Imperialism and Karl May's “Orientzyklus”

Type Thesis

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Summary

Karl May was one of the most popular German writers of the nineteenth century. In his famous series of novels, the Orientzyklus, his protagonist, Kara ben Nemsi, travels through a significant section of the then Ottoman Empire, encountering many of its various cultures. Much of the recent Karl May research has focused on the way he portrays these cultures, with some critics, especially the ones employing Edward Said's post-colonial work Orientalism, finding that the Orientzyklus legitimizes the late nineteenth-century imperial policies of the European powers. The problem with such a conclusion is that it does not take in account the impact of May's personal life and religious beliefs on these novels. When one analyzes these aspects, it becomes clear that these novels are not just about the Orient, but also contain representations from May's own life and religious messages based on his Christian beliefs. Even though some of his portrayals are based on stereotypes and sometimes seem to fit Said's thesis, these religious message that May is trying to convey prohibits imperialism.