The Matter of Language

Perhaps more than any other critic in the last half of the twentieth century, Edward Said has consistently engaged historical issues that stress the overlap between literary concerns and political interests. In Said's case, this critical orientation or necessity has generated endless controversy and reaction from across the political and literary spectrum, seemingly giving credence to his assertion that literature, politics, and criticism are inextricably linked. More precisely, however, Said's most profound contribution to contemporary thought may reside in his painstaking demonstration that the conceptual tools of literary understanding are not only applicable to other cultural domains and productions but are necessary for coming to terms with their emergence, historical significance, and political economy. In this context, for example, Said straightforwardly proposes a conceptual model that involves thinking both in political and above all theoretical terms.' This theoretical reflection incorporates and draws its impetus from literary

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