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Concepts of Self and Soul in Ashbery’s “Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror”

Author Affiliations

  • 1University of Neyshabur, Iran

Res. J.  Language and Literature Humanities, Volume 3, Issue (10), Pages 1-9, November,19 (2016)

Abstract

The present paper revolves around concepts of self and soul in John Ashbery’s lengthy poem, “Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror”. The elicitation of these concepts have shown that, despite being a postmodern text, Platonic concepts of self and soul abound in the poem. The analysis of the concepts shows that Ashbery juxtaposes Platonic concepts with postmodern notions of self and soul. The paper argues the result of such juxtaposition is leveling the hierarchies of traditional/modern in order to reach a state of balance. The methodology of the paper is both analytical and critical. It is analytical as it attempts to explain specific concepts rather than merely describe them. The critical dimension of the methodology examines the facts and theoretical concepts in the postmodern context of the poem. The main tool of this study is textual analysis and literary interpretation.

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