Speaker: Etymology, Literal and Conceptual Meanings
Speaker:
The term “speaker” has its roots in the Old English word “sprecan,” indicating a person who speaks or expresses thoughts orally. Etymologically, it embodies the act of conveying ideas through speech. In a literal sense, a speaker is an individual engaged in the vocalization of words, addressing an audience or communicating with others. This direct engagement with language forms the foundation of its conceptual meaning, wherein a speaker is not merely a transmitter of words but also a conveyer of emotions, ideas, and perspectives. Conceptually, a speaker embodies the dynamic interplay between language and expression, reflecting the nuanced role of communication in various contexts.
- Literal Meanings:
- An individual who vocalizes words.
- One who addresses an audience or communicates verbally.
- Conceptual Meanings:
- Conveyer of emotions, ideas, and perspectives.
- Dynamic interplay between language and expression.
Speaker: Definition as a Literary Device
In literature, the term “speaker” refers to the narrative voice or persona assumed by the author to convey a particular perspective or tell a story. The speaker is the entity through which the narrative unfolds, shaping the tone, mood, and point of view of the text. This literary device allows authors to establish a unique voice, creating a more intimate connection between the audience and the narrative by embodying a distinct character or consciousness.
Speaker: Examples in Everyday Life
- Public Speaker:
- An individual addressing a group or audience, delivering a speech, lecture, or presentation.
- Smart Home Devices:
- Devices like smart speakers (e.g., Amazon Echo, Google Home) responding to voice commands, serving as virtual assistants.
- Podcast Host:
- The person leading a podcast episode, guiding discussions, interviews, or storytelling through spoken words.
- Phone Conversations:
- In a telephone conversation, each participant is a speaker, contributing to the verbal exchange of information.
- Car Navigation Systems:
- Automated systems providing spoken directions and information while driving, acting as a virtual speaker to guide the driver.
Speaker in Literature: Examples
| Example | Explanation |
| 1. Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess” | The speaker in this dramatic monologue is a Duke discussing his late wife, revealing his perspective, arrogance, and controlling nature through his spoken words. |
| 2. Langston Hughes’s “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” | The speaker reflects on the ancient rivers as a metaphor for African history, utilizing the first-person perspective to convey a sense of identity and cultural pride. |
| 3. William Wordsworth’s “Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey” | The poet serves as the speaker, expressing personal reflections on nature, memory, and the impact of a specific landscape on his emotions. |
| 4. Sylvia Plath’s “Lady Lazarus” | The speaker, presumably Plath herself, narrates her experiences with death and resurrection, offering a raw and confessional perspective on personal struggles. |
| 5. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” | The novel employs Nick Carraway as the first-person speaker, providing an insider’s account of the events and characters surrounding Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. |
| 6. Emily Dickinson’s Poetry | Many of Dickinson’s poems have an unidentified speaker, often exploring themes of death, nature, and existential questions, creating a mysterious and contemplative atmosphere. |
| 7. Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” | The unnamed narrator serves as the speaker, revealing their descent into madness and guilt as they recount the events leading to a murder they committed. |
| 8. J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye” | Holden Caulfield, the novel’s protagonist, is the speaker. His unique voice provides an intimate look into the struggles of adolescence, alienation, and societal expectations. |
| 9. Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” | Angelou serves as the speaker, recounting her early life experiences, hardships, and triumphs, contributing to the autobiographical and empowering nature of the narrative. |
| 10. Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” | The poet himself is the speaker, celebrating the individual and the collective human experience, using first-person narration to create a sense of inclusivity and unity. |
Speaker in Literature: Relevance in Literary Theories
- Reader-Response Theory:
- The speaker’s voice influences the reader’s response, as the narrative perspective and tone shape how readers interpret and engage with the text.
- Feminist Criticism:
- Examines how the gender of the speaker impacts the portrayal of characters and themes, considering power dynamics in language and representation.
- Psychoanalytic Theory:
- The speaker’s voice may reveal unconscious desires or motivations, contributing to the understanding of characters and their psychological complexities.
- Structuralism:
- The speaker’s role is considered within the larger structural framework, analyzing how narrative elements contribute to the overall meaning of the text.
- Poststructuralism:
- Emphasizes the deconstruction of fixed meanings, with the speaker’s subjectivity being a focal point in understanding the fluid nature of language and interpretation.
- New Criticism:
- Focuses on the speaker’s role in creating meaning within the text, emphasizing close reading and analysis of the speaker’s language and perspective.
- Cultural Criticism:
- Considers how the speaker’s cultural background influences language and representation, examining how cultural context shapes the narrative.
- Postcolonialism:
- Investigates how the speaker’s cultural identity and perspective may be influenced by colonial histories, impacting the portrayal of characters and themes.
- Deconstruction:
- Views the speaker’s role as one that contributes to the instability of language, highlighting how linguistic elements create ambiguity and multiple interpretations.
- Narratology:
- Analyzes the speaker’s narrative role in storytelling, exploring how narrative choices affect the structure, tone, and overall impact of the literary work.
Speaker in Literature: Relevant Terms
| Term | Brief Definition |
| Narrator | Voice telling the story, may or may not be a character. |
| Point of View (POV) | The perspective from which the story is told. |
| First Person | Narration from the perspective of “I” or “we.” |
| Third Person Limited | Narrator knows thoughts and feelings of one character. |
| Third Person Omniscient | Narrator knows thoughts and feelings of all characters. |
| Unreliable Narrator | Narrator whose credibility may be compromised. |
| Persona | A character or role adopted by a poet or speaker. |
| Monologue | An extended speech by one person, often in a play. |
| Dialogue | Conversation between two or more characters. |
| Interior Monologue | Inner thoughts and reflections expressed aloud. |
Speaker in Literature: Suggested Readings
- Browning, Robert. Selected Poems. Oxford University Press, 2008.
- Dickinson, Emily. The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. Back Bay Books, 1976.
- Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 2004.
- Hughes, Langston. The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes. Vintage, 1994.
- Plath, Sylvia. Ariel. Harper & Row, 1966.
- Poe, Edgar Allan. The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Vintage, 1975.
- Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. Little, Brown and Company, 2001.
- Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. Oxford University Press, 2008.
- Wordsworth, William. Selected Poems. Penguin Classics, 1992.
- Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. Harcourt, Inc., 1990.