Page "She: A History of Adventure" Paragraph 38

She is set firmly in the imperialist literature of the late-Victorian period.

The so-called " New Imperialism " marking the last quarter of the 19th century witnessed a further expansion of British power, particularly on the African continent, and was characterised by a seemingly confident sentiment in the merits of empire and English civilisation.

Thus She " invokes a particularly British view of the world " as Rider Haggard projects concepts of the English self against the foreign otherness of Africa.

One such example occurs when Holly is first ushered into the presence of Ayesha, walking into the chamber behind a grovelling Billali who warns Holly to follow his example, or " a surety she will blast thee where thou standest ".

Holly hesitates, becoming scared: " my knees began to give way of their own mere motion ; but reflection came to my aid.

I was an Englishman, and why, I asked myself, should I creep into the presence of some savage woman as though I were a monkey ".

Indeed, She is preoccupied with stressing quintessential British qualities through the " adventure " of empire, usually in contrast to foreign barbarism.

However, the notion of imperialism is further compounded by the figure of She, who is herself a foreign colonising force.

" In a sense then ", writes Stauffer, " a single property line divides the realm of Queen Victoria and that of She-who-must-be-obeyed, two white queens who rule dark-skinned natives of the African continent ".