Jameson, Althusser, Marx: An Introduction to the Political Unconscious

143 Pages·1984·1.12 MB·English

by  William C. Dowling

JAMESON,
ALT HUSSEMRA,R X
AN INTRODUCTITOON
TheP o litiUcnaclo nscious
WilliaCm. Dowling
CornUenlilv ePrrseistsy
ITHACNAE,W Y ORK
Copyrig©h 1t9 84b yC orneUlnli versity
Allr ighrtess erveEdx.c epfto rb rieqfu otatiionna s r evietwh,i s
booko,r p arttsh ere,om fustn otb er eproducienad n yf orm with­
outp ermissiinow nr itifnrgo mt hep ublishFeorr.i nformation,
addreCsosr neUlnli versPirteys 1s2,4 R obertPsl acIet,ah caN,e w
.
York1 4850.
Firsptu blish1e9d8 4b yC orneUlnli versPirteys s.
InetrnatioSntaaln daBrodo kN umber0 -8014-1714(-c7l oth)
InetrnatioSntaaln daBrodo kN umber0 -801 4-9284-X (paper)
LibraryC oonfg reCsast alCoagr dN umber8 4-7032
Printiendt heU niteSdt atoefsA merica
LibrariLainbsr:ao rfCy o ngrceastsa loignifnogr mation
appaerso nt hlea spta goef t hbeo ok.
Thep apeirnt hibso oiksa cid-afnrdme eee tthsge u idelines
fopre rmaneanncdde u rabiolfti htCeyo mmitotnPe reo duction
GuidelfionBreo so Lko ngevoiftt hyCe o uncoinLl i braRreys ources.
FOR
LillDioaryno,a,t n hFdr ank,
parentpirabeucsl arissimis
Contents
Preface 9
1.Di aleTchtiinckailn g 19
2.T hinktihnTego tality 38
3·T he Proobftl heSemup erstructure 57
4·S tratoefCg oienst ainment 76
5·N arratainvdIe tn erpretation 94
6.T heP oliUtniccoanls cious 141
BibglriaophNioctael 143
Idnex 145
Preface
Whafto llowissu ,n abashaenid nltyr,o dutcoFt rieodnr ic
JamesoTnh'Peso liUtniccoanls Ictii osnu osta. s tudnyo,ta
criiqtuneo,at s urvoefcy o ntempMoarraxrciyrs itt iocri sm
Jamesopnl'asic nie t , sibmuptal nay t tetmopm ta kteh vee ry
demandairnggu moefon ntse e miniamlprlotya bnoto akv ail­
ablteor eadwehrohs a vhee aarbdo iuttis m protanbcuheta ve
sof abre ebna fflbeyid t I.nr eceynetaa rsst ,h ehraebs e eann
exploisnti hoeno arnydt remenpdroeusss fuorrmte h e con­
vergeonfac n eu mboefrm odedrin scipsluicinhne tsr,o duc­
tiohnasvb ee conmeec esasnadcr oym mobnu,t ctuhset soom
fahra bse etnor esetrhveefm o wrr itwehroas r eei thdeer­
ceasoerEd u reoapn( obro thS)op. e rhaImp asy asw aoyr d
about Jawmhsyeo na,sa l ivAimnegir catnh eorniesetad,ns
intrcotdi.uo n
He doneosti ,no nes ensnee,ea dn i ntroduactat lilo:n
among twhhoofs olel ocwo ntemptohreaorJryay em sohna s
alreeasdtya blhiismhseaedslt fhm eo sitm protaMnatr xist
crintoiwcw ritianngdT, h Peo litUniccoanls ccairoruhisie ss
entertpoarn ieswle e vIenld.e tehdbe,o ocko ucllda ais me m­
iniamlp rotanocne eiotfth wesore pargarotnued: sa st hfei rst
9
PREFACE
sutsainaetdt etmope tx teinndtc ou ltsutruadlii nEe nsg lish
the Marrexniesowtra ilg iniantt hiweno gro kfL ouAilst hus­
seirnF racnea,n ads a no rigainndpa olw eraftutle tmosp utb ­
sumwei thainen x pandMeadrx itshmre i vparlo groafm s
sucthh ienrakssJ acqDueersr iMdiac,hF eolu caaunlGdt i,l les
DeleuWzee .a arseI ,'s vae,i i dnt hmei dosfat n e xploisni on
theoarnyda, n umbeorfy oungtehre oreissptescs ihaolwl y
sigonfsr apdiedv elopbmuestno ft ra,J amesiostn h oen ly
onweo rkiinnEg n glwihsowh r iatset shp ee eorft hFer ench
poststrucPtuurreialntly hi teso tass.t massetnetsrhe'e,sn , his
work nneoie ndrtso duction.
ThPeo liUtniccoanls nceieoadunsis n troduicnst hioonrnot,t,
becaoufsi etu sn doubitmpeodr tabnucbtee caiuitssd e i fif­
culAts. anycoannte e sytw ihfoh atsr iteord e atdh beo ok
withhoeultop r,w hoh afsol lowtehdae r tiJcalmeessh oans
beepnu bliisnht ihneg interval PsriinHscooeun os hfe i s earlier
Lagnuagaen dM arxiasnmFd orhmi,ts h oughhaitsn r ecent
yeasrtse agdriolwkynn ottiaenrdm orceo mplheimxsa, n ner
ofp resenitmtio nrogeb liaqnudce o mprePsustetdai.sn igd e
fotrh meo mentthr ee aswohnJysa mesioisnn n os engsuei lty
ofa m erepleyr veorpsaec Iim tayyr, e maarttk h oeu ttsheatt
thdei fficiusl ttlyhe asinsts eemWsi.t thh ree levbaanctk ­
grouinncd o nmtpeoarrtyh eoarnydc ontempMoarraxriys m
fillienda, n dw itJha mseono'wsnc ernatclo ncespotmse what
expandheibdso, o bke comeenst irreealdya Tbhlaeit.st he
mairne asfoonpr r voidiannig n trodluictktheioi onsne .
Stitlhlme,e rfeca to fJ amesdoinf'ufsli tocyro, f a w riter
inE nglniesehd ainni gn trodiuncp tliaoiEnnn egrl iilssi hk,e ly
toi nfurtihapete eo pwlheor emaiinhn i gdhu degona bout
thoeb scuroifst uicwehrs i taesDr esr rainddLa a caWnh.y , to
astkh qeu eisottnh aatl wagyesta ss kaebdo ustu ch writers,
canh'ejt u csto moeu atn sda wyh ahtem eanIsm ?u scto nfess
toac ertsaeinnos fwe e ariwnheesInes n coutnhtqieusre isotn
nowo,n ed oubtdlaetsisn g thfteri ommae f ewy eaargso
wheInw ast ryitnomg a stGerra mmataonldno egyv ceor uld
managteoe xpltaovi anr iionutse lalnidgg eennuti innetleyr -
10
PREFACE
estfeirde n"dwsh tahtDi esr riidssaa ygi.Wn"h aDte rrwiadsa.
sayinlga,tr eeIra liwzaetsdh ,ay to cua cno me roiugathn td
say wyhoaumt e aonn liyyf o u'gvoaetf lasteh eoorfmy e an­
ing,e vbeusntoh ,en evsearti hdad ti reacntd.l y.(,T. h easree
.
thfeur straotnifeole nts. )
Thep roblreami sbeyGd ra mmatoalnodTgy h e Political Un­
conscailoitukhsea ,t i tsih spe,r obloefsm t yalsee n actmae nt:
wayo fw rittihnasgth oawsws e lalst ewlhlsa ti tsir ty itnogg e t
acroTshsu.s Decrarninjdouats t "ocuaotnm des awyh ahte
means" btehcweah uoslee oefct ohmiicon ugat n ds aying
whayto mue ainbs a soendt hree ferennottiioaoflln a nguage
whoseesn steiaanldm onumenftlaasilDt eyr riistd ray itnog
expoIsnet .h seu nwloirtlo dfA nglo-Ameermipciarni cism,
youa ndI( oumri ndastl, e aasrtoe)v ehre raen,dt hweo rld
iso vetrh eraend,l anguiastg heee x pendoardb iloess pable
meanosfs ayiwnhgaw tew anttos aayb oiuttI. th abse etnh e
bunseisosfD errainddat howsrei tiinEn ngg luinsdhet rh e
sigonfp ostcstturruatlosi usgmg tehsabtto tthh awto ralndd
itast tensdtayntlthe pe,l asitnye ljneo inbeytd h Reo ySaolc i­
etiyn t hlea tsee ventceeenntt,umh ra yya ddu pt on othing
morteh aanc omofrtaibllleu sioonn-t thcheoa ntt,,r l aarny­
guagmea yh avcer eatthewedo rladn,dt hatth eirasec ertain
inescapablei ntt hwreae yia tc hadenirdddy o esso .
Fojra mesoontn h,oe t hhearn tdh,qe u eisotonfs tyalsee n ­
actmiestn htMe a rxiqsutei sotonf t heoarnyd prIanhx iiss .
vietwh,e plaiistn h lesi tmypslitedyo lfbe o urgiedoeiosl ogy
wherteh eirsne o n eefdo orb scubreicta,yu ster uatalhrlse
knowinna dvan(ceex ctehpcete ntarnadtl e rrible truth that
cann evebrea cknowletdhgatethd ip,sl easwaonrtlo df
knowtnr utihsrs o otiened x ploiatnadto ipopnr esasnido n
dominatAi goenn)u.iM naerlxyis sttyt lhee,wn i,bl elo nteh at
produwcheajsta mescoanl( liMsna rxiasnmFd o rma)s enosfe
"dialeschtoictckha,aal"ts t hper iocfie t isn telliaggaiibni lity
anda gafioncr etsh e reoauodtfe cr u osmtarayn dc omofrt­
ablpeo sitainodin nst poa incfounrlof ntatwiiotunhns s us­
pecttertduh s.j aAmse saolnss oa yasd ,ai lecsttiycilasoel n e
1 1
PREFACE
that myaokuhe esat rh seh tiifnogft hweo rlgde'asar sys o u
read.
ThereD oicstJ,oo rh nsroenm arkmoerdoe,fp aitnh aonf
pleasiuntr hepe r ogrtehsmesi nmda ketsh rouagnbhyo ok.
Hew ast hinkiintn hgee,i gehetnth-cweanytn,uo ratyb out
noveolrms y stsetroyr biueatsb owuhta t wwoeu lndo wc all
inetllecptruoasWleh .aJ ta mesmoena nbsyd ialeschtoiccka l
doeisn cltuhdsaeot ro tfp aitnh,pe a iwneh avaelf lle otf t ry­
intgof olloadw i fficaurlgtu mbeunittit ,m plaineost shoerrt
ofp aiansw eltlh,pe a ionfs eeihnigs taosra yc ,o mmtietd
Marxmiusstat sa,n ightfmraorwmeh itchhoe n leys cape lies
inp oliatnisdco aclri eavlto ilouTnh.it so iots h per iocfre e ad­
inJga meswointg he nuiunned ersta(nAqd uiensgtm.ia oyn
ariwshee thaenir n trodulcitktheipe or ne soennedt o enso t
desttrhoeeyf e fcTth.e a nswoefrc ,o urissye e,sd :i alectical
shoicska,s R obeFrrtos satio dfp oetwrhyai,tls o isntt r ansla­
tioBnut.t hree adwehroc ometsoT hPeo liUtniccoanls cious
throutghhii stn roducmtaiyto hne gno o nt oe xperience
Jamesmoonr'desif ficaurlgtu maesin sttt dasn.)
Jamesiodsni f ficfuorlo tt hreera saoswn esl tlh;em ya yb e
brileysf tatOendei. ts h heo sotfe mbarrastshmaietncn otns­
temporMaarryx igsomeu sn dtehrne a moef " the proofb lem
Stal(ion"r"er alelxyi sstoicnligia s-mM"a)rxiasshm si tori­
calelmyb odiine dv aarcitoguuoasvl e rnmheannsot ttsu rned
ouvte rwye laln,Md a rxpihsitl osaossp uhchyha n so g ood ex­
planawthiyTo.hn a itst ,h ehraen ogvse Jra meshoena'adssa
Marxcirsittt hiaecc cusatthiaottn,h neao su vepahuixl osophes
litkose a Mya,r xsiosctti haeloi rasmy a chifornc eo nrsutcting
conceinotcnra amtpasn,td h ceu rreemnbta rrasosfPm oe­nts
lanadn dA fghaniasst awnet,lh lme e amso royfS talGiun­'s
lapgr,e hsasru dp on ahrigsu ment. Tehfeef coptftr haicst ical
isth aMta rxcirsitmt iucsastl wabyess i tuatthienmgs eilnv es
relantoioton nl tyo non-Marxbiusattl strooe avdaerriso us
theoreptoisciatwlii otnhMsia nr xissomt ,h actr ucpiaarlt s
oft haer gumaernwetr ititnae k ni nodfc ode. Tihasi s too
12
PREFACE
sourocfoe b scutrhiaIttt yr t yor esoilntv hefe ol lowcihnagp ­
ters.
Anothreera sfoonJr a mesdofinif'csu ilstt hya atsI, h ave
intimahtei estd r,y itnong e utrtahleein ziterp er ogroafm
contpeomraproys tstrucbtyeu nrcalloiisswtimi n tgha inen x ­
pandMeadxr ims:i ne fefcttr,y itnosg w alulpot wh een etr­
priosfeD se rriFdoau,c aeutal lbt.y,s howtihnatgth eayri en ­
complete awt ihtehooorfhuy it s ttohraoytn lMya rxicsamn
prvoid(ea nd wthheaintit ,s p rovirdeeddu,tc heestm ot he
levoefsl e cond-odrem gerreecelr yi tpihciallo soTphhei es).
tremencdoomupsr esosfJi aomne soanr'gsu maetnc tr ucial
poindtesr ives ftrhormuw sittth hhiiiasnsr gumehnet :c an­
nottr tyo s ubsupmoes tstriuscamtn udar tta hlsea me time
provaindi etn roducttoii tbosan s aiscs umptIdi ooa,nta s p;­
propriatter typop o rionvtsisud,cea h ni tnroducatn,ido onn
thaes sputmitohnJa atem sowni blelo fi ntetroae nsnytu mber
ofr eadwehrosh avneo i netreisnpt o ststrutchteuorrayl ist
ass uchha,v aes sumneopd r iaocrq uainwtiatinhtcI .ae s k
thpea tieonfrc eea ders famalirlewiaiadtrpyh o ststructuralist
thought.
Altlh essoeu rocfoe bss cucroimtteyo getihnaes re,n isne ,
three labteitownJe aenm esaonndA lthufsosiren hr i,os w n
tremendionuflsulieyawn lrt itAilntghs uhsastser rib eodtt ho
sol"vteh per obloefSm t alainndt" o p roviMdarexw itah
"structruerianlteietsratpt"tri hoawnto uladl lcoown tempo­
rarMyar xitsomc ompeotnee q utaelr wmist vha rious pow­
erfmuolv emeinnEt usr optehaonu gHhetr.oe n,c aeg ain,
Jamesoanr'gsu meinsnt ec essacroimlpyr eisnst ehdee x­
tremheec: a nnmootv bee yoAnldt huasnssdei rm aunletously
provaindi etn roducctoourriysnA e l thuisasMnea rrxissom ,
he ciosm petloal sesdu smoemb ea ckgroonut nhpdea rotfh is
readTehrisas.sm, y t iwtilpele lr haalprse haadvyse u ggested,
ist hbea ckgrIot urnmydo setse pciatlopl ryo viTdheet. i tle
jamesAotlnh,us sMearrx,i sme annto otn ltyot ratchele i onef
intelldeecstctuehanarlttu nbsa ckwfarrodTm h Peo liUtni-cal