In modern America, "identity" is a constant preoccupation, one might even say an obsession. Individuals, communities, racial minorities, even towns and cities (like Boston) and, of course, the whole nation affirm and assert their identity, or indeed complain their lack of it.
Table of Contents
1. The Emergence of Modern America's Preoccupation with Problems of Personal and National Identity in the Writings of Her Nineteenth Century Authors
1.1 Introduction to the Contemporary Preoccupation with Identity
1.2 Defining Identity: Psychological and Philosophical Perspectives
1.3 Historical Etymology and Modern Usage of "Identity"
1.4 Methodological Framework: The Combined Semasiological-Onomasiological Approach
1.4.1 The Semasiological Approach in Literary Analysis
1.4.2 The Onomasiological Approach and Conceptual Realization
1.4.3 Synthesis of the Research Methodology
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this work is to investigate the historical emergence of the term "identity" within nineteenth-century American literature, analyzing how authors transitioned from traditional usage toward the modern, complex psychological definition of the concept.
- The evolution of "identity" from a simple identifier (I.D.) to a multifaceted psychological construct.
- Application of a combined semasiological-onomasiological methodology to literary texts.
- Examination of specific works by authors such as Hawthorne, Melville, Whitman, and Dickinson.
- Distinction between "identity" as a catchword and its scientifically viable definition.
- The role of post-Freudian thought, particularly E.H. Erikson, in shaping current perceptions of identity.
Excerpt from the Book
Methodological Framework: The Combined Semasiological-Onomasiological Approach
In investigating the emergence of the American preoccupation with problems of identity in the literature of the earlier periods of American literature, best a combined semasiological-onomasiological approach will be taken. Account has to be taken of the fact that the word as word is there in Irving, Hawthorne, Melville, Whitman, E. Dickinson and maybe others, too (whereas in Shakespeare or Milton some hundred years earlier the word was totally absent as a view into a concordance will easily show: which means that "identity" is not just a word like "pride", "courage", "love","ambition", which have been there all the time, but a word newly adopted into the set of expressions available for psychological literary description). So we have to ask ourselves first what does the term "identity" mean in its employment by these authors. That's the semasiological approach: the word is there, and we ask ourselves what notion, or - to use the semantical term - what concept it covers and try to describe it.
The onomasiological approach would be the other way round. Starting from the semantic concept (or concepts) of "identity" - which we should take care to define unambiguously first - would look for the realization of this previously well defined concept in literary texts. The linguistic realization of the concept might be incidentally the word "identity", but it also might be a whole sentence like "Yesterday and today I am the same" (Ch. B .Brown, Wieland), or even a whole paragraph, chapter, or book which would also describe the bearings of the defined concept. In this sense, we might finally come to speak (in literary criticism) of the "Puritan identity", a fictional character's "identity", an author's "identity", "Black identity", or whatever. But the onomasiological detour is a necessary one. "Identity" is still too fresh and too rich a notion to be prematurely spoiled and to serve merely as a catchword.
Summary of Chapters
1. The Emergence of Modern America's Preoccupation with Problems of Personal and National Identity in the Writings of Her Nineteenth Century Authors: This introductory section outlines the pervasive nature of identity as an obsession in modern America and situates the research within a historical and literary context.
1.1 Introduction to the Contemporary Preoccupation with Identity: Discusses how the term "identity" has become a central, albeit sometimes loosely defined, catchword in both public discourse and literary scholarship.
1.2 Defining Identity: Psychological and Philosophical Perspectives: Explores the scientific status of the term, noting the lack of consensus in psychology and philosophy while highlighting the influence of thinkers like E.H. Erikson.
1.3 Historical Etymology and Modern Usage of "Identity": Traces the origins of the word from its early logical and administrative usage to its modern complex psychological connotation.
1.4 Methodological Framework: The Combined Semasiological-Onomasiological Approach: Defines the dual-path research strategy used to bridge the gap between word-based investigation and concept-based realization in historical literature.
1.4.1 The Semasiological Approach in Literary Analysis: Details the process of analyzing how specific authors in the nineteenth century employed the word "identity" in their texts.
1.4.2 The Onomasiological Approach and Conceptual Realization: Explains the reverse process of defining the concept of identity first and seeking its expressions in literary works, even where the word itself is absent.
1.4.3 Synthesis of the Research Methodology: Provides the final roadmap for integrating these findings to map the emergence of the identity concept in literature.
Keywords
Identity, Nineteenth-Century Literature, Semasiology, Onomasiology, E.H. Erikson, Psychological Construct, American Identity, Literary Criticism, Historical Etymology, Personal Identity, Human Consciousness, Conceptual Analysis, Cultural Preoccupation, Semantic Evolution, Narrative Representation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this publication?
This work examines the historical emergence of the term "identity" in nineteenth-century American literature and how it transformed into a central psychological and social concept.
What are the central themes discussed in the text?
The text centers on the evolution of terminology, the methodology of semantic research in literature, and the distinction between superficial catchwords and scientifically rigorous definitions of identity.
What is the primary objective or research question?
The primary objective is to analyze the shift in the usage of "identity" by nineteenth-century authors to understand when and how the modern, complex understanding of the term took root.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author utilizes a combined semasiological-onomasiological approach, which balances word-centered analysis with concept-centered investigation.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body treats the transition of the term "identity" from older usages (like "identity cards") to its current complex psychological state, with specific case studies of American authors.
Which keywords characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as identity, literary criticism, semasiology, onomasiology, and historical semantic evolution.
How does the author define the "semasiological" approach?
The semasiological approach starts with the word as it appears in a text and works backward to identify the concept or notion the author intended to convey.
What does the "onomasiological" approach add to the research?
The onomasiological approach allows the researcher to track the existence of the concept of "identity" even when the specific word is not present, such as in sentences describing "sameness" or "continuity".
Why is the distinction between "I.D." and psychological identity important?
The author emphasizes this to avoid confusing the simple administrative or logical sense of "identity" (e.g., identity cards) with the deeper, post-Freudian psychological identity that describes a person's inner continuity.
What role do authors like Hawthorne and Melville play in this study?
They serve as primary source material to illustrate the various stages of the word's usage in nineteenth-century American literature.
- Quote paper
- Reiner Ruft (Author), 1974, America’s preoccupation with problems of personal and national identity. Emergence in writings of the nineteenth century, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/514788
