How does literature influence identity? What role does it play in shaping identity and society? These ideas are explored in Renaissance Self-Fashioning by Stephen Greenblatt took a closer look into how literature from the sixteenth century shaped identity. While this was the most challenging for me to read out of all the assigned passages, I thoroughly enjoyed the complexity. I found it interesting that the term “fashioning,” and the main idea of the text, has lost its original meaning. In the 16th century, the definition of fashioning was not just making or create something- it is constructing and shaping one’s identity. This type of fashioning refers to more abstract concepts, such as character, perception, and behavior. Religion is a prevelant guide for self-fashioning. I drew a bible in my commonplace book to represent the role that religious texts have on humanity and the construction of identity throughout history. Greenblatt used Christ as an example of this. Christ is a quintessential model for fashioning because people all over the world try to live like he did and imitate his character. People look to religious texts and figures to learn how to self-fashion and live their lives the way they feel is ideal. This can be true with figures in every religion. Literature plays a vital role in self-fashioning; people look after texts and use characters to guide their lives. However, doing this can blur the lines between fiction and reality. People attempt to shape their identity after book characters, which results in a culture that is heavily influenced by literature. The quote “there is no such thing as human nature independent of culture” expresses this dependency between literature and human behavior (Greenblatt, 3). Because people fashion or model themselves after literature, literature influences human nature, and behavior is shaped by literature. Literature, culture, and behavior are connected and constantly influenced each other in our ever-evolving society. In my commonplace, I drew a small diagram showing this cultural cycle. I loved learning about the many different roles of books. They manifests the behavior and ideas of the author, and also shapes the reader’s perspective.Books inform and are informed by cultural and social codes. An insightful quote that captures the role of books is, “great art is an extraordinarily sensitive register of the complex struggles and harmonies of culture” (Greenblatt, 5). This quote touches on how literature can be a reflection of morals and society, and often serves as an expression of social rules and instructions. Studying historical literature can reveal deeper cultural patterns and structures of power that we might otherwise miss. Reading and analyzing texts allows us to uncover larger cultural and social patterns throughout history. I drew a stack of books in my commonplace notebook to represent the importance of books and stories throughout history. Storytelling is a crucial form of documentation that connects us to our past and results in figures of a shared culture. I find the concept of human autonomy fascinating. After reading and thinking about these ideas, I wonder if there is more or less autonomy to self-fashion now than in the 16th century, and how the structures of power have changed throughout the centuries. Autonomy is crucial in the construction of an authentic identity. How much freedom we truly have in shaping our identities? Is pure, unfettered autonomy attainable? Or is everything we do influenced by the social orders that surround us? Are we simply "fashioned by cultural institutions?" (Greenblatt, 256). Another question I asked myself was, how do literary and social identities form within a culture? Are they shaped by the existing culture, or does culture shape them? As we move forward into the school year, I am excited to continue asking questions and discuss this intricate passage with my peers. When we discuss as a class, I want to delve deeper into the idea of “culture poetics.” I also hope to continue reading more from this author. While Greenblatt did not go into depth about the different 16th century writers, I would be excited to learn about More, Spenser, Morlow, and Shakespeare, and see how they have influenced culture and society. Reading texts from the 16th century would allow me to better understand the world from that time period and see how it has evolved since then. I want to learn about how structures of power and social status are woven into their writing, and attempt to uncover and analyze them.
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November 2019
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