Orientalism

Orientalism

Orientalism as defined by Edward Said in his book Orientalism (1978) is a Western construct, a politically motivated way that we perceive to be ‘understanding’ the ‘East’ and Eastern countries. We do this in art, books, academics, politics, TV and film. We have defined ourselves as the West, thereby constructing them as The Other, focussing only on the difference between Western and Eastern cultures.

Orientalism has largely taught us about what we know about the Eastern world. When people in the West think about the Orient, images are generally conjured of China Korea or Japan, but rather than just the ‘Far East’ countries, Orientalism encompasses India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, making it about Asia in general.

Images of veiled women, camels, snake charmers, genies in magic lamps and flying carpets come to mind and this makes the Disney movie Aladdin a good example of Orientalism. According to Sut Jhally, Orientalism is “a framework that we use to understand the unfamiliar and the strange to make the peoples of the Middle East seem threatening”. The example I would use from Aladdin is the palace guards with their swords and their very Middle Eastern looking features, out to get Aladdin and Jasmine, with their quite Western looking features.

The images in Aladdin of the Orient portrays Middle Eastern people, even as subtle-or not so subtle as the case may be-as that of a threatening and dangerous place, as evidenced in the opening song Arabian Nights ‘where it’s flat and immense and the heat is intense, it’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home’. The original lyrics were much harsher-‘where they cut off your ear if they don’t like your face, it’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home’.

As I mentioned earlier about the palace guards possessing swords, throughout the movie, these guards chase Aladdin and Jasmine around. The guards are introduced chasing Aladdin around during the song One Jump Ahead after a starving Aladdin steals a small loaf of bread. After this song, a cart vendor threatens to-and almost does-chop Jasmine’s hand off because she took an apple.

On the other hand, there’s Jasmine. Although she’s the only Disney Princess to wear trousers, she doesn’t wear much else. Her role in the movie is to be the sensual, scantily clad Middle Eastern woman. Except women in the Middle East dress modestly as said in the Koran and thus conforms to the Western ideas of beauty-slim with large eyes, a small nose and light, though tanned, skin. Another stereotype present in the movie is that Jasmine must marry before the age of sixteen,, supporting the idea that Muslims marry young.

However, Marvel comics has recently rebooted their Ms Marvel book, this time starring a teenage Pakistani-American lead, Kamala Khan, who subverts many of the tropes, clichés and stereotypes as dictated in Orientalism. It helps that the writers of the comic are two Muslim women-G. Willow Wilson and Sana Amanat-who wrote it for self representation. However, the book has become something of a sensation, selling many copies and becoming popular with people of different backgrounds.

Kamala does not cover her hair or face-other than when she goes to Mosque-and has a pretty Western style. However, she is quite in touch with her Pakistani roots such as using Urdu words with her parents and wearing traditional Pakistani dress during events, such as weddings. She also says prayers. Kamala’s friend Nakia does cover her hair out of choice and is portrayed as a strong and mature young woman and is definitely not oppressed as her white classmates think. 

References:

Arab Stereotypes. (2011). What is Orientalism?. Available: http://www.arabstereotypes.org/why-stereotypes/what-orientalism. Last accessed Mar 5th 2015.

Gerding, S. (2014). ‘Ms. Marvel’ rockets to the #1 slot on Marvel’s digital sales chart. Available: http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2014/02/ms-marvel-rockets-to-the-1-slot-on-marvels-digital-sales-chart/. Last accessed Mar 6th 2015.

Kaya, D. (2015). Kamala Khan Fighting Orientalism. Available: https://medium.com/ciddi-geyik/kamala-khan-fighting-orientalism-b0cbb8b474c#.yrinit3od. Last accessed Mar 6th 2015.

James, R. (2009). Top 10 Disney Controversies. Available: http://entertainment.time.com/2009/12/09/top-10-disney-controversies/slide/aladdin/. Last accessed Mar 6th 2015.

Nooruddin, U. (1998). Orientalism and Islamic philosophy. Available: http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H014. Last accessed Mar 5th 2015.

Ronz, A. (2011). "It's barbaric, but hey - it's home" The representation of "the Orient" in Walt Disney's Aladdin. Available: http://www.academia.edu/4221270/_Its_barbaric_but_hey_-_its_home_The_representation_of_the_Orient_in_Walt_Disneys_Aladdin. Last accessed Mar 6th 2015.

Wilson, G. W, Alphona, A, Amanat, S (2014). Ms Marvel vol 1. New York: Marvel Comics.