Overview

Postcolonial Literature is the body of literary work produced by authors from countries that were formerly colonized, primarily by European powers. It explores themes of identity, language, resistance, and the complex legacy of colonialism.

Core Idea

The core idea is “writing back” to the empire. It challenges the dominant narratives of the colonizer and seeks to reclaim and reconstruct the history and culture of the colonized.

Formal Definition

Postcolonial literature is the literature by people from formerly colonized countries. It exists on all continents except Antarctica. Postcolonial literature often addresses the problems and consequences of the decolonization of a country, especially questions relating to the political and cultural independence of formerly subjugated people.

Intuition

Imagine a history book written only by the winners. Postcolonial literature is the other side of the story—the story of those who were conquered, silenced, and marginalized, now speaking in their own voices.

Examples

  • “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe: A response to Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness,” showing Igbo society from the inside before and during the arrival of Europeans.
  • “Midnight’s Children” by Salman Rushdie: Uses magical realism to narrate India’s transition from British colonial rule to independence.
  • “Wide Sargasso Sea” by Jean Rhys: A prequel to “Jane Eyre,” giving a voice to the “madwoman in the attic” (Bertha Mason).

Common Misconceptions

  • Misconception: It only exists in English.
    • Correction: While “Postcolonial Literature” as an academic field often focuses on Anglophone works, the phenomenon exists in French, Spanish, Portuguese, and indigenous languages.
  • Misconception: It is just about blaming the West.
    • Correction: It is often equally critical of the corruption and failures of post-independence national governments (e.g., Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o).
  • Hybridity: The mixing of cultures that occurs during and after colonization.
  • Orientalism: A term coined by Edward Said to describe the West’s patronizing representations of “The East.”
  • Subaltern: Populations that are socially, politically, and geographically outside of the hegemonic power structure.

Applications

  • Cultural Studies: Essential for understanding the modern, globalized world.
  • History: Provides a more nuanced view of historical events than official records.

Criticism and Limitations

  • Essentialism: Can sometimes treat “The West” and “The Rest” as monolithic blocks.
  • Academic Elitism: Some postcolonial theory (e.g., Spivak) is criticized for being overly dense and disconnected from the actual struggles of colonized peoples.

Further Reading

  • Orientalism by Edward Said
  • The Empire Writes Back by Bill Ashcroft et al.