Brontë’s The Professor: Colonial Traces

Abstract

The colonial history and 19th c. English literature have a unique connection. Indeed, writings of this period, particularly novels, contributed to the development of the ideologies that enabled imperialism to continue and persist; the interactions, presentations, and support of the authors varied and took different and complex aspects and forms. In cases, some texts directly address the topic of colonization while other texts hint at, refer to, and address indirectly some behavior and various colonial tendencies. This paper aims to analyze and address Charlotte Brontë's The Professor (written in 1846 and published in 1857); her first book that was published after her death. A contrapuntal reading expresses the narrative's overt and covert references to colonialism though it is initially perceived as a naïve love story. It is one of the unpopular novels that have tackled colonialism in a way or another due to the fact it was written during the peak of the colonial period. This article will trace the colonial elements addressed in the novel. Examining colonial traits in the novel, such as oppression, subjugation, exploitation, the assertion of racial and cultural superiority, etc., is the goal of the current study.

Received: 21 May 2023 / Accepted: 22 August 2023 / Published: 5 September 2023