Identity and Cultural Memory in the Fiction of A. S. Byatt : Knitting the Net of Culture

This book provides innovative readings of the key texts of A.S. Byatt's oeuvre by analysing the negotiations of individual identity, cultural memory, and literature which inform Byatt's novels. Steveker explores the concepts of identity constructed in the novels, showing them to be deeply rooted in British literary history and cultural memory. Providing innovative readings of the key texts of A.S. Byatt's oeuvre, this study analyses the negotiations of individual identity, cultural memory, and literature which inform Byatt's novels. Lena Steveker explores how Byatt's texts negotiate individual identity within a field of references not only to British literature, but also to cultural memory, which they establish as systems of reference for both their protagonists and their readers. Steveker investigates how Byatt's work conceptualizes literature as a medium of cultural memory which exerts normative and formative power on individual identity. By linking the issue of female identity to the role of literature in cultural memory, this study also offers a new approach to the discussions of female emancipation in which Byatt's texts engage Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 9 List of Abbreviations......Page 10 Introduction......Page 12 I. Identity......Page 18 1 Concepts of Identity in Possession and The Biographer's Tale......Page 20 2 Self and Other in Possession and The Biographer's Tale......Page 29 3 Concepts of Identity in A. S. Byatt's Tetralogy......Page 50 4 The Gendered Self......Page 55 5 Female Autonomy......Page 66 6 Reconciling Body and Mind: the 'Thinking Woman'......Page 76 II. Identity – Cultural Memory – Literature......Page 86 7 Identity and Memory......Page 88 8 Figures of Memory: Elizabeth I and Shakespeare......Page 98 9 Cultural Texts: Identity and Literature......Page 106 10 Imaginary Museums: Intertextuality and Cultural Memory......Page 115 11 Memorial Novels: the English Renaissance and the Victorian Age......Page 127 12 Mnemonic Spaces: Identity and Genre......Page 137 Conclusion......Page 146 Notes and References......Page 155 Bibliography and Further Reading......Page 178 B......Page 194 C......Page 195 G......Page 196 K......Page 197 O......Page 198 R......Page 199 T......Page 200 Z......Page 201 Contents 8 Acknowledgements 9 List of Abbreviations 10 Introduction 12 I. Identity 18 1 Concepts of Identity in Possession and The Biographer's Tale 20 2 Self and Other in Possession and The Biographer's Tale 29 3 Concepts of Identity in A. S. Byatt's Tetralogy 50 4 The Gendered Self 55 5 Female Autonomy 66 6 Reconciling Body and Mind: the 'Thinking Woman' 76 II. Identity – Cultural Memory – Literature 86 7 Identity and Memory 88 8 Figures of Memory: Elizabeth I and Shakespeare 98 9 Cultural Texts: Identity and Literature 106 10 Imaginary Museums: Intertextuality and Cultural Memory 115 11 Memorial Novels: the English Renaissance and the Victorian Age 127 12 Mnemonic Spaces: Identity and Genre 137 Conclusion 146 Notes and References 155 Bibliography and Further Reading 178 Index 194 A 194 B 194 C 195 D 196 E 196 F 196 G 196 H 197 I 197 J 197 K 197 L 198 M 198 N 198 O 198 P 199 R 199 S 200 T 200 U 201 V 201 W 201 Z 201 0230575331,9780230575332 Palgrave Macmillan 2009 Machine generated contents note: AcknowledgementsList of AbbreviationsIntroductionPART I: IDENTITY Concepts of Identity in Possession and The Biographers TaleSelf and Other in Possession and The Biographers TaleConcepts of Identity in A.S. Byatts TetralogyThe Gendered Self 60Female Autonomy 75Reconciling Body and Mind: the 'Thinking Woman'PART II: IDENTITY CULTURAL MEMORY LITERATURE Identity and MemoryFigures of Memory: Elizabeth I and ShakespeareCultural Texts: Identity and LiteratureImaginary Museums: Intertextuality and Cultural MemoryMemorial Novels: the English Renaissance and the Victorian AgeMnemonic Spaces: Identity and GenreConclusionNotes and ReferencesBibliographyIndex. I. Identity Concepts of identity in Possession and The biographer's tale Self and other in Possession and The biographer's tale Concepts of identity in A.S. Byatt's tetraology The gendered self Female autonomy Reconciling body and mind : the 'thinking woman' II. Identiry cultural memory literature Identiry and memory Figures of memory : Elizabeth I and Shakespeare Cultural texts : identity and literature Imaginary museums : intertextuality and cultural memory Memorial novels : the English renaissance and the Victorian age Mnemonic spaces : identity and genre.

This book provides innovative readings of the key texts of A.S. Byatt's oeuvre by analysing the negotiations of individual identity, cultural memory, and literature which inform Byatt's novels. Steveker explores the concepts of identity constructed in the novels, showing them to be deeply rooted in British literary history and cultural memory.