Identities in Diary of a Madman by Gogol and C.de Duras Ourika - Essay Example

Identities in Diary of a Madman by Gogol and C.de Duras’ Ourika The representation of identities in Nikolai Gogol’s “Diary of a Madman” and Claire de Duras’ “Ourika” has been characterized by the projection of several shades within the works which through the portrayal of the protagonists’ unusual, odd and abnormal behaviors comes forth as being highly impactful and thought provoking for the reader. Given the depth of the main characters’ profiles in each of the respective literatures, the purpose of this paper is to focus upon conducting a comparison and analysis of the identities of Ourika and Aksenty Ivanovich. The premise of this discussion is based upon the notion that despite of their circumstances and the varying thematic elements of the books, Ourika and Aksenty Ivanovich’s characters are marked by the presence of such traits and characteristics which lead to their identification as that of abnormal individuals within the wider context of society, however, from a comparative perspective it is Aksenty Ivanovich’s anomalous characteristic that renders a more profound impact on the creation of his overall identity than that of Ourika. The abnormality of Ourika’s presence within the Parisian society does not essentially emerge from her own personal values but that of the prejudice, discrimination and uncertainty which overpowers the day to day affairs of the society. The notion itself is based upon the idea of how a well-integrated member of society can eventually feel and experience a sense of alienation in his/her community and amongst his/her very own people, who never appeared so distant as they seem now. For example, in the case of Ourika, the character’s constant discrimination within society is projected to the reader through the words of The Marquise who essentially condemns and demeans Ourika for her very existence. Thus, in more ways than one The Marquise’ treatment of Ourika which displaces her from French society and torments her for her color and race does not essentially stem from the characteristics which the protagonist commands but it evidently surfaces from her physical traits over which she possesses no control. On the contrary, Aksenty Ivanovich is a representation of various complexities and characteristics which eventually evolve into the depiction of highly remarkable yet misunderstood individual. However, the comparison between Ourika and Aksenty lies in the fact that their fates as individuals who have been labeled as abnormal or strange is determined rather differently. The madness of Aksenty is an enigma which is unfolded in Gogol’s story from the rise of the curtains to the point of departure. Hence, the question arises whether the characteristics and traits of the characters which lead towards them being labeled as abnormal in fact justify the creation of their identities as the same. The answer to this question lies in shedding light upon the notion of acceptance and exploring whether each of these characters are at any point willing to accept their abnormal status in society as the very definition of self and identity. In Claire de Duras’ “Ourika”, The Marquise comes forward to describe Ourika’s place in society in the following words, “Ourika has flouted her natural destiny. She has entered society without its permission. It will have its revenge” (Duras 14). These words dictate how the protagonist through no choice of her own has been banished from society which is unwilling to recognize her status as a member of the community. On the contrary, Aksenty’s integration within society has been restricted by his mental capacities or his psychological status which often provokes him to act in ways that cannot be deemed as normal. However, the question which arises in this case and which is also applicable in the circumstances which Ourika is experiencing inquires that who after all defines normal? Moreover, does this imply that those who fail to meet the standards of normalcy would simply be termed as abnormal because their understanding of life is different or that their stance on society is dissimilar? As the reader continues to explore Aksenty the complexities of his traits become redefined and the line between lunacy and normalcy becomes thinner and thinner. For example, it is not understood as to why, despite of all his revelations and announcements such as the one involving China and Spain, “I discovered that China and Spain are one and the same land…” (Gogol 17), the character is marked by the possession of a remarkable capability to put his thoughts on paper which is something that cannot be expected of somebody with such a mental capacity. In the shaping of Ourika and Aksenty’s identities through their position in society and their personal characteristics, the reason why the former’s characteristics appear to have had a profound impact on his identity is because unlike Ourika, he never laments upon his own shortcomings or let them define who he is and who he intends to become. As a comprehensive character with several shades and nuances, Aksenty conducts himself in a manner which allows the reader to judge him as an individual who does not possess the slightest capability to be regarded as someone who is normal yet, it must be acknowledged that the character’s depth is defined by the scope of his comprehensions. For instance, in more scenarios than one, the protagonist’s dialogues are marked by the presence of stereotypical comments and prejudiced judgments regarding a particular group of people which are definitely generalizations which are not applicable to everyone. In one scenario, Aksenty reveals his opinion of women by calling them treacherous beings who are “…in love with the devil” (Gogol 13). This comment is parallel to the character’s opinion of the Jews and the French which are also marked by unpleasantness and negativity. While, Aksenty’s personality gradually becomes evident and it becomes apparent as to why his personal traits and characteristics have led to the development of his identity and his eventual disintegration from society, the same cannot be revealed for Ourika whose imposed status appears to be unfair and unjust. Eventually, despite of The Marquise’ taunts and insults, Ourika is still able to explore the identity which lies within herself and truly discover her inner self rather than looking to satisfy what lies above. This action can eventually be recognized as an act of amendment whereby, the character is willing to look past whatever has occurred in her life to move on to something more positive and satisfying. Thus, this period of transition for the character is highly appreciable and positive as she connects with God, finds inner peace, engages in exploration and tries to comprehend the meaning of life and relationships. On the other hand, no such progress is achieved on the part of Aksenty largely because the schizophrenic state of the character which is not self-imposed unlike Ourika’s circumstances does not allow him to understand the situation and discover the ways towards betterment. Therefore, given the varying factors which contribute towards Ourika and Aksenty’s emergence as abnormal members of society whereby, the former’s status has been imposed upon her by others because of her color while, the latter’s has been brought upon him by insanity it can be identified that Aksenty’s personal traits and characteristics have a more profound impact on the creation of his identity because they are essentially not in his possession or control to mend. Therefore, Aksenty’s transition from sanity towards insanity is what ultimately and eventually progresses towards defining his personal and social identity while, Ourika is able to revive herself from the situation and rise above and beyond the circumstances. Works Cited Duras, Claire D, and John Fowles. Ourika: An English Translation. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1994. Gogolʹ, Nikolaĭ V. Diary of a Madman, and Other Stories. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1972. Read More