THE EVOLUTION OF SUBJECTIVITY: FROM CHARACTER TO IDENTITY IN LITERATURE AND CULTURE

Abstract [English]

Premodern subjectivity was grounded in communal, cosmic, or divine orders, emphasizing the cultivation of character as a moral and social duty, exemplified in classical Greek philosophy and the Christian worldview. Modernity shifted the focus inward, celebrating the uniqueness of the individual and the measurable properties of personality, as illustrated by Rousseau’s Confessions and the rise of scientific psychology. Postmodernity further transforms selfhood, emphasizing fluid, situational identities shaped by consumerist culture, networks, and social acceleration. Throughout this historical trajectory, literature and cultural practices both reflect and construct self-interpretation, demonstrating that human subjectivity is not fixed but socially embedded, culturally mediated, and historically contingent. The paper argues that understanding these transformations illuminates the interplay between social structures, technological practices, and the inner life, offering insight into contemporary notions of identity and the human experience.