Introduction: “The Black Savant and the Dark Princess” by Homi K. Bhabha
The Black Savant and the Dark Princess by Homi K. Bhabha was first published in 2004 in the journal ESQ: A Journal of the American Renaissance. This essay has significant importance in literature and literary theory due to its exploration of W.E.B. Du Bois’s novel Dark Princess. Bhabha delves into themes of race, colonialism, and cultural identity, offering a nuanced analysis of the novel’s characters and their significance in the context of Du Bois’s broader intellectual work. The essay has contributed to a deeper understanding of Du Bois’s vision of a transnational, cosmopolitan world and his engagement with the complexities of racial and cultural difference.
Summary of “The Black Savant and the Dark Princess” by Homi K. Bhabha
Juxtaposition of Characters and Themes
- Allegorical Juxtaposition: Bhabha explores the duality within W. E. B. Du Bois’s Dark Princess, where the character Matthew Towns represents the race-man struggling within the Veil of the color line, juxtaposed with the high-caste Hindu Princess Kautilya, who leads an anti-imperialist Council. This contrast reflects Du Bois’s “double-consciousness” and introduces a global dimension of racial and political thirdness.
- “The celebrated ‘two-ness’ of ‘double-consciousness’… opens up a form of global thirdness, embodied in the histrionic, even hysterical, diva, Kautilya.” (Bhabha, p. 137)
Political and Ethical Implications
- Ethical and Political Rule of Juxtaposition: Bhabha highlights how Du Bois uses the “rule of juxtaposition” to represent the intolerable realities of racial injustice. By comparing local racial struggles with extraterritorial orders, the narrative displaces normative ideas of discrimination, revealing the complexity of these conflicts.
- “The rule of juxtaposition represents what is intolerable in the ‘local’ lifeworld of racial injustice… and yet, by juxtaposing it with ‘extraterritorial’ symbolic and social orders… the authority and transparency of domestic norms of discrimination and despair are displaced.” (Bhabha, p. 139)
Global Context of Double-Consciousness
- Transnational Double-Consciousness: Bhabha connects Du Bois’s idea of double-consciousness with a broader ethical-political project that transcends national boundaries, suggesting a global dimension to Du Bois’s racial and political philosophy.
- “Doubling as the rule of juxtaposition ‘taunts the characters with their lack of wholeness’… sets a task of discovery, of acknowledgment.” (Bhabha, p. 140)
Interplay of Race and Aristocracy
- Democracy as a Method of Aristocracy: Bhabha discusses how Princess Kautilya’s vision of democracy aligns with Du Bois’s concept of the Talented Tenth. Democracy is viewed as a means to discover true aristocracy based on talent and ability, rather than privilege.
- “[The recognition of] democracy as a method of discovering real aristocracy… searching, weeding out, and encouraging genius among the masses.” (Bhabha, p. 140)
Cultural and Political Modernity
- Subaltern Action and Anti-Colonialism: Bhabha examines how the narrative in Dark Princess illustrates a form of anti-colonial nationalism that seeks to balance modernity with traditional cultural identity. This dual strategy reflects Du Bois’s understanding of the minority experience within the colonial context.
- “Anticolonial nationalism creates its own domain of sovereignty within colonial society… the greater the need to preserve the distinctness of one’s spiritual culture.” (Bhabha, p. 146)
Minority Agency and Internationalism
- Minority as Process and Affiliation: Bhabha reflects on Du Bois’s idea of minority agency as a dynamic process that goes beyond mere survival or resistance, focusing on the active articulation of cultural and political differences. This perspective challenges traditional notions of minorities as static, isolated groups.
- “Du Bois’s central insight lies in emphasizing the ‘contiguous’ and contingent nature of the making of minorities, where solidarity depends on surpassing autonomy or sovereignty.” (Bhabha, p. 150)
Critique of Nation-State and Global Injustice
- Critique of the Modern Nation-State: Bhabha discusses Du Bois’s skepticism of the nation-state’s ability to represent and protect minority rights. He argues for a more transnational approach to human rights, emphasizing the interconnectedness of global struggles against oppression.
- “Du Bois’s enduring doubts about the protection and representation of minorities by the nation-state were to echo menacingly more than half a century later.” (Bhabha, p. 151)
Legacy and Contemporary Relevance
- Du Bois’s Continuing Relevance: Bhabha concludes by asserting that Du Bois’s ideas, particularly his critique of segregation, colonialism, and the nation-state, remain relevant in contemporary discussions of global justice and minority rights.
- “Du Bois’s combination of praxis and poesis… places his work at the center of some of the most urgent global, democratic dilemmas of our time.” (Bhabha, p. 152)
Ethical Responsibility and Second Sight
- The Ethical Duty of Minoritarian Agency: The essay underscores the ethical responsibility of minoritarian agents to communicate their experiences and struggles in a way that fosters global understanding and solidarity.
- “The responsibility of the minoritarian agent lies in creating a world-open forum of communication… key to the consent of the governed.” (Bhabha, p. 150)
Literary Terms/Concepts in “The Black Savant and the Dark Princess” by Homi K. Bhabha
| Term/Concept | Explanation (In the Context of the Essay) |
| Rule of Juxtaposition | A strategy used by W.E.B. Du Bois to represent the complexities of racial antagonism and ambivalence. It involves placing contrasting ideas or characters side-by-side to create a tension that reveals the limitations of existing social and political structures. |
| Double-Consciousness | A concept developed by Du Bois to describe the experience of African Americans who are constantly aware of their racial identity within a predominantly white society. In the essay, Bhabha connects it to the “rule of juxtaposition” as a source of ethical agency. |
| Counterfactual Choice | The ability to imagine alternative realities, particularly freedom from oppression. Bhabha argues that this is a crucial component of the fight for social justice. |
| Aesthetic Education for Democracy | The idea that education can play a role in promoting democratic values and fostering critical thinking. Bhabha connects this to Du Bois’s concept of the Talented Tenth, a group of highly educated African Americans who would lead the fight for racial equality. |
| Transnational Inquiry | Investigating historical and cultural connections across national borders. Bhabha uses this approach to explore the possible inspiration for Du Bois’s character, the Dark Princess. |
| Shadow of the Color-Line Within the Color-Line | The phenomenon of prejudice existing even among groups who have experienced racial oppression themselves. Bhabha analyzes this concept in the context of the novel Dark Princess. |
| Feminized Form of Asiatic Archaism | A way of representing Asian identity in the novel that combines elements of tradition and modernity. Bhabha argues that this creates a powerful symbol of political passion and charisma. |
| Subaltern Action | A strategy employed by colonized or marginalized groups to resist oppression. Bhabha discusses how the Asian anti-colonialists in Dark Princess navigate the power dynamics imposed by Western imperialism. |
| Contramodernity | An alternative to Western modernity developed by colonized or marginalized groups. It incorporates elements of their own cultural traditions while acknowledging the need for modernization in certain areas. |
| Double Mimesis | A strategy used by colonized groups to mimic the material aspects of Western modernity while maintaining their own cultural identity. Bhabha argues that this allows them to challenge the colonial color-line. |
| Quasi-Colonial | A concept used by Du Bois to describe the situation of racialized groups within their own nations. They experience a form of internal colonialism due to segregation and discrimination. |
| Minoritarian Agency | The ability of marginalized groups to represent themselves and advocate for their rights. Bhabha connects this to the “rule of juxtaposition” and the concept of double-consciousness. |
Contribution of “The Black Savant and the Dark Princess” by Homi K. Bhabha to Literary Theory/Theories
| Contribution | Description | Reference |
| Globalization of Double-Consciousness | Extends Du Bois’s concept of double-consciousness beyond its American context to include postcolonial subjects worldwide, expanding the scope of postcolonial theory. | “The celebrated ‘two-ness’ of ‘double-consciousness’… opens up a form of global thirdness.” (Bhabha, p. 137) |
| Interdisciplinary Approach | Combines aesthetics, politics, and ethics in literary analysis, encouraging an interdisciplinary approach to understanding literature. | “Their contradictory mode of coexistence… requires us to acknowledge the importance of the ‘counterfactual’ in the realm of political discourse and the desire for freedom.” (Bhabha, p. 139) |
| Introduction of the “Rule of Juxtaposition” | Introduces the “rule of juxtaposition” as a theoretical tool for analyzing the coexistence of contradictory truths in literature, particularly in relation to race and identity. | “The rule of juxtaposition represents what is intolerable in the ‘local’ lifeworld of racial injustice… displaced by juxtaposing it with ‘extraterritorial’ symbolic and social orders.” (Bhabha, p. 139) |
| Dynamic Concept of Minority Identity | Reconceptualizes minority identity as a dynamic process of articulation and affiliation, challenging static views of minority groups. | “Solidarity depends on surpassing autonomy or sovereignty in favor of an inter-cultural articulation of differences.” (Bhabha, p. 150) |
| Critique of the Nation-State | Critiques the nation-state’s ability to represent and protect minority rights, advocating for a transnational approach, which questions traditional nationalist frameworks in literary theory. | “Du Bois’s enduring doubts about the protection and representation of minorities by the nation-state were to echo menacingly more than half a century later.” (Bhabha, p. 151) |
| Integration of Subaltern Studies | Draws on subaltern studies to explain how anti-colonial nationalism creates its own domain of sovereignty, enriching literary analysis of resistance and negotiation strategies. | “Anticolonial nationalism creates its own domain of sovereignty within colonial society… dividing the world of social institutions and practices into two domains—the material and the spiritual.” (Bhabha, p. 146) |
| Hybridity and Cultural Juxtaposition | Contributes to the theory of cultural hybridity by analyzing the interplay between modernity and tradition in anti-colonial movements, illustrating how hybrid identities are formed. | “Navigating between the bank of the Vedas and the bank of modern science and technology… India appears simultaneously as something altogether new and unmistakably old.” (Bhabha, p. 147) |
| Quasi-Colonial as a Literary Concept | Expands on Du Bois’s concept of the quasi-colonial to describe the condition of minorities within both national and global contexts, providing a framework for understanding liminal spaces in literature. | “The mission of the quasi-colonial… to struggle to produce a world-open message through the aesthetic and political rule of juxtaposition.” (Bhabha, p. 149) |
| Counterfactual Rhetoric in Literary Theory | Highlights the role of counterfactual rhetoric in literature and political discourse, introducing a new dimension to narrative analysis within literary theory. | “An imaginative appeal to freedom through counterfactual choice… is an essential value of the language and idea of freedom.” (Bhabha, p. 139) |
Examples of Critiques Through “The Black Savant and the Dark Princess” by Homi K. Bhabha
| Literary Work | Critique Through Bhabha’s Lens |
| Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad | Bhabha could analyze Conrad’s portrayal of the Congo as a space of racial and colonial exploitation, highlighting the juxtaposition of European civilization and African savagery. He might also examine the character of Kurtz as a representation of the destructive consequences of colonialism and the loss of self. |
| Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison | Bhabha could discuss Ellison’s exploration of invisibility as a metaphor for the experiences of African Americans in a racist society. He might also analyze the novel’s portrayal of the American Dream as a deceptive illusion that masks underlying racial inequalities. |
| Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë | Bhabha could examine the novel’s treatment of race and colonialism through the character of Bertha Mason. He might argue that Bertha’s madness and confinement are symbolic of the ways in which colonial subjects are marginalized and silenced. |
| The Tempest by William Shakespeare | Bhabha could analyze the play’s themes of colonialism and power dynamics through the relationship between Prospero and Caliban. He might argue that Caliban’s role as a “savage” is a reflection of European attitudes towards colonized peoples. |
Criticism Against “The Black Savant and the Dark Princess” by Homi K. Bhabha
- Overemphasis on Symbolism: Some critics argue that Bhabha’s analysis overemphasizes symbolism and allegorical readings, neglecting the historical and political context of W.E.B. Du Bois’s work. They contend that Bhabha’s approach can sometimes downplay the concrete realities of racial oppression and the limitations of Du Bois’s vision.
- Limited Engagement with Du Bois’s Political Thought: While Bhabha offers valuable insights into Du Bois’s literary works, some critics argue that he does not fully engage with the complexities of Du Bois’s political thought. They suggest that Bhabha’s focus on symbolism and cultural identity can sometimes overshadow Du Bois’s more practical concerns with social justice and political activism.
- Orientalist Tendencies: Some scholars have criticized Bhabha’s use of Orientalist tropes in his analysis of the Dark Princess. They argue that his portrayal of the character as a “dark princess” reinforces stereotypes and exoticizes Asian cultures.
- Oversimplification of Colonialism: Some critics contend that Bhabha’s analysis of colonialism is overly simplistic, failing to account for the diversity and complexity of colonial experiences. They argue that his focus on the “rule of juxtaposition” can sometimes obscure the specific historical and political contexts of different colonial encounters.
- Limited Attention to Gender and Sexuality: While Bhabha’s essay offers valuable insights into the intersections of race and colonialism, some critics argue that he does not pay sufficient attention to the role of gender and sexuality in shaping these experiences. They suggest that a more nuanced analysis would require considering the ways in which race, gender, and sexuality intersect to produce unique forms of oppression.
Suggested Readings: “The Black Savant and the Dark Princess” by Homi K. Bhabha
- Homi K. Bhabha. “The Black Savant and the Dark Princess.” ESQ: A Journal of the American Renaissance, vol. 50, no. 1-3, 2004, pp. 137-155. Washington State University.
DOI: 10.1353/esq.2004.0014
https://doi.org/10.1353/esq.2004.0014 - W. E. B. Du Bois. Dark Princess: A Romance. University Press of Mississippi, 1995.
https://www.upress.state.ms.us/Books/D/Dark-Princess - Simon Gikandi. “Globalization and the Claims of Postcoloniality.” South Atlantic Quarterly, vol. 100, no. 3, 2001, pp. 627-658.
DOI: 10.1215/00382876-100-3-627
https://read.dukeupress.edu/south-atlantic-quarterly/article/100/3/627/48145 - Stephen Slemon. “Post-Colonial Allegory and the Transformation of History.” Journal of Commonwealth Literature, vol. 23, no. 1, 1988, pp. 157-168.
DOI: 10.1177/002198948802300115
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/002198948802300115 - Homi K. Bhabha. The Location of Culture. Routledge, 1994.
https://www.routledge.com/The-Location-of-Culture/Bhabha/p/book/9780415336390 - Robert J. C. Young. Postcolonialism: An Historical Introduction. Blackwell Publishing, 2001.
https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Postcolonialism%3A+An+Historical+Introduction-p-9780631200697 - Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths, and Helen Tiffin. The Empire Writes Back: Theory and Practice in Post-Colonial Literatures. 2nd ed., Routledge, 2002.
https://www.routledge.com/The-Empire-Writes-Back-Theory-and-Practice-in-Post-Colonial-Literatures/Ashcroft-Griffiths-Tiffin/p/book/9780415280204 - Henry Louis Gates, Jr. The Signifying Monkey: A Theory of African American Literary Criticism. Oxford University Press, 1988.
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-signifying-monkey-9780195136470 - Anne McClintock. Imperial Leather: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in the Colonial Contest. Routledge, 1995.
https://www.routledge.com/Imperial-Leather-Race-Gender-and-Sexuality-in-the-Colonial-Contest/McClintock/p/book/9780415908900 - Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak. A Critique of Postcolonial Reason: Toward a History of the Vanishing Present. Harvard University Press, 1999.
https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674177642
Representative Quotations from “The Black Savant and the Dark Princess” by Homi K. Bhabha with Explanation
| Quotation | Explanation |
| “The celebrated ‘two-ness’ of ‘double-consciousness’… opens up a form of global thirdness.” | Bhabha expands Du Bois’s concept of double-consciousness, suggesting that it transcends national boundaries and applies globally. |
| “The rule of juxtaposition represents what is intolerable in the ‘local’ lifeworld of racial injustice…” | Bhabha introduces the “rule of juxtaposition,” a theoretical tool that highlights the coexistence of contradictory realities. |
| “Solidarity depends on surpassing autonomy or sovereignty in favor of an inter-cultural articulation of differences.” | Bhabha emphasizes that minority identity is dynamic, formed through interactions across cultural and political boundaries. |
| “Du Bois’s enduring doubts about the protection and representation of minorities by the nation-state…” | This quotation reflects Bhabha’s critique of the nation-state’s ability to represent minority rights, advocating for a transnational perspective. |
| “Anticolonial nationalism creates its own domain of sovereignty within colonial society…” | Bhabha connects anti-colonial nationalism with subaltern studies, showing how colonized societies create their own forms of sovereignty. |
| “Navigating between the bank of the Vedas and the bank of modern science and technology…” | This highlights the hybridity in cultural identity, where modernity and tradition coexist and shape the postcolonial experience. |
| “The mission of the quasi-colonial… to struggle to produce a world-open message…” | Bhabha elaborates on the concept of the quasi-colonial, describing it as a space for minorities to articulate their experiences globally. |
| “An imaginative appeal to freedom through counterfactual choice… is an essential value of the language and idea of freedom.” | Bhabha underscores the importance of counterfactual rhetoric in expressing the desire for freedom and agency in both literature and politics. |
| “It is from the fine adjustments of everyday alienations and agonies… that Du Bois makes us part of the community of those ‘gifted’ with second sight…” | Bhabha reflects on Du Bois’s ability to connect individual experiences of alienation with a broader collective consciousness. |
| “To ensure that ‘no human group is so small as to deserve to be ignored as a part, and as a respected and integral part…'” | Bhabha emphasizes the importance of recognizing even the smallest and most marginalized groups within global democratic frameworks. |