Cours de Littérature Asie et Caraïbes.

1. Pr. Mamadou BA
Licence 2 – Semestre 3
2015/2016
Université Gaston Berger de Saint-Louis
U.F.R. des Lettres et Sciences Humaines
Section de Langue, Littératures et Civilisations du Monde Anglophone

2. "Orientalism” is a way of seeing that imagines, emphasizes,
exaggerates and distorts differences of Arab peoples and cultures
as compared to that of Europe and the U.S. It often involves seeing
Arab culture as exotic, backward, uncivilized, and at times
dangerous.
Source: http://www.arabstereotypes.org/why-stereotypes/what-orientalism
Edward W. Said, in his groundbreaking book, Orientalism, defined
it as the acceptance in the West of “the basic distinction between
East and West as the starting point for elaborate theories, epics,
novels, social descriptions, and political accounts concerning the
Orient, its people, customs, ‘mind,’ destiny and so on.”
Source: http://www.arabstereotypes.org/why-stereotypes/what-orientalism

3. First works based mostly on paintings by Europeans

4. Focused on the physical description of the people and the
environment.

5. 2nd half of the 19th century:
more realistic paintings
Images by Europeans
(Spanish explorers)

6. Late 19th century: the Germans take part to the discovery of the
Orient…
… in a movement called
« Drang nach Osten »
The rush towards the Orient

7. Gustave Bauernfeind published Temple in Ruin at Baalbek
(1848-1904)
Focus on Syria and
Palestine

8. Last movement: American painters and writers
Began after the Civil War
(1861-1865)
They were mainly inspired
by the French… like Léon
Bonnat (1833-1922)