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Britain The First Source: William Pitt And Napoleon

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The first source is an editorial cartoon drawn by caricaturist James Gillray in 1805. The general theme of this source is “the hunger for power can not be satisfied, even when one has the entire world,” thus portraying imperialism in a negative light. Within the cartoon, British prime minister William Pitt and Napoleon Bonaparte of France are present. They represent Britain and France, the two main countries competing for colonies during the period of imperialism. As well, William Pitt and Napoleon Bonaparte are evidently cutting into a globe, shown as plum pudding, ready to feast upon it. This is used as symbolism to portray the immense hunger for land and dominance over the world, something the countries wished for during this period. Britain …show more content…

The author has an Eurocentric point of view, and wrote this poem to portray an European attitude towards imperialism and believes it as a “service” towards the native people that reside in the parts of the world they are exploring. Evidence being used by the author to support their point of view include referring to non-Europeans as the “White Man’s burden,” meaning they are causing stress upon the colonists with this type of viewpoint to assimilate them. Moreover, “half devil and half child” is also being used to describe these people. This depicts how the poet views non-Europeans as inferior, since referring to one as a “devil” is implied negatively. A child is regarded as less intelligent, requiring guidance and assistance. In the scenario of imperialism in an Eurocentric worldview, the children are non-Europeans while the parents that need to guide them are Europeans, also referred to as the “best breed” of human. Such worldview promotes a superficial way of thinking, and is meant to inspire other Europeans to try and absorb the “White Man’s burden” into an European way of life. The poem is written as a result of witnessing the cultural practices of those who were native to the countries being explored, they felt the need to assimilate

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