Different Ways of Returning the Gaze: Indian Travel Writers on Victorian and Edwardian England

Abstract

This thesis examines writings about English society and culture by Indian travel writers during the Victorian and Edwardian periods, focusing on two key texts: Journal of a Residence of Two Years and a Half in Great Britain (1841) by Parsi cousins Jehangeer Nowrojee and Hirjeebhoy Merwanjee, and the article series “The Heart of Things” by Olive Christian Malvery, published in Pearson’s Magazine (1904–1905). The analysis explores how these Indian writers, during their travels in London, engaged with the society they encountered, and compares their perspectives to the European Orientalist gaze. It investigates how factors such as gender and racial identity shaped their observations and how these influenced their ability to ‘return the gaze’ towards imperialist travelers to the East. The thesis argues that although all three writers were Indian by birth, their confidence in their cultural identities varied significantly, as did their gendered experiences, influencing their critiques and reflections on British society. Both Nowrojee and Merwanjee’s journal and Malvery’s articles reveal the complexities of navigating identity within the British Empire while observing and, at times, challenging or reinforcing Orientalist narratives. This work highlights how Indian voices actively engaged with the dominant cultural forces of Victorian and Edwardian England, offering nuanced insights into cross-cultural encounters that enrich our understanding of this period.