The Sub-Human, the Human, and the Human Potential: The Colonized in Shakespeare, Behn, and Conrad
Contributed by Johansen Quijano-Cruz
Monday, 17 May 2010
There are several notions about what it means to be colonized and whether colonization is a positive or a negative practice. Objectively speaking, one would have to argue that the positive or negative aspects of colonization are an issue that can only be resolved at the individual level and is highly influenced by the images and texts to which one is exposed to during their formation. Some have argued that colonialism is a positive thing. Certainly, during the eras of slavery and colonization this was the general notion. There are some today that would still argue that colonialism should be encouraged, as it means survival of the fittest and is, essentially speaking, an evolution of humanity as a whole. Others will claim that colonialism should not be encouraged as it eradicates entire cultures and allows for the practice of economic slavery and abuse. These two points of view are not notions that can be developed overnight after reading a chapter in Fanon’s Black Skin White Masks. Notions of the positive or negative aspects of colonialism are more heavily influenced by the media and texts one is exposed to. It is no surprise, then, that from the early days of slavery to the early 1900s colonialism and abuse of the colonized became an increasingly popular notion, since as time progressed the image of the colonized “savage” became more dehumanized. It is this dehumanization of entire races that allowed for the inhumane practices of slavers and plantation owners, who in the name of progress, oppressed millions of people. In order to evidence how the image of the colonized savage became more dehumanized, this essay will look at how Shakespeare, Aphra Behn, and Joseph Conrad portrayed the colonized in The Tempest, Oroonoko, and Heart of Darkness.
Don’t we all? In a world where Information Age has enabled flow of communications at the blink of an eye, everyone is an author in their own rights. All of us posting our thoughts, ideas and opinions either in some blog, forum, as comments on popular websites, or even making podcasts and graphics to convey the same. So by the elementary definition of “writer”, any active internet user has already transformed into an “author”.
Yet, we all seek the glory and honour of traditional printed word. To see our name on a magazine or book-length work – to be associated in the exclusive cadre of “published authors”. Here then, the word “published” refers to having our fiction works accepted by a publisher who has made its name in literature. So, I will spare you my open-source ranting and not tell you that technology has enabled you to earn more and get a wider audience by self-publishing through print-on-demand with the only investment being your brain, your imagination and maybe a word processing software on a computer.
Here the “method” described is purely with the aim of getting your work published. Whether it meets your artistic integrity is something you have to find a way to fit it into the primary agenda of being “published”.
Whether to review the creative effort of a musician, filmmaker, artist, author, etc. you need an open mind, careful choice of words, conscious effort to examine the piece of work, and mostly an interest in the subject/ art-form so as to give an authoritative or at least a comprehensive commentary on the work in question.
In this article we will briefly go over the basic motives, purpose and required skills to do an effective review of a creative endeavour.
Seven stars for seven angry skies and their tears fill the void and their rain falls on the morning to heal the world to finish its dreams.
Through it all we grow stronger every day till we see with a mind and clarity far greater than our own faith is ever tested belonging to eternity and not to this time.
Arts and Literature 
Jade – A short book of poetry
