From Orientalism (Edward Said)

 

 

From Orientalism

-        Edward Said.

Introduction:

According to Edward Sais “Orientalism” is the term invented by Europe because “on a visit to Beirut during the terrible Civil War of 1979-76, a French journalist stated that “the gutted downtown area that it has once seemed to belong to the Orient of Chateaubriand and Nerval”. In European notion, the Orientals who lived there were at stake. But American do not feel quite the same about the Orient. For them it is Far East (China and Japan mainly). But, according to Said not only the French and the British but also Germans, Russians, Spanish, Portuguese, Italians, and Swiss have a long tradition of calling “orientalism”, because the Orient’s has special place in European or Western experience. The orient is not only adjacent to Europe, it is also the place of Europe’s greatest and richest and oldest colonies, the source of its civilizations and languages, its cultural contestant and one of its deepest and most recurring images of the “other”. The orient is an integral part of European material civilization and culture.

Orientalism:

In Edward Said's seminal work "Orientalism," he posits that the concept of "Orientalism" embodies different meanings, primarily reflecting Western perceptions and representations of Eastern societies. Said emphasizes that Orientalism is a construct, created by European powers to define and dominate the "Orient." This term has historically encapsulated not just academic interest in the East but has also served as a means of political and cultural control.

 

Said traces the roots of Orientalism back to European colonialism and its complex relationship with the East. He argues that the Orient, often viewed as a geographical and cultural counterpart to the West, is more of an idea born from Western discourse than a reality shaped by the Eastern societies themselves. The Orient serves as an image, a backdrop against which Western self-identity is constructed, and its representations have been intertwined with the West's imperial ambitions.

 

Three categories of Orientalism are described by Said. Firstly, he differentiates between pure and political knowledge about the Orient, asserting that all knowledge is inherently political due to the context of its production. Secondly, he addresses methodological questions, noting that scholars studying the Orient do so from an outsider's perspective, often depriving their subjects of agency, reducing them to mere "problems" to be analyzed. Thirdly, Said discusses latent and outer Orientalism, where the latter refers to evolving views shaped by the West, often resulting in static and simplified depictions of Eastern cultures.

 

Said critiques the representation of the Orient as fixed and unchanging, highlighting how these portrayals stem from male-dominated narratives that disregard the dynamic nature of Eastern societies. Ultimately, he argues that Orientalism functions as a Western ideology that necessitates a critical examination of its implications on cultural perceptions and political realities.

 

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Said's exploration of Orientalism underscores its significance as a tool of power and cultural hegemony, reflecting deep-seated biases and a need for Western superiority. He asserts that Orientalism is not merely an academic discipline but an entrenched political ideology that continues to shape perceptions of the East in contemporary times.