Lecture notes
EWH11 Lecture 16 - Literature and Empire
- Institution
- University Of Oxford
- Book
- Heart of Darkness
Lecture notes regarding literatures of empire between 1750 and 1930 and the interplay between literature and history.
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
Seller
Follow
Content preview
EWH11 Lecture 11 - Literature and Empire1 of 3
- Children’s literature classics = written in prolific way at height imperialism, not an
accident : Kipling.
- Literature shapes imperial imagination (Imperial Boredom, Auerbach) > occupies
dull hours admin life in outposts of Empire, so shapes perceptions as well as reflect
them. Shape how we understand experience of Empire (Heart of Darkness > core
text of understanding colonial experience + how has been written by historians).
- Indian independence = built on literary creation, through authors writing percep-
tions of country.
- Idea of stereotypes in Saïd > fostered in adventure fiction, outgrowth 18C literature.
- “Empire Writing” > genres deployed by imperialist authors at time, really think
about implications of Saïd > if literature shapes imperial imagination, then what is it
really? What is the approach of the this theory?
- Range of material > Just So Stories, Kim (maverick text, fits and not the Saïdian par-
adigm > not our man in India, = Irish boy, shapeshifter, speaks Indian languages,
reflects Kipling himself, by odd swerve, becomes the bard of Empire despite being
native born).
- Kiplings poems > Boris Johnson recites in Indian pagoda : had to be manhandled
off. Praise song to Burmese girl. Typically Kipling, contravenes imperial divide >
biracial cross cultural relationship spoken of freely > frowned upon so subversive
despite dominant imperial tone, British confidence. Refrain based poetry sustains
imperial spirits.
- Hagard : King Solomon’s Mines (gateway to Conrad Heart of Darkness) > finding
buried treasure heart of darkest Africa, straight adventure novel (HoD ≠). Map =
crucial to narrative, = shaped like female body > imperial imagination = set up in
gendered terms. Find treasure > need kill woman to release > Euro dominance set
up in gendered hierarchy.
- Conrad : canniest of imperial commentators, bc not British (Pole, parents = polish
nationalists, French = second language, works with British merchant navy, works on
moral + psychic implications of Empire. For Conrad, not triumphant perception Em-
pire, involves danger of “going native” > negative profit, not good economic value.
- Empire = textual entreprise > British readers imperial clubs, written reposts of im-
perial administrators, British newspapers, lawmakers consulting Islam texts to cre-
ate legislation. All figures encourage us to see empire in heyday as imagined, main-
tained, propagated through writing : political treatises, diary, annotated maps, mis-
sionary reports, notebooks, popular verse, jingoistic verse, letters home, letters to
settlers > plethora of writing, literary and not that the Empire encouraged + propa-
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller FEDFH. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £7.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
70055 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now