Rereading the Imperial Romance: British Imperialism and South African Resistance in Haggard, Schreiner, and Plaatje (Oxford English Monographs) [Hardcover]

Laura Chrisman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0198122993 | ISBN-13: 978-0198122999 | Publication Date: November 23, 2000

This book examines literary romance as a vehicle for the ideological contradictions of British imperialism in South Africa from 1880 to 1920. Drawing on postcolonial theory and cultural materialism, Laura Chrisman discusses the fictions of mining (King Solomon's Mines) and Zulu history (Nada the Lily) by the imperialist Rider Haggard, and shows how feminist Olive Schreiner and black nationalist Sol Plaatje produced counter-fictions of metropolitan and African resistance. The novels are examined as responses to political, economic, and social developments of imperial capitalism: mining; the Anglo-Zulu War; the creation of Rhodesia; the 1913 Natives' Land Act, and the formation of the ANC.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Chrisman's work draws on feminism, cultural materialism, and Marxism. She offers close studies of the works under discussion, a clear line of argument that is intelligently informed by the standard theories of imperialism and monopoly capitalism as well as more recent postcolonial and cultural theory, and an analysis of race and gender that never lacks a political dimension. Victorian Studies The monograph is most remarkable in its scholarly attention to detail...This highlights the enormous strength of the study, which lies in its meticulous research and Chrisman's thorough effort to situate the texts within the debates and politics of their period. The footnotes, furthermore, offer a veritable wealth of information and references, making Rereading the Imperial Romance an excellent sourcebook on imperial studies in general. Interventions, Vol. 4 Rereading the Imperial Romance is an important text for South African literary studies. Chrisman's nuanced reading of the interrelationship between history, politics and literary production provides fruitful scope for re-evaluating other marginalised writers and their interaction with colonialism. By shifting the centre of postcolonial studies onto Africa, Chrisman offers a valuable strategy for revisiting British Imperial literature. Peter Midgley, H-SAfrica

About the Author

Laura Chrisman is at University of Sussex.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (November 23, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198122993
• ISBN-13: 978-0198122999
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,765,187 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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