The Very Short Introductions Podcast Autobiography – The Very Short Introductions Podcast – Episode 19
Dec 14, 2020
Laura Marcus, a Goldsmiths' Professor of English Literature at Oxford, delves into the captivating world of autobiography. She explores its enduring appeal, tracing its roots from ancient confessions to modern memoirs. Marcus highlights the tension between private narratives and public histories, emphasizing childhood's significance in shaping identities. She discusses how autobiography intersects with philosophy and psychoanalysis, while also examining contemporary forms like auto-fiction and ego media, reflecting on how we construct selves in the digital age.
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Autobiography’s Enduring Appeal
- Autobiography is one of the most enduring and popular written forms across centuries and social strata.
- It offers both personal storytelling and fundamental accounts of what it means to be a self in the world.
Genre Older Than Its Name
- The word autobiography is a late neologism but the genre traces back to ancient spiritual confessions and memoirs.
- Early works like Augustine's Confessions frame autobiography as investigating the self and memory.
Self, Life, And Writing United
- Autobiography primarily means the story of a life in writing, combining self, life, and writing into one act.
- Authors write to explain uniqueness, justify the act, and explore motives that shift across eras.
