A Post-Colonialist
COMPARE and CONTRAST the ways in which any TWO POST-COLONIAL theorists have depicted THE RELATIONSHIP between COLONIAL CULTURE and the EXCERSISE of POWER using textual examplesOoronoko, published in the year of the glorious revolution, 1688, was written by Aphra Behn in a time of prolific expansion of the empire. The rate that the English; and by 1707; the British Empire, swarmed over the rest of the world is still astounding. In 1800 Western powers claimed 55% (but actually held 35%) of the earths surface. Increasing this expansion by roughly 83,000 square miles per year and accelerating even on this, by 1914 Europe held roughly 85% of the earth as colonies. Though the majority of colonies have now been relinquished by Western powers, the phenomenon of colonialization is still very much prevailent in the uncomfortably pernicious forms of imperial culturization and global branding. Post-colonial criticism and theory offers an array of answers to the conceptual, philisophical, social, moral and economic problems of colonialization. I will be using Behn?s key text on the tragedy of an African prince imported to Surninam to work as a slave, to untangle and demystify two of the most famous theorists; Edward Said and Homi Bha
Descriptions of Ooronoko as ?the conqueror?, as ?daring? and ?nobel? only resound when Ooronoko can be cast in the position of protector of the colony, killing property destroying or white woman terrorizing tigers guareetee?s Ooronoko?s badge of honour within the narrative. Said?s study makes no reference to the fact that Behn is not an advocated representative of the Western hegemony. ?No-one? lumps together every single writer on the Orient regardless of gender, class or race, Behn, was herself an outsider, shunned for creating a career in an obviously male domain, she was often likened to a prostitute ?selling her wares? to punters who have little taste. Then we trade for feathers which they order into all shapes, make themselves little short habits of them, and glorious wreaths for thei heads, necks arms, and legs, whose tinctures are inconceivable. To Bhabha the colony is founded on ideas of repetition and imitation, the colonised other is obliged to mimic the colonizer?s language, customs, gestures and dress because the colonizer desires the colonized ot be like him. Ooronoko speaking their language and assuming their form of legitamate reasoning, is able to plea for equality on European royalist grounds as he is wrongly imprisoned as an aristocrat. Ooronoko has realised that he is merely a pet for the narrator as the ones she described in her first economic and edenic description of Surinam. The fact that the head dress was presented to her as a gift and that she had decided the worth of this gift to be negligable to her, instead ?giving? it to a theatre, is stating an implicity power relation; the colonizer can bestow the produce of the colonies to beautify her own culture, adding realism to an exotic, heroic play ?the Indian Queen?, obviously another literatary creation of orientalism. The blazon is a narrative technique often used in the Renaissance, it signifies the narrators textual superiority by occupying a position where he/she is enabled to render the subject as an object of ?erotic contemplation?. ?there is nothing in nature more beautiful, agreeable and handsome?. Ooronoko is eventually silenced by Orientalism, by being a novelty (black) puppet to the heroic romantic discourse directed by the white coloniniser. Said?s theory of Orientalism certainly creates a sinister reading of Ooronoko as a text to repress and perpetuate the repression of the Orient, this is a reading standing far from the interpretetation of Ooronoko as paving the way for the anti-slavery literature that abounds in the eighteeth centuary . This apprehension made all the females of us fly down to the river, to be secured; and while we were away, they acted this cruelty: for I suppose I had authority and interest enough there, had I suspected any such thing; to have prevented it The casuality in which she ?supposes? she might have had the authority as an autonomous individual within the colony toprevent any punishment is completely belied by the fact she is a member of a weak group of women who are not even possessed by men but with fear. After Oornoko revolts and is recaptured, the narrator, though before threatening Ooronoko with punishment, now repeals.
Common topics in this essay:
Surinam Bhabha,
Catherine Gallagher,
Homi Bhabha,
Descriptions Ooronoko,
Indian Queen,
Aijaz Ahmad,
Orientalism Firstly,
British Empire,
Royal Slave,
Escapes Ooronoko,
western hegemony,
kings theatre,
colonial subject,
saids theory orientalism,
shapes colours,
western powers,
ooronoko narrator,
ooronokos blackness,
nobel prince,
baiting colour,
set kings theatre,
parakeetos parrots macaws,
parrots macaws,
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Acceptance Essays
