An analysis of “Babel: or the necessity of violence” by R.F. Kuang as a metaphor for postcolonial translation studies

Abstract

This research focuses on the intersection between postcolonial translation theories and contemporary literature, analyzing how translation can serve both as a tool of oppression and a means of resistance. The novel “Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution” by R. F. Kuang is explored as a metaphor for understanding postcolonial translation theories. The story follows Robin Swift, a Cantonese boy brought to London to study translation at the University of Oxford, where he becomes involved in colonial exploitation and magical silver-working. The research problem arises from the need to reinforce critical reflections on the role of translation in maintaining or subverting power dynamics within colonial contexts, while also considering the importance of contemporary literature in expanding these debates beyond academia. The objective is to analyze how Kuang’s narrative reflects and exemplifies the articulation of postcolonial theory and translation studies, drawing on the works of Campos (1981), Lefevere (1992), Niranjana (1992), Bhabha (1998), Bassnett and Trivedi (1999), and Rajagopalan (2001), as well as the notion of “orientalism” discussed by Said (1979) and the concept of “minor literature” coined by Deleuze and Guattari (2003). Methodologically, the study is classified as descriptive research and it includes a literature review of the principal postcolonial translation theories to support the analysis of selected passages from Kuang’s novel. The study shows that “Babel” portrays translation’s dual function, both as a colonial instrument of control and as a means of resistance, while it also embodies Deleuze and Guattari’s “minor literature.” Its international success demonstrates how contemporary fiction can bring complex postcolonial debates into wider public conversation.