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Racism and Colonialism in the 19th century and The Island of Dr. Moreau
The island of Dr. Moreau arguably incorporates the themes of colonialism and racism in its discussion alongside the exploration of vivisection and animal experimentation. The individuals whom have suffered modifications to their once completely humanly bodies demonstrate the cruel processes of experimentation, but also demonstrate various racist views in the 19th century which communicate with the text of H.G Wells. Written during the period of New Imperialism the concepts of scientific racism and racial hierarchy are also evident in the text.

The “beast people” In Wells’ text have created a gathering space for themselves on the island, where they ritually chant and dictate “The Law” that has been inscribed and taught by Dr. Moreau. Dr. Moreau has presented himself as a Divine Creator to the beast people and all the inhabitants of the island who are capable of sufficient enough mental capacity to revere to him and worship both him and the instructions in the law. The very law itself demonstrates the racial hierarchy that has been set in place on the island, in order to supposedly refrain from chaos from interrupting the order on the island, with the superior Caucasian male establishing his power over the island, as well as over the very lives of the inhabitants. The intrusion of the scientists into the island parallels the concept of colonialism, as well as the belief that a certain nation or people have the right to intrude the lives of a foreign people using the justification of labelling them as “uncivilized” in order to do this.

Even the character which is supposedly more civilized than the other island inhabitants is used to serve and cater to the white English men. Prendick describes this character as grotesque looking, and while he does not cause any harm, he never seen as a real human being, and is equated with the rest of the animals and all of their animal instincts throughout the text. While Dr. Moreau and Montgomery both succumb to their deaths on the island, “The Law” and artificially created order that Dr.Moreau had placed over the beast people also comes to an end. However, while the beast people as well as the inhabitants of the island do receive some sort of freedom, the text portrays them as gradually reverting back to their original animalistic ways and losing the humanity in them that had been struggling against the animalistic parts which were surgically placed in them through the experiments and vivisection.

Views that were growing in popularity which stemmed from colonialism included also, “The white man’s burden”, which encouraged an idea of improving and aiding the uncivilized and incapable societies with improvements and enhancements. While Dr. Moreau has physically altered beings in the name of science and experimentation, the idea of colonialism is still prevalent as the English Caucasian scientists, Dr. Moreau and Montgomery have taken personal initiative to intrude the uncivilized island and make what are supposedly enhancements and improvements. Upon encountering the beast people and his initial repulsion towards them, he describes specific ones as having “negroid faces”, which have something human about them. Their irrational and utmost simplistic demeanor and behavior parallels the racial hierarchy which was part of the structure of the 19th century society on racial superiority and inferiority. The beast people and inhabitants of the island seem to very minimally come close to depicting human beings, and when they do it is only in reference to those most inferior and marginalized in society, those supposedly with less rational and intellectual capacity. In his article, Christensen displays this relationship with the racialized subject of the 19th century and the beast people on the island of Dr. Moreau: “At the end of the passage, Prendick describes one of the creatures on which his gaze lingers as having "a black negroid face," as though this uncanny quality requires the vocabulary of race if it is to be inscribed within a human subject” Dr. Moreau and Montgomery exploit the island’s natural resources in the name of science and technological improvements for the better of mankind, as well as exploit the actual lives of men which diminish their human side, and instead present them more as a commodity. This commodification of human beings extends the racism and views of races which were other than Caucasian in the 19th century as inferior, as well as extends to the roots of the slave trade.

http://lion.chadwyck.com.ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/searchFulltext.do?id=R03627331&divLevel=0&queryId=../session/1362321651_20289&trailId=13C9633ECC0&area=mla&forward=critref_ft

2. http://lion.chadwyck.com.ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/searchFulltext.do?id=R04089843&divLevel=0&queryId=../session/1362322965_3309&trailId=13C9647FC20&area=mla&forward=critref_ft

3. http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=94ffc307-7444-462c-95ac-069491e64362%40sessionmgr114&vid=4&hid=117