Short Essay Seven

During the early twentieth century, Europeans deemed Africans as exotic inhabitants of a far away land. Africans were often seen by Europeans as uncultured and free of the worries of a modern, civilized society. Europeans interpreted the African culture as a way of liberating oneself from the restrictions of modern society. Enticed by the freedom they believed they could experience, Europeans would interact with Africans for this purpose. Taking part in the African culture also allowed the Europeans a chance feel as though they were part of the exotic customs. Europeans considered themselves to be a highly moral society, and the Africans immoral. Participating in African activities, such as the Bal nègre in France, Europeans could disregard their cultural obligations. The Bal nègre in particular allowed the Europeans the ability “to transcend the bourgeois world and enter a fantastic Edenic paradise of primal enjoyments” (Berliner 212). Without leaving the perceived restrictions from European society behind, they thought they would never experience life as the Africans did. Europeans felt they no longer needed to adhere to their culture’s boundaries of acceptable behavior. Participation in African culture was not the only means for Europeans to experience their escape from “cultured” society. Merely observing Africans captivated the Europeans. Performances put on by Africans attracted many Europeans who were fascinated by the shows they put on. Europeans were mesmerized by the performers because they considered their shows to be exceedingly exotic. Every aspect of these performances fascinated the Europeans. The dance moves and the performers themselves were something Europeans were not regularly exposed to and it excited them (Dalton 914). The audience felt as though they left the conservative European society and entered a new more liberating one. Performances allowed Europeans to enter an exotic world full of fascinating details. Europeans allowed themselves to enter African culture in order to transcend cultural restrictions. Participating in activities and events like the Bal nègre let the Europeans believe that they were experiencing this foreign world first hand. Yet, many Europeans can find entrance into the African culture simply by observing them via the theater. Due to European prejudice they deemed the African culture to be primitive and therefore free of the limits that they believed their society placed on them. Europeans believed the Africans to be so foreign that they were captivated simply by watching them. Africans seemed so different to the Europeans that they became an escape of the constrictions of the daily lives of the Europeans.