‘KENDİNİ TEKRAR EDEN BİR DÜNYA’: WINTERSON’UN THE STONE GODS ADLI ROMANINDA ŞİDDETİN DÖNGÜSELLİĞİNİN NIETZSCHECİ BİR OKUMASI

Abstract

Cyclical nature of the human experience has been widely discussed through the cynical mind-set of the postmodern era. Jeanette Winterson’s 2007 novel, The Stone Gods, also stands out as one of the texts that revolve around this pessimistic discussion concerning the cyclical and repetitive nature of the human condition and history. Besides the implication of this never ending cycle of the human experience as a part of the action of the narrative, the repeating appearance of the certain parts of an old book throughout the narrative also resonates the fact that history as a narrative keeps repeating itself and the circular or rather spiral nature of historical progress is highlighted through a fictional intertextuality. Winterson’s novel also stands out through the central concept around which the repeating pattern of human behaviour revolves: violence. Violence as the central concept of the novel is represented in a variety of ways, ranging from anthropomorphic violence that is directed towards nature to systemic violence that the individuals are subjected to by authoritarian structures which points to Nietzsche’s argument on the immanent violence of the human nature and his concepts of will to power and the overman under the light of which all these diverse forms of violence will be discussed.