Abstract
This paper offers a new reading of some novels by Caryl Phillips, particularly Higher Ground, Cambridge, Crossing the River and The Nature of Blood. My analysis and discussion of these works tries to show that these novels can be interpreted as refractions or subversive rewritings of the canon, especially Shakespeare’s Othello and The Merchant of Venice, as well as Olaudah Equiano’s The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa the African, Written by Himself. These refractions have a natural aesthetic and artistic purpose, but beyond the literary aspects of the refraction I also discuss the ideological values involved in trespassing the frontiers of canonicity, in breaking the boundaries between fiction and reality, in blurring the distinction between a classic work and a modest, simple and factual account of the life of a slave. All these elements make the novels discussed examples of hybridity, both culturally and generical.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
