postcolonial literature characteristics

StudySmarter is commited to creating, free, high quality explainations, opening education to all. Other award-winning postcolonial writers include Kiran Desai, Amitav Ghosh, Ngg wa Thiong'o, Arundhati Roy, and Ben Okri. Things Fall Apart (1958) WebWho started postcolonial theory? The ruling academic paradigm in academic area studies (especially Middle Eastern studies) is called post-colonial theory. Post-colonial theory was founded by Columbia University professor of comparative literature, Edward Said. Pro-independence movements against colonial authorities inspired the colonised subjects to write fictional and non-fictional accounts of life under colonial rule, sometimes as a part of the anti-colonial resistance. The Orient refers to the people of the Middle East. 1952-1960: Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya WebPostcolonialism (postcolonial theory, postcolonial studies) is the academic study of the impact colonization has had and continues to have on cultures and societies around the world, and surrounding discourse on the same. European powers drained countries' economic and natural resources for their own financial gain. The ruling academic paradigm in academic area studies (especially Middle Eastern studies) is called post-colonial theory. Post-colonial theory was founded by Columbia University professor of comparative literature, Edward Said. It tells the story of a fifteen-year-old Kambili Achike who comes from a wealthy family in Enugu State. Sometimes the myths are directly inspired by epics and mythological narratives from folk or oral literature of the region. This novel addresses the cultural and religious struggles that Nigerians faced following British colonization. is concerned with colonial history only to the extent that that history has determined the configurations and power structures of the present. By registering you get free access to our website and app (available on desktop AND mobile) which will help you to super-charge your learning process. Even though these narrators are 'exploring' these lands as part of the act of colonisation, and often perceiving the natives of these areas as lesser, their narrative creates a sense of naive innocence. This course has been discontinued. Salman Rushdie's novel Midnight's Children is one of the most critically acclaimed novels in English literature. 4. Omissions? Achebe was also a poet. 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 Colonial literature is most easily defined as literature written during a time of colonization, usually from the point of view of colonizers. The classic example is Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness, a novel about a man employed in the ivory trade who sails up the Congo River and witnesses the terrible effects of colonization and imperialism. People who are in the lowest castes of the Indian caste system. Starting in the 15th century and This mimicry can be both voluntary and forced. Things Fall Apart(1958) by Chinua Achebe, White Teeth(2000) by Zadie Smith, Exit West(2017) by Mohsin Hamid. Everything you need for your studies in one place. Earn points, unlock badges and level up while studying. The debut novel by the Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe is one of the most famous postcolonial novels of all time. Lessing spent time in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in the period between colonization and modern self-governance. Stop procrastinating with our smart planner features. Author of. In other words, cultures are more than 'us' and 'other'; they are the sum of their histories. Best study tips and tricks for your exams. 1. Fig. Through critically examining such literature, postcolonialism seeks to deconstruct the Western literary canon, which has traditionally favoured white voices. Why is postcolonial literature important? How is this discrepancy reflected in Rhys' novel? Professor Ato Quayson FBA. Said gained fame in 1978, with the publication of his book, Orientalism. Colonial Discourse. Because of these features, postcolonialism allows for a wide range of applications, designating a constant interplay and slippage between the sense of a historical transition, a socio-cultural location and an epochal configuration. Coetzee, Foe (1986) Characteristics J.M. To read Things Fall Apart, or any work, through a post-colonial lens, one might consider the following: Post-colonialism is simply a lens through which we study literature that is set in colonized countries or deals with post-colonial issues. As mentioned, post-colonialism asks the reader to enter a text through the post-colonial lens. For example, discrimination against Black people wasn't the same for all Black people. modernity and tradition, the relationship between Africas past and Africas present, individuality and collectivism, the notion of foreignness and indigenous, capitalism and socialism, what it means to be African, freedom and independence, liberation, colonisation and tradition. This process is called othering, and it is perpetuated by colonial discourse. How does Lessing's narrative reflect lingering racial discrimination and prejudice? Identify your study strength and weaknesses. Achebe presents the Igbo tribe, and the novel's protagonist Okonkwo, in a realistic light. 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. This is true for literature that comes out of any colonized nation. A Summary View of the Rights of British America, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey, Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae. As a result, creative deviations in the use of language are common in postcolonial writing. Cultural imperialism refers to how the colonisation of nations has impacted their culture and traditions. Shakespeares Othello, Antony and Cleopatra and The Tempest have been taken as key texts for the application of postcolonial modes of analysis. 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. Rewriting History. Which of these is not a concept covered in postcolonial literary theory? In the case of postcolonial literary theory, theorists challenge traditional colonial perceptions and presentations of colonised nations, re-interpreting narratives that 'other' those from colonised nations. WebPostcolonial theory A theoretical approach to analyzing the literature produced in countries that were once colonies, especially of European powers such as Britain, France, and Spain. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you WebPostcolonial Literature American Drama Amiri Baraka Arcadia Tom Stoppard Cat on a Hot Tin Roof David Henry Hwang Dutchman Edward Albee Eugene O'Neill Euripides European Drama Hedda Gabler Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Long Day's Journey into Night Lorraine Hansberry Luigi Pirandello Black Mountain Poets Confessional Poetry Fireside Poets Sign up to highlight and take notes. Postcolonial literary theory can be characterised as a revisionist theory. Rushdie uses magic realism in the novel, which is a device commonly used in postcolonial fiction. A growing concern among postcolonial critics has also been with racial minorities in the west, embracing Native and African Americans in the US, British Asians and African Caribbeans in the UK and Aborigines in Australia and Canada, among others. This concept suggests that a black person will perceive themselves in two ways; from their own perspective and through the eyes of white people. The universal categories and concepts at the heart of much Enlightenment thought have been put to work by both European and non-European intellectuals and activists to criticize the injustices of their societies as well as imperialism itself. 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. Some significant postcolonial fiction works, written after the period of European Colonialism, which make up the postcolonial literary discourse are: What are the characteristics of postcolonial literary theory? WebWe can't talk about postcolonial literature without talking about Things Fall Apart. Postcolonial literature refers to literary works originating from postcolonial nations and/or addressing the legacy of colonialism. So, facts and falsehood are interchangeable. Conrad's 'image of Africa' in Heart of Darkness may be steeped in racist and xenophobic biases and stereotypes. Raising awareness about Black consciousness and protesting against French rule. Colonialism is criticised today for its exploitative nature and for weakening and disrupting the indigenous economic and especially cultural traditions in the colony. For example, historian Eric Hobsbawm wrote a series of books on world history spanning two centuries, from 1789 to 1991. Although there were (and are) many different kinds of imperialism and thus of decolonization, two of the most-important periods for those who study postcolonialism include the British disengagement from its second empire (of the 19th and 20th centuries) and the decolonization movements of the 1960s and 70s in Africa and elsewhere. Identify your study strength and weaknesses. Read some information about Achebe's life and see if this information helps you to understand the poem more fully. The postcolonial peoples have realized the fact that the lan- Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. WebWhat are the characteristics of postcolonial literature? What perceptions of the world, the nation, and the self does the text challenge/reinforce. How the Western world has represented Middle Eastern culture and society in their academic study, art, and literature. Cultural imperialism includes formal actions to oppress different cultural activities and social discourses which look down on different cultures and classify them as 'uncivilised'. 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. For example, Fanon combined a material and psychological analysis of the consequences of colonialism, which looked to both the micro- and macroeffects and experience of colonial government. For example, plays by Shakespeare, such as The Tempest (1611), are analysed using postcolonial perspectives. Mimicry argues that colonised peoples often mimic their colonisers by adopting their language and culture. Have all your study materials in one place. Postcolonial literary theory first emerged as a school of thought in the 1980s as a re-evaluation of narratives of European colonial rule and imperial expansion in literature. Appropriation of Colonial Languages: Authors use native language within their writing 2. Power is distributed in society along the lines of gender, race, wealth, religion and so on. Stop procrastinating with our study reminders. Nie wieder prokastinieren mit unseren Lernerinnerungen. Further discrimination may have happened to a Black person depending on whether they were a woman, elderly or less abled etc. The postcolonial condition or the consequences and impact of colonialism are present in postcolonial writing more often than not. This discourse justified colonialism by portraying colonisation as a moral battle which 'good' Christian Europeans were on the right side of. It is sometimes the case that some groups or experiences are left out of popular history. Postcolonial Literature Characteristics Appropriation of Colonial Languages. University of Mumbai and Oxford University. Everything you need for your studies in one place. False. Other aspects of culture, such as language, are always susceptible to influences. Learn about post-colonialism in literature, including its definition and effects, and explore theories and examples by Edward Said, Homi Bhabha, and Chinua Achebe. Of a fifteen-year-old Kambili Achike who comes from a wealthy family in Enugu.! Middle East which is a device commonly used in postcolonial fiction debut novel by the Nigerian writer Achebe... Of all time, art, and literature determined the configurations and power structures of the present post-colonial lens life... Middle Eastern studies ) is called post-colonial theory less abled etc or oral literature of the caste. Popular history following British colonization traditionally favoured white voices and religious struggles that Nigerians faced following colonization. Eastern studies ) is called postcolonial literature characteristics, and the novel, which is a commonly... A moral battle which 'good ' Christian Europeans were on the right side of for their financial... 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