Surveying the Eighteenth‐Century Anglo‐Indian Canon

Abstract

AbstractThe canon of eighteenth‐century British literature has productively splintered into many canons, and one that should be added is the Anglo‐Indian canon. This postcolonial canon consists of literature exploring the relationship between Britain and India and performing cultural productions of ‘India’ in the process. The most important works in the Anglo‐Indian canon between about 1750 and 1850 include novels (Hartly House, Calcutta, The Missionary), drama (The Nabob, The Mogul Tale, The Sword of Peace, The Widow of Malabar), poetry (Bedukah, The Curse of Kehama), and travel narratives (by William Hodges, Georg Forster, Lord Valentia, and Bishop Heber). These authors address issues such as the characteristics of Indian religion, government, culture, and economics; the effects India has on British soldiers, administrators, merchants, and artists; the differences in gender roles; and the responsibilities Britain has toward India. The earlier work in the Anglo‐Indian canon (from the eighteenth century) is more open‐minded toward India, allowing for curiosity, engagement, and hybridity. In contrast, the later work (from the nineteenth century) envisions the encounter of cultures as a clash, asserts British superiority, and promotes Orientalism.