Critique of Western Modernity: A Study of Amitav Ghosh’s In an Antique Land
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Department of English
Abstract
Amitav Ghosh, in In an Antique Land critiques Western modernity on the
ground of rationalism, individualism, exclusive nationalism, colonialism and slavery
exhibiting its blind spots--exclusiveness and Eurocentric monolithic vision--and at the
same time advocates alternative modernities for the need of the revival of pre-modern
ethical and moral values--communitarianism, decolonization, inclusive nationalism,
hospitality, cosmopolitanism, as well as co-existence among the different races,
castes, and people with different religious identities and from different geographical
locations. Ghosh, for the purpose, blends many genres within a single text exposing
with European’s interferences upon the Geniza documents of Masr, and in the Indian
Ocean trade cultures, the effects of colonial legacy through Imam’s and Effendie’s
behaviours. He shows the ethical co-existence and cosmopolitanism of Indian ocean
world in Ben Yiju’s time, valorization of non-western cultures and civilizations with
his experience that he gets from Egyptian villages and from the Geniza documents,
providing the suitable space for marginal groups and victims.