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. [...]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Defining Englishness and Colonial Context
3. Englishness in King Solomon’s Mines
4. Anglo-Indian Identity and Challenges in A Passage to India
5. Missionary Nationalism and Imperial Ideals
6. Masculinity, Whiteness, and the Representation of the Other
7. Gender Roles and Male Camaraderie
8. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This essay explores how the representation of non-English characters in Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines and E. M. Forster’s A Passage to India serves to define and redefine the concept of "Englishness" across different historical periods and colonial contexts.
- The evolution of English identity from late Victorian notions to the post-World War I era.
- Binary oppositions of rationality versus superstition and masculinity versus femininity.
- The impact of "missionary nationalism" on the formation and justification of the British Empire.
- The role of whiteness and civilizing missions in constructing colonial authority.
- The influence of gender dynamics and female characters on the stability of male-dominated colonial structures.
Excerpt from the Book
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
‘Haggard, ... depend[s] on the body images of Africa… to reconstitute… national and colonial identities. Haggard dreaming of a Zulu nation, imagines an empowering world of masculinity and militarism, in order to rediscover the hidden English chivalric potential in a period of cultural decadence and effeminacy. (pg 35)
This quote helps to explain some of the reason why the Umbopa and Sir Henry are described in the way I have suggested above. Sir Henry reminds Quatermain of an ancient Dane likewise Umbopa and his tribesmen allow Quatermain to reinforce a sense of Englishness. Unlike the typical depiction of Africans as ape like savages; (a popular late Victorian idea) the men of Kukuanaland are very tall, handsome, very brave and are willing to help restore order and justice. In this way Haggard tried to invent a kind of masculine Englishness which can no longer be found in England. Nevertheless English superiority is constructed and maintained through the African’s irrationality.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Defines the scope of the essay and the conceptual framework of Englishness in relation to masculinity and Empire.
2. Defining Englishness and Colonial Context: Examines the historical emergence of English self-consciousness and sets the comparative basis for the two selected novels.
3. Englishness in King Solomon’s Mines: Analyzes the depiction of the natives as superstitious and the subsequent use of this trait by Englishmen to maintain control.
4. Anglo-Indian Identity and Challenges in A Passage to India: Discusses the transition to a more complex, threatened, and fragmented version of English identity in Forster’s work.
5. Missionary Nationalism and Imperial Ideals: Explores the ideological roots of the Empire and the "civilizing" mission common to both texts.
6. Masculinity, Whiteness, and the Representation of the Other: Focuses on how whiteness and masculine power are used as core pillars of the English identity in the colonial setting.
7. Gender Roles and Male Camaraderie: Argues that women are perceived as threats to colonial male bonding and imperial order in both novels.
8. Conclusion: Summarizes how Englishness is a fluid construct influenced by time, class, and colonial power dynamics.
Keywords
Englishness, Colonialism, Imperialism, Rider Haggard, E. M. Forster, Masculinity, Whiteness, Missionary Nationalism, Rationality, Superstition, Identity, Literature, Representation, Gender, Otherness
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines how literature, specifically the novels of Haggard and Forster, constructs and defines the concept of "Englishness" through the lens of colonial interactions and the representation of non-English characters.
What are the primary thematic fields addressed?
The key themes include the intersection of identity with race, class, masculinity, the historical evolution of imperialist ideologies, and the binary oppositions of "colonizer versus colonized."
What is the central research question?
The essay explores the ways in which representations of non-English characters in colonial literature are utilized to define and sustain specific versions of English identity and superiority.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author employs a comparative literary analysis, utilizing post-colonial theoretical frameworks—such as those by Krishnan Kumar, Edward Said, and G.C.L. Low—to deconstruct the narrative techniques within the primary texts.
What content is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body analyzes the shift from the pro-imperialist, masculine "Englishness" in the 19th-century setting of King Solomon’s Mines to the more fragmented, anti-imperialist, and conflicted "Anglo-Indian" identity portrayed in A Passage to India.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Englishness, Colonialism, Imperialism, Masculinity, Whiteness, Missionary Nationalism, and Otherness.
How does the author characterize the role of Aziz in Forster’s novel?
The author describes Aziz as a complex, poetic, and melancholic figure who embodies the tensions and the "spiritual" dimension often contrasted with the "rational" but strained English presence in India.
What significance is attributed to the presence of female characters in the novels?
The author argues that female characters are often treated as threats to the stability of male camaraderie and the overarching imperial structure, particularly in the colonial environments presented in both books.
In what way does the "distorted mirror" metaphor apply to the author's conclusion?
The author concludes, using G. C. H. Low’s quote, that both Haggard and Forster provide a reflection for the English that is transformed by their vision of the "other," revealing the subjective nature of colonial identity.
- Quote paper
- Khushnama Khan (Author), 2006, Discuss ways in which representations of non English characters are used to define Englishness in any two or three texts. , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/91132
