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What is Postcolonialism? • It is a period of time after colonialism. • It refers to the direct effects of colonization it underlines the status of a land which is no longer colonized but it has regained its political independence.
Meaning of Postcolonialism Postcolonialism is an umbrella term, which brings with it a critical attitude. In fact in a certain sense it criticises the previous period, that is colonialism. Postcolonialism Post: a Latinate prefix referring to something coming after something Ism: a suffix which underlines its critical attitude Colonialism: a period of time before postcolonialism
Postcolonialism in Literature It focuses on race relations and the effects of racism. Its features are cultural relativism, the absurdity of colonial language and discourse, ambivalence toward authority and colonial alienation. It refers to a set of theoretical approaches, but it is hard to define because it includes a variety of study’s areas.
Post-Colonial Main Concepts Mimicry “The copying of the colonizing culture, behaviour, manners and values by the colonized contains both mockery and a certain ‘menace’, so that mimicry is at once resemblance and menace” (Bhabha 1994) From the theory of Homi K. Bhabha, mimicry is a concept of imitating coloniser’s behaviours intended to mock which can appear as a parody in literature. It is a sort of anti-colonial movement. In literature that producing social-political works. It is a severe criticism as an implement to resist colonization. The most radical anti-colonial writers often called the “mimic men”.
Hybridity the fusion of two traditions to which create new trans-cultural elements and produce a double identity that contradicted, as a colonizer and colonized at the same time. In literature, it causes ambivalency and confusing whether it is opposing or supporting colonialism because for whatever post-colonial texts suppose to uncontaminated by the colonialist’s concepts.
Universalism (Universality) Universalism is Eurocentric view that claims their civilizations in experiences and values are the standard for all humanity. In literature, we are often told that what makes Shakespeare ‘great’ is his ability to reveal something of ‘the universal human condition’. Universalism gives assumption that European equals universal. It is the way European to elevate their status. That is why universalism rejected by post-colonialism. It is a strategy of imperialism and colonialism by saying the universal features of humanity are the characteristics of those who occupy positions of political dominance in this case, European Western.
In Analysis of post-colonial literature is examined: • Historical Aspect - trace history of colonialism and subjugation during the colonial period. In this case, there’s always the subject and the object of colonialism. Physical and Psychological Aspect – oppression and intimidation, are the ways to colonized feel weak, frightened, devaluate pride, submissive and obedient to the colonizer. Ideological Aspect – in whose perspective it is narrated, colonizer or colonized? Gender Aspect – man as colonizer, woman as colonized. Cultural Aspect – Domination of a certain culture, including ethnicity, race and religion. • • • •
Orientalism It is a text written by E.W.Said, that is considered a seminal text. Said analyses the means by which “the West” produces knowledge about “the East”. He underlines the relationship between the Orient and the Occident. The importance is that some regions will be always different from other regions because they were labelled in this way
Postcolonial text A famous postcolonial novel is Foe, by J.M.Coetzee. It is labelled like postcolonial because: • It was produced in a country that once was colony of other countries. • It shows the theme of racism and marginalization. • It underlines the absurdity of colonial language. The problem of language is typical in this period
Location This period developed in lands which were colonies of other lands.
Colonialism It is a term used to identify a period of time, characterised by colonization, which implies the exploitation of lands by foreign people.
Now Now Postcolonialism designated the new forms of economic and cultural oppression that have succeeded modern colonialism, which is also called neocolonialism.
Themes Racism Slavery Apartheid Need to achieve an identity • • • •
Sample of a Literary Piece “THIS EARTH OF MANKIND” Publisher : Reprint edition (May 1, 1996) Language : English Paperback : 368 pages Penguin Books;
This book is the author’s first book in his epic quartet called Buru Quartet. And it was first published by Hasta Mitra in 1980. The story is set at the end of the Dutch colonial rule. And it was written while Pramoedya was imprisoned on the political island prison of Buru in eastern Indonesia. In this book, the author portrayed the unjust life of the Indonesian people colonization period. And at that time the social status was governed by the amount of European blood running through the people’s veins. Minke is a young Javanese student of great intelligence and equally among the colonists and colonized of 19th-century Java, he battles against the confines of colonial strictures. It is his love for Annelies that enables him to find the strength to embrace his world. Minke, the protagonist refuses this hierarchical society by becoming a writer instead of a speech- maker. And this bears a resemblance to the author’s life who was jailed for two years. And that’s when he became a writer. All in all, this is one of the best post colonial novels that’s quite interesting to read. during the Dutch ambition. Living
Questions… 1. How does the author use foreshadowing? 2. What is the author’s tone in this novel? 3. What metaphor's used in this novel? 4. Who is the antagonist in the story?
Answers 1. Minke receives letters from Nyai imploring him to return to her home because of Annelies' declining health.This foreshadows Minke's return. 2. Thete is a mythic tone to the narrative. In Pramoedya Ananta Toer's, This Earth of Mankind, the protagonist comes of age against the backdrop of a colonial Java being ruled by the Dutch. Minke introduces himself and then launches into his story. His story is essentially a love story. He sets the backdrop of his class and education, and then moves into the first meeting of the Mellema family.
3. Indos are a living metaphor of racial integration. Indos, also known as Mixed-Bloods, have one parent who is a Native and one who is a European. They have more freedom than Natives and tend to think of themselves as superior to Natives, but are looked down upon as inferior by most Europeans. 4. Robert Mellema is the son of Herman Mellema and Nyai and brother of Annelies. He is the antagonist to Minke.
Conclusion Post colonialism realized that even though the colonial era has finished yet, but the practices have not come to an end and now has turned it face into neo- colonialism. In post-colonialism perspective, literary works emerged to unveil subjugation, injustice, violence, discrimination, inequality, to sound marginal and subaltern people, so that from post- colonial productions yielded social and political products. Post-colonial literature is a kind of literary work which describes realistic experiences of what really happens around us and to remind don’t just shut our eyes. It is believe that one voice could lead into a betterment for our future and society.
