Women Writings of Men Authors in Contemporary Migrant Literature?
Leyla by Zaimoğlu and Zaira by Florescu
Two novels by contemporary authors of the so called Migrant Literature are
presented in the article: Leyla by Feridun Zaimoğlu and Zaira by Catalin Dorian
Florescu, both written by male authors, but with female narrators. The question
arises, what might such a narrative strategy intend. The answer lies in the concept
of the female as the extremely Different (Alien, Strange) – a concept understood
in the context of the post-colonial discourse and the theory of the Orientalism,
especially of the Mimicry–strategy described by Bhabha and the questions
postulated by Said how a non-European might be listened and how the preformed
stereotype of the Orient (feminine) Other can be undermined. Irony, changes of
the perspective and metaphors are means for the description of the problematic
identity of the female figures in these novels and of the nomadic identity of the
migrants. In Leyla this identity corresponds to the corrupted father-daughter
relationship which is brought together with the power relations in the traditional
paternalistic societies. Further, the question is discussed how a book of
remembrance can be presented if not based on personal experience. The value of
the remembrance of the homeland in these two cases is not to be seen in the
authenticity - which is also not intended and even not possible -, but in the debate
of the collective stereotypes. The remembrances of Zaira and Leyla are based on
cultural patterns, their identity is presented as unstable presented and in the form
of the Other.
Keywords / Anahtar Sözcükler: Migrant Literature, Female Writing,
Authenticity and Performance, Orientalism.
Women Writings of Men Authors in Contemporary Migrant Literature? Leyla by Zaimoğlu and Zaira by Florescu Two novels by contemporary authors of the so called Migrant Literature are presented in the article: Leyla by Feridun Zaimoğlu and Zaira by Catalin Dorian Florescu, both written by male authors, but with female narrators. The question arises, what might such a narrative strategy intend. The answer lies in the concept of the female as the extremely Different (Alien, Strange) – a concept understood in the context of the post-colonial discourse and the theory of the Orientalism, especially of the Mimicry–strategy described by Bhabha and the questions postulated by Said how a non-European might be listened and how the preformed stereotype of the Orient (feminine) Other can be undermined. Irony, changes of the perspective and metaphors are means for the description of the problematic identity of the female figures in these novels and of the nomadic identity of the migrants. In Leyla this identity corresponds to the corrupted father-daughter relationship which is brought together with the power relations in the traditional paternalistic societies. Further, the question is discussed how a book of remembrance can be presented if not based on personal experience. The value of the remembrance of the homeland in these two cases is not to be seen in the authenticity - which is also not intended and even not possible -, but in the debate of the collective stereotypes. The remembrances of Zaira and Leyla are based on cultural patterns, their identity is presented as unstable presented and in the form of the Other.
Migrant Literature Female Writing Authenticity and Performance Orientalism.
Birincil Dil | Almanca |
---|---|
Bölüm | Makaleler |
Yazarlar | |
Yayımlanma Tarihi | 8 Ekim 2014 |
Gönderilme Tarihi | 8 Ekim 2014 |
Yayımlandığı Sayı | Yıl 2014 Cilt: 1 Sayı: 31 |