Aushandlungsprozesse und Regulationen von Subjekt und Identität am Beispiel von Luigi Pirandellos Il fu Mattia Pascal

Abstract

If to govern a modern state – in a Foucaultian manner – is understood as a relationship of force between population and state, one has to take into account the changes in behaviour, self-consciousness and techniques of control which can be detected for both government and citizen. Even ones’ own identity seems to be embedded, organized and protected by various regulations and restrictions. These aspects provoke the question whether a self-identical modulation of ones’ identity could be possible.

This article discusses – by using the example of the self-modification of Luigi Pirandellos Il fu Mattia Pascal – under which circumstances a subject defines itself as independent and tries to modify its identity. Furthermore it will be investigated which mechanisms of regulation, inner conflicts and restrictions affect the subject in its’ venture. The analysis will be based on theories of Michel Foucault, Pierre Bourdieu as well as concepts of Roberto Esposito.