Characterisation through Linguistic (Im) politeness inA Doll’s House

Authors : Müjde Demiray, Ömer Şekerci

Pages : 221-238

Doi:10.22559/folklor.2504

View : 635 | Download : 301

Publication Date : 2024-02-05

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Pragmatic aspects of characterisation have currently been of great interest to scholars. Characterisation is a process of introducing characters in a play to the audience by the playwright. It is also an artful attempt to make the audience indulge in the characters’ private or public life. Additionally, characterisation is crucial for a playwright to construct his/her characters with unique and different character traits with whom the audience can easily feel sympathy or empathy. Everyday interactions and dramatic dialogues are full of character faces. Naturally, everyone wants and desires to keep their faces unassailed for smooth interaction and conversation. The paper examines the linguistic strategies of (im)politeness in dramatic text, namely Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House (1879), according to Penelope Brown and Stephen Levinson’s Politeness Theory (PT) and Jonathan Culpeper’s Impoliteness Strategies. This play has been chosen for our analysis because A Doll’s House is one of the masterpieces of Ibsen, known for his social realistic plays. Moreover, it is one of the renowned modern plays depicting strong characterisation. The paper also focuses on analysing the dramatic interactions of the major characters, Nora and Helmer, living in a patriarchy-driven society from a linguistic and discourse-oriented perspective. It also demonstrates that Nora has transformed from a subservient, meek and obedient character to a rebellious and independent one, while Helmer Torvald has become a submissive, tolerant and accepting character.
Keywords : karakter niteleme, FTAs, nezaket teorisi, kabalık stratejileri, Bir Bebek Evi