ENG 4339 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Nicholas Chevalier, Banjo Paterson, Eddie Mabo
Postcolonial Literatures in English
Unit I: Introduction to Postcolonialism.
Where, when and what is postcolonialism
Where: Territories of British Empire (Africa, some places of Asia, such as India, Australia, New Zealand,
Canada. The US are often not included in this list because of their early independence, so its literature
developed in an independent way and has an own status of American Literature. In addition, the US does
not fit the definition of Postcolonial itself, because it has actually developed as a power itself. Nevertheless,
we can still use this term to talk about some writing in America written by oppressed people and groups,
such as native Americans or the African American.
Ireland will be also excluded because of time, but we can include them to the Postcolonial literature,
because as a fact Ireland was colonized. Wales and Scotland will also follow the same path as Ireland
(excluded for time). England will also be included because of the immigrant writers who came from the
colonies in the decolonization period (Postcolonial London).
The adjective is related not only with colonies, it is also related with any land surrounded by colonization.
When: End of the 19th century and the first years of 20th century. We are studying the literatures produced
after the colonization (decolonization process). From the 1950s/1960s onward. It is problematic to simply
say that Postcolonialism is exclusively 'what comes after colonialism' because the process of decolonization
is complex. Being independent politically is easy but being independent culturally is more difficult. English,
literature, history and traditions have being imposed on the colonies, so these things don't disappear from
one day to another. The colonization process is also a mind process ('the decolonization of the mind' by
Ngugi Wa Thiongo)
What: Postcolonial is used to define literatures, cultures and studies. The Postcolonial Studies were
developed during the 70s. They did some theories to use a framework to decolonize the mind. It refers to
the any process of colonization. It's a new way of reading, a new way of writing and interpreting text (a new
critical approach).
Literatures of writers which not belong to the United Kingdom and USA. Literatures done after the
colonization process but referring to previous time. There is a continuity in the issue of colonial tradition,
there is no complete destruction.
There is also a concept called writing back by Salman Rushdie. He explains that this new way of writing is
answering the one from the canon written by the English authors.
If we want to discuss postcolonialism, we have to discuss imperialism and colonialism before. Imperialism is
a term that defines the relationship between the metropolis and other countries. It is a relation of
superiority between them, the metropolis imposes some power and rules to other countries (imperial
ideology). To defend this ideology, for example, the British Empire, did colonialism: It's a practical use of
imperialism in order to own some others lands and execute power on it. The metropolis maintain the
colony economically, in military terms by especially, ideologically. It is a obligation of the white man, to own
these lands and civilize them (The White Man's Burden).
A historical overview of the British Empire
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At the beginning of the 20th century, the British Empire administrated 47 territories, ruled over 400 million
people and controlled 1/4 of the Earth's surface. The Empire was very complex in terms of ruling (many
culture, people, goods...) and more important cultures and ideas. That was one of the reasons of the
collapse of the Empire because of these huge numbers ("The sun never sets in the Empire"). It is very
difficult to administrate all these numbers. It was convention that the British Empire was colored in red in
maps. We tend to divide the evolution of the Empire in these four periods, because of the many changes on
the Empire.
- Age of Exploration (1500-1763) →
1500 – Since this date, the Empire began to have possessions, especially in North America.
1763 – Date in which the British had more expansion in Canada against the French.
In this age, they began to have territories. The sixteenth century was the century when Britain began to
have overseas territories and ends when the Empire finished the control of the Canada territory (Treaty of
Paris). This period is related to the Renaissance, new lands were discovered thanks to the explorers, they
wanted to explore the “New World”, such as Vasco de Gama, Cabot
(Newfoundland)... Their interest was not to found colonies, these
explorers wanted to discover new routes due to trade.
Since this period, thanks to these new routes, the British began to
compete with the French and Spanish empires.
Picture: Elizabeth I →Kind of propaganda because of her image of
power and magnificence. The crown symbolizes the power and her
hand in the globe means control. The background simbolizes the
“Spanish Armada” before and after the defeat.
The Renaissance as the Age of Discoveries: (map)
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This period witnessed also the creation of the first companies. These companies were recognized by the
Monarchy and were due to trading goods from the New World (Virginia Company, 1606; Hudson Bay
Company, 1670).
The plantation model meant there very first colonies arranged by the Empire were adquisitions of lands to
cultivate (tobacco, sugar, cotton...). The beginning of the 13 North America colonies were due also to a
plantation of tobacco leaded by the Mayflower (1620).
Another areas followed the same path and witnessed the beginning of some events as slavery. The Empire
didn't came in one day. They explored Canada, the 13 North America Colonies and after,The Caribbean.
Another name given to this period is Atlantic Empire. This area were the first areas where slaves went to work
in plantations.
The "Triangular Trade" (Slaves to the America, they produced plantation good that were sent to Europe and
Europe made manufactured goods to the African people traded with more slaves), but we also talk about the
“middle passage” which was the journey the slaves had to take to go to America. This trip was terrible, many
died, bad conditions, they were seen as products, they had no suffering, treated as objects.
The Caribbean area was chosen because of the good weather to grow sugar plantation during all year. Slaves
came from the decrease of native population in these areas from the White invasion.
In the Caribbean, we see the development of the Planter Society:
White elite – controls society, luxurious life, reduced number
Black people – work, majority of population, no privileges.
The slaves were arranged in a "planter society", the relation between lords and slaves. It imitated the
European life of white people(religions, traditions, language), which was in a great contrast with the life of
slaves. People knew about the consequences of slavery. Slave trade was a common phenomenon until 1807
when the trade of slaves was prohibited, but the liberation of these people affected by slavery was done in
1832 (Emancipation Act). The difference is that in 1807, the buying and selling of slaves was banned but you
could keep slaves until 1832 that you had to liberate them.
After the abolition of slavery, the system collapsed, because the necessity of work didn't last after the
abolition of slavery. They came up with the “Indian Indentured servants”, it consisted of sending Indian people
to the Caribbean plantation. They were tied to a particular plantation, they paid the passage and they stayed
in the plantation for a few years until they were liberated. It's a kind of “semi-slavery”.
To sum up,
– Establishment and independence of American Colonies
– Establishment of first trading ports in Africa and India. Small territories controlled by Britain in order
to make safe the “Triangular Trade”, to control the trade of some product, but the local authorities governed
those places.
– The establishment of plantation colonies in the Caribbean.
- Age of Expansion (1763-1837)
The Spanish and Portuguese empires were decreasing and the French was rising, so the British began to
compete with the French. In 1763, the British began to colonize great parts of Canada and 1837 was when
Queen Victoria arrived to the throne.
This period began with the sign of the Treaty of Paris which guaranteed the British to have lots of land in
Canada which meant to be French and finished with the coronation of Queen Victoria.
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Document Summary
Where: territories of british empire (africa, some places of asia, such as india, australia, new zealand, The us are often not included in this list because of their early independence, so its literature developed in an independent way and has an own status of american literature. In addition, the us does not fit the definition of postcolonial itself, because it has actually developed as a power itself. Nevertheless, we can still use this term to talk about some writing in america written by oppressed people and groups, such as native americans or the african american. Ireland will be also excluded because of time, but we can include them to the postcolonial literature, because as a fact ireland was colonized. Wales and scotland will also follow the same path as ireland (excluded for time). England will also be included because of the immigrant writers who came from the colonies in the decolonization period (postcolonial london).
