11

Coming Unstrung: Women, Men, Narrative, and

Principles of Pleasure
SUSAN WINNETT
Herc rwo side and only ba|Ime amcr.
Am$ in w0mmm[line 48]
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zvzzbc. lndmd,thccznzyocggms thzt@vc usgroksonz to
whwcy dcxrmdthcmnwhchw cto,comQywm,O
rcttthconso zcumgqmrgmthztsnotntcmudn
dwhc ntcmtsmzy bc dncd bjthcdmcc o womcnsgum.
I mQgdno morcm@us thc @ddy brnk ozm
tomcumgq,tw, l hogc,mthcmz@tudcothcmw
mmztmztvcwgoubc soat@mmrcn@ngthcm.
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otgzsm ooks kc. Irs gmcdby zvsbczwzkcnng,zn m, thc brth
Comln1 Unstrun1: Women, Men, Nuutlu, end Principles of Pluuue
o zggctcncy, zmbton, dcmor nunton.hc mzc o@nr@nthc
uNnstyomsumuzuon,rtng tothco onotsgrovoton,bccomng
Mouccthcmnsogmumcutumss@ogowcr.hs cncr@,m
umca c," Oocoumws@mntd dmmnm
z sou o gmcc (ortscton) thzt,mnutc bcmm,woud hzvc bccn z
dguo mgotcncc.hcmmusthzvc ths gcnmrugontc bcorc hcng-
ogztc, whmmtmt somcthng nthctmc bcorcmnmmmusthzvc
m.Ahgzroogzton@ncmywththccjzcuztonthztsg-
thc cnd ohm.hc mythothczhcrgow ohcn z cughcmsm
mr skcg msz comgcnton mrthc hnzIqhch rchcd.
bcmm I gm m h@zc thc gsum o h hmzc mztc, I must
uut mrthcguouonm n thc gmvousggb.hcwords to
bc t ozjutory o mzc m (zwzkcnng, m, t brth ozn
@, zmboon,dorntcnton onthconchznds@mntd
c" onthc othcr)wOhom curbmokss nhumuz1mudsmxr-
gor (Kg 90112), whch czmnc thc rczuon bcmcm Hud s gotong
Nthcbm]utoqn BgmmwImkdthc gOo bcgn-
uug,mddu,zndcndsnoadtonznzrrzuvc.brookszuonowhztw
umythcomgzdynzmothztOznddcurmncoaduonzhon-
zmuvcdgqmcggmssbmt,dtnnU nO
W m mrgotun,whztmcnwznt, hm thcy @ zbout tryng m@tt, d thc
wmthQmzboutthsgunut.buttUthztznzrrzto@bzsmon
m ogz modd woud hzvc m bc gromundy vtmcmby mzc n o
goons ut whzt consotum gm d, morc nsmy, whzt m
l c1mdw uoubcd by hthcory&nzdcguzucgznz-
uonomccgncncc.Yctthc@ndcrbzsoconumgomum too@
m to hzvc uoubkd o gro ons mott gromncnt grzmtoncn o nm tvc
m mo r gm B tmthc guons zbout nm -
mthcorydthcgkothcthztobvousmmcwsomchownot
w ktommwcmmthztthcmwdynzmOzndthcm
Nmmwmwgywmzno@oqm
wwkoybommcdynzmoo m ,woudmnotztkm
unmmmbcm@cmsozut"m gkus
hmI mc ugonthcmIownggmtocmdHm,who
mtu.l mmthztthc grobcmwnotthztthc nzrrzmo-
gWbndbutthztI wnzw.mhcL@stcPn o1Oon,ww
kwttc:
JbczmcqpcoWfction is me m.In sying mis I dno mean me re
ly mrind mc rder oIme conncccon bte W and me ertic in
humannarurc. . . Hwhr connc fction-d mmcwm uu
PLOT
fndamental orgasric rhythm of tCc and detumcc nc, of tension
and reution, ointesifcation to dpint o cima ad consummation.
In the sophisticte frms of fction, a in d sophisticte p of s
much of the a consisrs of delaying clima within dcmwdof deire in
orer r prong the plesurble MiDel
(Schole, Ftblton 2;del.u, 10)
le come a no surprise thac Schole, afer rminding us thac all fccional
romance confrms co this model, crowns the novd a the "high manifc
cation of this universal paner and caims fr thac genr the mk of adapting
the .. low acaviscic' frm, the o scory, co the job ospreding the D,
celling the cruth abouc ma in sociecy" (27). A rfsher course in the fnd
mencls of scrucism should sufce co remind us thac the "erotic in hwna
nacur" m co be undercood within ic various decermining concccs if the
concpc is co be productive (whac is "the erotic"? how do we dne the
"human natur" in which we loce "the erotic"? is "hwnan nature" a cultur
al ("hwnan"] or a biologicl ("natur") conscrucc?). And even if we have
beome w of the generic "man in soiec," we stlll mighc need to b
reminded thac such genertions in such concct indicce thac the plc
the reder is epcced co aein the ccc is the pleure of the man. This would
seem co be crue even when-a Calvino's grc novel of rg, I on a win
tei nigt a tawl sugesc-the pleure of the (projcccd) male author (or
his surrogace, the cricic) is heighcened by the fnc thac the reder is a
woman. Schole continue:
Lkthe seual a, the act ofction i a rprol rlacionship. ltmW0
Grt, a writer c wrice fr hi on amucmcnc, a mer c min
the same way [not d fnese with which m male generic u sd
here]; but thee a a of mentl marurbation, with Wthe mmthat
a involved mnarisiscic gtifction of dc . mening othe
fcona aicsclf i something lik loe The wricr ac hi bcc, repets the
dignii ote m. . . . (Z7,my emphai)
Figure, of coure, will insisc on their own economic, ad ic is noc long before
Scholc's reder become a man, and the act of pleur become, depice the
orc language of his freplay, a "mariage of crue minds, a placoni
lelized, encirly male ciruic of deire
The rder . . . repes the dgnii othe wrici He do noc simply Uro
take hi plur ad hi mening fom the book. He strive r mare with the
Coming Unstrung: Women, Men, Nuratlve, and Ptl nclplu of Pleasure
wriccr, cshare mwrte's viewpint, mcme flly co terms with the sensi
bilit ad intelligc that have infrme this particular Wk of hcuoo.
mwritr and mcrmca "marie of true minds," the actofction
i pcand cmplccc. (Z7;hi emphasis)
I doubc thac >W is conscious oor celebracing the prfund homo
ertc-r homoetic-subcct in t pa, althoug its eergence
in his ds ion prisely ac the momenc when he articulacc the rlacion
bccwcen h rding and seual plesure mighc eplain why the issue of
women's rg plc mnoc attrac the anenton ic should: fr mmale
ct, the sual plesure of rg would sem c O place within a nus
ohomosoial arrangements in which "the mariage ocrue minds" is an afir
bcwcen men," a Eve Sedgwick mpuc ic. In this sscem, woman is neither
an indepcndenc subjcctivic nor a deiring agcnc buc, rather, an eabling posi
t ornizing the soial fiction of hecrosualic. In ics honcc oucrous
nsScholc's erotic of rding m clerer t do Brooks's mor subtle
ation thac the patriarchy m a simultneously blind ad enlighcened
invctmenc both in the frms of it pleur in ic consious vaJorization
and les con myction othem.1 And this rliztion do nothing
bmic all the mor fightening co concmplace the obscac our own eu
con ha plac in the way both of women's conceiving (of) their own ple
ur of men's concing thac fmale plc mighc have a difernc ploc.
For if we d now pwue the analog bccween the rprntbilit of the
s act and a posible erotic ording, we fi nd a woman's encuncer with the
ccc decermincd by a broad rang of option fr pleure thac hav 1othing
d(or c choose co have nothing co do) with the notions of rcprncbility
OOto the narracologic of Broks, Schole, ad, I dare sy, others. I mighc
poinc ouc, howeer, thac ic is eacy whac I see a a pocencially-buc noc nc
cs y-libcracing rdacion co rprencabilic thac m allowe the encir
issue of fmale pleure co go unacknowledged or co b entirely misconsuued
fr a long a it m.Everything thac the lae co decde have caughc us abouc
hwnan seual reponse suget thac the fmale pacner in incercoure ha
M co plesure not open co her male partner. ltis, of course, a cmmon
place thac she c ple. Bue she c (like Mme. Merceuil in
Lclos's Lion dnpe) figidity. Withouc endangering her pan
ner's ulcce "su." she c begin her own arousl ac whaccver poinc in the
UU her fnc fnds eciting. She c even aea her poinc of arous
a the attne stisftion of her mace. Withouc defing th convencions dic
Cng thac s b eperienc mor or kcer, she c begin ad end her
pleure acrding to a logic of fnc ad arousl thac is ctlly unraccd co
the fnctioning ad rprcenccion of the "convencional" hecroexual s acc.
PLOT
NOrcOvcr,thc dOtO@tu. mmcdtztcyud,wctOd,@tuzhcrm
htcthcmdcrcOmgctOrcOuuuumdutydtto,1wOudM
tO nm hOw gtum tt dHucd zud@uuto tu brOOkt`t vcrttOu Omud`r
NzturgOt, z tchcmc thzt hzt uO gzcc mr ruch unruyuz dy
thc Oum 1 hzvc jutt tkctchcd. rdtug tO brOOkt, tc0d`r d tOu O mc
g grtuctgcU thc rouu zuO@m whcu, tumm Outo
gmcc, tt tutvmtO ptuputtDrtmnDyhttdtugthczggtOgttztc mo
dwtugthcmc@tuvctntt.comtugtOthttvhcmc,dtmwOuMb
cvcuzttotu,zdtrcktmcud;Dtrth(tmmOmcutztwhtchthcO@u-
ttm D@uttOdOtu cuQ) wO0dbcm grOcgDy m
thctt@thucctt zcgutrmtuthctghtOthcdhthztcOm tmdtO-
mthcbm.AudgmwO0dtuv
O
vcthc mttOut mgrOduc-
uOut Othc dyuzmtO O cudt m rczuOu D@uuu@ zud thc M 0
zutmzm thc mtddcm Do (brOOkt,Raing 29). 1u thO thc g
grtuctgc R OvcnOmc Dtrth, tO ztu thc guucc thzt gm d
O@uttmtdctvcryOutOthc
W
O tk.crcmcmDcr,mrczzmgc,hOwm
hUQ dtDm thc cOmtug U b O mctu`t NOnttcr, thc mOmcut
whm z Dctug cOmgOtcd O tnzutmzu mmr- rmDcd, tt@ty, hOm
gtccm Odd DOdt-rccctvm thc dzugcrOuttgzrkO t 1w thcduyc
Ow

Ot Oturc Ogcu, ttDrthcd hz,zud zcOuvuttvcmOttOuz@-

cd ttttmDt(56). hcOtOthcuOvU wOud,zOOmtugtOthcg
grtuctgc, Dc thc chztu O cvcutt thzt mtOm thc Otum tO dth W
zOOuuttugkrz thc tt@thu O tuhzvtug cOmctOtk.
Z
butjmtFranlmuin dOuOtgctthrNOnttcrguttcd,ttWwuN
tOzOOuntttrctOrty Ot thc ttgumucctthzt uDc znrtDutcd tOthc
crtutc`ttr.c ucmOuytOcOmtdcrthcktudtOmzjOr gumttOutthruOvU
mtO mhm tuoyttzvOtdtrmOvugzuy Ouc O m.'httm
O mOuuOu ttOhcu zttrtDutcd U thr yOuug zuthOr`tbO tkt,hcrtuzDt-
tty,mrhcrtmz@uzttOu,tOwrttczcOhcmutgOt(Kcgcr,xtv).udtudod,
Fr1 nkentei1's uwrzttvcdynzmtOzrruOt zt wcgztucdDyzOwtth
thcgumgrtuctgc,zthOu@DOththcgrODcmO thttmOdUzudtttuudcr _
ytugogz tccuzrtO mtghtDcrcgwdcd zmOug thcuOvU`rmOtttmgOrm
thcmzttc cOuccrut. 1u ttt mttc-cu-tccuc O thcuty O thcgum grtuO-
gc, Fankentein drzmztt thc mOuttrOttq O thc rczuOu thc muduu
tchcmc gOttu bmccu Dcgtuutu@ zud cudtu; t dcmun zud rcgcttttO
thzt z rcudtzu uwrztOO wOud zwtztc wtth thcDtudtu@(d tuDtmz-
ttOut)O tkcucr tOwztd zggmgrtztcrOuttOu gotczud mgOtcz gumttOu
thzt tr1dtttOuz uwrzttvc tt uOt gOtud tO zumcr
C11dn1 Uns trun1: Wo1n, Men, lartatlu, and Prinrlples vI Plus uu
1hzvcDccuzrgutugthzt mzcuzmtOOcOuccgtuztuzrrzttvcdyuzm-
m m O zu gutcucc ttM mthy zud tty @mmm thzt wc
und 0mrgctthzt tthztttttO0rcctu grtcutu, tuczgcrtcuccO mc
DOdy.thOugh1 hzvc tmmzc d cmzc tuztum dmmut rczttOut
B tcgmnDttty,1 OcOutscdOuOt thtukthzttmtuzgmduOOuzud uzrrz-
mdyuzmtOmzttcrtOtuztqzOuc;uOrdO1mtOtrtvtzttcbroOktt
wdDycmgmgtudcgcudcuccOuzghystOO@moU.YctthttdcmOu-
Ou cuzDm m U tgccuztc zDOut hOw zuOthcr tct Ogcrtcu mtght
y zuOthcr tctO@mmoo.zuOthcrthcOry vuucrzDc tO thctuuO-
d0Ou Oz cOunumgc thcNtcrgOt tttc 1 wmd tkc R gOm
whzt wO0d hzggcu t hzvtug mgutm thc NtcrgOt`t rdtc Ou mzc
mOrgh
O
O d mzc gcrtcucc, wc mutucd thc gcucrz mvcgttcm O
muzud rmOuttOu(t0mcucczud d ucc, "wzudt@uth-
tdttdzudttmgyruDtttt0tcdmrthcmzcgcrtcmc zuzuzOgOm-
j qmcuuDc mzc Ouc. l dO nOt grO thc h@tt moc thzt
mOws te zumzttvc tO whzt l hzvc cd mzc uzrrztO@tudd, tt
d uOtWcu hOd ug z moU mr z cmzc uzrrzttvc Kzthcr, l vtt2
ztuzuvc thzt, hOwvcr w tu gztutug Frnkenstein (zud gcrhzg
ohcr t), tt 0umtUy mOm vzuzDc mrttt rczttvztug htucttOu m z
vhcmc cOmgcoug mr zuthOrtq wtth thc NzttcrgOt. hc mttmucc O mO
mo tmgtm 0 mcthcgOutDttqOmzuy mOm;uctthcrthctchmm1 zm
ouug uOr thc Ouc1 dwOg hcmhzutu thc gOutDttttm Omto Dy thc
g ymOdc.Ork,, zw,gOtttC,zmDtttOu,dOmtuzuOu,gmcr,
@hymthzt tuwvc @udcr Dut uOt uo y tuztty-mg-
mtcOmgctugzudthmmd ygmduvcmOuwuOutmruzrrzttwOuutdc
zg yogthztwthcmdmmzttttOutOwuzdw(s,
cg,w,Ldmm:L;LJ; d L.ANtcr).
uy uzrrzttw mdU u Dc thOwu U grtvtcgc $ gzmcuzr mgztOry
g@ zud thcrcDy z gzmcuzr thcmztt. Yct t my mOdc, Dztm Ou
0utguUykmzc gcrtcucc,tttO mgmcut Ouy z thth tuthnnatic cmghzttt,
w w uOt Dc mccuug thc NtcrgOt Ou thc tcrrztu tt h tQ Out kr
iw-thztOmrm.r wthzvctOrctumtOzumzmtuzttOuOhOwthcdtt-
uuOOuDcmccu mrm d thcmc tt dmwu. m. l wzut tO gOrc tm dt-
kut uzrrzttw Ogtcd thc vcry dtmrcut goutDttttm O gurcthzt
cmcrgc whcutttum tuchtuctgtcucc,rcgttttOu, d cOtummcOucctvcd
m mOan gcrtcucc(uOtthe gcrtcucc) O thrhmzcDOdy.
Wmzcgutmccdtudodtucudcmhtghy mgmumDctumucmO
m ucc zud dctum ucc, Om zud tt@thutdc, whOtc
wtttuc mtghtwwhy thQ hzwb t@Oto tu cOugtuztmttOut O
uu uvcdynzmt. bOth Dtrthd Dmtmdtugmzutktdynzmtcgzncmt
uOt uutkcthOtcdrtDcd tu thc vzrtOut O@tttctcqucuO cttc zDOvc.Yct
Pl OT
bcausc thcy do not cumnztc n z guccncc thzt mn brzby bccong-
tuz|udz tmm odth,thcyncthcrnmd normnOon thcm-
tcw thc knd o rctrotgcctvc tgnhmncc zmncd by znz|o@ wth thc
gurc grncgc. lndccd, tcntc-mzkng ogcrztont, both rzdmy
grotgcctvc, ht|o thc ncgcncc thztthc mz|c moc| w tcc movcdno
mzgc o dctumcccncc znd dtchzrgc. hcr cndt (n both tcntc o thc
word)c,gutc tcrz|y,b@nnngttcIWththtchgcoom,thc md-
dc d o mgcrtons to mutr bc conccgtuz| zncw. bmt f
nvovc much rcgctton wthout, zm tod, z| thzt much dmrcncc. ur-
thcrmom. t u ttmu|zm by thc dcmd o z vcq dgcndcm othcr rzthcr
th by onc`t own dcm.And u gurc whch, I hr, s contdcrzb
mzy wcbc why womcn kccgdong t, butnot whythcy cncourzgcd U
both bmt cdng d bnh nvovcthc gotcmz|ybut not nO -
yzttqngpmcnccoznothcr,zndnottmgythcothcrwhomzkctntcr
ourtc gcrhzgs morc grztqng thzn, but not ctcntzy dmcnt hom,
mturmton.Mowz womzn whotc mothcrngo tht othcrW govcmmby
zn zcutc zwzrcn o cdt tn rc|zton to b@nnn@ or, mr thzt mzmr,
bcgnnngt n rc|ztonto cndtwoud grebzby bc both dcgm znd nm
ccm, whcrczs z mzn whotc zwzrcn o thc ogc o thc gurc grncgc
mgrcdhmtogcrmthtmrcgzywoudbcconsdctmbothzwxmzn
z good ovcr.Wctccm to hzvc rvcdzt z crucz ztynuncuynourznzo@
Whc thc mz|c tchcmc ntzt z cnc o cougng, t thcn grvcgc z
tmuncq o tcnton d rcgrccnubqthzt t aggrogrztcto oc gzrt-
ncr ony (umng, o courtc, thzt wc tt mg zbout z hctcrouz|
cougc}. In ncthcr o thc tccnc o cmzc czgcrcncc n whch zbod|y gzo
@ts vtby zrgcr znd thcn tmz|kr z@n mn wc tomognu thztm
chzngc zm govcmcd by thc w, dcm, znd rhythms o znothcr humza
bcng.hc womzn`t w or dcrc mzy gzy z roc n t grD , but t
need not.A grcgnzncy mzy bc wcd(thc muto mgreductvcowmzkn@
ornot(thc rcu|t o rzgc ordcm tvc coD gton}; thc onwt o brth, mo,
t out o thcmothcr`t conscoutconuo, un onr r@zmgrccntvco
thc mcdm| gron zndttchcmm|zggzrztutzncztcntonohcrcon-
tro; znd z mothcr whotc bzby tccgor tcd tgong to hzvc uoubct-
sqng z dcrc to nunc t. motr mgomnt mr our nzrrztoogm gurgotc,
howcvcr, both chdbrthznd bmt cdng mnc m to dmmrwzrd mthcr
thzn bzckwzrd; whztcvcrhnzqbrth gOczt zghysm|cgcrcncc gzm
nomgson wththcmtng, hghtcnng tcnsc othc bcgnnng o z ncw
c. lWc thou|d z|tonotm@t thzt brth tpainl tt gromttc t to gowcr-
ht thzt womcn ohcn tccmto mrgct whzt thQ hzvc bccn through.}
Kccgng tn mnd thc gotttb|ty o tomc m|ztton bcmmn mzccgcrt-
cn o tmnmcncc d dctmnmcn znd znzrrztvctcntc-mzkng ogrr-
<olnt Unstrung: Wotn, Men, Nuutlu, and Pdnrlples 0 Pleasure
zuon, wc mn now mum to thc nzrrztvc dynzm o Fnkmtei1 zndthc
pcuzrguz|ty o u rroouton. Lrt hzvc m|m aocnton 0 thcthc-
mztobrth nFrankenten notngggnt|ythzt5hccyW grcgnznt,
aursag z chd, or mournng tt dth durng thc cntrc tzton o thc
novc|.b|cnmocnMFrnketein dttnct|yzwomn' mythmzkngon
thctubjot obrthgmtcy bcmutc ucmght t not ugon whzt gm
btrth, not ugonbrth ttc|, but upon whzt mowt brth: thc ttzumz othc
ahcrbrth(93). 5hcmmndtusthzt5hc|qtczgcrcncczmothcrwgrc-
o by hcrcgrcncc thc dzughtcr o z mothcr who dcd o gonng
whcn thc g|znuthzt hzd nourthcdthrmbyW notcgc||cdznd bcmmc
wgtc. 5o 5hc|qt ownczgcrcnccobcgnnn@n mzton to cndt mght
b wcdcrd thcDW o thczhcrbrth.
Athough mocn`t zytt o thc novc`t mut on untcmmcnud
modtcrhood t ctrzomny hcgm, zm not turc zgrcc thzt 5hcQ tct
ottowruzhorrorttoryomztcrnq(95). mrsmcroktthztrznkcn-
w t z mal mothcr; unkc thc womcn nthc novc, hc t cntmy unw-
agU nU thcotum(t}dcgcndcmon hm, zthoughhc z toordy
aumcn thc cmtu on whom hc h bccn dcgcndcnt. In othcr
wm,h ndu|gcnccnthcDpovcmodco mz|ctcntcmzkng kccgt
hom zcknowcdgng ht ongong rcgontbq tothcbrthhc conc
w hom sccng thzt hcnmrth h got ncvtzby nvovc thc contc-
gucnoznzoocrtonthzthcr@ztrumghnzndotschzt
mton wouddcmd znythng o hmbQondthc momcnt whcn tccnt-
tc gcnut cu|mnztc thc uzjcoory o tt mc|ouz| tclttmuzton tccm
awcrU hzvc oOurmdtomm. |nstd, n hsnomothcrhod(whch
hr thrrhoo), hc dwct czcutvc|y on ht mn dcmdt: A ncw
tgoc wou|d b mc ts otor znd tourcc; mzny hzggy d czcccnt
B wou|dowc thcrbcng tomc. M thcr (!) cou|dc|zm thc grzttudc
o h chd to comgocy I thou|dd thcrt (53). hc zt tuggctt
thzt rznkcnstcn hzt got thn@ bzckwzm whcn, unkc z gqnznt womzn,
hc bccomc nmngy gz|c znd cmzcztrd ht crton nrt comgc-
uon.And nzntcgzuonozthczcnztonthscrturc`tzcnztonw
OW hm 0 thzrc, hccuuhmtcohhomhcndtzndmymrthc dum-
w othcgrejcct;
Iwished, aitwr, roprcratnare thar 1ela1ed ro my fclin of afec
uuntl mgmtoj, whUmupeery habtomy narure,
shold be complcre. . . . [The energ of my pmalone sustained
me; my labour wu son end, and Ibelive thatccrcise and amuw-
mcnr would mdrive away indpiem dand Iprmi mylf both
o|thmwhe my crcrion shouJd be complere. (5455)
PLOT
har hccy` rcxr mc aggangy ct rhar rhc cnd oltankcnmn`t
aboun cfc a chzngc n thar mm to jh] cn@ olon,
notnthcmthcmcvm.hcgorgmnnghmatcnwhOmm,
n rhc bom ol hrh, wg n rhc MD ol lngodt boomm
cotgc ol my dd morhct n my , olcoutc, a nr kmhadowngol
dtzrcr ro comc,burr agztodyolthc kndoltcuogoronm-
mnmb gtomngh ar ktcomgcrnghWd
dcnuhmn nwrhhtmorhowcrh,Mtharrhcmomcnrolm-
togoonnbythcgc grncgcboommanghwM
uwrhthcobjoroltharn.tank`comQctmmr,`m . .
rcgaoon olrhcrtucrutnggowctolrhoc cndnrharw nttOgovdy
@vc jr] rhc octand @hncc olgor (mok,Baing 94). thugzn
o thc wtong roty. bu r tcgmcnu a bcgnnng m ol cnd.The
dmmconcudmwrhmagcolabot(acoddcwOwmykm,m
rccrhchamandcvctymbconv . . . )and cumnatmnavonol
thcNonrct:l bchHdthc wtcrchthcmctabc monNt whom l mcmr-
cd(57). cmonrct` rotynoronycmghathcdt conucn
olconhIng thc aoomghmcnt olthctho wrh thc gtogw maron
ol mothcthOd bur nvovm thcm dtccry wth um ol ngmbg: r
rhc hdemo hcmoontharttntankcnrcn`tabdonmcnroltm
monrctanddrothcctmolbtummjoronrharrmnrktmrhccmruns
burm ou nro a mumcrou onc.hc chn ol monrtou M tharOrO
havc had o much rtoubc aOunung kt wthn a uaduona nattaroo@
ccm U D ro bc abour thc nabtyola mac chcmc 0 & nrktM
thng rtcmro acknowcdgc. hccy` uolthc thyrhmanddynamool
thccgctcnccolbtrh ctucthc curumauocauon o dctum= ncc
gnhnrd wrh cndngands mzkng. ln r untccnrngi
mncc on thc dcmd mdc by thchgum whocrcncc rutn thc ccnrr`
ttmnghznr conmmtm & nro a ncwbcgnnng,hclQt namuvc p
gutonnor accommarm namorandgc rowatdancconomy
n whch anothct condctauon ol thc tcon among bcgnnn, mdm
and cnd woud ycdtady ddctcnrtmur.
I
tom thc way thar both took and chom mgrc thc ccnato ol mac
gutc nrhc gmcrhardcrctmnc nattatvc cgucncc wcthc nzt-
tarvc` amthcuc, ctorc, and crh ycd, r woudse thar thc gmun ol
thc rcr dcgcnd on thc gtauhuon olthc tdct` ctotc nvuncnt. Lncc
wc mgnuc how a gyUoznayoc dynamO o mdng amnm thcunvct-
mtyolthc mactmgonc, wchavcucdmcutynoucnghowbutythc
<lat Unstrung: Woien, Men, lauatlve, an Ptlndles of Pleasure
muadauon olr unvctron a o camnc how rhmc aumgron
m thct way nro ctu gtacrcc, l wanr ro tcrurn ro took dync
mc kt nzttatvc d ro thc duncron h dcmon mgm bn
gtogm ol nattarvc rhar ktmz (and rhar conrnuc ro b marrct ol
mrm cvcn whcn took kt a nzttarvc dynamO) and thoc thar
r mcmythcmarc.McQchy l uc wth a
&minist aiticim that needs to show how the repreente female psche (par
ty of cows creted by wome authors) re and problcmatiz
ddmnznrconcpt omale psicl dmlemiircriticism b
mmWly cntribut ra new variant of the psychoanalytic srudy o fc-
0Uom,a vanrone miht label the "siruatin:l-tatic": srudic of
Opal tiang i bm.thei puccs and eoltion, odroe of
momdugtr, of situations o|nu ad bonding. ad so fr. lt
i work ofn mof intret, but nonethdcmethodologiclly disquietng in
uu of Wanalytic bin awholly theatic way, 0thcidtr
cc ad labling of hum mmna psycytic voai wre
the of aiticism. ("lde,335)'
mgy kc thc M ktrh. har r ndrm rhc wtrct` cnc olrhc
n cnrzty(tuaronaty) olthc mnr ctrc`conccm; took ccm
amro bc abc romagnctharthcrudyol kt nmncc,mothcn anddaugh-
t ahcroncoudgcnctarcanyrhngcomgcngythconthctudy
o thcnands.nduch umdondccdtcman ttccvanranatIarvc
modc thar gk to d olmac mgcrcncc. ur rhQa mom t ttcc-
wnr U took`Q; thQ thtrcn randuhcgcmony Wmnr choat-
hg h bccn gatrcuaty and ryrcmary ctr ol rtadrona
gychmnayr d clconcouy uncomktrabc whcn r nvokm rhc
Hudanaggamtu.momvct,havngrccogndthcmcarrowhchanythc-
otytNanbndrotownthcmarO,muchmnr ctrcmrtkmmc
bag c rhcmarc than took`. ln arrcndng ro othct vcnon ol rhc
umttaduonaymmroman`gaccnrhcwotd,m`nzttarvm,
m N.andM on, mnrchoanhgnroguuonthcauthotQ
olmany olrhcmnguon rharcnabcmok ro wtrc rohc do.
lr,thcn, ony n thc mnrmr olrhc muc ggm rhar tOk`
Mmgolthc ctu olgaQmb m nncm nthtu-
tynmncomthc mktWn ovcotccnktNm
un ovc.Yodmna-thcmaocwyboommapd, and
Wa qraniolktmtathctt olthcmc.lrmfl
tntothcmguchamOvcqmus tc n rvcandctocm@n-
cy a rhc unvUty o rhc m gzmd@.A r comngy
FL0T
difculc ro map a wy ouc of this m,since mefrt ruir paying atteton
l0 incerpronal dc thac could ely be wm of "mcrly" thematc
("si of Oeipal trngle in fcon, their pcmutcions and eoluton, of m
role of mothe daughccs, of sicuacions of nurture ad bnding. and s
fth"), a qubble abouc a grather mstcement abouc the w.
Neerthles. In a passge refcting on the ploc of Scedhal's no
Brooks &whac he consider the major isue of nineccnth-enrury narraciv
le u a fulr inhercnr ro ftherhod thac ro M m the son, e with the
intenc ofaiding him in Ldau bnr i ineitly r mRan ilti
mare (bu mletimat) cntrol , 0impe a mdthar daims autt
tive mm m) MU. Al l Sc's noels r t fur of
authorittiv parcmicy in his prenisu' lm.and ar dtime demon-
suare the narO's aDpr 0mcdmlurb bing himself the pc
fther, h wh cmaintin the cnvcon with his son. (76)
'Illis is, indee, a frmidable agenda, and Brooks's use of this sicuacional-the
macic co illuminace whac is going on in IRJ uge Mknoir is macerfl. Bue m
analysis preeds ac the epense of preisely the fgur ac whose epense
Scendhal's novel-ad Julien Sorcl's ploc-proceds: the women. Hence, it
reproduce, rather than act criciclly on, the culrl assumpcions encoded
inco the narracive frm. Brooks comments, "[N]o longr incerted in ambi
cion, Uulien] judg his whole Prisian eperience co have been an error; no
longer incereccd in [the prcnanc] Mathilde and his worldly marriage, he
rurns co the eplicitly macernal embrace of Mme. de Renal" (Rang 8.
This passge ha an endnoce, ad when I turned co the back of the b,hop
ing fr a scacemenc of discomfort abouc this sense-making opertion, I fund
insccd a long authorizacion, complece with refrnc to the fther of psy
choanalysis ad scrucrural athropolog, of Julien's enacunenc of the oeipal
scory: "noc only doc Julien wane Mme. de Renal co be mother co his unb
child, Mme. de Renal herself erlier eprsthe w thac Julien wet fthc
co her childrn . . . (337 n.25). By acepting such a homec's net a a m
of frm insccd of a a particular sicuacion and a particular themacic, howe
er powerly they may gover whac gees cold in our culrure, Brooks seems co
viciace rather m co enhance the power of his inccrpretcion. If he clams fr
the novel the project of culrural cricicism-of the ninecccnth-cenrur ideolo
g of pleure and it incerc tion with policicl inscirutons and narratve
pracricthen ic would seem nes co inccrrogce whac become the
unintcrrogaced ground of this vae culrural projcc, the woman's boy and a
partcula myth of her pleure and power thac Brooks lays b and m
refus m examine criciclly.7 In the erocic of oedipal cransmission, the
Coalat Unstrung: Wo1un, Men, t arratlu, an d Principles of Plusure
wman is always a w(in both sense of the wor) fr or in the working ouc
of a problem of patral incerdiction, mwthe momcnc of"signifcnc d
che when the son m himself fom the nec of pacemal recriction and
frge a sclf-crccion-howcver ironizc this pD may b.
LScholc's homocrc erotcs of rding. m, Broks Macerploc
oclt the woman in such a way thac the dm nccard in the rug-of-war
men (here, fther and sons) is playd ouc, pleur in, ac her
m,withouc ay acknowledgmenc of what her value oucside this circuic of
age might have been. L RJ uge Wl noir LPeau dchgrn and Nana
ofr ample maccial fr counccrdin, in which the ccc could b shown m
be self-ctclly aw othe woman's prece a a function of it fnc of
the pl principle (Schor, Bmin and ZJ/' Cw). Instd of under
tking such a councr ding, I would like m U co a narracive o odipal
sg e written by a woma. Geore Elioc's RJm/ reponds dirtly msuch
nr tv a IRJ uge et l ni ad G"at Etion by settng it cencral inccr
O(i you will, it sicuatonal-themacic) in self-conscous oppsition mit frm
(tat is, the oeipal idelog o the ninecceth-cenrur na ve tajo).
4
When RJ mo/ apped in 1863, ic enjoyed considerble cricicl and popular
succs. In the curse of the nec centur, however, ic seems co have c co
deliver reding pleure, and if my srudent' reponse are reliable indiccor,
nod concinuc co bfe ad annoy where Elioc's ocher wocks ddighc.
Although a fination with the Itlian cocic mighc inde have won rders
m the 1860s, the novel's decline in popularity do noc seem adequacely
eplained by the densit and hevines that Elioc's hallmarks. Midk
mr, fr instnce, ha more page ad les accion. Perhaps the modem reisc
MO co RJ mo/ cn bc be undercood a a meur of the novel's own
ristnce co it pleure principle, fr whac Brooks would cll its narrative
dmand whac the um indicte a it narracive incrt rum out Boc upy
difrenc and anragoniscic tajctrie.
Henry Jame clled RJ mol "a kind of licer mw ("mmd "976).
image is partculaly nice, sinc ic enable us m envision the ploc a a liv
ing ornism encumberd by a buren ic sems noc t have been conscrucced
U ber. RJmol begins with the encre inco Florence of its ocensible hero,
Mdea, it ploc mhis politcl mfll noc only as a function
of h abition dm buc a a dirt rn co th odipal challenge
p by his adoptve fther, bmCalvi. In other words, RJmol is driv
en by prcisdy the dynamic Brooks db in Rang fr te Plt. Bue, I
would cncnd, all ics virruoso ploning is buc the conoise withouc the shdl.
PLOT
hcbumcnthatM oggtm cthcnovH domcol utdct thcubjc
nounccd nthc ttlc. Rmo/ ultmatcly not aboutto mHcmz,otcvcn
about hountctgannthcnovclothctogal glot,bavonatola,butabot
tcgonymouhctonc (mt a dcuon olthcnovHthatcomglcmcnt mnc,
MMoman, 189-222). hcmtyolVomolatoomc mtcnt that olalmot
cvcQ Lcotgc Llot hctonc:thc ttuc ol anntHlgt woman tolac am
that do ]utcc m hct nullgcncc and to thc von t aom hct.
Vomola lcaw!to ahct h lc ol hct thct lbm, t to scck out d
mot ltncd woman n thc wotld, Ld wdHc, at Ycncc, d khct
how nuuctcd woman could suggott hctscll n a lonHy llc thctc` (393).
hcnhc tcmtolotcnccatbavonatola`b,t tomllow hgm
to`(ljvc mtlonnmt (hctjowngcoglc,whomLod gtcgatng toblm
thc tth, to cntc`that gath ol labout mtthc uctng and thc hungtyW
whch (hc j llcd a dzughut ol lonncc n thcc tmc ol h nd
(438). Mow bavonatOla undcnund th duqtobgtmarly that ola w
butVomola donot,and thc ntcmtng d dmcultchallcn@ hcdd
novH ct mt thcmclvc to hnd a voton that mllow thc sgtt ot
bavonatola`mhotuton wthout uomnbng to ulcttct.
rhould not utgtc u thzt thc comgmnt ol th Oallcngc
glacc outdc lotzncc wHl (gtaOlly) outdc m vc. A long
Vomola nman nlotcncc,cvnghc do gtccnud bythc D tve
8 dctctmncdby mlogtc olcthct!tootbawnatolaglot.hcgood dm
Vomola gctmtm whcn mc jon bavonatola` mllowcn, thc agnon,
ncvublyandtcgtcdly nvolvchctwthbalmwcllwthtOm
w,m a,d wc know that nattatvc`chch hctcncountctt g-
tcul tcgtmnutw ol lotcntnc occq at la@c bouc ol thctd
hctmgotuncc (wc mght cvcn y, dcgu thcmclvc) toto` glot.hat
u, although hct cm, anonymou acton towztd thc bchiddlcd, alng old
man thc Ugly w d navc cntn mnt to dcmOtc
Vomola ntcnuon to ubjcct hct gHonal cnctgc thc commonwl, wat
thcccvcnuhowuthcmtcnt to whchVomola, dnovH&gtoQnt,
ubjot mthc mcmglatygal glot C whcn hc mmhc @ncmunga
glotolhcton.Mowtmwhhc mghtboutoltO m .mgm
lynotmolhglot.lndd,hcttotyMmbcnothngbutdmolm
munt whtch mM. mout mglmgcolm a a@onc,Wdw,
a dohc,thatthchzll-ddmanmcnvc wthhct wncbalm c.a
mult,thcn,olthcdoonthatbtkwthandcdHcto,Vomolam
hctcllonthcmckolh omgalsccnt.AubpucntncdcnthtnOons na
mlatmanncr:whcn,m 3oldNccmgtm nghctunnc wth d
agnontmval,Vomola tccuccsa homthclouwhowouldac-
thothc young wO ncckl thc`gytamd ol vantc,`thc natvc
Comlat Unstrung: Women, Men, l1rr1tlu, and Principles of Pleasure
immmamy onnccuth act,thtough balm gctccgton olt, !to
mQA@nanda@n, LlotnattatvcVomola`wll aglotbyub-
hctactonn mglotolhcthumnd.
YcrVomolz do hawa totythatgm Hy not what thctudy oln-
mwwouldmu to qthc toQofRmol Vomolalvclonno
amndtmc,maknghctwaythcmcdtctwnncot,whcnhcguto
W M m a mlboat. lntd olgctshng, Vomola awakcn nto a glot
mgdlyautcthc mtccol l@cnd~omgdly,no,thattalmotc-
mumtcc glochcdcn avllagc dccmatcdbyglaguc, butc m
,Q mt thc lvng, uoumb to mhauton, tccugctatc nthc tc ol
mgcogkhcvm,dmdodchcmurDDtolonncc.hcchag-
0manodlyunsgohcanddkcchatactctthatonttthatglywth
thc novH uual obcon wth htotl and lol dctal. h aggatcnt
dQ hom thc htotl novH not, howvct, mnt to bc md a
m; mot mtolotc wmolaakng` na gchhtotyd,
mmon, n a gcchc htoty ol gcnccuton. hc chld whoc ctyng
w`Vomola hom hcttcvctcol`tct(ngjandtmolv(ngjon nothng
(61) a ottuguccJe whoc mly n hght hom thc lnguton.hc
ttOQol howVomola tccuc a vllagc and nttoducc a]cwsh chld ntothc
L commuuty t by no mm a mgtc hom htoty; t tcguts thc
umoon ol O htotl mjccotc, tcmndng u, gcthag, ol all thc
uutoldstotcgcncmtcdbutnotaoountcdmtbythc omcalhtotcthatdo
@dAt th obcun htotl cmutoad,thc cgucnccthatntclatonto
O: lonntnc gkt could b mnm`Vomola wcnt away and
Obackacgutcthcmncoll@cnd:
Every day dcland jacop and ibcsmalmotsuriving villager paid
tmtt vii 0 ti m0 M te blesed L. . . lt W a s@t te
cu noncof t kcr, a st@ttbcycd otin dcttold age-ho tbc
smtand st lady with mthttfc, h golden har and her bron @
tbathad a blesing in tbm,lay wwith he mmctsbchad be scnr
owtdM Khdptbmin their cucmit.
Many lnds wdotol n tr wlqabour tbcblesed Ldy
wboOmctdM; bttbcywlegnds by which Wwho he mighr
kmthat in te @ncby awoman mdone butfl loving deeds dc
rig ibmwbowctcrdy to gm.l)
bynztmtngthc gD thtou@ whch a htl communty ukc gow-
on ol cvcnt, Llot cnablc u to boththc mtcc ol lcgcnd d t dl-
tcncc homthc mnc olglot.
hc movcmcnthcnhomhtotyto lcgd,ltom glot to what tcscmbc
Pl OT
a prorosrOCuralisc naracivc scheme, plays an imponnc henencucic role in
Elioc's noveliscic commcncar on the odipal ploc. Whac is Rmol if noc a
drmacizcion of the quetion owhere co fnd fr female eperience th
authoritative pancrn thac turns mere inconsisccnc ad frmles nes" inco a
narracive of the OnU "shap . thougc and deed in noble aenc"
(FJioc, Mid rh, 25)? And whac is the Oedipus legnd buc Wecem ad
tur's exemplary narracivc modd fr this strugle? Every narratve, Elioc M
co b saying, needs a funding leend co lend provisional legitimac c m
acident ir rerds. k lico's, the male narrative ha borrowed fom the
Oedipus legend fr ic redabilit; like Romolas, the female narracivc rmains
in serch of a compably authoriccivc legnd, the fction of a "cohcrcnc social
fith and orer which could perform the fnction o knowledg fr t
ardcndy willing soul" (Elioc, Mir, 25).'
Rmol mu do provide it O leend, one thac w goe
litmat our rding othe noel ad Romla's mg of hr mWe
sould nocc, howeer, thac the imcc tsfrmaton int l of th
episode in which Romola gencce her own ploc remains entiry ambivt.
She achiev leendary scms in a cmmunity mis ignoranc oher motiton
fr acng the way she do, c which she herself is es ntially infc,
thac is oblivious and m cto the history in which we hav been mm
fr over fve hundr g: "Her work in this ge n valle wdone. the
emotions thac wer disengd fom the peple immciary around her mm
bOinc the old deep channels of mad afetion . . . . Florence, ad her
lif there, had come mco her like hungcr"(65052). Romolas appcte fr m
O fture reuir thac she ret c Rornc and r whac se m
mm in legend. We should not, morovr, thac the narracive pt t
scr of Romolas dand it asimilation into village lre befr w m
he decision co rcum c Florence. H there noc something wrong with disp
peing inco the imperity olegend in the coe of the na atve oone's
own lif? The pU in which Romola m frc the m and
lady" and then the "blesed lady" -a procs thac tur her m inc the vil
lagers' original misprision of her-ratfi her deision t c Florence, B
reentr a hiscory in which she is sail alive and mw, rather membalmed in
t coUicive pasc pc In addicion co motivting the contnuaton of the
novel, Elioc's acunc of the gis of legnd make an imponnc poinc abot
the rdacions of the sdf co it histor ad of mhiscory c a communit.
narrative signif of a lif hiscory lie ulcimarly in the had (, mouts,
pens) of oher; however we ancpc co shap this Nacording to our Mo
it rtrosv sigi, it rtelling is always beynd our conaol; M
Fnscin's Monster, the ploc genert by the lif hiscry Oon a lif o
ir OW 2Ma chc procgonisc wor otherwis sigs o
Cimini Unstrung: Women, Men, NurAthr, and Principles of Pleasure
Whac discinguishc leend fom ploc, then, is noc simply its emphasis on
t gneral oer the particular buc it m of the rccrospecivc moe. Ploc, ac
min the ds ions whave muon here, Ma paticular action in the
light of whac it wil haw met ac a ftur momcnc thac ic is simulcncously
dc ing ad risting. Ploc rgisccr the eccnc co which the procgonisc
C; through ay partada accion or sequence of actions, possesion of
m rotlity of a life yec unled. l e is a mode, we might say, of individuaJ pro
leptc retrospc cion. Lgend cells a scory thac is over. Ics signifcnce mbeen
eblished noc by its protnisc buc by the communit whoe rcelling of the
stry mbecome the sole meur of the scory's importnce. The legnd is chc
ps ion of a communit co the cccnc thac this communit is posse by
a scry thac ha, quicc literally, oudivc ic procgonisc. No longer the na a
tve of a individual's ancmpc ac sclf-dcccrminacion, the leend prcccnine
mwy ech individual in the narracive community will confr signifcnce
o the plc of his or her lif. Legend, then, scruccur a communit, therby
determining the fture of it own rc epcion.
Rm/'s (and Romola's) fnal gtur mue bviewe in rclacion co Elioc's
undcrscnding thac the narracivc community needs new leends co reue
c eperience fm the marins of narracivc and co render ic incligiblc in
it O right. m the epilogue, when lco and T's son declar co Romola
iac b"would like co be something thac would make [him) a grc man, and
very happy bidOmething thac would noc hinder [him) from having a
godel of pleur" (674), she rplie frsc with an admonicion to chose
mcommon good over personal gns and then with an ancdocc thac has the
ds ionacc eonomy of legend:
wa0WmI w@ nW, Mtbac I could s a grcr dd of
N life. who made almosr mwone mm of him, fr h w young
clever, and burifl, his maners 0 all wgnde ad kind. I beieve,
when I fr k him, he neer cghr of anything cruel or b. Bue
bmhe uied Ksip awy frm cvcrhing thac wunplcnr, cm
fr nothing Hsmuch a his own sty, mcme ac lae ro commir some
of the br dcch a make men infnous. He deid his fthcr, ad
mhim r misery; he becraye m trusc thar wpm in him, thar he
mighc keep himself s and gcr rich and prsperus. Toclamity ovmook
him. (675)
Romola cose noc co the version oher husbnd's lif thac Romol h:
just cold; no doubc Elioc could have devised kher heroine anoher lae word
mshe wantd Romola simply co warn Ncllo aginsc a Clike his fchcr's.
Whac do ic 0 thac a woman wich Romolas eperience Na young man
PLOT
growing up in m all-fmale houehold a version of the Oedipus legend that i
hardly recognizble a suc? The genc shows us what M Romola m
made of the eents in the nod we have just red, on what interprettion o
the pat she is basing her prnt and projecting a fuc. It sugst a D
beyond the sntimenral fr her adoption of Tt's fmily: the myths of Oei
pus and Antigone, of Ariadne and Bacchu, have struc her life, but m
lif ha been one of ignoranc. Thee myths spoke so doqucndy of her cuJ
rur's plot fr her lif that she rmaine blind to the deire generted by her
experience. But thcr is aother way co cell the story, one that w,perhaps, &
noc redy (or have just been made rdy) to her. We ment. I think, W
mak the discrepncie beteen Eliot's narative ad Romolas; we c
lcn gd to rerd the novel in the light of the leson Romola ha lerned
the way she ha chosen co cch it. If we sw, a Ncllo do, with a df t
legend (that is, the se story told a diferent way), will our communitie o
undnding generate diferent narativ? The other storie have alrdy
been wrincn; wsimply have to lern how to red thcm.1

If we sec out 0 seek women's pleure in the text, there seems to have ben
scnt yield of pleur in our puruit. And, indeed, neither the reding I hav
criticized nor those I have proposed entertin fmale pleure a a repre
sentable option, although the frmer would hold out, I suspect, fr the g
sibility of an accident, never recunted, in which the woman's deire would
coincide eactly with the deire of the male protgonist and his ofcial surro
gate, the male reder. The mening generated thrugh the dynamic rlaton
of beginning, middle, and ends in aaditional narrative and traditional nar
ratolog never se m to & diretly co the account of the woman. Abt
they point coward a rreding that cumthe ideolog of narrtive dyna
kaccording to whose dcir they sere, rndering us suspicious of our com
plicity in what ha presented itsdf co us a the pleaur of the NL We hav
been cught to red in drag and muse bgin co quetion seriously d detr
minants that gover the mechaic of our narrative, the notion of history 8
Isense-making operation, ad the enormous invetment the patriahy has in
maintining them.
I would like to doe with sttement, roughly concmporancous, fom thre
1gurc central to our undemnding oour cuJn it narratve. W
:pablc, depite minvetment and powerfl role in ptng the na ve
>f paay fom the ninctcnth ominto the tetieth, of gimpsing d
mer arbites of mcontruct a well a the cOrole of gnder in m
0rmacn and perperuaton. In 1900 Mr Ever Lmsent Hery Jame a
Coming lnstrun9: Woen, Men, M1rr1tlwe, and Prlntlples of Plusuu
mom m Hi Honour an a L sugthat her writing W
M m:in reply, Jame w
I mymba hm/ny UOand pa akw
Ucrn w ro suing mpbo d. Ir's mfucnr fulr of
wm's w1lil a rpe (m qof mdircuon an mrh ofm
sb mcon
j
pulle, a lllt cle bte n a 5Mad D fm
bnning Red [oplor) lap Oa afc Wkgmdy lLnm l Jl
j
Cnly this ps e der ay gigle it might provoke. But by underlin
ing the 1" ("I like a rope") and admitang. a wek lacr in another lencr, that
he "doubt(ed) if any man Mundcmnds any woman's criticl bia and
metho," Jame ancncon to the peronal, ultimately arbitr, and male
bomown striC (Lt 135). And a reding ohis lat noe, m
M &wl could show how he addrsjust this quetion of sxual difer
Wby jutposing a ma's "criticl bias and metho" with a woman's, ofer
ing Ua glimpse of the kinds of pleaure narrative provide when m"pearls
of detil" 8suung difcrcndy- or noc strung at W.
In mEucation ofHenr A a tct whose mythicl invetment in the
fgure of the virgin cnnot b overstted, we rd, "The srudy of history is use
mto the historian by teching him his ignorance of women; and the mass of
m ignornc cruhe one who is fmiliar enough with what arc clled his
tricl source co rliz how few women have ever been known" (Adams,
353). And even Frud, in a moment of totl divecrur, when he
acknowledge m own inabilit-and frthermore, his uncr lack of desire
t C a perfey helthy lebian, whose only prblem it M , is her
fthcr's violent opposition ro her choice of object, is able to distnce himslf
fom the Mastrplot M crucial to hi m followcrs'-nscructions of
culn ad its narrative. He write:
&kng W UOddeveopment fm it fna ourcomc backrds, rhc
cain of Cnt appe continuous ad W k l wc have gine an msighr
whc i complcrdy srisfr and een cauric. But if W prethe
rrway, wsrn fm te prise inr fm the analysis and rry
rflothe up ro the mrculr, then wno longer gcr the impiusion of
an inevitble seuence of event which culd no have been otheri dcrcr
mincd. We notice at OOthat mmmigr ha banor nulr, and thar
wmight mbe n Ju awable 0undetnd and eplain mlarrc.
qduumwnot W sc the aay in mo m, fom a
keo dprmis wcd Wmwfr d m0DNommr.
_
l
gggj:e
1

!
'
'

l
PLOT
It u time to wagain, to SOwhat come of unstringing the Matcrplot m
wane to have told m in adv-.cc where it is that we should our pl
and what must inevitbly come of them.11
N01t$
T- hsuthcglacc10 acknowlmgc&csubcgucnrmcnrwth kmnsm;m
-K@lkcamanmtmrhmpcamonrothckmnntmwmm
&:

monthananymcmagmnumhasmrodmmmdtcmyotm
ngaboui rmdngnrcmtsotamdmsubjothcdmImmdngamtharG
mcmr(.lrsnrmr n thcmnmnhsgmlkcam,
hcW pefs 10 hs(hmm)gstm ndwaman gmmC ).
hua@roamBortanIygrcmblcromgkmalcmnsu.YcragumonmmL
adglaccmcgumnotkmnumnthcmdaonaIgstmotwmpt
m u mplctcmm=@thar m @thcmnwom@ng
(bonc 170), or mn r bma awwmm roA]amncsw ns tharm
rmdwomcn&wrungwrconrandmchr . . u]thcr] ul kmnum m
wntng . . . ctu [mqmcl onUwmkmnum(Glll
L Lco@c Lcvnc. mrnsmtcc,wrr,]}hcrrannounccclmrly . . thcrcnns
ol our mocm Ow. and @ on ro dw thc vcn clcmcnts otihc rankcnsun
mctaphor: brth and Lrcauon; " Lv= cr; Klon and moml lsolauon;
JUnjusrS; J1cDotOmmtcry; Ooublc;cchno.Enm.
andmcmonsirous (3-16).
J b'swork rcgrccnrsacomgdlngrmdngolHcmnrcIatonrogumrons
ot nwmrvc dynamo. Edwam 5aMs lg ohm rccmbl brookss, akhugh 5
mamncsncgcnccwihna broadcrghlosoghmmnrmr.Amongthcnumcrom=-
lcnrbok-lcngthkmnststudotrhcnnciccnth-ccntuqnovcl, mrMomans's m
marmncMnchs nvokc asg hIIykmnutgsychmnalyssthar,whaklUwU10
rradronal gychoanalyss, konothcrmgncandrcIarons.
4. l amgmrcml ro 5usan 5mtmm rm mrmIlngmyancnton ro rmc nu,
whch myownladotprcno madcmcowrIok n mrlcr wnsolthsgur-
mmk r marlyn n,LarmynMclbrun,maranncMmh, McdKrugcr.and Elanc
Wnncn.who havclcnrthcauthortyotthcr mprcnccro mysubcgucnrattcmgu rodo
usrccm thc subjor.
J.bmM 90-99 andKy,xtxv.]m dwmmOm a anarrwvc
abourmarcmryandkmalcauthorshg.
0- brlcr.n&aJi,r mPLL brokhadrhs my hckmalcglorGnorunrc-
brcdro ]maIcglorsolambron], burrmamcomglsmcciowamambron,t
mrmaronotannncrdrvc rowm thcancnonotlm dnrsuno mdovcnm
volarngmalcglorsotambton, acounrcmynamcwhch, mmrhcgroiotypc CUmio
niu@nand 1l1 Ligtuse, onIywaIIypassvcandnHcrarcnrmpmnot
dwmgor (39); g. 133 nthsvolumc. lndccd. brooksmhcr1 thckmalc
plor a arstanoand wharwc mghrman mdurancc': awrng (sumrng) untl
mcwoman`sdcnmnbcapnnricdrnroUgm onotmalcdcrc (&.ing,
330 n.3; g. 137 ndtsvmumc).m Mrsch, ld=, a w a Na mllc T
Hminei oandEmghassAm" [gg. 1 10-29 mdtsvolumc].
. lIwc okc thc umcrolokarhcr now, wcducovcrrharmGcthcrmpousm
folg 0strung:Roen, Ren, karatlw, an6 Frlnclles of Flesure
; a smodt surho on whch drc mnnor m hold (balc's n]brook,
@ 57() or a bng (Zlas N] w"mmo@n, whch s norhng. abscno,
M mammorc gcrmI m@g ccn@nc, mgablc otsugrcm lcvcra@onthc
mm (broks, Ii ng 47).
ElormnrcnroncmghaszngdnadcguacyotUlc@dsawlablcmrsrrw-
turng womcns kvand nanarv. Lkc thcg . . rold n thar wabourihc
NLdywhommcmthcs," thcl@mdot5anrhcrtharbgnsMiJ/1 r
i ncthcrasuo mlcno@hgrsotthcmrmpcIIngddrvngwomcn'smnora
meo mm ktllmgd dBr r awncr unwdngm
bdcrandro amorctsgng mIronoldgormtaIElorbmwm hcr.
9. lnbgond Unum,LIlan bcm mnm Elkr's ntw rgnsro thc
gw n]L]anrkmbgmthmughglotormrbe oown mO
m pt (1 17). bmotbnmnnm

mdctmnsm, borgmRm,
M(ARmo mwhchanotHthoand HthHrkkand rcy,
ma noublyabrm(Es( wk" l 1 29D mmon LwcndoynssurvvaIotthc
mot (131), mOotahclcqtyotmmrharm
wmgomdtnr@rtyot aOnanm Wmodd. lamnoron,howcr,thardtc
Worrcjotngotbmdmawaywth dtcgroblcmotmdpI dcnnnnaron n Llors
mworks;r@ .wWomumogrhmtharElormm
a mwth mhmgroQnurnvmvmnthcnamovcgrojot.
T9- Lcnnan,
-
s kommr uns dcr Endruck cncr nonvcnd@ und aut kcnc
Wcscm b mdcnVcrkcnung@nzabhandm(276-m, gbcncrm
mcEgi mmdnotonbodtotUnarrarwchanandrhcthrmrotrhngsgo-
ong ourothand.
TT. lmouIdlk mrhank]oc bonc. Hrcr brook. Kd brownsun, Larolyn Mcl-
m, mananncMnch, ]ann madoc# Mm0lct, ]ul Kvkn, Oan Se, Lthannc
3dmgson, and mar@rcr Walcr, whoscm rmdn otths amUc hclpm mc m mc
mnyomr"mwotthcargummr.
ktftktNLt$
AMcnry. TEtin oHmrAJuu. brm:Moghron, 1961.
bor, LlIan. bcyond Lurmnsm: Lcorgc ElorandVr@na WoltATing wdi im
Pm:Es in Namtv fm W m&p 1 17-37, London: Kouw, 1 989.
. Drwini Pm:&lutiolUr Namtire in Darwin, Gre Eot a1J Ni11<lt111/.u
m@Frion. London: KoutIm@, 1983.
bn,. TFBo WYork: LmumbaUnvcrsqPr, 1982.
b nc, } Allcn.mc(n) and cmnsm. Gr 1ud Tr Da"ua 01 fu1i1i
Cnd mrmbyLndaKuman, 1 58-80, Lxmm:blackclL 1989.
bm k. Hm ayLmtyL LImgg 13 (1987): 334-8.
.Rn:fr mcDa and lntn wNamtw. WYork:Knogt, 1984.
Lhrs, K . Sor and Sit1tion: Namlw &Juiou and Wm of Fiaiou. mn-
nmgIs: Unvcrstyolmnnmora P 1984.
dUurcrs,o.An Dn' &ini, Sniona Guna. blomngton: lndana Un-
vcrsqW , 1984.
Elor, Lcor@.MiJ mh. London: Dngun, 1985.
. Rmo. London: D@n, 1980.
PLOT
Freud, Sismund. PsyJiogccis of a L of Homoseuality in a Woman. 1920.
Translaied by Barbara Lw and Gabler. In St ant mIhlg o Lw,
13359. NYork: Collier, 1963.
--. "Obr die Pychogence einc Flle von wiblicher Homoscualirar; 1920. &
mausab. 1W. 7, 255-1. Frrc Fr, 1982.
Gatc.Henr Ls,Jr. 1Signiin Monle: A TIr of AnAurMn l Or
m . New York: Oxford Univerity Prs , 1988.
Hirsch, M c"Ideolog, Hm.and AlNiuh: Rons on &ll ngfr mPW.
Ci/rmi Liun111 14 (1986): 163-8.
-. 1m Ma ugter MrNamtiw. fn JmBlomington: lm
ana University Prcs, 1989.
Homans, M. &arin tl mn I mFEmr' in Nnnttntb-C
tur mm} Writg. Co: Univerity of Chic Prs , 1986.
Jame, Henr. u DnM OmtmACnVcon. lm Cm, 974-92. New York
Librar of W, 1984.
~.O Vd.4. &tmby Lon &d.Cambridge, Ma .: Harvard Univisity P
1984. 9w. 19n-84.
Jameson. Freric. 7ePltil Unamsous: Namtiw 1 a S/" Symbli W. lm,N.Y.:
CmeU University Pres . 1981.
Jardine, MmNmFeinism: Odr di Uomo or Cmpagons dRutc|m
Smith, 54-61.
Jardine, Alic, and Paul Smith, m.Mm in Fnnini. NYork: Methuen, 1987.
Johnson. Barbara. "My Mo1er/My Sf Dia t 12, no. 2 (1982): 2-10.
Lvine, C.eorge. "TAmbiguous Heritge of Fnlmrn. 7eEunnr' of Fnlt mrn:
Es on Mar S, Now Etmby George Lmand U. LKm ,
3-18. Berkele: Univerity of Califria Prs , 1979.
Mk,L. !7Now/ ant tl Pli u. Be: Unity of Califr Prs , 1988.
Miller, Nanc "Ehi APloi Plauibilir mWomes tw0 USb M
Ctg&n /i1i \f itn 25-46. NYor: Columbia Univicy Prs , 1988.
--. Jm HniMi Te &i in tl Firh ant Eglh Now/ U72!78}. Ne
York: Columbia Univerity Prcs, 1980.
Mo, k.Ltmr Womm. Garen City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1976.
Rieger, Jame, e. Fnnuin: Or 7eMo-n Pmnl (m !8!8 Ta). New York:
Bobbs, 1974.
Said, &w. .n1i1g /1m1ti1 aud M,th NYork: Clumbia Universicy Prs ,
1975.
Schle, K.Fabultion ant M'1faion. Urbana: University of lllinois Prs , 1979.
-. "Rding Like a Man .. Jarine and Smith, 204-18.
Schor. Naomi. &ain mChin: mmm JgatmFm&alt Faion. New Yor
Columbia University Prs , 1985.
-. 7.oli Crw. Bahimorc, Md.: Johns Hopkins Univerity Prs , 1978.
Segi, Eve Ksofsk. &twm Mm: E Lt1 1 anJ Homosl Dit. W
York: Clumbia Univerity Prcs, 1985.
Shllc> Mar. mnltmstnn; U 7tMon Pm,t. New York D, 1974.
I PART I l l
NARRATIVE SEQUENCI NG
Introduction: Narrative Progressions and
Sequences
From Aristodc to Forster, mucand theorist have generally fvored a plausi
M wh. cuslly conneted plot ove wayward strnds of unconnected,
arbitry incidet. Indeed, many theorist have even written a if all narrative
suenc were ns y connecte into a single ploc Ncvenhdess, the his
tory oflitcrture provide u with any number of irar, disjunctive, or rt
rgrde cluters of event that severely contet the ide of unic and teleolog.
One redily mm of works by Rbdais, Stene, Diderot, je Paul, and
Celine that do not sem at all to have a redily identifble story line or uni
ujcctorr, rather, the be more accurately deribed a reisting any
such totli7ation. Modeism gve u the attenuated sequences of virtually
plodcss works, mmnfinine episodic sequence to new leels of dis
p, while postoder w repetedly challenge the very narure of narra
tive in ways that superede even Tr Shandy's ingeniou graph of his own
plot line. It this 8. the ingcnuic of cretive writers ha largely ourstrippcd
the theretcl analysis of their etrordinary achicvcmenr.
Many of the bsic tools fr an analysis of na tive seuence wr st fnh
b Boris Tomashe. who begn by distinguishing fbul (story), or "the
@ of murually related eent m cronologicl sequenc, fom s1
the warrangement of those ccnr a preented by the tet. In the transla
ton below, se is rendere (perhaps somewhat misledingly) a "plot.
Tomahevsk ma number of other distnctons that would regularly rp
g m mve t fr m de. irrducible element of the
story termed moc&; those which irreplle termed "bound
mot: while those that could b omitted without disrurbing the whole
cusl-chronologicl ODof cers mmot: Tomahesk goe on to