Postcolonial literature

Postcolonial literature is a branch of literature concerned with the political and cultural independence of peoples formerly subjugated in colonial empires.

Related Topics:
Literature - Independence - Colonial

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Post-colonial literary critics re-examine classic literature with a particular focus on the social "discourse" that shaped it. For instance, in his book Orientalism, Edward Said analyzes Balzac, Baudelaire, and Lautrèmont and explores how the works of these authors were both influenced by and helped shape a societal fantasy of European racial superiority.

Related Topics:
Discourse - Edward Said

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Post-colonial fictional writers interact with the traditional colonial discourse, but modify or subvert it; for instance by retelling a familiar story from the perspective of an opressed minor character in the story.

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Notable authors within the genre include Salman Rushdie, Chinua Achebe and Hanif Kureishi.

Related Topics:
Salman Rushdie - Chinua Achebe - Hanif Kureishi

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