Discuss ways in which representations of non English characters are used to define

Englishness in any two or three texts.

Before I begin a discussion on representation of Englishness I think it is important

to define what Englishness means in the context of the literary work I intend to use for

my discussion. The term Englishness implies many things ranging from notions of

nationality, race to class, and a way of life. For the purpose of this essay I will explore the

kind of Englishness which is associated with a late Victorian notion of masculinity,

Empire, adventure and

Englishness

in British colonies. In

The making of English

National Identity

Krishnan Kumar traces the history of Englishness; Kumar suggests that

`English self consciousnesses′ began to emerge when foreign commercial enterprises

began to threaten English supremacy in the early 1800s ( p.224, 2003). In this essay I

will look at ways in which Englishness is defined by the way non English characters are

represented in Rider Haggard′s

King Solomon′s Mines

and E. M. Forster′s

A passage to

India

.

A passage to India

was published twenty nine years after

King Solomon′s Mines

but there are many similarities in the two texts. Both novels are set in British colonies

where the presence of the English characters amongst the natives is presented in ways

which represents a kind of Englishness specific to that historical period. The natives in

King Solomon′s Mines

are represented as highly superstitious people who are easily

frightened and manipulated by the rational and more logical English characters. Before

embarking of their journey Quatermain exploits the superstitious nature of a native to

safeguard his weapons. He warns the native that he will kill him `and all his people by

witchcraft′ (p 63). The superstitious nature of the natives is used fully to the advantage of

the Englishmen throughout the novel. Captain Good′s false set of teeth, his half shaved

face and his eye glass save the lives of the white men and Umbopa when they first come

across the people of Kukuanaland. The natives′ ignorance of machine guns and European

advancements such as an eye glass and the false set of teeth lead the natives to believe

that the White men are in fact not from this world. This kind of manipulation sets a clear

apposition between the Englishmen and the natives.

The Englishmen are represented to be rational, logical and generally more

superior to the natives. These brief examples I have described show that rationality and

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logic (as apposed to superstition) are distinguished components of Englishness. These

qualities are also associated with whiteness, especially in Africa. In both these novels

there are clear binary oppositions which can be simplified into two groups; Masculinity

and rationality associated with Englishness and Femininity and irrationality associated

with the Africans and Indians.

King Solomon′s

Mines

shows that the inhabitants of Africa

seem to lack these qualities with the exception of Umbopa which I will discuss later.

A passage to India

is a classic anti British and anti imperialist novel whereas

King

Solomon′s Mines

is generally accepted to a pro imperialist novel. As I mentioned before

A passage to India

was written twenty nine years after

King Solomon′s Mines

. During

this time England and in fact the whole world had undergone many historical, cultural

and national changes, the most significant event being the First World War. Therefore the

kind or version of Englishness which can found in Forster′s work is very different and

more complex than that found in

King Solomon′s Mines.

The English identity that is

being challenged in Forster′s work can be defined as Anglo Indian. There are many

difficulties and contradictions which are both expressed in the representation of the

English characters as well as the Indian characters. In my discussion of

A

Passage to

India

I will focus on the way Englishness is shown to be weak, diluted, repressed and

lacking spirituality through the character of Aziz. The version of Englishness which I

suggested in King Solomon′s mines is greatly threatened if not lost by the time Forster

was writing. The tense political situation in India also poses as a threat to the presence

and identity of the English in their colonies. The great British Empire was being

threatened by the Indians who demanded independence from the British rule.

Aziz is a complex character. He is often shown to be poetic, sensual, a loyal

friend, (at least in the first section of the novel) and rather melancholic at times. The

English characters think of Indians as a `collective′ rather than Individuals and vice versa

but Forster does not present Aziz in this way. `The

Birmingham post commented

that

Aziz impresses one as the absolutely "real" Indian to be found in fiction ′ (Ebbatson

and Neale 1986).

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However shortly after publication Forester was also criticised for having little knowledge

of Indian people and subsequently his representation of Indians and the English in India

was ridiculed.

Aziz mourns the loss of Islamic traditions, place of poetry and importance of

religion in his life and India. Westerners went to the east to become spiritually

enlightened as is the case with Mrs Moor. Aziz finds little comfort in religion, poetry or

his occupation. This lack of spirituality or a weakening of morals shows that Anglo

Indian Englishness is lacking the `missionary′ dimension of imperialism which I have

discussed below. Mrs Moor feels that the English are not being pleasant to the Indians

and she tells Ronny that God is `omnipresent′ in India. Ronny feels her `religious strain′

(p42) is a symptom of bad health. There are many such discussions in the first part of the

novel which highlights the changing attitudes of the two generations of English people

because Mrs Moor beings to question the role of the English people in India.

`Missionary nationalism′ and the subsequent need for enlightenment of the

natives also played a key role in the reasons for the formation of an Empire. This is

apparent in both

King Solomon′s Mines

and

A passage to India

. Kumar uses the example

of the French Revolution which he feels

Provides us a vivid example of `missionary nationalism′: a nationalism that finds

its principles not so much in equating state and nation as in extending the supposed

benefits of a particular nation′s rule and civilization to other peoples.

The role of Good, Sir Henry and Quatermain can be seen to be somewhat

missionary as they help to restore he right king to Kukuanaland. Umbopa could not have

achieved his status without the help of the tactful Englishmen. Thus the role of the

Englishmen in bringing `civilisation′ and peace to Kukuanaland is a quality which can

certainly be attributed to a kind of Englishness which was being supported through

literature in the late nineteenth century. As soon as Quatermain introduces his readers to

Umbopa he is compared to Sir Henry. Sir Henry is described as the `biggest-chested and

longest armed man′ Quatermain has ever seen (pg 4); likewise Umbopa is a `magnificent

looking man′ (41). Low suggests in

White Skins Black Masks

(1996) that

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