Classical echoes and fragmented realities in donna tartt's the secret history (1992)

Abstract

The present dissertation examines Donna Tartt’s The Secret History (1992) through a postmodern lens, analyzing the characteristics of intertextuality and fragmentation. The dissertation focuses on the use of these postmodern features in the novel and how they contribute to the development of its major themes, such as morality, intellectualism, elitism, and beauty. The study specifically explores the novel’s use of intertextuality, making allusions to classical works by Euripides, Homer, and Plato. This sheds light on the manner in which Tartt reimagined these texts with the purpose of shaping the psychological and moral dilemmas faced by the characters. In addition, the fragmented structure, nonlinear timeline, and the unreliable narration are analyzed as tools that reject objective truth. Through these tools, the thesis argues that The Secret History depicts the instable nature of morality. Ultimately, the novel’s allusions and narrative complexity mirror the disintegration of the characters’ identity and moral values.