REQUIEM FOR AN IDENTITY: ANALYZING REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SELF IN “SONG OF MYSELF”
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbphilo.2021.2.06Keywords:
selfhood, identity, autoscopies, addressability, identificationAbstract
Requiem for an Identity: Analyzing Representations of the Self in Song of Myself. The paper explores the introspection into the experience of selfhood by deconstructing the representation of identity into four stances – the poetic self, the self as other, the deistic/ heroic self and the bohemian self. The pairing into dual and opposing sets and their subsequent distribution in the framework of syzygial unity-in-duality is meant to render a more punctual picture of Whitman’s plethora of identifications in Song of Myself. The analysis sets into motion the identity of “I”, showing that the conundrum of identity is given by specific and independent identifications of the self with figures of the American society and imaginary. The validation of the multifaceted “I” embedded in the self-discovery is made by approaching the addressability of I-You autoscopies, in an attempt to restore identity through the filter of readership.
REZUMAT. Recviem pentru o identitate: Analiza reprezentărilor sinelui în Song of Myself. Această lucrare explorează introspecția în experiența sinelui, deconstruind reprezentările sinelui în patru ipostaze - sinele poetic, sinele ca celălalt, sinele deist/ erou și sinele boem. Asocierea acestor ipostaze în seturi duale și opozante și distribuția acestora în dualitatea unității sizigiale are rolul de a schița o imagine punctuală a multitudinii de identificări din Song of Myself. Analiza pune în mișcare identitatea “eu-lui”, indicând că enigma identității este schițată de identificări specifice și independente ale sinelui cu imagini ale societății americane și ale imaginarului. Validarea “Eu-lui” multilateral integrat în descoperirea sinelui se face prin referirea la adresabilitatea autoscopiilor Eu-tu, într-o încercare de a reface identitatea prin filtrul cititorului.
Cuvinte-cheie: sine, identitate, autoscopii, adresabilitate, identificare
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