In the 19th century, travel to the Orient became more and more widespread, and women travelers also got their chance, and their number was growing. Interest in the Orientalist lands also spread to Austria-Hungary, while the Slovene lands were no exception. According to Edward Said, in the West, the Orient became a source of inspiration for exotic stories and works of art, while Orientalism as an extended discourse saw the East only as an echo of its former splendor; as a barbaric other. Slovenian travelers traveling to the Orient mostly show a superior attitude towards countries, peoples and customs, which they consider to be oriental, which does not mean that they do not receive praise and admiration, but they are often not interpreted in the same way as the West. The authors in question often describe the Muslim way of life as different and women in the Oriental lands as neglected; it is characterized by a female view of the Orient, which, however, is not fully captured.
|