HYPERREAL REPLICAS IN JULIAN BARNES' "ENGLAND, ENGLAND"
Vol.10, Issue 2, 2024, pp. 292-308 Full text
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33919/esnbu.24.2.5
Web of Science: 001379776600007
Authors:
1 Mohammadreza Shayanpoor https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2631-2785
2 Farzad Kolahjooei https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5781-5265
Affiliation: 1,2 Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran 01k3mbs15
Contributor roles:
Conceptualization, Methodology: M.S., F.K. (equal),
Investigation: M.S. (lead); Formal Analysis: M.S. (lead),
Supervision, Validation: F.K. (lead); Writing – original draft: M.S. (lead);
Writing – review and editing: F.K. (lead)
Abstract
This article aims to examine Julian Barnes' England, England through Jean Baudrillard's influential concepts of hyperreality and simulation, illuminating profound resonances with the postmodern condition of contemporary Western societies. The novel portrays a world increasingly governed by models, signs and simulacra, challenging traditional notions of authenticity and reality. The theme park's replication of English culture, history and identity exemplifies how simulations and hyperreal constructions have saturated domains like tourism, nationhood, historical narratives and media representations. The novel encapsulates Baudrillardian themes such as the blurring of reality/illusion, the eclipse of the original by replicas, and the commodification of culture into marketable experiences. This mirrors contemporary experiences where the virtual and artificial hold sway over the authentic, fuelled by forces like consumer capitalism and the media. The actors' embodiment of historical roles reflects how mediated depictions shape public memory more than facts. Ultimately, the novel's vision of a hyperreal England supplanting traditional conceptions of nationhood resonates with contemporary anxieties about meaning and truth in a world dominated by simulations. By vividly fictionalizing Baudrillard's philosophical perspectives, the novel offers insightful views on modern complications distinguishing reality amid our self-constructed simulations.
Keywords: Julian Barnes, Simulacra and Simulation, Hyperreality, Baudrillard, Postmodernism
Article history:
Submitted: 16 May 2024
Reviewed: 28 July 2024
Accepted: 14 October 2024
Published: 22 December 2024
Citation (APA):
Shayanpoor, M., & Kolahjooei, F. (2024). Hyperreal Replicas in Julian Barnes' "England, England". English Studies at NBU, 10(2), 293-309. https://doi.org/10.33919/esnbu.24.2.5
Copyright © 2024 Mohammadreza Shayanpoor and Farzad Kolahjooei
This open access article is published and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0), which permits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. If you want to use the work commercially, you must first get the authors' permission.
Funding:
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
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Review:
1. Reviewer's name: Name undisclosed
Review Content: Undisclosed
Review Verified on Publons
2. Reviewer's name: Name Undisclosed
Review Content: Undisclosed
Review Verified on Publons
Handling Editor: Stan Bogdanov, New Bulgarian University
Verified Editor Record on Publons