The “troubles” with Islam in today’s Europe concerning legal and social issues are accompanied by stereotypical visions of the Islamic world. Stereotypes and prejudices play of course a certain role in every representation or vision of the Other. In regard to Islam they are, however, of a particularly long and rich history. Already after one century from its emergence Islam was seen as a danger to Christianity. John of Damascus granted already in 8th century a complete, though totally ignorant view of the Muslim civilization. Muhammad was depicted by him as an Antichrist and he declared Islam to be a conspiracy against Christianity. The medieval reception of Islam is shown very accurately in the famous Divina Comedia by Dante, where the reader finds Mohammed placed nowhere else but in hell: “(…) see how Mahomet is mangled! Before he goes Ali in tears, his face cleft from chin to forelock; and all the others thou seest here were in life sowers of scandal and schism and therefore are thus cloven”. Untrue and unfair depictions of Islam in Europe are found in Catholic theology by Thomas Aquinas, who is still regarded by the Church as its most prominent philosopher.
Ignorance about Islam may seem understandable as far as fear of religious challenge is concerned, since many critics of Islam felt it was their duty to defend the truth about God. Many of them depicted the Muslim culture in a completely wrong way because of the very fact that they had never been in real contact with that culture. More detailed investigations about what was behind the teachings would, however, needed to be based on direct encounter. Accounts on Islam based on personal experience would have been then at least more objective and neutral – but the opposite is the case. In the so-called travel literature depictions of Islam are full of bias, fears and unjust insinuations. The purpose of travel writing in early modern Europe was not to represent Islam as it was, but to prove the distinction between the good and evil, whereas Christianity was meant to be the good and Islam the evil.
Representations or rather misrepresentations of Islam in English literature of the Early Modern Period in general and in travel accounts written in that time in particular are the subject of this paper. A general characteristic of travel writing on Islam is given, two selected accounts – by William Biddulph and William Lithgow – are discussed in a more detailed way.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- I. Introduction: Islam As Eternal Threat To Europe
- II. The Notion of Orientalism
- II.I. The Meaning of the 'Turks'
- II.II. The Meaning of the 'Orient'
- III. Representations of Islam in English literature
- III.I. Literary Forms of Criticism of Islam
- III.II. Christian Aspects of Writing on Islam
- IV. Travel Literature on Islam
- IV.I. 'The Imperial Envy'
- IV.II. William Biddulph: 'The travels of certaine Englishmen…'
- IV.III. William Lithgow: 'The totall discourse, of the rare aduentures…'
- V. Bibliography
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the representation of Islam in English travel literature during the Early Modern Period (1560-1640). It aims to understand how Islam was portrayed and how these representations reflected broader cultural anxieties and biases of the time. The paper delves into the historical context of Islam's perception in Europe, explores the concept of Orientalism as a framework for understanding these representations, and analyzes two specific travel accounts by William Biddulph and William Lithgow.
- The historical context of Islam's perception in Europe
- The concept of Orientalism and its impact on representations of Islam
- The role of travel literature in shaping Western understanding of Islam
- Analysis of specific travel accounts by William Biddulph and William Lithgow
- The relationship between cultural biases and representations of the Other
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction sets the stage for the paper by discussing the contemporary anxieties surrounding Islam in Europe and highlighting the historical trajectory of negative perceptions of Islam. It emphasizes the role of stereotypes and prejudices in shaping these perceptions and introduces the key concept of Orientalism as a framework for analyzing representations of Islam.
Chapter II, "The Notion of Orientalism," delves into Edward Said's influential work on Orientalism. It explores how Orientalism functioned as a tool for Western domination and control over the "Orient," highlighting the selective and often biased representations of Islamic culture. This chapter lays the groundwork for understanding the broader context within which English travel literature on Islam was produced.
Chapter III, "Representations of Islam in English literature," focuses on the specific literary forms and Christian perspectives employed in writing about Islam. It examines how these representations often relied on stereotypes, distortions, and misinterpretations, perpetuating negative views of Islamic faith and culture.
Chapter IV, "Travel Literature on Islam," delves into the specific case of English travel accounts. This chapter analyzes two prominent examples: William Biddulph's "The travels of certaine Englishmen" and William Lithgow's "The totall discourse, of the rare aduentures..." It examines how these travelogues reflected the prevailing biases and anxieties of the time, showcasing how personal experiences were often shaped by preconceived notions and used to validate existing stereotypes.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The paper focuses on key concepts such as Orientalism, Early Modern English literature, Islam, travel literature, representations of the Other, cultural biases, stereotypes, and prejudices. The specific accounts by William Biddulph and William Lithgow provide further context and specific case studies.
- Quote paper
- Adam Galamaga (Author), 2010, Representations of Islam in Travel Literature in Early Modern England, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/172217
