Michael Ondaatje's "The English Patient" Analytical Essay by Master Researcher

Michael Ondaatje's novel, "The English Patient", is a complex novel set amidst both the turmoil of the Second World War and, in a broader sense, amid the timeless works of classic Renaissance art and culture in Italy. However, as this essay argues, while the apparent focus of the novel is upon the Europe - its people, culture and conflicts - Ondaatje is also situating the novel in the broader context of European imperialism and racism.