BETWEEN ‘THE PRESENT SELF’ AND ‘THE SELF TO BE’
BETWEEN ‘THE PRESENT SELF’ AND ‘THE SELF TO BE’
Author(s): Anamaria Dobrescu (Popa)Subject(s): Studies of Literature, Psychoanalysis, Theory of Literature
Published by: Editura Arhipelag XXI
Keywords: existential conflict; conscience; stages of evolution; Wharton; The Age of Innocence;
Summary/Abstract: This study contains interpretations of the existential conflict in Edith Wharton’s novel The Age of Innocence. It is an important conflict in the book, as it includes all the others: the social, moral, erotic, psychological, of mentality and the internal conflict. It also reflects the significance of the title. All three main characters represent different ‘ages’ and stages in the evolution of human conscience and in society. The male character is in-between two ‘(st)ages’, therefore he can be considered an exponential one. ‘The Journey’, ‘the Gorgon’ and ‘the Light’ are archetypal symbols that lead the reader to a deeper level of knowledge.
Journal: Journal of Romanian Literary Studies
- Issue Year: 2017
- Issue No: 10
- Page Range: 517-522
- Page Count: 6
- Language: English