Page 263 - DENG501_LITERARY_CRITICISM_AND_THEORIES

Unit 22: Edward Said's Crisis [In Orientalism]: Inter-Textual Analysis (Alluding Fanon, Foucaut and Bhabha

22.4 The Importance of Postcolonialism Notes

‘Orientalism’, ‘subalternity’ and ‘mimicry’ are important aspects of the work of the three critics.
One of the problems that Orientalism (the book) suffers from is (that it assumes) too readily that
an unequivocal intention on the part of the West was always realized through its discursive
productions. The other two critics do not seem to give enough direct power and role ot ‘agency’ on
behalf of the colonized people. Also, Bhabha’s style is so involved that an oppositional stance does
not come through and is obscured by the meanderings of language.
And yet the cumulative achievement of the three critics discussed in this unit has been really
admirable. There is all around us a new cultural politics of difference with all its inner complexities
and subtle nuances. One of the challenges for postcolonial theory today is to come to terms with
specific local conditions and with comparison that can be discerned in and between them. There
is also the daunting task of trying to know the story of colonial and neo-colonial engagements in
all their complexity. Finding a proper language and terminology for representing those engagements
is another major challenge. The three critics taken up here have done more than most others in
indicating some of the directions that can be fruitfully followed, sometimes aided by
poststructuralism and postmodernism.
Some more general charges, however, remain. Aijaz Ahmad an Indian critic objects that postcolonial
theorists ‘live and do their theories’ in First World countries and that (in Ahmad’s view) affects
the impact of their work. Arif Dirlik sees the postcolonial intellectual as complicitousin feeding
into the goals of the capitalist frame of postcolonial theory. Kwame Appaiah argues that the ‘post’
of postcolonial theory and ostmodermism are spaces created by capitalism to market cultural
products in the developing world.

22.5 Summary

• Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak and Homi Bhabha are said to be ‘the Holy Trinity’ of postcolonial,
theory. Having said that, it becomes important to point out that their work cannot be clubbed
together in any homogeneous way. Each of themis different and important for the
contributions she has made to the field. Said’s main contribution to the field is the concept of
‘orientalism’—the attempt on the part of the West to establish the East as lazy, deceitful and
irrational. Spivak answers the question ‘Can the Subaltem Speak?’ with a ‘No’. Women are
‘doubly effeced’ in Spivak’s scheme of things. Bhabha’s theorizing about ‘mimicry’ builds on
the potential for irreverence and mockery in the colonizer/colonized relationship. All three
critics are influenced by Fjoucault’s views on power and discourse. Additionally, Spivak is
influenced by Derrida and Bhabha by Lacan. All three draw on other resources as well.
Self-Assessment
1. Choose the correct options:
(i) Discoure of Language published in ............... .
(a) 1971 (b) 1961
(c) 1975 (d) 1985
(ii) The first volume of the history of sexuality ............... .
(a) The will to knowledge (b) Disciphine and punish
(c) Discourse on language (d) None of these
(iii) Heart of Derridaness was written by ............... .
(a) Derrida (b) Trilling
(c) Conrad (d) None of these.

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