SKBK 6014-Academic Writing for Literary Studies (Summary Task)

SKBK 6014- Academic Writing for Literary Studies Summary Task Erda Wati Bakar P 63178 Ruzy Suliza Hashim, Izmanizam Azyze, Noraini Md Yusof, & Zalina Md Lazim (ed). 2007. Re-visioning Realities Through Literary Discourse, Petaling Jaya: Pearson Longman History Into Fiction: Transformations of Two Worlds in Discourse Noraini Md Yusof & Ruzy Suliza Hashim.

Southgate (1996) defined history as events that represent the past which have been validated and appropriated by scientific methods. It is considered as the truth as its objectivity is retained and its facts are ascertained. However, the truth of these historical accounts can be contested as history are reported and narrated by men and men are not able to be truly objective due to various influential factors. This view is supported by Tyson (1999) who advocated that history is a discourse that is dependent on several factors such as cultural conditions, the influence of time and place as well as ones understanding of the human experience. Historical narratives are created by humans; therefore it is never natural as the raw materials are bound to be distorted during the process of forming, shaping and giving meaning to the narratives (Hutcheson 1989). This realisation has driven the writers of historical narratives to fill the gaps and represent their knowledge of the past as the relation between the past and the present has yet to be resolved and these narrators are finding the opportunities to utilise these fragmented experiences. Hence, narrators of history have the liberty and license of creativity to reconstruct historical events and assimilate it into their narratives with their imaginative powers. New realities are woven and emerged from the historical accounts which have undergone significant changes. This has become the primary aim of the researchers to study the significant changes and adaptation that historical narrators have taken during the process of producing a novella. The articles aims to analyse how the producer of a novella has undergone the process of transforming or converting history into fiction and this study is done based on the framework of Machereys theory of Literary Production. Within the research, the study is aimed to deconstruct the historical discourse as well as to analyse how the producers of the novella has attempted to re-vision the past from a local perspective. These aims are firstly achieved by evaluating the process of collecting raw materials and how these materials are utilised and integrated within the elements of fictions and literary devices, and secondly by the adopting the theories of post-colonialism and New Historicism, the researchers have linked the process of the collection of raw materials and identify several transformation processes that have been undergone in order for it to become a novella. In the production of Ashes of Istana, the narrator has collected materials surrounding the events and encounters between Melaka and Portugal in the 16th century, historical characters such as the Governor of India and Alfonso de Alburqueque and the historical setting in which conflicts such as weak administration, rivalry and Portugueses ambition caused the end of Melaka Sultanate in 1511. All these data were collected and later manipulated and reconstructed, hence, new realities emerged during the process of transformation and re-visioning. The producers or the writers have given subjective constructions in their representations of the conflicts between Melaka and Portuguese and alternative realities were depicted in imagining how the society during that time tried to cope within the freedom and constraints during that period. Within these new realities, the producers have adopted several re-visioning strategies in their attempts to accentuate the previously marginalised and subjugated representations. The researchers have identified three significant re-visioning strategies; firstly the empowerment of voice and agency for the previously silent and surpressed characters. For example, in 1515 by Faisal Tehrani, a new reality was depicted after the empire of Melaka was destroyed in the hands of the Portuguese. Melaka had sent its armies to Portugal to retaliate and to claim what they have lost. Melaka was reconstructed and it no longer the defeated colonialized nation, instead it has been given a new agency and image as the new Imperial power of Europe after the Melaka armies have successfully conquered Portugal. In the 1

SKBK 6014-Academic Writing for Literary Studies (Summary Task)

hands of Nyemah Mulya, Alfonso de Alburquerque, who was a gallant, governor-general who was responsible for the blood of thousands that were shed in Ormuz and Goa, finally met his own death at the sword of Nyemah Mulya. Nyemah Mulya was given the proper agency which is part of the pillars of New Historicist Feminism as well as her image and representation have been reconstructed, hence, presents another layer of subjectivity to her character. The second strategy is the foregrounding of marginalised identities that are previously buried in traditional discourse as depicted by the character of Tun Fatimah in Balada Tun Fatimah. She was repositioned from the periphery of the narrative in Sejarah Melayu and her reconstruction has revealed her aspirations and unbroken as well as unconquered spirit. Finally, in the third strategy, image and representation have been reconstructed in which the narrators have contested and disproved the conservative views of the past which maintained suppression in the original texts. Melaka in 1515 is no longer a conquered and weak state, instead it had been reconstructed to become the new European imperial power when they managed to conquer Portugal and the reconstruction of Nyemah Mulya has empowered her to break away from the traditional perceptions of a woman by surviving and outwitted the patriarchal society that she lived in. The study concluded that during the process of transformation and deconstruction of history, the narrators have revealed the politics of power, past discourse and society, and have exposed the nation and identitys construction. This exposure has recreated the alternative constructions and formations of identity and nation within the context of post-colonialism. The article ends with a strong note that re-visioning process has legitimised the process of transformation of actual historical events into fictitious accounts and the new realities have elevated the representations of the silent and supressed into stronger, unbroken and unconquered new identities.