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Orientalism In 19th Century European Literature Orientalism, or the fascination with the cultures of the Orient, whether Asian or Middle Eastern was very common in the 19th Century in Europe and was a driving force behind many works of European literature. Authors, many of whom had no actual experience in the Orient, would create vivid depictions of an exotic culture filled with monstrous creatures, sex obsessed woman, and glorious landscapes. These stories captivated the somewhat stifled and reserved European audience of the time period, sparking interest in a culture that most knew very little about. For this reason, Orientalism in this context is a term used to describe an interest in a rather inaccurate depiction of life in the Orient which the written manifestation of was very popular among the people of 19th century Europe. Edward Said, in his essay 'The discourse of the Orient', states that, "The Orient was almost a European invention, and had been since antiquity a place of romance, exotic beings, haunting memories, landscapes, and remarkable experiences"(1) What he leaves out, is that authors such as Alfred Lord Tennyson, although capable of creating a audacious image of an exotic land in the readers mind, nev