Name :Mehal J. Pandya
Sem :2
Roll no. 13
Enrollment no. 2069108420200029
Subject : Cultural studies
Assignment Topic: Gayatri spivak and the subaltern
Batch:2019-2020
E-mail Id :mehalpandya252@gmail.com
Submitted to: Department of English
M. K. Bhavanagar University
Preface :
In the post-colonial studies, the term ‘subaltern’ identifies and describes the
man, the woman, and the social group who is socially, politically and geographically outside of the hegemonic power structure. Nowadays, Subaltern concern has become so prominent that it is regularly used in various disciplines such as history, psychology, sociology, anthropology and literature. The concept
of subaltern contains the groups that are marginalized, oppressed and exploited on
the basis of social, cultural, religious and political grounds. Subaltern literature reflects various themes such as oppression, marginalization, subjugation of lower and working classes, gender discrimination, disregarded women, deprived classes, racial and caste discrimination etc. It is one of the subdivisions of post -colonialism.
Antonio Gramsci:
Italian Marxist best known for his elaboration of the concept of hedging money a founder of the Italian communist party in 1921 he was imprisoned by the passage in 1926 and spent the reminder of his life under arrest while in the prison and despite Poor health he continued to study and write. His name is The Priso Notebook (1929-1935).it was published only after the fall of Fascism, represent the core of his considerable contribution to Marxist theory.
Gayatri spivak :
Gayatri spivak is one of the influential critic who is related to postcolonial feminism deconstruction and Marxism she is follower of the Derrida and his translator.she gave the theory of subaltern.
According to Gayatri spivak "TheSubaltern cannot speak, she opines that the subaltern does not have a voice".
B.K. Das opines that” Gayatri Spivak has expanded the meaning of subaltern who laid the stress on gendered subaltern-that women who are doubly oppressed by colonialism and particularly in the Third World countries”
She, therefore, has given literary mode to Subaltern studies. Spivak has become a reliable voice of the post-colonial period since the publication of her essay “Can the Subaltern Speak?” She has deeply extended her discourse to a large variety of topics such as Marxism, Feminism and Deconstruction. Through her cultural and critical theories, she tried to challenge the legacy of colonialism.
In the Indian cultural context, the term “subaltern” asks more significance as the people have struggled hard for independence. She prefers the term “subaltern” as it contains the exact picture of the lower-class people. Morton quotes the words of Spivak as: I like the word subaltern for one reason. It is totally situational. Subaltern began as a description of a certain rank in the military. The word was under censorship by Gramsci: he called Marxism “monism”, and was obliged to call the proletarian “subaltern.” That word, used under duress, has been transformed into the description of everything that doesn’t fall under strict class analysis. I like that, because it has no theoretical rigor.
Subaltern :
When we talk about the subaltern then first we should know about that, what is 'subaltern' means?
In simple language we can different subaltern who are victim and no power no power to raise their voice and also this way we can define the meaning of subaltern in post call on colonial studies and in critical theory third term subaltern design it's the colonial population who are socially political and geographical e outside the hierarchy of power of a Colony and the empires Metropolitan Homeland.
As we know so many Nation are colonized,like Canada,Australia,New Zealand, Nigeria, Kenya,India,Pakistan and more countries which were once colonized by British.
Subaltern term means of lowering Gayatri spivak borrowed these term from Italian Marxism Marxist Antonio gramsci in her essay she also wrote about the subaltern group example of women tribal peoples third word
Basically, the word ‘subaltern’ is originated from the Late Latin word ‘subalternus’ in which ‘sub’ means ‘under’ and ‘alternus’ means ‘every other’. It is primarily a British military term which is used for a junior officer below from the rank of a captain, literal meaning ‘subordinate’.
When we talk about subaltern we also remember its related with colonialism as well spivak story strongly argument for this word subaltern and who are subaltern cannot speak for himself or herself because of the structure of colonial power Michel foucault talk about the power in its influence on people and over action.
During the colonial time women speaking is even more impossible because of the social structure for the society and the evil custom for the women, so the colonialism and the patriarchy ensure that women should keep quiet and they should not speak it so fat to raise their voice,it is not possible in any cost at those time. So Spivak also wrote on feminism and critique on that.
Marginalised people ,power, hegemony and hierarchy all are aspects through,we can study about the subaltern.Power is based on assumption information and analysis of people and events. Thus power is about a cultural condition -of knowledge.we are always under the power and influence of other and our actions are according that power and influence. Sometime that power of a person, family, society, political power.So ,this how one can become Subaltern.
In our society we can find the many kind of discrimination and that's why in our society we can find subaltern, victim and marginalised people. Ex- In literature we can see the subaltern and lower class in The purpose by T. P. Kailasam and the untouchable,who are also subaltern. Rohinton Mistry's 'Fine Balance' is one of remarkable work on untouchability.
'Mapping subaltern studies and the post -colonial' whose editor is Vinayak chaturvedi. This book was published in 2000.
In the post-colonial scenario, the term ‘subaltern’ gets wider perspective as it refers to the third world countries and the marginalized groups in the society. Subaltern Studies as a distinctive branch of learning and research, began first in England at the end of 1970’s, when conversations on subaltern themes among a small group of English and Indian historians led to a proposal to launch a new journal in India to dig out the history of the marginalized section of the society.
The study of subaltern there is a one project which was launched in 1982 under the leadership of Ranjeet Gurjar at the time India was the free from colonial world of Britishers. In1982, Oxford University Press in New Delhi published the first volume of essays entitled Subaltern Studies: Writings on South Asian History and Society edited by Ranajit Guha. The first three volumes of essays appeared annually from 1982 and
the success of these volumes stimulated three more volumes in the next five years.
Ranajit Guha is certainly the most famous name among all Subaltern Historians. His Elementary Aspects of Peasants Insurgency in Colonial India is the most powerful example of Subaltern historical scholarship. Returning to the 19th Century ‘peasants’ insurrection in Colonial India.
Ranjit Guha has explained the aim of Subaltern Studies in Subaltern Studies I as: The aim of subaltern studies is to promote a systematic and informed discussion of subaltern themes in the field of South Asian Studies, and thus help to rectify the elitist bias characteristic of much research and academic work in this particular area, (i) His further argument is that the Subaltern Studies is the study of "the history, politics, economics and sociology of subaltenity ... in short, the culture informing the condition. (SS: 48)
The project Explorer and recorded smaller rebellions and tried to readers balance it gave a voice to the subaltern with him the freedom struggle.
In study of subaltern there are member of group ,they are; Shahid Amin, David Arnold, Partha Chetterji, David Hardiman, Dipesh Chakrabarty and Gyanendra Pandey.David Arnold study about the subaltern and also he follow the Antonio Gramsci. He wrote upon him and his Italian background and life. Francisco wrote about the separatism and the lower class people's situation.
The reason behind the study of marginalised and who have no voice ;is to refocus history on the unique role of subaltern or who were marginalised people is bringing about large scale transformation in society. They were focused on subaltern in term of class, race, gender, cast, language and culture.
Here is one chart in context of social formation and the subaltern
In this table in the very first we can see the capitalist hold the power and working people are subaltern. Working people generate the profit and all benefits for the Capitalist.
In the patriarchy women became subaltern and victim. In a roll of daughter, sister, wife,mother. Because of they have no right to speak they reduce their identity to her relationship with men. We can see the gender discrimination in those time and even in present time but in 21st century women started to raise their voice and ask for their right.
Conclusion :
At the end of so many thinking and arguments we can say Subalaturn will never speak because of our society structure and the hierarchy or power. They will be exist in society so the hierarchy will remain because of power will be there and it creates the system like this. If any one sabalturn will speak there are so many who will never revolt. This is a Subalaturn theory which can also represent marginalised.In short we can find the power and control and the class system in society.
Work citation
Guha, Ranjit. Selected Subaltern Studies. Delhi: OUP, 1998
Guha, Ranjit. Ed. Subaltern Studies, Vol, VII, Oxford, 1982
Nayar, Pramod K. An Introduction to Cultural Studies. New Delhi: Viva Books Private Limited, 2019.
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