Literature & Literary Studies
Asia in Western fiction
by Robin Winks
Description
Any reader who has ever visited Asia knows that the great bulk of Western-language fiction about Asian cultures turns on stereotypes. This book, a collection of essays, explores the problem of entering Asian societies through Western fiction, since this is the major port of entry for most school children, university students and most adults. In the thirteenth century, serious attempts were made to understand Asian literature for its own sake. Hau Kioou Choaan, a typical Chinese novel, was quite different from the wild and magical pseudo-Oriental tales. European perceptions of the Muslim world are centuries old, originating in medieval Christendom's encounter with Islam in the age of the Crusades. There is explicit and sustained criticism of medieval mores and values in Scott's novels set in the Middle Ages, and this is to be true of much English-language historical fiction of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Even mediocre novels take on momentary importance because of the pervasive power of India. The awesome, remote and inaccessible Himalayas inevitably became for Western writers an idealised setting for novels of magic, romance and high adventure, and for travellers' tales that read like fiction. Chinese fictions flourish in many guises. Most contemporary Hong Kong fiction reinforced corrupt mandarins, barbaric punishments and heathens. Of the novels about Japan published after 1945, two may serve to frame a discussion of Japanese behaviour as it could be observed (or imagined) by prisoners of war: Black Fountains and Three Bamboos.
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Endorsements
Asia in Western fiction traces the depiction of Asia and of Asians in novels and other works of Western fiction, emphasising works available in English. It describes and analyses themes, stereotypes and clichés common to literature that have contributed to the understanding, and misunderstanding, of Asia. Its eleven chapters examine the Western literary treatment of India, the Himalayas, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, as well as of Muslims generally. This is the first book to address the evolution of Western literary perceptions of Asia comparatively, for the entire region. It offers insights into racial and cultural stereotyping, as well as into the popular culture of imperialism. Useful lists of novels and short stories about Asia written in, or translated into, English are included. The book is addressed to university students and scholars, and to anyone with an informed interest in modern East, South or South East Asia, as well as in comparative (and popular) literature; modern history and comparative imperialism; intellectual history; psychology and sociology; and international relations.
Reviews
Asia in Western fiction traces the depiction of Asia and of Asians in novels and other works of Western fiction, emphasising works available in English. It describes and analyses themes, stereotypes and clichés common to literature that have contributed to the understanding, and misunderstanding, of Asia. Its eleven chapters examine the Western literary treatment of India, the Himalayas, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, as well as of Muslims generally. This is the first book to address the evolution of Western literary perceptions of Asia comparatively, for the entire region. It offers insights into racial and cultural stereotyping, as well as into the popular culture of imperialism. Useful lists of novels and short stories about Asia written in, or translated into, English are included. The book is addressed to university students and scholars, and to anyone with an informed interest in modern East, South or South East Asia, as well as in comparative (and popular) literature; modern history and comparative imperialism; intellectual history; psychology and sociology; and international relations.
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Manchester University Press
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View all titlesBibliographic Information
- Publisher Manchester University Press
- Publication Date March 2017
- Orginal LanguageEnglish
- ISBN/Identifier 9781526123534 / 1526123533
- Publication Country or regionUnited Kingdom
- FormatWeb PDF
- ReadershipGeneral/trade
- Publish StatusPublished
- Biblio NotesDerived from Proprietary 4560
- SeriesStudies in Imperialism
- Reference Code10280
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