Plural Masculinities and Postcoloniality in Earl Lovelaces The Dragon Cant Dance

Abstract

This essay aims to explore the representation of postcolonial masculinities in Trinidad, particularly lower‐class mens masculinities in Earl Lovelaces The Dragon Cant Dance. The book shows how the postcolonial condition and colonial legacy modify, disrupt, and reconstruct new gender roles and the relationships between men. Postcolonial condition, I argue, causes the inversion of the traditional hierarchy of masculinities and the dramatic upheaval of gender (as a system) in post‐independent Trinidad. In this sense, this study examines the intersection of postcoloniality and gender throughout the representations of masculinities in the four male characters. In addition, reading postcolonial masculinities in The Dragon Cant Dance requires an intersectional model which addresses postcolonial masculinity and other factors, such as ethnicity, social reputation, and the degree of manliness. Although lower‐class men in the book share the experience of the postcolonial condition, the text displays the diversification of their masculinities. Intersectional approach, then, could be helpful to analyze these diverse masculinities. By reading The Dragon Cant Dance through the impact of postcolonial trauma on the masculinities of lower‐class men, I argue that The Dragon Cant Dance negates the monolithic notion of a (singular) postcolonial masculinity and presents new types of postcolonial masculinities.