Politics of Starvation
Masculinity, Hunger, and Survival in Hamsun’s Hunger and Müller’s The Hunger Angel
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70042/eroth/1002230Keywords:
starvation, masculinity, hunger, trauma, identityAbstract
This paper examines the representation of starvation and its impact on masculine identity in Knut Hamsun’s Hunger (1890) and Herta Müller’s The Hunger Angel (2009). Both novels depict extreme deprivation, yet they approach hunger through distinct mechanisms: Hamsun internalises hunger as a psychological and existential crisis, while Müller situates it within a politically enforced system of totalitarian control. By analysing how male protagonists navigate bodily weakness, pride, and survival, this study demonstrates that masculinity is neither stable nor universal; rather, it is a performative and contingent construct, shaped by social, cultural, and political pressures. Employing interdisciplinary frameworks, including gender performativity theory, trauma studies, and socio-political critiques of the body, the paper explores how hunger destabilises autonomy, erodes dignity, and reshapes male subjectivity. Comparative analysis reveals that while Hamsun emphasises self-directed struggle and the internal erosion of identity, Müller highlights externally imposed deprivation and systemic attempts to regulate both body and mind. Together, these texts illustrate adaptive strategies of endurance, negotiation, and identity reconstruction. The study contributes to literary scholarship by highlighting intersections of hunger, gender, and power, and suggests directions for further research on starvation narratives across cultures and genders.
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