Only by Knowing The Other Shalt Thou Know Thyself: Americanness and Britishness as Defining Forces for Canadianness in Hugh MacLennan’s Early Novels
In the aftermath of World War II, Canada stood at a crossroads marked by mutual incomprehension and a lack of willingness to understand The Other on the part of both Anglo- and Franco-Canadians. At that time, its identity was only in the process of forming itself into a prospective national cons...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
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Scientia Publishing House
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Acta Universitatis Sapientiae: Philologica |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://acta.sapientia.ro/content/docs/04-494171.pdf |
| _version_ | 1826575847916568576 |
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| author | Maxmilian Rhys |
| author_facet | Maxmilian Rhys |
| author_sort | Maxmilian Rhys |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the aftermath of World War II, Canada stood at a crossroads
marked by mutual incomprehension and a lack of willingness to understand
The Other on the part of both Anglo- and Franco-Canadians. At that time, its
identity was only in the process of forming itself into a prospective national
conscience. Hugh MacLennan was one of the few writers of that period to
try to understand the full depths and intricacies of the historical burden
characterizing the difficult coexistence of the two “Founding Nations.” In
his specific, personal way, MacLennan tried to show and prove that these
national, linguistic, social, as well as religious barriers should be finally
abandoned as a matter of the past. Communicating his sympathies and
understanding for the French-speaking “minority” within the whole of
Canada through his novels may seem to be, yet is not, his primary goal.
Another significant objective of his frequently didactic novels was to show
the undeniably influential role of Britishness and Americanness in the
process of “defining Canada’s Canadianness.” This issue was even more
important than attempting to solve the endless, insoluble skirmishes between
the English and French Canadians. Not only were the striking differences
between Canadians, and Americans and the British a way to help define
Canadianness, but the encounter(s) with The Other on the outside presented
a potential prospect of solidifying and strengthening the “internal Canadian
bond,” with MacLennan’s oeuvre contributing to the very definition of the
modern Canadian nation’s identity. Taking into account views related to the
post-colonial theories, the article (re)confirms the position of MacLennan
aspiring to be the nation’s first true post-colonial (or non-colonial) writer. |
| first_indexed | 2025-03-14T13:21:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d33d27d6288d450c9ad83c2fdff66f02 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2067-5151 2068-2956 |
| language | deu |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-14T13:21:13Z |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Scientia Publishing House |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Universitatis Sapientiae: Philologica |
| spelling | doaj.art-d33d27d6288d450c9ad83c2fdff66f022025-02-28T11:55:26ZdeuScientia Publishing HouseActa Universitatis Sapientiae: Philologica2067-51512068-29562024-11-01161405510.47745/ausp-2024-0004Only by Knowing The Other Shalt Thou Know Thyself: Americanness and Britishness as Defining Forces for Canadianness in Hugh MacLennan’s Early NovelsMaxmilian Rhys0https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4390-022XTechnical University of LiberecIn the aftermath of World War II, Canada stood at a crossroads marked by mutual incomprehension and a lack of willingness to understand The Other on the part of both Anglo- and Franco-Canadians. At that time, its identity was only in the process of forming itself into a prospective national conscience. Hugh MacLennan was one of the few writers of that period to try to understand the full depths and intricacies of the historical burden characterizing the difficult coexistence of the two “Founding Nations.” In his specific, personal way, MacLennan tried to show and prove that these national, linguistic, social, as well as religious barriers should be finally abandoned as a matter of the past. Communicating his sympathies and understanding for the French-speaking “minority” within the whole of Canada through his novels may seem to be, yet is not, his primary goal. Another significant objective of his frequently didactic novels was to show the undeniably influential role of Britishness and Americanness in the process of “defining Canada’s Canadianness.” This issue was even more important than attempting to solve the endless, insoluble skirmishes between the English and French Canadians. Not only were the striking differences between Canadians, and Americans and the British a way to help define Canadianness, but the encounter(s) with The Other on the outside presented a potential prospect of solidifying and strengthening the “internal Canadian bond,” with MacLennan’s oeuvre contributing to the very definition of the modern Canadian nation’s identity. Taking into account views related to the post-colonial theories, the article (re)confirms the position of MacLennan aspiring to be the nation’s first true post-colonial (or non-colonial) writer.https://acta.sapientia.ro/content/docs/04-494171.pdfcanadian identityhugh maclennancanadiannessamericannessbritishness |
| spellingShingle | Maxmilian Rhys Only by Knowing The Other Shalt Thou Know Thyself: Americanness and Britishness as Defining Forces for Canadianness in Hugh MacLennan’s Early Novels Acta Universitatis Sapientiae: Philologica canadian identity hugh maclennan canadianness americanness britishness |
| title | Only by Knowing The Other Shalt Thou Know Thyself: Americanness and Britishness as Defining Forces for Canadianness in Hugh MacLennan’s Early Novels |
| title_full | Only by Knowing The Other Shalt Thou Know Thyself: Americanness and Britishness as Defining Forces for Canadianness in Hugh MacLennan’s Early Novels |
| title_fullStr | Only by Knowing The Other Shalt Thou Know Thyself: Americanness and Britishness as Defining Forces for Canadianness in Hugh MacLennan’s Early Novels |
| title_full_unstemmed | Only by Knowing The Other Shalt Thou Know Thyself: Americanness and Britishness as Defining Forces for Canadianness in Hugh MacLennan’s Early Novels |
| title_short | Only by Knowing The Other Shalt Thou Know Thyself: Americanness and Britishness as Defining Forces for Canadianness in Hugh MacLennan’s Early Novels |
| title_sort | only by knowing the other shalt thou know thyself americanness and britishness as defining forces for canadianness in hugh maclennan s early novels |
| topic | canadian identity hugh maclennan canadianness americanness britishness |
| url | https://acta.sapientia.ro/content/docs/04-494171.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT maxmilianrhys onlybyknowingtheothershaltthouknowthyselfamericannessandbritishnessasdefiningforcesforcanadiannessinhughmaclennansearlynovels |