Rediscovering Myth in Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson

Abstract

The paper explores the nature of desire in Anne Carson's verse novel Autobiography of Red, focusing on how desire shapes the self within the narrative and its relationship with the surrounding world. Drawing on Carson's background in classical languages and literature, Autobiography of Red reimagines the ancient Greek myth of Geryon and weaves it into a contemporary setting, exploring themes of love, desire, identity, and personal transformation. The examination of the self in the text draws on Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari's conceptualizations of desire, particularly the ideas of becoming and de-territorialization found in Anti-Oedipus and A Thousand Plateaus. The objective of the study is to analyse the influential power of desire in Autobiography of Red, offering an interpretive framework to comprehend the fragile nature of the self. The study reveals that desire is not limited to the relationship between the protagonist Geryon and Herakles, but rather, it permeates and constructs the entire text. The significance of the title's red, as well as the existence volcano and lava, is interpreted as an integral part, showcasing the influence of desire on the protagonist’s personality and challenges conventional notions of a stable backdrop. The influence of Deleuzian desire extends beyond its philosophical implications. The research further explores its linguistic aspects and applies the concepts of becoming and de-territorialization to understand Carson's poetic style and the text as a space that gives rise to a phenomenology of desire. In doing so, the text transcends representational modes and becomes reterritorialized, allowing Carson to convey experiences in a unique manner. By offering a Deleuzian perspective on desire in Autobiography of Red, the thesis aims to expand interpretations of both the poetic and theoretical aspects of the text, opening up new avenues for research and exploration.