THE IMAGE OF THE OTHER IN T. YORKE`S POETRY

Abstract

The problem of the Other and Othering is quite actual for literary studies nowadays, in fact, it is rather a complicated one and deals not only with literary studies scientific scope, but needs to investigate social, historical, anthropological, cultural studies areas as well and so on. As Sarah Rishmyhr Engelund states: “According to Michel Foucault, othering is strongly connected with power and knowledge. When we “other” another group, we point out their perceived weakness to make ourselves look stronger or better. It implies a hierarchy, and it serves to keep power where it already lies” [1]. This point is closer to anthropology but clearly shows the algorithm of the process of the othering in society. Still, it doesn’t mean that the process can`t be applied to a personality, when the person separates the Self and the Other even within one person. This process is really one of the basic, while dwelling on literature and literary communication as we have at least two important actors in text`s coding-decoding process: the author and the reader. Moreover, the characters and lyrical heroes, their motivation and actions must be studied either. Due to M. Malzahn: “Literature has variously been conceived as a vehicle of self-expression, self-assertion, self-discovery, or self-disguise” [2], and it should be admitted that popular lyrics are widely spread texts which show the society’s tendencies to express the image of the Self and the Other within one text or within the collections / groups of the texts. That is why the example to illustrate the process of othering in this short paper is the text “Creep” written by T. Yorke.

References

1. Engelund S. Introductory Essay: “The Other” and “Othering”. New Narratives. Word Press. URL: https://newnarratives.wordpress.com/issue-2-the-other/other-and-othering-2/
2. Malzahn M. Definitions of Self and Other in the Trough Literary Communication. Psychology Research, November 2011, Vol. 1, No. 5, 340-349. URL: https://www.davidpublisher.com/Public/uploads/Contribute/56b54ff656d9e.pdf
3. Yorke T. Creep. Genius. URL: https://genius.com/Radiohead-creep-lyrics
4. Cambridge Dictionary. URL: https://dictionary.cambridge.org