This essay is a comparative study between two genres, two ‘texts’, two discourses that are really just the same. Although they are separated in time, space and form, both ‘texts’ end up disseminating the same derogatory discourse; that some would call colonial about the Maghreb in particular and the orient in general. Slaves in Algiers; Or a Struggle for Freedom (1794), is a play written by Susanna Haswell Rowson, where the setting takes place in “Barbary” – the Mediterranean coast of North Africa – and more precisely in Algiers. The play centers on the lives of several American ‘slaves’ who plot their escape in an unflappable look for freedom. Whereas Tintin, you would have guessed is the famous Comic hero created by Belgian ‘artist’ Hergé. The movie that this essay analyzes is entitled “The Adventures of Tintin” (2011) and is directed by yet another ‘artist’ considered to be one of the all-time best directors in American Cinema; Steven Spielberg. At first sight, the 3D movie seems not to have much in common with a play written in the 18th century, yet this essay claims otherwise.
Table of Contents
1. From Slaves in Algiers to Tintin in Morocco
Objectives & Topics
This essay aims to conduct a comparative analysis between Susanna Haswell Rowson's 18th-century play "Slaves in Algiers" and Steven Spielberg's 2011 film "The Adventures of Tintin," investigating how both texts propagate enduring colonial and Orientalist stereotypes regarding the Arab world and North Africa.
- Comparative analysis of literary and cinematic portrayals of the 'Orient'.
- The persistence of colonial discourse across different media and time periods.
- The role of Hollywood in shaping public perceptions and constructing 'the other'.
- The impact of repetitive, insidious imagery on contemporary audiences, particularly children.
- Hollywood as a tool for engineering political and social consent.
Excerpt from the Book
From Slaves in Algiers to Tintin in Morocco
This essay is a comparative study between two genres, two ‘texts’, two discourses that are really just the same. Although they are separated in time, space and form, both ‘texts’ end up disseminating the same derogatory discourse; that some would call colonial about the Maghreb in particular and the orient in general. Slaves in Algiers; Or a Struggle for Freedom (1794), is a play written by Susanna Haswell Rowson, where the setting takes place in “Barbary” – the Mediterranean coast of North Africa – and more precisely in Algiers. The play centers on the lives of several American ‘slaves’ who plot their escape in an unflappable look for freedom. Whereas Tintin, you would have guessed is the famous Comic hero created by Belgian ‘artist’ Hergé. The movie that this essay analyzes is entitled “The Adventures of Tintin” (2011) and is directed by yet another ‘artist’ considered to be one of the all-time best directors in American Cinema; Steven Spielberg. At first sight, the 3D movie seems not to have much in common with a play written in the 18th century, yet this essay claims otherwise.
A stormy rainy weather in the middle of the Sahara; not a usual seen one might say, is what welcomes our two heroes Tintin and Haddock in Morocco. Their plane ends up crashing in the same desert because of the weather conditions. Just a few seconds later, both characters are walking in a very hot and dry Sahara this time. Haddock keeps hallucinating about seeing water; usual. The following night, while some ‘oriental’ music is playing both characters are found by grumpy ‘Arabs’ with long noses that look weirdly happy to have found them.
Summary of Chapters
From Slaves in Algiers to Tintin in Morocco: This section establishes the comparative framework between Rowson's 18th-century play and Spielberg's 2011 film, arguing that despite different mediums, both perpetuate consistent Orientalist and colonial tropes concerning the Maghreb.
Keywords
Orientalism, Colonialism, Hollywood, Representation, Slaves in Algiers, The Adventures of Tintin, Stereotypes, Maghreb, Arab, Media discourse, Cultural analysis, Film studies, Propaganda, Othering, Susanna Haswell Rowson
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper provides a comparative cultural analysis of how colonial and Orientalist discourse is maintained and reproduced in Western media, specifically comparing an 18th-century play to a contemporary Hollywood film.
What are the core thematic fields addressed in the work?
The central themes include literary and cinematic representation, the construction of the 'Other', the history of Orientalism, and the political function of popular media in shaping national attitudes.
What is the central research question?
The author seeks to demonstrate that despite vast differences in technology and time, both the 18th-century play "Slaves in Algiers" and the modern film "The Adventures of Tintin" disseminate an identical, derogatory colonial narrative about the Maghreb and Arab people.
Which scientific approach does the author employ?
The author uses a comparative cultural studies approach, drawing on theoretical frameworks by Jack Shaheen, Edward Said, and Paul Virilio to deconstruct narrative patterns and visual representations in media.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body examines specific scenes from Spielberg’s "Tintin," analyzes the characterization of the Sultan and other North African figures, compares these with the depiction of the Dey in Rowson’s play, and discusses the broader sociological danger of Hollywood’s influence.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include Orientalism, Colonialism, Media Representation, Stereotyping, Hollywood, Cultural Studies, and Political Discourse.
How does the author characterize the portrayal of Moroccans in the film "The Adventures of Tintin"?
The author argues that the film portrays Moroccans consistently as "ugly," "grumpy," or subservient workers, contrasting sharply with the aesthetic depiction of non-Arab characters to maintain a "us vs. them" binary.
What is the significance of comparing a play from 1794 with a film from 2011?
This comparison serves to highlight the longevity and persistence of negative stereotypes, suggesting that these cultural tropes are not isolated historical artifacts but are actively sustained by contemporary media institutions.
How does the author interpret Hollywood's role in society according to this text?
The author, referencing Jack Shaheen and William Greider, characterizes Hollywood as an "authoritative creator" of common-sense attitudes, functioning as a powerful educational tool that often shapes American perceptions of the Arab world through repeated, insidious imagery.
- Citar trabajo
- Student-Researcher Amine Zidouh (Autor), 2013, From Slaves in Algiers to Tintin in Morocco, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/212045
