Rewriting Empire: Historiographic Metafiction in Salman Rushdie’s Victory City

Abstract

This paper looks at Salman Rushdie’s Victory City as a fictional account that reimagines history by blending fact, myth, and narrative manipulation. At the centre of the novel is Pampa Kampana, who not only shapes the empire of Bisnaga but also narrates its rise and fall. This narrative is particularly compelling because it challenges the way history is written and remembered. Victory City illustrates the connection between power, memory, and storytelling, particularly when the stories originate from those who are often excluded from historical records. The paper, through the lens of Linda Hutcheon’s Historiographic Metafiction, examines Rushdie’s use of metafiction, magical realism, and parody to challenge dominant historical narratives. Through Pampa’s role as creator and chronicler, the novel highlights how history is not just recorded but invented, often shaped by ideology. The use of intertextual references to Indian epics, colonial travelogues, and religious symbolism adds further complexity to the narrative. Rushdie critiques patriarchal and religious authority while also portraying the resilience of narrative itself. By tracing themes of exile, identity, and cultural erasure, the paper argues that Victory City is not just a story about a fictional kingdom but a commentary on real-world histories that are constantly rewritten. Ultimately, it suggests the timelessness of fiction, where monuments and empires perish.