question_answer

Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:

(a) How is the British Empire depicted in the picture?

(b) How are the colonies depicted in the picture? Why did the painter depict the colonies in this manner?

(c) Do you think it is a true presentation of the British Empire? Give reasons for your answer.

 

Answer:

(a) In the painting, the Britannia, symbol of British nation is depicted sitting on the globe, whereas the angels holding the banner of freedom are blessing Britannia. The countries of the entire world is connected under the British empire.

(b) Colonies are depicted as places inhabited by tigers and other animals surrounded by primitive uncivilized people.

The colonies are depicted in this manner to express the typical arrogant attitude of imperial powers. They considered the colonies as white men's burden whom they would civilise after colonising them.

(c) The painting depicts only the British mindset who always boasted about World Empire and treated the colonies fit to be dominated by them. But it is just the one sided view, it hides the dark side of imperialism. The banner of freedom stressed the freedom of British people only, whereas the British subjects in other part of the world were denied freedom in every aspect. Similarly it was a fallacy to treat colonial people as primitive?nor were they living among animals as shown.