Critique of the Western Concept of Terrorism in Salman Rushdie’s Shalimar the Clown
Date
2011-02
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Central Department of English
Abstract
Shalman Rushdie in Shalimar the Clown stands as a vehement critique of the western
concept of terrorism by presenting his character Shalimar as a terrorist-cum-personal avenger.
Shalimar is not a terrorist but he is tagged as a terrorist. He involves in the terrorist groups to
take revenge against Max Ophuls to whom he wants to kill for Max seduced his beloved wife,
Booonyi. Rather than a terrorist, Shalimar is an avenger. He involves himself in religious fighting
groups and terrorist groups not for the sake of any religion, nation and tribe but for vendetta.
He is dubbed to be a terrorist by the western hegemonic power. The west defines terrorism and
categorizes some groups as terrorist to impose its hegemony over them. The so-called ‘war on
terrorism’ is a part of the same design. To defeat what it calls the terrorists, the west provides
weapons to some other groups. Critiquing the western concept of terrorism, Rushdie conveys
his message that American counterterrorism is itself the breeder of terrorism and terrorism is
not what the west has defined as such and it is not a Muslim phenomenon alone, but there are
many Shalimars to whom the west has given the tag of terrorism.
Description
Keywords
Terrorism, Hegemonic power, Religious fighting