Sophia Lane was the sister of the famous orientalist Edward William Lane, who suggested that she and her sons join him in Egypt so that she could report on the female side of Egypt's gender-segregated society. The result was her book of letters "The Englishwoman in Egypt: Letters from Cairo". Like her brother, Lane adopted local customs and dress in order to gain acceptance in Egyptian social circles. However, Lane herself hated veiling, and writes that she veiled only in order to gain access to harems, bathhouses, and other "women-only" areas.
Her autobiography is extremely interesting for the average European reader who reads about the exotic strange Orient with its weird habits and customs as well as the modern scholar who finds it a rich source of information about an important period in the history of Egypt specially that it covers the everyday life more than the historical events as seen from an external point of view. She writes "Imagine the face covered closely by a muslin veil, double at the upper part, the eyes only uncovered and over a dress of coloured silk an overwhelming covering of black silk extending in my idea in every direction. I looked with dismay at the donkey I must mount which was waiting for me. Nothing can be more awkward and uncomfortable than this riding dress." (Lane 38)
There are lots of other bizarre incidents (according to the Europeans) in the book like the belief of the appearance of the “Efreet” and the servants leaving the family, the phenomenon of “el sarab” or the mirage, Ramadan habits including the severity of fasting, the night call of prayer by the “Mueddins” and “el mesaharaty” calling people to have a final last chance meal before fasting, the description of mosques from the inside through her dashing adventure, marriage without seeing the future wife, Muslim ceremonies regarding the dead, cemeteries and the hired mourners, the description of public baths for females and the harem.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to New Historicist Reading
2. Orientalism and the Construction of the Other
3. Autobiography and Subjective Narrative
4. Cultural Constructs and Historical Inquiry
5. The Perspective of the Master Narrative
6. Comparison and Diction in Travel Writing
7. Credibility and External Observations
8. Power Dynamics and Social Discourse
9. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This paper aims to provide a New Historicist reading of Sophia Lane's autobiography, The Englishwoman in Egypt: Letters from Cairo, examining how the author constructs her identity and represents the "Orient" within the framework of prevailing 19th-century colonial discourse.
- Application of New Historicism to colonial travel literature
- Analysis of the relationship between the author, narrator, and protagonist
- Examination of "Othering" and the construction of Western superiority
- Critical investigation into the reliability of subjective historical narratives
- Exploration of social power and cultural constructs in travel writing
Excerpt from the Book
A New Historicist Reading of the Orientalist Autobiography The English Woman in Egypt: letters from Cairo by Sophia Lane
According to Edward Said, "Orientalism" is a style of thought based upon making certain generalizations about the part of the world known as the 'East .' The Orient is almost a European invention. It had been since antiquity a place of exotic beings, haunting memories and remarkable experiences where Europe’s greatest, richest and oldest colonies existed as well as an integral part of European material civilization and culture. It has helped to define Europe (the West) as its contrasting image, personality and experience. Thus, it represents “the Other”. Said says in his remarkable book Orientalism (1978) “The Orient exists for the West, and is constructed by and in relation to the West. It is a mirror image of what is inferior and alien to the West.” (Said 52)
Said explains that the earlier orientalists were more of silent observers but the modern orientalists like Lane took part in the everyday life of the orients. The earlier orientalists did not interact a lot with the orients, whereas the new orientalists lived with the orients as if they were one of them. In the preface of her autobiography, Lane writes “these are the notes of one to whom Egypt has become almost as familiar as England” (Lane XXI). The autobiography is written from the first person singular perspective. In general, the author, the narrator, and the protagonist must share a common identity for the work to be considered an autobiography. This common identity could be similar, but not identical. The self that the author constructs becomes a character within the story that may not be a completely factual representation of the author’s actual identity. He/she may not even be accurate when describing events due to many factors.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction to New Historicist Reading: Introduces the methodology and the intent to analyze Lane's work within its specific sociohistorical context.
2. Orientalism and the Construction of the Other: Discusses the theoretical framework of Orientalism and how the West defines itself against the constructed image of the East.
3. Autobiography and Subjective Narrative: Explores the challenges of autobiographical authenticity and the construction of the authorial self.
4. Cultural Constructs and Historical Inquiry: Examines how New Historicism treats private lives and historical documents as complex narratives rather than absolute truths.
5. The Perspective of the Master Narrative: Analyzes the influence of social status and gender on the ability of writers to frame history independently.
6. Comparison and Diction in Travel Writing: Investigates the rhetorical strategies Lane uses to favor her home culture over the "peculiarities" of the Egyptian lifestyle.
7. Credibility and External Observations: Challenges the accuracy of Lane's observations through cross-reference and critical scrutiny of her colonial bias.
8. Power Dynamics and Social Discourse: Uses Foucault’s theories to interpret how discourse and power define what is considered "normal" in society.
9. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, noting that while the work is a valuable piece of literature, it must be read with critical awareness of its colonial motifs.
Keywords
New Historicism, Orientalism, Sophia Lane, Autobiography, Colonialism, The Other, Edward Said, Michel Foucault, Travel Writing, Egypt, Master Narrative, Subjectivity, Discourse, Cultural Construct, 19th-century Literature
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper examines Sophia Lane's 19th-century travelogue, The Englishwoman in Egypt, using a New Historicist critical framework to unpack its colonial underpinnings and narrative biases.
What are the central thematic fields?
The work revolves around colonial identity, the representation of the "Orient," gendered experiences in travel writing, and the power structures inherent in autobiographical discourse.
What is the primary objective of this study?
The goal is to move beyond a literal reading of the text to understand how Lane constructs a specific version of Egypt that reinforces Western cultural superiority.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The paper utilizes New Historicism, focusing on the interplay of discourse, power, and historical context to analyze the text as a cultural product.
What is discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body analyzes Lane's descriptions of Egyptian customs, her comparisons between England and Egypt, and the critique of her reliability as a narrator through the lens of Said and Foucault.
Which keywords define this academic work?
Key terms include New Historicism, Orientalism, subjectivity, colonial narrative, cultural constructs, and autobiographical voice.
How does the author view the concept of "home" versus "the Other" in Lane’s text?
The author argues that Lane consistently positions England as the civilized center while framing Egypt as a "peculiar" and inferior "Other" to satisfy her European readership.
What is the significance of Lane’s observations on Egyptian servants?
The paper suggests that Lane’s mockery of local hygiene and customs serves to reinforce her own status and the cultural superiority of her readers in England.
How does this paper approach historical events like the burning of the Alexandrian library?
It interprets such incidents as examples of how discourse is used to maintain power, noting that the importance of these stories often changes depending on the era in which they are told.
Why should a modern reader be cautious of Lane's account?
The paper concludes that since the text is a product of its time and represents the writer's personal motifs, it should be read as "literature" rather than objective history or science.
- Quote paper
- Silvia Elias (Author), 2013, A New Historicist Reading of the Orientalist Autobiography "The English Woman in Egypt" by Sophia Lane, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/283523
