Posthumanist intonations in contemporary Lithuanian literature

Abstract

This article examines how posthumanist ideas are reflected in contemporary Lithuanian literature, particularly focusing on the hybridity of human identity and the evolving relationship between humans and nature, technology, and non-human beings. It also addresses the ethical challenges posed by climate and technological change, as well as themes of irony and stylistic fragmentation. The article approaches literature through the lens of posthumanist theory, drawing on the work of Rosi Braidotti, Donna Haraway, Mads Rosendahl Thomsen, and others. It analyzes poetry and prose by specific Lithuanian authors — Undine Radzevičiūtė, Austėja Jakas, Darius Žiūra, Sara Poisson, Agnė Žagrakalytė, and Sigitas Parulskis — to identify posthumanist themes within their texts. These authors deconstruct the anthropocentric worldview, suggesting that human identity is not homogeneous but multidimensional and evolving. Their literary narratives are fragmented, scattered, ironic, and shaped by ecological, mystical, and global technological contexts. Nonetheless, the significance of humanism in literature is not dismissed; rather, it is enriched by new posthumanist interpretations. The lens of irony adds an unexpected dimension to this discourse.