized. Why is postcolonial literature important? When was Things Fall Apartby Chinua Achebe published? This discourse justified colonialism by portraying colonisation as a moral battle which 'good' Christian Europeans were on the right side of. Two notable themes present in postcolonial literary theory are conquest and anti-conquest and national identity. The main difference between colonial and postcolonial literature lies in the time period the literature was created and the perspective of the literary text. It varies from country to country. WebWho started postcolonial theory? However, there are certain overlapping or recurring themes. Postcolonial literature published during and after the period of decolonisation, written by authors from or with heritage from colonised countries, often focused on presenting the cultures and peoples of their nations in a realistic way. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Pratt argues that the travel writing of European colonisers justifies colonialism through an 'anti-conquest' narrative that presents the narrators of these accounts as brave adventurers trying to survive in the unknown and 'uncivilised' worlds inhabited by a non-European Other. Postcolonial Literature Characteristics. What are the two important functions of postcolonial literature? One of the most-important features of the history of imperialism has been the emergence of stateseither from the consolidation of territories and polities or from the dissolution of empires (or some combination thereof)and, along with that, new conceptions of international order. This acclaimed novel deals with strong patriarchal ideals of masculinity within the Igbo culture and how Okonkwo is a direct manifestation of this. How do the colonizers emphasize, or reinforce, the us-other mentality of the West? 160 lessons. Home. So, facts and falsehood are interchangeable. Colonial past refers to the European colonisation of countries within the continents of Africa, the Americas, and Asia, from the 15th to mid-20th centuries. Subaltern is a term from postcolonial studies which refers to colonial populations ruled and controlled by an imperial body. Like the African American community in the United States, official freedom did not eliminate racial discrimination in Rhodesia after actual freedom was achieved. Identify your study strength and weaknesses. Appropriation of Colonial Languages. What is the concept of postcolonial literary theory? 2002). Let's take a look at the critical approaches of some important theorists attached to postcolonial literary theory. This theory addresses the role literature plays in challenging and perpetuating _____. The other is anyone who is separate from ones self. It derives in part from the fact that there is no such thing as the Enlightenment but rather multiple Enlightenments shaped by different historical and political contexts; so too, the bundle of concepts and ideals to which the Enlightenment refers are plural and capable of a wide range of elaboration. For example, historian Eric Hobsbawm wrote a series of books on world history spanning two centuries, from 1789 to 1991. Subaltern Studies. The notion that history is a single, unified story is increasingly challenged by scholars and historians. For some theorists, the problem is not simply one of a lack of consistency on the part of liberalism; it instead lies more deeply within the structure of the universal principles themselves. Fill in the gaps to this quote from Orientalism(1978): 'Subtle and persistent ____ prejudice against ____ peoples and their culture. The hyphenated version was first used by political scientists and economists to denote the period after colonialism, but from about the late seventies it was turned into a more wide-ranging culturalist analysis in the hands of literary critics and others. Concepts covered by these themes include; Diaspora refers to how people have moved from their homelands to different locations around the world. In Things Fall Apart, he focuses specifically on the struggles that Nigerians faced as the British expanded their control. Written by Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid, Exit West is a novel about migration, which is common in many postcolonial societies. This process is called othering, and it is perpetuated by colonial discourse. It is an umbrella term and thus does not have one single definition. Have all your study materials in one place. We can identify several contributing factors that inspired the rise of postcolonial literature: Postcolonial literature is not a watertight genre that carries certain assured characteristics. Postcolonial literature is not a watertight genre that carries certain assured characteristics. Philip Hoffman, Why Did Europe Conquer the World?, 2015. Which of these is not a concept covered in postcolonial literary theory? Imperial European powers drained countries' economic and natural resources for their own financial gain, leaving the citizens of those countries worse off. Things Fall Apart(1958) by Chinua Achebe, White Teeth(2000) by Zadie Smith, Exit West(2017) by Mohsin Hamid. Memoirs of freed Black people writing about their horrifying experiences as a slave. The lack of voice held by the subaltern is a form of cultural imperialism, which threatens to erase the history and cultures of certain peoples who are considered 'less' than the majority (in this case, Westerners and men). London Homi K. Bhabha was a literary theorist who made significant contributions to postcolonial theory. Will you pass the quiz? It is there that the foreshadowing of some important themes that became central to postcolonialism is found. In other words, cultures are more than 'us' and 'other'; they are the sum of their histories. Which literary canon does postcolonialism seek to deconstruct? Professor Ato Quayson FBA. WebPostcolonial literary theory can be characterised as a revisionist theory as it challenges established or traditional views held by academics. The term is as much about conditions under imperialism and colonialism proper, as about conditions coming after the historical end of colonialism. Postcolonial writers have this thing they like to do. Create flashcards in notes completely automatically. However, Conrad's perspective of Africa would have been developed by over a century of colonial narratives. As a reader, you would look for the effects of colonialism and how they are addressed through the plot, setting, and characters' actions. WebWorld Literature and the Postcolonial Narratives of (Neo) Colonialization in a Globalized World. Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 4 As several critics have pointed out, most post-colonial writers (particularly those belonging to the first generation of writers) were educated in the British colonial education system, notably by religious mission schools. of the users don't pass the Postcolonial Literary Theory quiz! Can you name Kiberd's book that summarises his postcolonial theories? Globalisation and the free flow of commodities across nations gave an incentive for postcolonial writers to seek global fame for their creative efforts in English. It really began picking up as a coherent literary movement in the mid 4 As several critics have pointed out, most post-colonial writers (particularly those belonging to the first generation of writers) were educated in the British colonial education system, notably by religious mission schools. The concept of colonialism is closely associated with the European colonial period. Postcolonial theory is a critical analysis of the history and impact of colonialism used to evaluate fictional works. . A key narrative in postcolonial literary theory is one that reframes the story of the conquest of colonised nations. 2. John Stuart Mills justification of the denial of Indian self-government is a classic instance of that kind of assumption, however much he thought it was best for the well-being of Indians themselves. Fig. Set individual study goals and earn points reaching them. In her essay 'Can the Subaltern Speak?' Conrad's 'image of Africa' in Heart of Darkness may be steeped in racist and xenophobic biases and stereotypes. Create beautiful notes faster than ever before. What effects does the colonizing power have on the characters? Salman Rushdie's novel Midnight's Children is one of the most critically acclaimed novels in English literature. Said, then, could be considered the 'father' of post-colonialism. WebSet in post-colonial Nigeria, the fictional novel discusses the cultural roots of the Igbos and follows the life of the tragic hero, Okonkwo. An instalment in this series is a book called The Age of Empire (1987), narrating the history of Western expansion and imperialism. It is an umbrella term used to group together works by writers from postcolonial nations and those written about the impacts of colonialism. Edward Said is best known as a founder of ______ studies. What language is the Urdu language known as in India? Create flashcards in notes completely automatically. Postcolonialism is both an academic framework as well as a temporal classification that deals with the period that came after the end of colonialism. Studies which refers to colonial populations ruled and controlled by an imperial body literature... Often portrayed the Middle East through false, romanticised images, which has traditionally favoured voices. 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