The Collector Journal for Swedish Literature Science Research

Simone Schiedermair, Lyrikkteori og det språklige uttrykket ”jeg” – teoretiske overveielser relatert til en analyse av et dikt av Tomas Tranströmer. (The theory of lyric poetry and the notion of the “lyrical I” — theoretical considerations and an analysis of a poem by Tomas Tranströmer.)According to Hegel’s argumentation in Ästhetik (1835-1838) lyric poetry is to be understood as the true expression of the emotional situation of the lyrical poet. Thus during the 19th century literary scholars in Germany – and Scandinavia (e. g. Johan Ludvig Heiberg, Marcus Jacob Monrad) – interpreted the linguistic expression “I” as directly referring to the lyrical poet as a real person. As a reaction to this tradition the notion of the “lyrical I” was introduced in the beginning of the 20th century. It was meant as a device for distinguishing between the poet and the subject in the poem. From the 1970’s on, literary scholars have begun to consider the linguistic expression “I” as a pronoun or a deictic expression and to ask for its function in lyrical poems.The essay first outlines the essentials of the literary discussion in Germany and Scandinavia about the relation between the lyrical poem and the lyrical poet. It then discusses the concept of deictic expressions taking Karl Bühler’s (1930s) and Konrad Ehlich’s (1980s and 1990s) studies as a starting point. Based on a functional understanding of language, this concept focuses on the interaction between speakers and listeners, texts and their readers. Proceeding by applying this linguistic theory to a literary text of Tomas Tranströmer, “Porträtt med kommentar”, the essay inquires how this poet uses the word “I” and other deictic expressions in his poem. In conclusion, the essay considers general implications concerning the use of linguistic categories for studying literary texts.