[ilds] reality not semantic

[Lois Rees]

I see it like this.  Insufficient critical literature about Durrell concentrates on his celebration of the British Empire, colonialism, neo-colonialism and, in the Middle Eastern context, neo-Orientalism. This process of, to use Seferis' phrase,  "colonizing the mind" can no longer be the organizing principle of teaching literature in the decolonized world where the study of "English" has become the study of "english". In this connection the post-colonial critic Richard Pine asserts that "The very existence of post-colonial literatures undermines any project for the literary study in english which is postulated on a single culture masquerading as an originating center...the English canon is radically reduced within a new paradigm of english studies."  Given that this is the case, and given Durrell's subjective venom toward women, homosexuals and non-whites, how are we to enjoy his novels and his poetry?  I enjoy placing myself in Durrell's erotic world, but morally and
 intellectually I feel guilty.

Lois Rees

william godshalk <godshawl at email.uc.edu> wrote:   Actually, if you check the archive you will see that we have debated these topics and assertions at length and with a great deal of heat and animosity. But which specific topic would you care to comment upon? I suppose our members still have enough energy remaining to discuss your comments. 

 Bill

 
 At 09:20 PM 11/11/2007, you wrote:
 I was wondering if you ever discuss Lawrence Durrell's attitude towards gender and colonialism.  In his Quartet, Alexandria’s space attests to gendered Orientalist constructions, anti feminist, anti homosexual and also racist.  It is false to read his narratives in these areas as metonymics of subalternity.  In Durrell's Alexandria his disguised subjectivity is a decidedly male imperial one.  Women and Egyptians are dehumanized.  Posing as the celebrant of personal liberation, Durrell is really an elitist colonialist whose cosmopolitanism is a cloak for his Eurocentric bias.  It would be interesting if you would discuss something important like this.

 Lois Rees

 

 

 william godshalk <godshawl at email.uc.edu> wrote:
   
   At 07:34 PM 11/11/2007, you wrote:
  
   So what is it now?  The International Masturbation Society?
  
   Tsch, tsch. I can only speak for myself, of course, but I prefer copulation to masturbation.  But most of all I enjoy reading the novels and poems of Lawrence Durrell. How about you?

  
   WW
  
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