Rider Haggard on the Imperial Frontier, The Political and Literary Contexts of His African Romances, Gerald Monsman : book review
Evaluating past literary texts under modern critical perspectives is an interesting as well as challenging task. This is particularly true for works of the colonial and imperial periods, which have been interpreted in a variety of ways according to contemporary critical theories. Several 'colonial' or 'imperial' narratives benefit from new ideological trends triggered by cultural studies, experiencing interpretations that are radically different from those traditionally attributed to them. On the other hand, as Paul Gilroy underlines, working on past heredities becomes a crucial moment in the understanding of present socio-political conditions, so that "developing durable and habitable multiculture depends upon working through the legacies of departed empire" (Gilroy 2006, 27).