Cultural History of True History of the Kelly Gang: A Subaltern Study

Abstract

The autobiography True History of the Kelly Gang written by Australian writer Peter Carey, projects historical socio-cultural subaltern issues at the core. The novel presents Australian historical cultural transformation from colonial, postcolonial period to contemporary era of globalization. Analyzed from this perspective, the novel communicates the most predominant issues of class, culture, history and the elements of oppressed and marginalized lower class people in the cultural historical context of Australia. The analysis of the text draws on subaltern theory and the concept of cultural history. The study focuses the main characters Ned who is killer, highwayman and criminal. The study argues that Carey has come up with representations of the subaltern and shows the oppressed and marginalized status in Australian society.