Theory of the Subject by Alain Badiou

Author:Alain Badiou [Badiou, Alain]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-05-04T12:51:00+00:00

2

There is a theory of the subject according to Sophocles and another according to Aeschylus. The latter (which is historically the first, but still the second for Freud and, though invisibly, the first for Marx) entirely dialecticizes its other because, besides anxiety and the superego whose structure it retains, it postulates that courage and justice are necessary operators of the subject-effect.

It goes without saying that Sophocles and Aeschylus here serve as signifiers, or even as concepts, and not as names or as literary works. It is true that they are texts, but these are meant for the theatre, which changes everything.

The whole purpose of our critical delimitation with regard to the psychoanalytic contribution to the theory of the subject can be evaluated by asking the following question: why is its theory of the subject essentially based on Sophocles, that is, predicated on the Oedipus complex?

I propose that we must be Aeschylean. Lacan sides with Sophocles, but points at Aeschylus, which is where we want to get.

Holderlin opens the debate over the real issues in his dazzling 'Remarks on "Antigone"', where he describes the essence of Sophocles in the following way:

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.