Perspectives on Conrad’s Transcultural Protagonists in the Malay Trilogy

Authors:

Pages: 47-54
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/FWVI8671

Abstract:

Joseph Conrad, a writer of Polish origin, who wrote in English, could be seen as a precursor of today’s transnational writers. It seems that few, if any, other writers of the late Victorian and early Edwardian periods had Conrad’s open-minded view of other cultures. The variety of nationalities represented in his novels and short stories reflects his thorough immersion in the cultures that he encountered during his travels and proves that his imagination was not limited by imaginary notions of geographical boundaries. The present article focuses on the Malay trilogy where none of the characters seems to be complete or sufficiently able to express themselves. Self-identification is achieved dialogically in their interactions with each other, but also in the ways in which they relate to their own complex selves. In this process, Conrad deliberately reverses and/or deforms certain categories of self-definition.

Keywords:

Joseph Conrad; Malay trilogy; transcultural characters; imperialism

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