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Myself-construction

Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A grammatical or poetic phrase using “myself” for emphasis or reflexive reference

Detailed Definition
Myself-construction is a poetic strategy where the speaker actively shapes or redefines their identity through first-person narration, using reflexive language, autobiographical detail, or performative declaration to assert agency over self-representation; this process often involves confronting external labels or internal contradictions to forge a coherent, if provisional, “I.”
Example
Example in poetry:
Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” constructs “I” as universal self; Sylvia Plath’s “Lady Lazarus” constructs “I” as phoenix-like survivor; Emily Dickinson’s “I’m Nobody! Who are you?” constructs self in opposition to fame; T.S. Eliot’s “Prufrock” constructs fractured, anxious self.
Additional Notes
Myself-construction refers to how a poem builds or performs the speaker’s identity; central to lyric poetry; students should ask: Is the “I” stable, fractured, ironic, or communal?
Also Known As
Self-fashioning Identity construction Lyrical persona-building Autopoetic voice Intensive pronoun
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