Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, cilt.24, sa.1, ss.141-151, 2025 (Hakemli Dergi)
This paper examines the complex interplay between urban spaces and
individual identity in the poetry of George Szirtes through a
psychogeographical reading. By analysing selected works from various
decades, including “Metro,” “The Looking-Glass Dictionary,” “Meeting
Austerlitz,” and “Reel” the study reveals how Szirtes articulates the
significant effects of consumerism, migration, and nostalgia on both
personal and collective identities. The poet’s observations of his
experiences as a Hungarian immigrant in England represent the
complexities of language and belonging and display the tension between
the familiar and the foreign. Also, Szirtes’s poetry reflects themes of
loss, memory, absurdity, and belonging, particularly in the context of
cultural and social displacement and alienation. While discussing those
themes, the paper employs the elements of psychogeography concerning its
relationship to historical events. The paper also refers to the works
of theorists such as Merlin Coverley and Guy Debord, who emphasized the
emotional and psychological effects of urban landscapes on individuals.
Through this evaluation, the study signifies the importance of engaging
critically with our urban landscape to unveil the hidden narratives that
shape our experiences within city life. Therefore, the findings offer
an appreciation for the troubled stories embedded in poems and encourage
a fresh connection to the spaces we inhabit.