Study Notes on The British Empire

UNIT 7: THE BRITISH EMPIRE

DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

  • The section touches on the historical timeline involving significant events that mark both the beginnings and the eventual decline of the British Empire.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Sections in the unit include:

    • Definitions

    • Justifications

    • The Foundation

    • The Use of Literature

    • The Beginning of the End

DEFINITIONS AND JUSTIFICATIONS

THE USE OF LITERATURE IN EMPIRE

  • Literature served as a mechanism to promote colonization by presenting a romanticized view of the colonies.

  • Propaganda Function:

    • It created a heroic image of the British as explorers and conquerors, suggesting they brought better futures to colonized lands.

    • This literature often depicted a racially superior perspective where the British were placed above the native populations.

  • Notable authors associated with this genre include H. Rider Haggard and Rudyard Kipling.

TYPES OF LITERATURE

  1. Colonial Literature:

    • Focused on colonial expansion and was written by British authors about the lands they dominated.

  2. Imperialist Literature:

    • May not focus specifically on the colonial experience but contains imperialist values.

CHARACTERISTICS OF IMPERIALIST ADVENTURE LITERATURE

  • Setting:

    • Primarily located in the colonies.

  • Propaganda Nature:

    • Justifies imperialism as beneficial for natives.

  • Enticement for Colonizers:

    • These works were crafted to entice potential colonizers by showcasing the excitement and wealth of colonial life.

  • Self-Centered Perspective:

    • Literature often depicted adventures of the colonizers without regard for native lives or cultures.

THEMES PRESENTED

  • Cross-Cultural Contact:

    • Highlighted dangers including sexual contamination and miscegenation.

    • Underlying fears of racial purity and contamination surfaced in imagery of infection and bewitching.

  • Instructional Elements:

    • Included manuals on troop movements, battle strategies, and survival tactics.

  • Heroic Protagonists:

    • Young, male heroes were often portrayed as embodiments of the vitality and strength of the empire.

    • These characters faced quests where they earned victory, wealth, honour, love, or status through adventures.

  • Native Representation:

    • Colonized peoples often portrayed as inferior, violent, or servile; their reality—characterized by destruction, dispossession, and violence—was commonly overlooked.

REALITY OF COLONIZATION

  • Complex Challenges in Colonization:

    • Resistance from natives.

    • Colonizers faced dangers of exhaustion, disease, and clashes, alongside emotional struggles such as loneliness.

  • Portrayal of Fear:

    • Natives depicted as evil and dangerous.

    • Landscapes represented in overwhelming terms—vasts shrouded in threats, and jungles characterized as impenetrable.

VICTORIAN LITERATURE AND IMPERIALIST IDEOLOGY

  1. Contributions to Britain's image as a dominant global power are present.

  2. Disregards actions of colonial disgrace.

  3. Products from colonies highlighted are items like cashmere scarves, turquoise jewelry, ivory, and spices, which emphasize a wealth obtained through colonization.

  4. Native characters often depicted as mysterious or primitive, reinforcing stereotypes.

  5. Colonies framed as promising locations for new opportunities.

EXAMPLES OF LITERATURE

  • Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe and Moll Flanders by Defoe noted as early novels.

  • The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling also examined within the context of imperialism.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

KEY EVENTS THAT MARKED DECLINE

  1. Opium Wars:

    • First Opium War (1839-1842)

    • Second Opium War (1856-1860)

  2. Sepoy Mutiny:

    • Occurred in 1857-1858 as a culmination of discontent against British rule in India.

  3. Anglo-Boer Wars:

    • First Boer War (1880-1881) and Second Boer War (1899-1902) were pivotal in reshaping perceptions of British imperial power.

  4. Anglo-Afghan Wars:

    • Occurred over three phases: (1839-1842), (1878-1880), and (1919), indicating British struggles in maintaining control over Afghanistan and its strategic interests.

  5. The Scramble for Africa:

    • Notable for its division among European powers, occurring primarily between 1884-1885, leading to significant territorial claims and increased tensions.

DISCUSSION ACTIVITIES

  • Reflect on the film adaptation of H. Rider Haggard's "King Solomon's Mines" as a representation of imperialist thinking in visual media.

  • Analyze questions surrounding justifications for empire, portrayal of indigenous peoples, character representations, and narratives of occupation displayed in the movie.

TIMELINE VISUALIZATION

Early to Late British Empire:

  • Marked from 1497 through pivotal dates ending in 1997, charting significant expansions and contractions of British authority and territory.