Tapestry of Cultures in Derek Walcott’s Poetry: A Transcultural Reading

Abstract

Walcott, through his searches for the history of his original nation, seeks to face the racial conflicts that impacted his cultural formation; he does celebrate the hybridity that becomes an integral part of his identity through crossing- national transit. It is through his constant traveling that, continuously, leads him to experience other nations, cultures, identities. His poetry comes to be a witness for a more cosmopolitan construction of individuality. Walcott, in his early poetry, shows his endeavors to understand the culture and the racial challenges of his origin, yet it seems that he comes to no resort. In his later poetic volumes, he seems to come to a better realization of his Caribbean identity that fell under colonial influences. Thus, Walcott comes to accept that his own Caribbean roots can go beyond its origins. This can be called transcultural approach which has developed in the last few decades, not only to embrace alterity, but also to encourage interconnectedness and empathy with the Other. Transculturalism challenges the traditional notions of culture, belonging, and identity. The purpose of this study is to explore Walcott’s poetry that reveals the poet’s perspective on national and cultural identity.  It argues that, though Walcott’s poetry is deeply rooted in the Caribbean culture, traditions, and national inheritance, yet it transcends the national and cultural limits to celebrate the hybridity of the Caribbean present identity. Walcott’s constant traveling created a poetry that goes beyond its national borders to see in displacement of the Caribbean people and the diaspora as a means to develop a better communication with the world. Therefore, Walcott is quite liberal in his cultural perspective regarding identity politics.