The Mirroring Phenomenon in Cultural Consciousness of Russia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7596/taksad.v8i2.2033Keywords:
M. Bakhtin, Y. Lotman, J. Lacan, cultural studies, the mirroring phenomenon, Self-identification.Abstract
The article considers the understanding of the phenomenon of mirroring. In particular, the specifics of the mirroring phenomenon interpretation in scientific studies is analyzed with the help of the comparative historical method and the integral method of literary work analysis. Mirroring is considered as a philosophical and aesthetic phenomenon, as well as a category of modern cultural studies, semiotics and literary studies. The paper in question follows the history of mirror not as a materialistic object, but rather as the phenomenon which meaning goes beyond “physical” nature; it is traced what meanings mirroring acquires in different epochs in the European and Russian culture – from ancient times (the folklore understanding of a mirror as a boundary between worlds) to modern interpretations. It is mentioned in the work that the mirror was not only a common household item, but also a symbolic object that accompanies an individual’s search for himself in the process of self-understanding since one’s own reflection can reveal similarities or differences, kinship or alienity within oneself. The article examines the interpretation of the phenomenon of mirroring in the humanitarian thought of the twentieth century, primarily in the research of M. M. Bakhtin. The entire corpus of the most important scientific works of M. M. Bakhtin has been analyzed: “Author and hero in aesthetic activity”, “Man at the mirror”, “Problems of Dostoevsky's creativity”, “Problems of Dostoevsky's poetics” etc. It is found that the phenomenon of mirroring in the works of M. M. Bakhtin is directly associated with the categories of the “other”, “out-of-search”, “double”, which are dominant in the dialogical concept of the scientist (the other as an “I-twin” turns “others” into objects of his own vision with the help of the mirror). The mirror appears as the object of a character’s identification with his own reflection, himself, and is connected with the conception of “strange consciousness” as a means of “internal” self-equality on looking at yourself with “other’s” eyes.
References
Bakhtin, M. M. (1979). Aesthetics of verbal creativity. Moscow: Art.
Bakhtin, M. M. (2002). Problems of Dostoevsky's Poetics. Collected works in 7 vol. Vol. 6. 5-300. Moscow, Yazyki slavyanskoj kul'tury, Russkie slovari.
Bakhtin, M. M. (1997). Problems of Dostoevsky's creativity. Collected works in 7 vol. Vol. 2. 5-175. Moscow, Yazyki slavyanskoj kul'tury, Russkie slovari.
Bakhtin, M. M. (1997). An . Collected works in 7 vol. Vol. 6. 301-367. Moscow: Yazyki slavyanskoj kul'tury, Russkie slovari.
Bakhtin, M. M. (1997). To questions of self-awareness and self-esteem. Collected works in 7 vol. Vol. 5. 72-79. Moscow, Yazyki slavyanskoj kul'tury, Russkie slovari.
Bakhtin, M. M. (1997). 1961. Notes. Collected works in 7 vol. Vol. 5. 329-360. Moscow: Yazyki slavyanskoj kul'tury, Russkie slovari.
Bakhtin, M. M. (1997). To the philosophical foundations of the humanities. Collected works in 7 vol. Vol. 5. 7-10. Moscow: Yazyki slavyanskoj kul'tury, Russkie slovari.
Bakhtin, M. M. (1997). Rhetoric, to the best of its deceit. Collected works in 7 vol. Vol. 5. 63-70. Moscow, Yazyki slavyanskoj kul'tury, Russkie slovari.
Bakhtin, M. M. (1997). “The man at the mirror”. Collected works in 7 vol. Vol. 5. 71. Moscow: Yazyki slavyanskoj kul'tury, Russkie slovari.
Bakhtin, M. M. (2000). Epic and the Novel. Saint-Petersburg: Azbuka.
Comments “The man at the mirror” (1997). Collected works in 7 vol. Vol. 5. 464-466. Moscow: Yazyki slavyanskoj kul'tury, Russkie slovari.
Frazer, J. (2001). Golden Branch: A Study of Magic and Religion: In 2 volumes. Vol. 1: Ch. I-XXX1X. Moscow: TERRA-Book Club.
Galtsova, E. D. (2008). Theatricality in the artistic system of French surrealism. Ph.D. Thesis. Moscow.
Hayrapetyan, V. (1996). Letter on the Mirror. Scando-Slavica. Vol. 42. 145-149.
Khodasevich, V. (1996). Necropolis. Memories. Literature and power. Letters B. A. Sadowski. Moscow: SS.
Kobrinsky, A. A. (2000). Poetics “OBERIU”. Vol. 1. Moscow: MCL No. 1310.
Lacan, J. (1997). Instance of the letter, or the fate of the mind after Freud. Moscow: Logos.
Lavrov, A. V. (1995). Andrei Bely in the 1900s. Moscow: Novoe Literaturnoe Obozrenie.
Levin, Yu. (1988). Mirror as a potential semiotic object. Works on sign systems. Vol. XXII. 10-11.
Lotman, Yu. M. (1992). Selected articles. In 3 vol. Vol. 1. Tallinn: Alexandra.
Lotman, Yu. M. (1992). On the semiosphere. Selected articles. In 3 vol. Vol. 1. 11-24.
Lotman, Yu. M. (1992). Text in the text. Selected articles. In 3 vol. Vol. 1. 148-160.
Mandelstam, O. E. (1990). Writings in 2 Vol. Vol. 2. Prose. Moscow: Iskusstvo.
Makhlin, V. L. (1992). “Invisible laughter to the world.” Carnival Anatomy of the New Middle Ages. Bakhtin collection. Issue 2. Moscow.
Melchior-Bonet S. (1994). The History of the Mirror. Moscow: Novoe Literaturnoe Obozrenie.
Stepun, F. (1962). Meetings. Munich: Tovarishchestvo zarubezhnyh pisatelej.
Shpet, G. G. (1994). Philosophical etudes. Moscow: Progress.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
All papers licensed under Creative Commons 4.0 CC-BY.- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Under the following terms:
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.