The Dramatic Character’s Identity Mirrored in Language: A Pragma-stylistic Study of Judith Thompson’s Palace of the End

Abstract

The present study aims at investigating dramatic characters' language as identity mirroring, focusing on the three main characters in Palace of the End by Judith Thompson; the American Soldier, David Kelly and Nehrjas. The play interestingly presents three totally different discourses; each character uses different linguistic notions with different artistic impulses to provide traces for his/her identity. The study is set on a ground between two interdisciplinary fields; PRAGMATICS and STYLISTICS whose main interest is meaning and its effect. The pragma-stylistic domain is intended to serve well as a means to reach the intended findings, consequently, fulfilling the aims of the study.