EXPLORING ORIENTALISM: A POSTCOLONIAL STUDY OF COETZEE’S FOE

Abstract

This study examines J. M. Coetzee’s Foe within a postcolonial framework, focusing on Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism to reveal how narratives construct cultural hierarchies. The objective is to explore how Coetzee critiques imperial discourse and reimagines silenced voices in colonial texts. The methodology relies on qualitative textual analysis, applying Said’s theoretical lens to close readings of the novel. The significance of the study lies in highlighting Foe as a counter-narrative that interrogates colonial authority. The implicature suggests that literature not only reflects but also resists dominant ideologies of empire. The findings reveal that Coetzee destabilizes the colonial gaze by foregrounding subaltern silence and problematizing Western authorship.