MAURICE: THROUGH THE LENSES OF LACANIAN “MIRROR, MIRROR, ON THE WALL…”

Abstract

Maurice, a bildungsroman by E. M. Forster, revolves around the theme of homosexuality. By presenting homosexual characters, who are on a futile quest for their actual identity, Forster attempts to be the voice of the unspeakables in the Edwardian period in England, where all acts of homosexuality were considered illegal. In this paper, the identity of the characters is analysed through the lenses of Lacanian psychoanalytic theory by focusing on the concept of mirror. This paper attempts to reveal to what extent cultural codes and societal norms of the Edwardian period are functional in forming the identity of the characters. Besides, this study uncovers that Forster wisely uses Lacanian concepts such as imaginary order, symbolic order and real order in creating his characters. It is concluded that the mirror, which reflects the actual self of the characters, just like dreams and music, plays a significant role in (re)forming the identities from compulsory heterosexuality to voluntary homosexuality. 

Keywords

• Maurice
• E. M. Forster
• Lacan
• identity
• mirror

MAURICE: LACANCI BAKIŞ AÇISIYLA “AYNA, AYNA, GÜZEL AYNA …”

Öz

Bir bildungsroman olarak E. M. Forster tarafından kaleme alınan Maurice konusunu homoseksüellikten alır. Gerçek kimliklerini bulabilmek için anlamsız bir arayışa giren homoseksüel karakterleri sergileyerek, Forster aslında her türlü homoseksüel eylemin kanunsuz kabul edildiği Edward dönemi İngiltere’sinde “konuşamayanlar”ın sesi olmaya çalışır. Bu çalışmada homoseksüel karakterlerin, özellikle kahraman Maurice’in kimliği, psikanalitik yaklaşıma göre Fransız psikiyatrist ve psikanaliz Jacques Marie Émile Lacan (1901-1981) tarafından öne sürülen ayna kavramı ele alınarak incelenmektedir. Homoseksüellik ve heteroseksüellik arasına net sınır çizgileri çizerek, bu çalışma aynı zamanda homoseksüel karakterlerin kimliklerini (yeniden) oluşturmada Edward döneminin kültürel kodları ve sosyal normlarının ne ölçüde etkili olduklarını ortaya çıkarmaya çalışmaktadır. Ayrıca, bu çalışma Forster’ın homoseksüel karakterleri yaratırken ne kadar akıllıca Lacan’ın imgesel, sembolik ve gerçeklik dönem gibi kavramlarını kullandığını ortaya çıkarmaktadır. Bu çalışma karakterlerin gerçek kimliği yansıtan aynanın tıpkı rüyalar ve müzik gibi, zorunlu heteroseksüellikten gönüllü homoseksüelliğe geçen karakterlerin kimliklerini (yeniden) şekillendirmede önemli bir rol oynadığını ortaya koymaktadır. 

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Maurice
• E. M. Forster
• Lacan
• kimlik
• ayna

Kaynakça

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