Literary (Cultural) Theory Feminism & Postcolonialism

Some General Observations Theory Some General Observations

Theory Nothing “right” or “wrong” about different theories Ways of looking at the world Ways of reinterpreting the human experience Lenses through which to view cultural artifacts Theories borrow from each other Rarely does a scholar use only one theory

Feminism

Feminism Main concern Trends cultural context of texts and cultures male/female power struggle in texts and cultures othering Trends study of difference study of power relationships study of female experience

Key Concepts in Feminism Antrocentrism: attitudes, practices or social organizations based on assumption that men are the model of being Gynocriticism: trend examining distinctive characteristics of the female experience Misogyny: hatred of women Patriarchy: Social system headed and directed by a male

Postcolonialism

Postcolonialism Main concern Trends Study of cultures formerly (or currently) colonized Power struggle between cultures Intersection of cultures Trends Study of colonizing process Study of colonization fallout Study of new colonizing efforts

Key Concepts in Postcolonialism the subjection of one population by another often violent Cultural colonization subjugation of colonized culture in all respects imposition of colonizer’s culture on colonized

Key Concepts in Postcolonialism Othering: the assumption that those who are different from oneself are inferior Demonic other: view that those who are different from oneself are not only backward but also savage, even evil Exotic other: view that those who are different from oneself possess an inherent dignity and beauty, perhaps because of their more undeveloped, natural state of being

Key Concepts in Postcolonialism Double vision/double consciousness: sense of being part of both colonized and colonizing cultures Eurocentrism: view that European (including American) ideals and experiences are the standard Hybridity/syncretism: quality of cultures that have characteristics of both the colonizers and the colonized Neocolonialism: domination of a developing nation by international corporations attracted by cheap labor and manipulable political and legal systems.

Key Concepts in Postcolonialism Mimicry: imitation of the dress, manners, and language of the dominant culture by the oppressed Subalterns: people of inferior status Unhomeliness: the sense of being culturally displaced, of being caught between two cultures and not “at home” in either. Universalism: belief that a great work of literature deals with certain themes and characters that are common in European literature--Eurocentric in nature.

As a literary theory (or critical approach), it deals with literature produced in countries that once were colonies of theories found among the texts and sub-texts of other countries, especially of the European colonial powers Britain, France, and Spain; in some contexts, it includes countries still in colonial arrangements.

It also deals with literature written in colonial countries and by their citizens that has colonized people as its subject matter. Postcolonial theory was part of the 1970,with the “orientalism” of Edward Said. Describes the discourse about the East constructed by the West.

Colonized people, especially of the British Empire, attended British universities; their access to education, still unavailable in the colonies, created a new criticism - mostly literary, and especially in novels. Following the breakup of the Soviet Union during the late 20th century, its former republics became the subject of this study as well.

Temporal Aception- postcolonialsm appears in 1947 with the independence of India, at the end of the Second World War. It appears in Asia and Africa in all Europe from XVI century. (P. Williams, L. Chrismas) (F. Jameson).

Discursive Aception- literature made in the colonial period (B Discursive Aception- literature made in the colonial period (B. Ashcroft), and practice that braked down the arguments use from Europe to dominate. (E. Shoat, M.L.Pratt)

Epistemic Aception- postcolonial theories, 1980 England and U. S Epistemic Aception- postcolonial theories, 1980 England and U.S.A by the Palestine Edward Said. In his book “Orientalism”(1978). The “other” human science and imperialism. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pmkfvzmLdU

Major Figures: Edward Said Wole Soyinka Homi Bhabha Salman Rushdie Frantz Fanon Jamaica Kincaid Gayatri Spivak Buchi Emecheta Chinua Achebe

Key Terms ------------------------------------------------- Alterity-lack of identification with some part of one’s community, differentness, otherness. Diaspora-refer to any people or ethnic population forced or induce to leave their homelands, being dispersed throughout other parts of the world.

Imperialism-extending the control or authority over foreign entities as a means of acquisition and maintenance of empires, either through direct territorial control.

Eurocentrism-the practice, conscious or otherwise, of placing emphasis on European concerns, culture and values at the expense of those of other cultures. Hybridity-referring to the integration of cultural signs and practices from the colonizing and colonized cultures.

Recurrent Terms in Marxism Hegemony Coined by the Italian theorist Antonio Gramsci, this “refers to the pervasive system of assumptions, meanings, and values—the web of ideologies, in other words, that shapes the way things look, what they mean, and therefore what reality is for the majority of people within a given culture.”

Recurrent Terms in Marxism Reification Often used to describe the way in which people are turned into commodities useful in market exchange. For example, some would argue that the media’s obsession with tragedy (e.g. the deaths of Jon Benet Ramsay, Princess Diana, JFK Jr., the murders at Columbine High School in Colorado and Newtown Connecticut) make commodities out of grieving people. The media expresses sympathy but economically thrives on these events through ratings boosts.

Main Ideas in Marxism Exploitation: Exploitation of an entire segment or class of society by another An inherent feature and key element of capitalism and free markets Profit gained by the capitalist = the value of the product made by the worker + the actual wage that the worker receives Paying workers less than the full value of their labour To enable the capitalist class to turn a profit

Class System in Marxism The proletariat Individuals who sell their labour power The bourgeoisie Owns the means of production" Buys labour power from the proletariat (recompensed by a salary) Exploits the proletariat