Journey in the Orient: Flaubert’s East in the Context of Orientalism

Authors : Ahmet Durak

Pages : 51-66

Doi:10.26650/jos.1499996

View : 20 | Download : 37

Publication Date : 2024-10-03

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study critically engages with Gustave Flaubert’s Voyage en Orient through the lens of Edward Said’s Orientalism (1978), a pivotal work that redefined the understanding of Western representations of the East. Said argues that Orientalism is not merely a scholarly pursuit but a powerful ideological tool used by the West to justify its dominance over the East. By constructing the “Orient” as an exotic, backward, and fundamentally different entity, Orientalist discourse reinforces Western superiority and colonial ambitions. Applying Said’s critique to Flaubert’s travelogue, which chronicles his journey through Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, and Turkey between 1849 and 1851, this paper explores how the narrative embodies Orientalist tendencies. The analysis focuses on how Flaubert’s descriptions and characterizations of Eastern societies contributed to the exoticization and othering of the “Orient.” This study examines the power dynamics embedded in Flaubert’s portrayal of the East, questioning how these representations align with or diverge from Orientalist stereotypes. This investigation does not seek to diminish Flaubert’s literary skill. However, it aims to situate his work within the broader framework of Orientalist discourse, thereby providing a deeper understanding of the complex ways Western literature has historically engaged with and constructed images of the East.
Keywords : Oryantalizm, Doğu, Öteki, Gustave Flaubert, Edward Said