Index
1. Introduction…….………………………………………….……………………….2
2. Concepts of Identity……………………...………………………………………...3
2.1. Freud/Lacan……………………………………………………………………4
2.2. Derrida – Poststructuralism……………………………………………………5
3. On the way to self-fulfillment- Identity and Identity construction
3.1. Factors influencing Identity construction …………………………………….6
3.1.1. Gender…………………………………………………………..…………...6
3.1.1.1. Christabel LaMotte – poetess within the Victorian Era………………...…6
3.1.1.2. Maud Bailey – Feminist lecturer in the 20th century………….……..…….8
3.1.2. Relationality…………………………………………………………..……..9
3.1.3. Social environment………………………………………………………...10
3.2. Self-perception
3.2.1. Roland Mitchell – identification through others………………………...…11
3.2.2. Maud Bailey – white coolness………………………………………….….12
4. Love as the impulse to self-fulfillment………………………………………….…13
4.1. Self-preservation instead of love…………………………………………..…15
4.2. Self-fulfillment through the experience of love………………………...........17
4. Conclusion………………………………………………..……………………...…19
5. Bibliography……………………………………………………………………..…20
1. Introduction
Possession: A Romance, first published in 1990 marked a turning point in A.S.Byatt’s career, with its ability to not only attract a small specialized audience but crossing over and lodging in the popular imagination. Although the author had been writing for almost three decades and her highly literary and intelligent style was well...
2. Theoretical background
2.1. Concepts of Identity
“[…] who am I?”( Possession, p.251) are the pondering thoughts of the academic Maud Bailey, the main female Protagonists-maybe the most common question that arises when oneself is reflecting about himself. At the same time this question implies a longing for identity, which is the key theme of the novel discussed in this paper. Possession can be read as a double quest for identity since the protagonists’ search for their biographical subjects, the Victorian poets H.R. Ash and C. LaMotte, is closely connected to their own search for themselves. However the term identity is a concept which offers various interpretations so that it firstly will be defined by reference to different point of views: the autonomous self by definition of René Decartes, the Freudian approach, developed further by Jacques Lacan and the deconstructionist view of Jacques Derrida.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- INTRODUCTION.
- CONCEPTS OF IDENTITY
- FREUD/LACAN.
- DERRIDA - POSTSTRUCTURALISM.
- ON THE WAY TO SELF-FULFILLMENT-IDENTITY AND IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION.
- FACTORS INFLUENCING IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION
- Gender.
- Relationality.
- Social environment.
- SELF-PERCEPTION.
- Roland Mitchell - identification through others
- MAUD BAILEY-WHITE COOLNESS.
- FACTORS INFLUENCING IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION
- LOVE AS THE IMPULSE TO SELF-FULFILLMENT.
- SELF-PRESERVATION INSTEAD OF LOVE.
- SELF-FULFILLMENT THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF LOVE.
- CONCLUSION
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The term paper analyzes the novel "Possession: A Romance" by A.S. Byatt, focusing on the identity and identity construction of the main characters Maud Bailey and Roland Mitchell. The paper aims to explore how their working relationship, which evolves into a romance, is influenced by poststructuralist theories, and how they ultimately liberate themselves from these dominant discourses. The paper further investigates the role of romantic love as a driving force for self-fulfillment.
- Identity and Identity Construction
- Poststructuralist Theories
- Romantic Love as a Catalyst for Self-Fulfillment
- Influence of Gender on Identity
- Self-Perception and the Impact of Social Environment
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The paper begins by exploring the concept of identity through the lens of Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalytic theories. It analyzes how the protagonists' search for their own identities is intertwined with their quest for the biographical details of Victorian poets Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte. The paper then delves into the poststructuralist ideas of Jacques Derrida and how they influence the protagonists' perception of the world, particularly their understanding of the self and their interactions with others.
The paper continues by examining various factors that influence identity construction, including gender, relationality, and the social environment. It explores how the protagonists' gender roles and their relationships with others impact their self-perceptions. The paper also analyzes the ways in which the Victorian and modern settings shape the characters' identities.
Finally, the paper focuses on the role of love in the protagonists' journeys toward self-fulfillment. It analyzes how love, as a powerful force, allows the protagonists to overcome the limitations imposed by poststructuralist theories and to embrace their true desires and fears.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper explores the concept of identity in the context of A.S. Byatt's novel "Possession: A Romance." Key terms and topics include identity construction, poststructuralism, Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysis, gender roles, relationality, self-perception, romantic love, and the influence of social environment on the individual. The paper analyzes the characters Maud Bailey and Roland Mitchell and how their relationships with each other and their research subjects lead them to self-discovery and fulfillment.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Isabella Wrobel (Autor:in), 2010, Identity and Identity Construction in A.S. Byatt’s Possession, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/155565