2. Theory
• A single, definitive definition of postcolonial theory is
controversial. As a concept it is embedded in identity
politics. It includes the matters of identity, gender,
race and ethnicity.
• It is primarily concerned with politics, in particular
prejudice and injustice.
3. Transformed literature
• Postcolonial theory has transformed literary
studies in the past three decades.
• By turning to topics such as decolonization,
migration, language, knowledge production, and
representation, postcolonial studies approaches
the study of literature in ways that intersect with
other fields such as critical race theory and
diaspora, feminist, indigenous, transnational, and
transoceanic studies.
4. Definitions
• Colonization (or colonisation) occurs
whenever any one or more species populate
an area. The term, which is derived from the
Latin colere, "to
inhabit, cultivate, frequent, practice, tend, gua
rd, respect”, originally referred to humans.
5. Key Points
• Influenced by the dismantling of empires and
the continuing development of post colonial
theory many new artists use elements of their
own cultures and societies to be represented
in theatre.
6. Aimé Césaire
• Martinican poet, playwright, and
politician, one of the most influential authors
from the French-speaking Caribbean.
• Césaire adapted Shakespeare's (1611) The
Tempest "for a Black theatre" as A Tempest.
• Prospero is a white master, while Ariel is a
mulatto and Caliban is a black slave.
7.
8. Colonialism
• co·lo·ni·al·ism
• The policy or practice of acquiring full or
partial political control over another
country, occupying it with settlers, and
exploiting it economically
• i.e. when a nation extend their control past
their own borders in order to gain more power
and often wealth.
9. Colonialism in The Tempest
• In the Tempest colonialism features repeatedly with the characters
all keen to take control of the island as its leader.
• Groups or ‘colonies’ form:
1) Miranda, Prospero, Ariel, Caliban
2) Trinculo, Stephano, Antonio, Alonso, Ferdinand, Sebastian, Gonzalo
..and then change as characters walk into the other colonies territory
and change allegiances
1) Miranda, Prospero, Ferdinand, Ariel, Gonzalo, Alonso
2) Trinculo, Stephano, Caliban
3) Antonio, Sebastian
• The colonies are in competition with each other and conspire
against one another in order to eliminate competition and take
control.
10. Aims of Postcolonial theory
• the ultimate goal is accounting for and contesting the
lasting effects that colonialism has on civilizations; not just
recovering past worlds but looking at how the worlds as a
whole can move past the state of colonialism together and
work towards creating a better future where there is a
greater sense of mutual respect among nations
• To do this post-colonialists look at the cultural identity of
societies that have been colonized, what troubles they face
creating a national identity after a colonial rule, the ways in
which the colonizer has utilised the knowledge and other
things the the colonized peoples have to offer to further
their own interests; and the way in which the colonizer has
justified their colonization of the society by constantly
advertising them as a inferior people.
11. Edward Said
• For instance, Edward Said, a famous theorist, took the
word orientalism, which is the neutrally created term
given by the ‘West’ to the artistic depiction of the
Orient, i.e. the ‘East’ and challenged it to be the binary
division of the Orient, the east, and the Occident, the
west.
• Notably, the concept of the ‘East’ (i.e. the Orient), was
created by the ‘West’, suppressing the ability of the
‘Orient’ to express themselves. Western depictions of the
‘Orient’ construct an inferior world, a place of
backwardness, irrationality, and wildness. This allowed the
‘West’ to identify themselves as the opposite of these
characteristics; as a superior world that was
12. We see this in The Tempest…
• In The Tempest we see this in Prospero’s relationship with the
other islanders. He was exiled to the island and so he himself
is a discarded and unwanted member of a civilisation. He is in
no position of superiority, in some ways he is inferior to the
other inhabitants of the island as they are native to the island
and know it better than he does and have been there longer,
yet he dominates the island, colonizing it’s people.
• He enslaves Ariel and Caliban, constantly belittling them into
feeling inferior to him, in order to gain their services as slaves
and uses them to further establish himself as leader and get
his wishes carried out. His whole mission which he carries out
during the play would not happen were it not for Ariel as
much of the ‘dirty work’ is done by her.
13. Education in Colonies
• Westerns started educating natives when they took control of
their land. They educated them so they could passively
brainwash the natives into thinking their way is the only and
true way to re insert their status in their hierarchy.
• As sailors and labourers from the western countries came
over in the ships they were now no longer the lower class as
the natives were deemed as stupid and unknowledgeable
because of not being able to speak western languages and by
having different cultures as well as skin colours.
• If they were educated in a western way they would know their
place in society with no need for arguments.
14. Racism in Colonies
• Racism was a massive issue when the lands were
colonized allowing the superior (westerners) to make
names and comments about the natives which in all
dumbed them down.
• Throughout literature natives were given names that
created them into beasts and monsters to keep them in
their place.
• This devaluing of the native's existence as a human, gives
the colonizer a superior, almost God-like presence and
power. "The advantage of power," writes Lewes, "is that
it enables one to define the reality of the powerless."
15. We see this in The Tempest…
• When Caliban is first described the language of beastly and
monstrously ugly are used.
• However looking at the words as we know them today he is
believed to be a man of colour.
• He is still sometimes perceived during adaptations of the
tempest of a mystical beast of a creature, literally.
• Ariel is an interesting character however, as he is enslaved at
the beginning but has a chance to be freed by the end. Even
though he was enslaved by Caliban's mother in the first place.
Mutual respect on Prospero's side allows him to become
morally hirer then Caliban
