The aim of this essay is a comparison of the use uf "identity" in two works of American 19th century literature: Nathaniel Hawthrone´s "Blithedale Romance" and Hermann Melville´s" Pierre".
In a first part, the concept of the word identity and its origin dating back to John Lock are examined. A special focus is, hereby, laid on the the perceived difference between its original and its modern meaning. The second part ,then, puts emphasis on the different use Melville and Hawthorne make of the word in their respective writings, before, finally, giving a short conclusions of the findings of this essay. It shall be argued that Melville and Hawthorne, by using this adequate name for a well know struggle, can be called innovators of their time.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction: The actuality of the term "identity", its origin in John Locke, its use in the first part of the 19th century.
II. The use of "identity" by Hawthorne and Melville in The Blithedale Romance und Pierre
III. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This academic paper examines the historical evolution and usage of the term "identity" within 19th-century American literature, specifically focusing on how Hawthorne and Melville employed the concept prior to its modern psychological solidification. The research aims to explore whether these authors used the term as a response to societal shifts in identity perception, contrasting their literary usage with the later, more rigid psychological definitions popularized by figures such as Erik Erikson.
- The historical origin and philosophical development of the term "identity" from John Locke to the 19th century.
- The misuse and inflation of "identity" as a catchword in modern literary criticism.
- Comparative analysis of "identity" in Hawthorne's The Blithedale Romance and The House of the Seven Gables.
- Melville’s pejorative usage of "identity" in Pierre as a reflection of societal constraints.
- The transition of "identity" from a stable social marker to a psychological problem in American literature.
Excerpt from the Book
The use of "identity" by Hawthorne and Melville in The Blithedale Romance und Pierre
Hawthorne und Melville seem to employ the word "identity" more frequently than some of the other American Writers of the first part of the century, Thus we find the word "identity" used four times in The Blithedale Romance, three times in The Scarlet Letter, seven times in Pierre versus only two times in Nick of the Woods , and just one time in The Dutchman's Fireside .mSuch statistical argumentation seems, however, precarious on the whole as many of the examples for "identity" represent a meaning of the word as it occurs in "identity card" or "the police established the identity of the victim." Furthermore there are many equivalent expressions both for existent and lacking identity, expressions as are currently used also in everyday speech of the type, "he is not himself today," or "he is beside himself"; and we also find what I would call "terms complimentarily related" to "identity" as "transformation", "metamorphosis", "change". If such words and expressions were admitted to and the irrelevant examples of "identity" cancelled from the numerical comparison indicated above, some other author might emerge as most preoccupied with "identity".
The most outstanding example of a psychological use of the word "identity" by either Hawthorne or Melville which I have so far been able to discover is in The House of the Seven Gables:
"But what was most remarkable, and perhaps showed a more than common poise in the young man, was the fact, that, amid all these personal vicissitudes, he had never lost his identity. homeless as he had been - continually changing his whereabout, and therefore responsible neither to public opinion nor to individuals - putting off one exterior, and snatching up another, to be soon shifted for a third - he had never violated the innermost man, but had carried his conscience along with him." (ch.: "The Daguerrotypist", Centenary Edition, p.177). The passage, of course, refers to
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: The actuality of the term "identity", its origin in John Locke, its use in the first part of the 19th century.: This chapter provides the historical context for the term "identity," tracing its philosophical roots to John Locke and noting its sudden cultural prominence in the mid-20th century through Erik Erikson.
II. The use of "identity" by Hawthorne and Melville in The Blithedale Romance und Pierre: This section investigates specific instances of the word in Hawthorne and Melville's novels, contrasting simple recognitive identification with the emerging psychological awareness of the self.
III. Conclusion: The author concludes that Hawthorne and Melville were pioneers who utilized a new vocabulary to cope with psychological challenges, long before the term became a standardized scientific concept.
Keywords
Identity, Erik Erikson, Hawthorne, Melville, The Blithedale Romance, Pierre, John Locke, Personal Identity, 19th-century Literature, Psychological Terminology, Social Mobility, Self-Knowledge, Identity Crisis, Narrative Analysis, American Romanticism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental subject of this academic paper?
The paper explores the etymological and thematic history of the word "identity" as it appears in 19th-century American fiction, particularly in the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville.
What are the primary thematic fields addressed in the text?
The primary themes include the intersection of philosophy and literature, the evolution of social markers of the self, and how 19th-century authors intuitively navigated psychological concepts before they were clinically defined.
What is the central research question?
The study investigates how and why the term "identity" began to appear in the works of early American fiction writers and whether these usages represent the precursors to modern psychological notions of the "identity crisis."
Which scientific methodology does the author employ?
The author utilizes a literary-historical method, combining close reading of primary texts with an analysis of historical dictionaries and the philosophical tradition stemming from John Locke.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The main body treats the distinction between "identity" as a social label—name, family status, and location—versus "identity" as a psychological inner state, analyzing characters like Coverdale, Holgrave, and Pierre.
Which keywords best characterize this publication?
Key terms include Identity, Hawthorne, Melville, Personal Identity, and the historical development of psychological terminology in literature.
How does the author interpret Irving's use of "identity" in Rip Van Winkle?
The author argues that critics often misinterpret Irving’s usage by applying modern psychological connotations to a text that actually utilizes the term in a traditional, Lockean philosophical sense.
Why is Melville's use of "identity" in Pierre considered pejorative?
In Melville's Pierre, the term is linked to madness and physical collapse, suggesting that the protagonist feels trapped by the societal roles and family expectations imposed upon him.
- Quote paper
- Reiner Ruft (Author), 1974, The Use of "Identity" in Literature. Some Remarks on its Use in Hawthorne´s "Blithedale Romance" and Melville´s "Pierre", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/514787
