The Image of Algeria in Lady Mary Herbert’s: A Search after Sunshine or Algeria in 1871

Abstract

The Western perceptions of the Orient have always been a matter of heated debate and infinite controversy. These perceptions often found expression in literature through nearly all its genres. Despite being different in form, these genres were alike overdosed with themes portraying the Orient and its inhabitants as inferior, weak and uncivilized. In the nineteenth century, travel literature was the most prominent representative of European conceptions of the Orient, especially the MENA1 region as it was Europe’s favorite place for imperial and colonial experiences. This extended essay examines the image of Algeria in Lady Herbert’s travelogue A Search after sunshine or Algeria in 1871, shedding light on the background of the author and how it has affected her composition. The dissertation will start by showcasing the conceptual framework that supposedly shape this account, such as Orientalism and its different characteristics and manifestations. Successively, the analytical part will have the objective ofshowing how Orientalism manifested itself in the account, taking the fact that Algeria was France’s colony into high consideration.