Ch.4 Post-colonial Literary Theory Cathy Lee, Chris Chang, Daphne Chia, Edison Yen, Janine Fang, Joby Huang, Joe Wang, Tony Wang

The text: Shakespeares The Tempest Prospero –Protagonist of the play. He is the usurped Duke of Milan who was forced to live on a deserted island with his daughter, Miranda. He has been on the island for twelve years. –He possesses magical powers, and has taught Caliban his language. Miranda –Daughter of Prospero. She has never seen any other human besides her own father, hence her perception of people is somewhat naïve. –It is suggested in the play that Caliban has tried to rape her. Caliban –A local of the island and servant of Prospero. He is hostile towards Prospero as his ruler, believing that the land was stolen from him by Prospero. He is presented as an uncouth and unpleasant character. –Famous quote: pg. 278

Post-colonial Interpretation Prospero = colonizer. Expelled from his country and banished onto the island which he becomes the ruler of. Miranda = woman figure from the colonizers party; needs to be protected from the violation of the aborigines. Caliban = the colonized; the aborigine whose land was taken over and oppressed by an authoritative power.

D. O. Mannonis theory Text: Prospero and Caliban: The Psychology of Colonization (1964) Prospero complex –Domination complex –Idealism of paternalist colonization –Sexual guilt –Flight from home Caliban complex –Dependency complex on the colonizer –European colonization is desired by future subject peoples

Franz Fanons Critique Text: Black Skin, White Masks (1986) Mannoni takes it upon himself to explain colonialisms reason for existence. In the process he adds a new complex to the standing catalogue: the Prospero complex. It is defined as the sum of those unconscious neurotic tendencies that delineate at the same time the picture of the paternalist colonial and the portrait of the racialist whose daughter has suffered an [imaginary] attempted rape at the hands of an inferior being (Fanon 1986: 107-8)

Fanons Critique Mannoni is excusing the colonizer by giving him a neurological complex Criticism of the colonizer –Dependency complex excuses colonizer –The white mans unfounded fear of black men raping their women –Desire for profit –Exploitation

Fanon No colonial system draws its justification from the fact that the territories it dominates are culturally non-existent. You will never make colonialism blush for shame by spreading out little-known cultural treasures under its eyes (On National Culture 41)

Fanons Theory Return to Africa = escapism –The colonized are unable to face the brutal degradation of colonialism –The colonized look to the utopian glory of the past to find comfort and to serve as a justification for future national culture Proposes hybrid culture –Reason: the colonized have evolved from the original condition –Dynamic national culture, colonialism is unable to obliterate the pre-existing national culture, instead brings it to its present state