Aging & Social Change: Fourteenth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

Merete Mazzarella, a Fenno-Swedish/Danish author and academic, has captivated readers with over thirty literary works since her debut novel in 1979. In this study, I delve into the portrayal of ageing across the first four decades of Mazzarella’s authorship. The central hypothesis of my doctoral thesis posits that the depiction of ageing evolves in tandem with the author’s own life journey, utilizing iterativity within the texts as primary material for analysis. Through examination of Mazzarella’s production, I have identified three overarching narratives on ageing: 1) ageing as a metaphor for death, 2) ageing as a narrative of decline, and 3) ageing as a process of constructing a new self through the life story. While my research is ongoing, preliminary findings suggest relations between Mazzarella’s personal experiences of ageing and the socio-cultural context within which she writes. By presenting this thesis at the conference, I aim to offer fresh insights into Mazzarella’s unique perspective on ageing, shedding light on the multifaceted dimensions of the ageing process within the broader cultural and social landscape, ultimately offering a deeper understanding of the human experience across the lifespan. Keywords: Merete Mazzarella, ageing narratives, iterativity, ageing studies, literature.