Interpretation of the novel “love” by Elif Shafak through the prism of “a new aesthetic” of metamodern

https://doi.org/10.26907/2658-3321.2023.6.1.47-57

Abstract

In the article, a new structure of feeling, called by its creators metamodernism, is applied to the analysis of novel “Love” by Elif Shafak. An important stage of our research was the consideration of Melvina’s ideas through their reflection in modern literature. Since the majority of modern researchers explore Safak’s work within the framework of postmodernism, the scientific interpretation of the novel is limited by the conceptual apparatus of postmodernism. Therefore, the adaptation of the medieval poet’s ideas is defined as the “exploitation” of the heritage of Eastern culture in order to popularize the novel. The “new aesthetics” of the metamodern, in our opinion, can form a new understanding of the novel in the light of its perception in society. The information field created around the text of the novel after its release indicates a highly positive perception by the public not only as a world bestseller, but also as a text referring to Eastern mysticism, Sufi heritage and instructive history. This study is aimed at re-evaluating the Sufi positions in the novel from a new perspective, and identifying the possible positive effects of such a narrative on society. The article proves that Elif Shafak uses selected Sufi positions and “metamodernization”, legendarization, of existing historical figures to create a “new myth” in the metamodern plane. In addition, we conducted an analysis of hypertextual space of the novel.