hxe_211-literary_criticism 1 & 2

8/7/2019 HXE_211-Literary_Criticism 1 & 2

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HXE 211HXE 211--Literary CriticismLiterary Criticism

LECTURE 1 & 2LECTURE 1 & 2

Dr. Shakila Abdul MananDr. Shakila Abdul Manan


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Topic 1: Locating Colonial and PostTopic 1: Locating Colonial and Post--

colonial Studiescolonial StudiesQ. Why do we need critical theory to interpretQ. Why do we need critical theory to interpret

literary texts?literary texts?

theory helps us to see ourselves and ourtheory helps us to see ourselves and our

world in valuable new waysworld in valuable new ways

theory equips us with perspectives that cantheory equips us with perspectives that canstrengthen our ability to think logically,strengthen our ability to think logically,

creatively, and with a good deal of insight.creatively, and with a good deal of insight.


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Colonialism/ImperialismColonialism/Imperialism

problematic terms (colonial studies/postcolonialproblematic terms (colonial studies/postcolonialstudies)studies)

Colonialism (OED): a settlement in newColonialism (OED): a settlement in newcountrya body of people who settle in a newcountrya body of people who settle in a newlocality,locality, forming a communityforming a community subject to orsubject to orconnected with their present state; the communityconnected with their present state; the community

so formed, consisting of the original settlers andso formed, consisting of the original settlers andtheir descendants and successors, so long as thetheir descendants and successors, so long as theconnection with the parent state is kept upconnection with the parent state is kept up


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What does the act of forming a communityWhat does the act of forming a community

entail? Conquest or control of other peoples landentail? Conquest or control of other peoples land

and goods.and goods.

Edward Said (1993:8): Imperialism means theEdward Said (1993:8): Imperialism means the

practice, the theory, and the attitudes of apractice, the theory, and the attitudes of a

dominating metropolitan centre ruling a distantdominating metropolitan centre ruling a distant

territory; colonialism, which is almost always aterritory; colonialism, which is almost always a

consequence of imperialism, is the implanting ofconsequence of imperialism, is the implanting of

settlements on distant territory.settlements on distant territory.


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European colonialism, a form of imperialEuropean colonialism, a form of imperialexpansion, is also a distinctive kind of politicalexpansion, is also a distinctive kind of politicalideology.ideology.

The relation between colonizer and colonized wasThe relation between colonizer and colonized wasfar from equal whether economic, cultural orfar from equal whether economic, cultural orsocial.social.

The ideology of race became a crucial part of theThe ideology of race became a crucial part of the

construction and naturalization of an unequalconstruction and naturalization of an unequalform of intercultural relations (refer to Darwinsform of intercultural relations (refer to Darwinsevolution of mankind).evolution of mankind).


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Sexist exclusivity of these discourses (man,Sexist exclusivity of these discourses (man,

mankind) demonstrated the ideologicalmankind) demonstrated the ideological

alliance with patriarchal practices.alliance with patriarchal practices.

Colonization could be (re) presented as aColonization could be (re) presented as a

virtuous and necessary civilizing: taskvirtuous and necessary civilizing: task

involving education and paternalisticinvolving education and paternalistic

nurturenurture eg Kiplings Take up the Whiteeg Kiplings Take up the White

Mans BurdenMans Burden


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What about the nonWhat about the non--indigenous inhabitantsindigenous inhabitants

of settler colonies? (the white man in theof settler colonies? (the white man in the

colonies). How were they characterized?colonies). How were they characterized?


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PostPost--Industrial Britain was fragmentedIndustrial Britain was fragmented

because of class and other social divisions.because of class and other social divisions.

Empire was the principal ideologicalEmpire was the principal ideological

unifier. Anunifier. An OtherOther (the colonized) existed as a(the colonized) existed as a

primary means of defining the colonizer andprimary means of defining the colonizer and

of creating a sense of unity beneath suchof creating a sense of unity beneath such

differences as class and wealth and betweendifferences as class and wealth and betweenthe increasingly polarized industrializedthe increasingly polarized industrialized

cities and the traditional countrysidecities and the traditional countryside


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Imperialism as a conscious and openlyImperialism as a conscious and openly

advocated policy of acquiring colonies foradvocated policy of acquiring colonies for

economic, strategic and political advantage.economic, strategic and political advantage.


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Imperialism in its more recent senseImperialism in its more recent sensethethe

acquisition of an empire of overseas coloniesacquisition of an empire of overseas colonies

is associated with the Europeanization ofis associated with the Europeanization of

the globe which came in 3 waves: the age ofthe globe which came in 3 waves: the age of

discovery (15thdiscovery (15th 16th centuries); the age of16th centuries); the age of

mercantilism (17th and 18th centuries); agemercantilism (17th and 18th centuries); age

of imperialism (19th and early 20thof imperialism (19th and early 20thcenturies).centuries).


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For postFor post--colonial theory, there was acolonial theory, there was a

continuous development of imperialcontinuous development of imperial

rhetoric and of imperial representation.rhetoric and of imperial representation.

This has got to do with the desire for andThis has got to do with the desire for and

the belief in European cultural dominancethe belief in European cultural dominance

a belief in a superior right to exploit thea belief in a superior right to exploit the

worlds resourcesworlds resources than pure profit.than pure profit.


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Saids viewSaids view

Said observes that the rhetoricians ofSaid observes that the rhetoricians of

imperialism after 1880 deploy a languageimperialism after 1880 deploy a language

whose imagery of growth, fertility, andwhose imagery of growth, fertility, and

expansion, whose teleological structure ofexpansion, whose teleological structure of

property and identity, whose ideologicalproperty and identity, whose ideological

discrimination between us and them haddiscrimination between us and them had

already matured elsewherealready matured elsewhere in fiction,in fiction,political science, racial theory, travelpolitical science, racial theory, travel

writing (Said, 1993: 128).writing (Said, 1993: 128).


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Empire: A Textual CreationEmpire: A Textual Creation

Empire , in part, was a textual exerciseEmpire , in part, was a textual exercise

(Boehmer 1995: 13). This was the time when(Boehmer 1995: 13). This was the time when

travel and explorative writing were at theirtravel and explorative writing were at their

peak. Writers borrowed conceptual schemespeak. Writers borrowed conceptual schemes

and metaphors from books such as theand metaphors from books such as the

Pilgrims Progress, Don Juan, travelPilgrims Progress, Don Juan, travel

writings of Mungo Park, Richard Burton,writings of Mungo Park, Richard Burton,Defoes Robinson Crusoe etc (SeeDefoes Robinson Crusoe etc (See

Boehmer).Boehmer).


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Empire: A Textual CreationEmpire: A Textual Creation

This was also the time when humanitarianThis was also the time when humanitarian

and missionary organizations increased.and missionary organizations increased.

Economic, political, and military dominanceEconomic, political, and military dominance

enabled the dissemination of Europeanenabled the dissemination of European

ideas through the powerful agencies ofideas through the powerful agencies of

education and publishingeducation and publishing


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Postcolonial theoryPostcolonial theory

Postcolonialism deals with the effects ofPostcolonialism deals with the effects of

colonization on cultures and societies. Postcolonization on cultures and societies. Post--

colonial was first used to refer to culturalcolonial was first used to refer to cultural

interactions within colonial societies ininteractions within colonial societies in

literary circles (See Ashcroft)literary circles (See Ashcroft) signifies thesignifies the

political, linguistic and cultural experiencespolitical, linguistic and cultural experiences

of societies that were former Europeanof societies that were former Europeancolonies.colonies.


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Postcolonial theoryPostcolonial theory

Now used to include the study and analysisNow used to include the study and analysisof European territorial conquests, theof European territorial conquests, thevarious institutions of Europeanvarious institutions of European

colonialisms, the discursive operations ofcolonialisms, the discursive operations ofEmpire, the subtleties of subjectEmpire, the subtleties of subjectconstruction in colonial discourse and theconstruction in colonial discourse and theresistance of those subjects and the differingresistance of those subjects and the differing

responses to such incursions and theirresponses to such incursions and theircontemporary legacies in both pre and postcontemporary legacies in both pre and postindependence nations and communities.independence nations and communities.

hxe_211-literary_criticism 1 & 2

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