Question

“I have read translations of the most celebrated Arabic and Sanscrit works. I have conversed both here and at home with men distinguished by their proficiency in the Eastern tongues. I am quite ready to take the Oriental learning at the valuation of the Orientalists themselves. I have never found among them who could deny that a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia.”

• A. It homogenizes all non-European knowledge systems as one monolithic entity.
• B. It depicts the colonial perspective where Eastern languages and knowledge systems seem lacking when compared to their Western counterparts.
• C. It constructs a binary between the East and the West.
• D. It invokes the library movement around the globe which led to global literacy as a result of the Enlightenment.

Hint:

In post-colonial literature, the East-West binary is often used to critique the dominance of Western knowledge and the marginalization of Eastern cultures.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A, B, C

Step 1: Understanding the excerpt.
The given excerpt reflects a Eurocentric attitude towards Eastern knowledge systems, where European literature and knowledge are considered superior. The speaker implies that the entire literary and intellectual heritage of the East (including India and Arabia) is inferior to a single shelf of European books. This represents a colonial mindset that undervalues non-European cultures.

Step 2: Explanation of the options.
(A) is correct because the statement treats all non-European knowledge systems as a homogeneous entity, neglecting the diversity within them.
(B) is correct because the speaker portrays Eastern languages and knowledge systems as inferior compared to their Western counterparts, reflecting a colonial perspective.
(C) is correct because the statement sets up a binary between the East (inferior) and the West (superior), reinforcing the East-West divide.
(D) is incorrect because the excerpt does not refer to the global library movement or Enlightenment literacy, but rather the devaluation of Eastern knowledge.

Final Answer: Option \( \boxed{(A),\ (B),\ (C)} \) is correct.