An Intertextual Study Of Season Of Migration To The North

Tayeb Salih is a famous realistic writer in Sudan. Season of Migration to theNorth is a medium-length novel which takes northern countryside of Sudan asbackground. Since it was published in1966, it has received wide acclaim as alandmark in the development of modern Arabic fiction. It is unique because of itsexquisite language and wonderful idea. Its attention and expression on issues ofcolonialism and colonial identity make it outstanding. Critics also have rested theirinterest on this novel. Psychologists，biographical critics, literary critics and otherscholars have tried different ways to interpret it．On the whole, the interpretation ofSeason of Migration to the North focuses on the following aspects: psychology,culture, colonialism and identity. These researches are confined to the text itself whileexploration to the intertextual relationship with other texts has scarcely been done,especially the intertextual relationship with William Shakespeare’s Othello. TayebSalih once admits that he is influenced by William Shakespeare. The study of theintertextual relationship between Season of Migration to the North and Othellofocuses its attention on pastiche and parody in the novel.The thesis is composed of four Chapters. The first chapter is Introduction. Theintroductory part includes a brief introduction to Season of Migration to the North andTayeb Salih, literature review, theoretical frameworks and the structure of the thesis.Chapter Two centers on the pastiche Season of Migration to the North makes onOthello. The pastiche includes the reusing and rewriting of characters and motifs. Thereusing and rewriting of characters and motifs show Season of Migration to theNorth’s inheritance on Othello. Chapter Three focuses on Season of Migration to theNorth’s parody on Othello. The parody includes the subversion of characters andsubversion of motifs.The final chapter is Conclusion. Through an intertextual reading of the twonovels, the author finds that Othello is, in a way, an important intertext of Season ofMigration to the North. Tayeb Salih does not only draw some nourishment from William Shakespeare’s Othello, but also subverts Othello in many ways. Tayeb Salih’ssubversion on Othello show his idea that Eastern countries or Eastern culture are notnecessarily ashamed of their backward past; breaking away from local culture andimitating Western culture blindly are not desirable; it is important for people strivingfor own independent identity, and pleasing others by suppressing individuality willlead to ultimate destruction.