LEGENDS THAT BRING PAST AND PRESENT TOGETHER: IDEOLOGICAL RESISTANCE IN TAYEB SALIH'S THE WEDDING OF ZEIN AND BANDARSHAH

Abstract

Resistance has been one of the most significant issues in postcolonial studies because of its close relationship to decolonization. For many theorists like Edward Said, cultural and ideological resistance is an inalienable part of decolonization process. This thesis aims to analyze the ideological resistance in two of Tayeb Salih's works, The Wedding of Zein and Bandarshah, with a particular focus on the legends as a source of this resistance. Both of these works are based on legends and the whole story revolves around these legends. They are connected to the ideological resistance in the way that they are constructed, and with specific elements of time, place, and language. Since they are constructed in a way that is specific to the culture of the society in the novels, and connect their past to the present, the legends help this society form an identity of its own and live according to its own values. In this way, they help reconstructing a national culture and consciousness that resist the colonized ideology and power.