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"The Africans eager for human flesh" - Jules Verne's colonialism

Contemporary reading of Jules Verne's books is a journey through time, a window through which to glimpse the knowledge and the social and cultural ideas that were at the center of the European consensus in the mid-19th century.

Covers of two original books by Jules Verne, a 19th century writer
Covers of two original books by Jules Verne, a 19th century writer

Yoram Bar-Gal

Contemporary reading of Jules Verne's books is a journey through time, a window through which to glimpse the knowledge and the social and cultural ideas that were at the center of the European consensus in the mid-19th century. Along with being a talented writer, who made good use of the geographical, technological and scientific knowledge of his time, he also had to direct his writing to the broad young audience of his time. Dozens of his books were published as chapters in sequels in the newspaper of the publisher Etzel, who had to take commercial considerations into account, to satisfy the readers' taste.

As a member of his time, Vern acted out of a belief in the supremacy of the white man and the technology he created. Edward Said claimed that Warren encouraged the colonial movement in his writing, and was part of what he called "Orientalism". His writing, he claimed, served the needs of European imperialism in his day as did politicians, military men or clergymen.

The wide circulation of his books helped to establish the European worldview in general and the French in particular, on the huge gap between developed Europe and the backward East. But, alongside the worship of European technology and progress as they are presented in the book "Five Weeks in a Hot Air Balloon", for example, there are books in which Verne criticizes colonialism - especially English colonialism.

It is known that Warren was influenced by liberal movements that appeared in 1848 in France, and especially by the thought of Saint Simon. For example, in his book "Captain Nemo" (1873) he praises the hero born in India, the rebel in the largest empire in the world. Also in "The Children of Captain Grant" (1865), he makes a sharp criticism, and writes explicitly that the British method pushes for the extinction of the conquered peoples.

Despite this, Verne does not usually refer to French colonialism in his day, even when he sends his heroes to Southeast Asia ("around the world in eighty days"). It seems, therefore, that Verne's attitude towards colonialism is a complex one, and alongside his admiration, he voices a certain, cautious criticism - which would not harm the success of the writer and his books: "Is it really necessary to discover the sources of the Nile? Will this really be an action that will promote the happiness of the human race? Will the African peoples be happier when they finally get to taste the taste of European culture?"

A contemporary critical reading of his books shows the perception of the other of his time. In his books, the heroes are men, Europeans, intellectuals, energetic and active who overcome the difficulties of nature and man. The women are almost absent from his many books, and if they do appear, they are usually passive and swallowed up in the background of the story. But his extreme approach to the other, the non-European, can be demonstrated in his first book "Five Weeks in a Hot Air Balloon". The book is full of descriptions of the strangeness and savagery of the Africans "eager for human flesh, who eagerly seek it".

The words were put into the mouth of the hero of the book, Dr. Ferguson, and they testify to the way Africans were perceived also by the scientific and political elites in Europe. The stereotypical descriptions of the brutality of the Africans and their eagerness for human flesh appear throughout the book. For example: "The leader of one of the two camps of the savages... threw the blood-soaked spear from his hand, fell on a wounded man, cut off his arm with one blow of an ax, wrapped the stump in his hand, carried it to his mouth and sank his teeth into it."

It is difficult to measure the impact of these images on European public opinion in those days. But it must be assumed that the dissemination of these images through his books strengthened the opinion among the general public and among decision-makers that the European Enlightenment would redeem the peoples of Africa and advance them. Therefore, it must be assumed that these descriptions helped spur the missionaries' work in spreading Christian morality among the so-called savages, and the politicians in their attempt to bring a government that seemed stable and enlightened to this unhappy continent.

It is therefore fascinating to see the admiration for Warren in African countries, and especially in those that France controlled. Over the years, they issued dozens of stamps in his honor. In doing so, do they also accept his colonial, gendered and white legacy? Are the decision makers in those countries aware of the problem of the political correctness of his writing?

Prof. Yoram Bar-Gal, Head of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Haifa

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