Passions, Acting and Face in Early Modern Characters: An Alternative View on the Avatar

Abstract

While the emergence of the Internet and mobile telephone has allegedly changed our concept of self and emotions, the fundamental idea of a character seems to remain unchanged since literary characters came into 'stock' in the early modern imagination. Focusing on the early modern literary sphere, this commentary examines how the contemporary avatar stems from the early modern concept of character. Taking some examples from the writings of Thomas Overbury, Ben Jonson and Shakespeare amongst others, it investigates the concept of character and the self in the literary, legal, and medical discourses. It then analyses the practical application of characters in the theatrical spheres. Following these findings, the study examines the dramatic texts and argues the importance of face in the character creation and apprehension, finding a curious correlation to the indispensable use of avatars on the Internet. The research thus indicates that the concept of characters is not only fundamental to the contemporary virtual life but also equally vital to the early modern literary experience, offering an alternative view to Simon Evans's paper that examines the continuities of selves in the virtual and the physical worlds, as well as in the present and the past.