Aesthetics of awkwardness in romance
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Abstract
This paper investigates awkward moments in two films and a novel which feature the reunited lovers trope: Before Sunset, Past Lives, and Call Me by Your Name. Whilst it is commonly regarded as a negative affective force owing to its association with unease, embarrassment, and alienation, I argue that awkwardness can be aestheticized and employed in romance to highlight honesty, intimacy, and raw emotions between characters. For this reason, despite its distancing effect, awkwardness can also invite emotional involvement from the audience and even effect catharsis in the narratives. The discussion this research article offers is best described as postcritical, an approach posited by Rita Felski, who seeks to diversify the hermeneutic frameworks whereby one can academically study artistic materials. With this framework, my examination of the selected texts does not seek to critique the texts. Rather, the article adopts a descriptive approach in order to disentangle and articulate the aesthetic experience that art can create for its audience.
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References
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