Literary Theory: New Historicism and Cultural Materialism

The idea that the identity of the colonizer is partly dependent on the colonized, who is seen as fundamentally different and inferior.

The process of the colonized imitating the colonizer's culture and ways of life, often leading to hybridity.

The act of seeing and understanding the colonized from a position of power, often resulting in a distorted or negative view.

A fusion of different cultural elements, often as a result of colonial encounter, which can be both positive and complex.

A term coined by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak to describe those who lack a voice or platform to express their experiences, often due to their social position or oppression.

The idea that the subaltern subject is not a unified or homogenous group, but rather has diverse experiences and identities.

A literary and critical approach that analyzes texts and cultures produced under colonialism, focusing on themes of power, identity, and resistance.

The study of how European colonialism has influenced and shaped the world. Examines the effects on colonized cultures, identities, and power dynamics.

A critique of Eurocentrism, which emphasizes the centrality of Europe in shaping the understanding of the world. It highlights the Eurocentric biases and power imbalances.

The idea that identities are formed through multiple influences and experiences, often combining elements of different cultures.

A collection of related written and visual representations that reflect a certain perspective about a subject, often shaping our understanding of it. For instance, Orientalism constructs a certain view of the 'Orient'

Edward Said's concept that describes the way Western culture has represented the East (the Orient) in a stereotypical and often negative manner.

The East is imagined as a distinct and often inferior geography compared to the West, creating a binary opposition (West vs. East).

Orientalism served to justify and support Western imperialism by constructing the East as inferior and in need of intervention.

It focuses on how power operates in a society, emphasizing the ways discourse constructs identities and shapes our understanding of the world.

The West is superior because the East is depicted as inferior, despite having its own achievements. This reinforces the hierarchy between East and West.

The study of how power is exerted in societies, especially through language, knowledge, and social institutions. Foucault is a key figure in this field.

It analyzes literature by considering the text as a product of its particular historical and social context, rejecting the idea of the author's individual genius or the work's inherent autonomy.

It argues that literature is not simply a product of history, but actively shapes and influences history itself, suggesting a dynamic relationship between the two.

It explores the ways in which power is exerted through language and discourse, considering how dominant ideologies are perpetuated and how marginalized voices are silenced or marginalized.

It emphasizes the construction of identities through discourse, highlighting the fluidity and dynamic nature of self-representation.

It explores how cultural materialism focuses on the role of ideology in shaping our understanding of the world and the ways in which institutions and power structures perpetuate certain values.

It emphasizes the ways in which the dominant social order constructs and justifies its power, often by creating and marginalizing oppositional groups.

It examines the ways in which the dominant order positions certain groups as 'other' in order to solidify its own position and maintain power.

It analyzes the ways in which literature can subvert or challenge dominant ideologies and power structures.

It explores the changing perception of marriage during the Early Modern period, emphasizing the growing emphasis on personal fulfillment and emotional connection.

The idea that knowledge and power are intertwined, and that knowledge is used to control and manage individuals and society.

The systematic study of how discourses, or systems of knowledge, are constructed and how they shape our understanding of the world.

A challenge to the Enlightenment's idea of the rational, autonomous individual, arguing that the individual's self is a product of social and historical forces.

Refers to systems of language, knowledge, and social practices that shape our understanding and perception of the world.

The idea that power can be resisted not through individual action but through collective resistance and struggles based on shared experiences and social positions.

In Lacan's theory, the state of the infant before language acquisition, characterized by pre-verbal experiences, desires and unformed identity.

The entry into language and the realm of symbols, where meaning is constructed through shared conventions and systems.

The fundamental reality that is beyond language and representation, forever inaccessible to our understanding.

The acceptance of the social and cultural norms, including limitations and prohibitions, signified by language.

A symbolic representation of social and cultural authority, especially the patriarchal dominance, emphasizing language and power.

The symbolic signifier of patriarchal power, representing the symbolic value of masculinity, not the biological organ.

The concept that male dominance is a cultural construct, not a biological given.

The process in which an individual recognizes and forms their identity through the reflection of others (like a mirror).

The distorted or incomplete image we perceive of ourselves through the mirror stage, leading to a

The way we become conscious of ourselves through interaction with others, where language plays a crucial role in shaping our identity.