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

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 ideologic...

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Main Author: Ahmet Durak
Format: Article
Language:Arabic
Published: Istanbul University Press 2024-10-01
Series:Şarkiyat Mecmuası
Subjects:
Online Access:https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/4D5198590971449083C4AAE4492EB37A
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author Ahmet Durak
author_facet Ahmet Durak
author_sort Ahmet Durak
collection DOAJ
description 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.
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spelling doaj-art-8ea47e4f155f450dabf8420957bf000f2025-08-20T02:28:36ZaraIstanbul University PressŞarkiyat Mecmuası2717-69162024-10-0145516610.26650/jos.1499996123456Journey in the Orient: Flaubert’s East in the Context of OrientalismAhmet Durak0https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6716-8276Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi, Bolu, TurkiyeThis 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.https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/4D5198590971449083C4AAE4492EB37Aorientalismedward saidgustave flaubertliterary criticismwestern hegemony
spellingShingle Ahmet Durak
Journey in the Orient: Flaubert’s East in the Context of Orientalism
Şarkiyat Mecmuası
orientalism
edward said
gustave flaubert
literary criticism
western hegemony
title Journey in the Orient: Flaubert’s East in the Context of Orientalism
title_full Journey in the Orient: Flaubert’s East in the Context of Orientalism
title_fullStr Journey in the Orient: Flaubert’s East in the Context of Orientalism
title_full_unstemmed Journey in the Orient: Flaubert’s East in the Context of Orientalism
title_short Journey in the Orient: Flaubert’s East in the Context of Orientalism
title_sort journey in the orient flaubert s east in the context of orientalism
topic orientalism
edward said
gustave flaubert
literary criticism
western hegemony
url https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/4D5198590971449083C4AAE4492EB37A
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