Explanation of "Three Women's Texts and a Critique of Imperialism" by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak.

Explanation of "Three Women's Texts and a Critique of

Imperialism" by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak.

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In this essay, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak explores the connection between nineteenth-century British literature, imperialism, and feminist criticism. She emphasizes the role of literature in shaping cultural representations, particularly England's social mission as imperialistic. Spivak criticizes the oversight of these facts in the study of British literature, highlighting the ongoing success of the imperialist project in modern forms.

The essay focuses on the "worlding" of what is now called "the Third World" and criticizes feminist criticism for sometimes reproducing imperialist axioms. Spivak uses Jane Eyre as a case study, examining its impact and positioning it alongside Wide Sargasso Sea and Frankenstein. She argues that feminist individualism, particularly in the age of imperialism, plays a role in shaping human beings through childbearing and soul making.

Spivak distinguishes her focus on the printed book rather than its author, acknowledging the lessons of deconstruction. She navigates the complexities of feminist individualism, aiming to situate it within its historical context rather than canonizing it outright. Spivak addresses criticisms that she doesn't do justice to Jane Eyre's subjectivity, explaining her broad presuppositions about feminist individualism and its connection to the imperialist project.

Drawing parallels with Roberto Fernandez Retamar's "Caliban," Spivak explores the postcolonial intellectual perspective. She cautions against nostalgia for lost origins and emphasizes the need to avoid effacing the "native" in the process. Spivak incorporates Elizabeth Fox-Genovese's insights on history and women's history, framing the historical moment of feminism in the West in terms of female access to individualism.

The essay delves into the opening of Jane Eyre, analyzing the marginalization and privatization of the protagonist, Jane. Spivak interprets the novel's progression through different family/counter-family dyads and suggests that imperialism's ideology influences Jane's transition from the counter-family to the family-in-law.

A key element in this transition is the figure of Bertha Mason, who represents the acceptable indeterminacy between human and animal, allowing a greater moral exploration. Spivak argues that imperialism's ideology conditions Jane's movement within the narrative, linking it to the imperialist project's discursive field.

The essay introduces the concept of soul making beyond mere sexual reproduction and connects it to the categorical imperative, referencing Kant. Spivak contends that the imperialist project, as framed by this imperative, shapes Jane's movement from the counter-family to the family-in-law. St. John Rivers becomes a symbolic figure embodying the imperialist project's aspirations, marked by Christian psychobiography.

Spivak critiques other scholars' interpretations, highlighting the distance between sexual reproduction and soul making. She points out the ideological lexicon in Jane Eyre's conclusion, where St. John Rivers is portrayed as a heroic figure aligned with imperialist presuppositions.

In essence, Spivak's essay explores the intertwined relationships among literature, imperialism, and feminist criticism. Using Jane Eyre as a focal point, she critically examines how imperialist ideology shapes narratives and influences the construction of feminist individualism. The essay prompts readers to reconsider their perspectives on literary analysis, feminism, and the historical contexts that shape them.

Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, analyzes Jean Rhys's novel "Wide Sargasso Sea" as a rewriting of Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre." Rhys, a Caribbean writer, focuses on Bertha Mason, the madwoman in the attic from "Jane Eyre," and gives her a backstory in the form of Antoinette in "Wide Sargasso Sea." Spivak explores how Rhys uses this narrative to address themes of imperialism, identity, and the intersection of personal and political forces.

Spivak begins by discussing Bertha's role in "Jane Eyre," suggesting that she serves to blur the line between human and animal, challenging the colonial and patriarchal structures. In Rhys's retelling, Bertha's violent reaction is prompted not by innate bestiality but by the dissimulation she perceives in the word "legally." The essay delves into Antoinette's character, suggesting that her identity is shaped by the politics of imperialism, being caught between English imperialists and native Jamaicans during the time of emancipation.

The narrative is rich with mirror imagery, particularly in Antoinette's relationship with Tia, a black servant girl. Spivak points to the dream sequences, drawing parallels with Narcissus, where Antoinette sees herself as Bertha, highlighting the complexities of identity influenced by imperialism. The essay also touches on Antoinette's recognition of herself as the ghost in Thornfield Hall, reflecting a mirror-like reflection of the Othered self.

Rhys's treatment of Rochester is discussed, emphasizing his victimhood under patriarchal inheritance laws. Spivak notes the ironic omission of Rochester's patronymic in Rhys's narrative, denying him the symbolic Name of the Father. Rochester's suppressed letter to his father becomes a pivotal element, revealing his internal conflict and the absence of a clear resolution.

The essay highlights Christophine, Antoinette's black nurse, as a crucial figure who challenges Rochester and offers a powerful analysis of his actions. Christophine's character, though marginalized, is significant in exposing civil inequality and the limits of the narrative. However, Spivak points out the tangential treatment of Christophine, driven out of the story without proper resolution, questioning the extent of Rhys's commitment to addressing the complexities of the oppressed.

Spivak concludes this part by suggesting that attempts to construct the "Third World Woman" as a signifier are hindered by the hegemonic definition of literature within the history of imperialism. The imperialist fracture, covered by an alien legal system, ideology, and human sciences, poses challenges for a complete literary reinscription. The essay hints at the need to turn to the archives of imperial governance to understand and address epistemic violence.

Spivak's analysis focuses on how Rhys's "Wide Sargasso Sea" reinterprets "Jane Eyre" to explore themes of imperialism, identity, and power dynamics. The essay delves into character motivations, mirror imagery, and the treatment of marginalized figures like Christophine, ultimately hinting at the complexities of literary reinscription within the context of imperialism.

Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak then, explores Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" through the lens of imperialism and feminism. The essay delves into how the novel, despite containing elements of imperialism, doesn't conform to typical imperialist ideologies. Instead, Spivak argues that "Frankenstein" challenges the binary oppositions of male and female individualism by examining Victor Frankenstein's creation of life in his laboratory.

Victor's experiment in creating life, according to Spivak, disrupts traditional gender roles. The essay suggests that Victor's competition with God as the maker of man extends to a competition with women as creators of children. The rejection of creating a companion for the monster is seen as Victor's reluctance to share the power of creation with a female figure.

Spivak connects the narrative to the Freudian concept of male and female fetishes, proposing that the male fetish is the phallus, while the female fetish is the womb. Victor's refusal to create a female companion for the monster is analyzed in terms of his fear that she might become more dangerous than the male creature. This refusal is portrayed as an attempt to maintain control over the reproductive power associated with women.

The essay also highlights the role of imperialism in the novel, examining characters like Henry Clerval, who expresses entrepreneurial ambitions related to European colonization and trade in the East. The three main characters, Victor, Henry, and Elizabeth, are associated with different aspects of Kantian subjectivity, representing natural philosophy, practical reason, and aesthetic judgment, respectively.

Spivak contends that Shelley critiques the utilitarian vision of an engineered society, emphasizing that social engineering should not rely solely on theoretical or natural-scientific reason. The characters' ambitions, particularly those related to imperialism, demonstrate the lack of harmonious cooperation among the different aspects of the Kantian subject in the novel.

The essay also addresses the monster's education and its exposure to various texts, including "Paradise Lost" and "Volney's Ruins of Empires." The monster's attempt to learn about humanity is contrasted with the limitations imposed by societal prejudices, as seen in Safie's rejection of him despite their shared experiences of oppression.

Spivak argues that the novel challenges the distinctions of human individuality and concludes with the interconnectedness of the characters. The monster's self-immolation and Walton's acknowledgment of the lessons from Frankenstein's story signify a breakdown of conventional narrative logic. The essay suggests that the relationship between sexual reproduction and social subject-production remains complex within Shelley's text.

In the end, Spivak introduces Margaret Saville, the framing woman in the novel, as the irreducible recipient of the letters that constitute "Frankenstein." Margaret's role is portrayed as crucial for the novel's existence, as she intercepts the recipient-function and reads the letters as the recipient. The open-ended resolution leaves the places of both the English lady and the unnamable monster ambiguous.

Spivak connects these literary analyses to wider postcolonial considerations and encourages readers to engage critically with the imperialist archives. The essay proposes that examining the legal manipulation of widow-sacrifice in the British government's entitlement in India could further enhance the understanding of the politics of reading within the context of imperialism.

Spivak's essay explores the complexities of gender, imperialism, and subjectivity in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," offering a nuanced reading that challenges traditional interpretations of the novel.

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Source:

Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. "Three Women's Texts and a Critique of Imperialism." Critical Inquiry, vol. 12, no. 1, Autumn 1985, pp. 243-261. JSTOR.

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