Alter ego

Playing cards with one's alter-ego

An alter ego (Latin, "the other I") is a second self, a second personality or persona within a person, who is often oblivious to the persona's actions. It was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists.^[1] A person with an alter ego is said to lead a double life.

A distinct meaning for alter ego can be found in literary analysis, wherein it describes characters in different works who are psychologically similar, or a fictional character whose behavior, speech or thoughts intentionally represent those of the author. Similarly, alter ego can be applied to the role or persona taken on by an actor^[2] or by other types of performers.

Alter ego is also used to refer to the different behaviors any person may display in various situations. Related concepts include avatar, doppelgänger, impersonator, and split personality.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

The title characters in Robert Louis Stevenson's thriller Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde represent an exploration of the concept that good and evil exist within one person, constantly at war. Edward Hyde literally represents the doctor's other self, a psychopath who is unrestrained by the conventions of civilized society, and who shares a body with the doctor. The names "Jekyll and Hyde" have since become synonymous with a split personality or an alter ego that becomes capable of overpowering the original self.

Comic book usage

Superman and his alter ego, Clark Kent

In comic books, superheroes and their secret identities are often considered alter egos. The archetypal comic book hero, Superman, assumes the identity of the "mild-mannered" newspaper reporter Clark Kent in order to live among the citizens of Metropolis without arousing suspicion. Whereas Clark Kent's true self is Superman, Batman is a character created by Bruce Wayne in order to disguise himself for the purposes of fighting crime. The Batman comics and movies such as Batman Begins have also explored the theme of the true self (Wayne) becoming lost in or giving himself over to the alter-ego, much like the plot of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The Incredible Hulk comic book series further complicates this theme, as Bruce Banner loses control to the Hyde-like Hulk whenever he becomes angry, yet also depends upon the Hulk's super powers in order to combat villains.

Comic book-inspired alter egos can be seen in other forms of popular fiction, including television and movie adaptations of comic books, parodies of this genre, and unrelated fictions such as Star Wars.

Performing arts usage

Gene Simmons as "The Demon" of Kiss

Alter egos are used by numerous performing artists who use stage or screen personae both to entertain audiences and to explore new identities for themselves. An early example of a musical group to make use of alter egos was The Beatles, who recorded and performed as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in order "to alter our egos, free ourselves and have a lot of fun" ^[3]. Alter egos would later be used for entertainment value by glam-associated artists such as David Bowie (as Ziggy Stardust) and Kiss, and to exploit horror themes by shock rockers Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson. In contemporary Hip Hop, artists such as Eminem and T.I. have used the alter egos Slim Shady and T.I.P., respectively, to explore divisions in their personalities. T.I.'s album T.I. vs T.I.P. even directly appropriates a Jekyll and Hyde plot. More subtle uses of alter egos can be seen in artists who redefine their image for an album, such as Christina Aguilera as Xtina, and artists who describe their stage personalities as different from their private ones, such as Beyoncé Knowles's identity as Sasha Fierce.

Comic performers also make use of alter egos as a part of their routines. The Marx Brothers performed throughout their careers as their Vaudeville characters. For example, Julius Marx would play (and be credited as) Groucho, whether he was cast a professor (as in Horse Feathers), a veterinarian (A Day at the Races), or a president (Duck Soup). Standup comedians such as Don Rickles (Mr. Warmth) and Jackie Mason (Hartounian) can be said to have developed their shtick into distinct alter egos. Performer Andy Kaufman was chiefly known to fans through several characters, including the Foreign Man (later Latka Gravas), Tony Clifton, and Kaufman's impersonation of Elvis Presley. The biopic Man on the Moon depicts Kaufman as a man whose true identity was difficult to isolate, even by his close friends, because of the prevalence of these alter egos. Actor Sacha Baron Cohen, who has often been compared to Kaufman, is similarly best known as the characters Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, and Brüno.

Professional wrestlers can also be said to perform as alter egos, such as Terry Bollea's Hulk Hogan character and Mark Calaway's The Undertaker.

See also

• Pen name
• Stage name
• Ring name

References