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Melancholy Gender

n o t f i n a l l y r e d u c i b l e t o a g i v e n n o t i o n o f s e x u a l difference? I n d e e d , t o w h a t extent are o u r n o t i o n s o f the m a s c u l i n e a n d the f e m i n i n e f o r m e d t h r o u g h the lost a t t a c h m e n t s w h i c h t h e y are s a i d t o o c c a s i o n ? C a n w e f i n a l l y e v e r r e s o l v e the q u e s t i o n o f w h e t h e r s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e is the a c c o m p l i s h m e n t of a m e l a n -

Psychic Inceptions

c h o l i c h e t e r o s e x u a l i t y , s a c r a l i z e d a s t h e o r y , o r w h e t h e r i t i s the g i v e n c o n d i t i o n o f loss a n d a t t a c h m e n t i n a n y set o f h u m a n

Melancholy,

Ambivalence,

Rage

r e l a t i o n s ? It seems clear that in s o m e cases it is b o t h , b u t that w e w o u l d l o s e a v i t a l t e r m i n o l o g y for u n d e r s t a n d i n g loss a n d its f o r m a t i v e effects i f w e w e r e t o a s s u m e f r o m the outset that w e o n l y a n d a l w a y s lose the o t h e r sex, for i t i s a s o f t e n the case that w e are often i n the m e l a n c h o l i c b i n d o f h a v i n g lost o u r o w n sex i n o r d e r , p a r a d o x i c a l l y , t o b e c o m e it.

C o n f l i c t s b e t w e e n the ego a n d the i d e a l . . . u l t i m a t e l y reflect the contrast b e t w e e n w h a t is real a n d w h a t is p s y c h i c a l , b e t w e e n the external w o r l d a n d the i n t e r n a l w o r l d . — F r e u d , The Ego and the Id

I

n " M o u r n i n g a n d M e l a n c h o l i a , " m e l a n c h o l y a t first a p p e a r s to be an aberrant f o r m of m o u r n i n g , in w h i c h one denies

the loss o f a n object (an o t h e r o r a n i d e a l ) a n d refuses the task

o f grief, u n d e r s t o o d a s b r e a k i n g a t t a c h m e n t t o the o n e w h o i s lost. T h i s lost object i s m a g i c a l l y r e t a i n e d a s p a r t o f o n e ' s p s y c h i c life. T h e s o c i a l w o r l d a p p e a r s t o b e e c l i p s e d i n m e l a n c h o l y , a n d an internal w o r l d structured in ambivalence emerges as the c o n s e q u e n c e . I t i s n o t i m m e d i a t e l y clear h o w m e l a n c h o l y m i g h t b e r e a d , t h e n , i n t e r m s o f s o c i a l life, i n p a r t i c u l a r , i n 1

t e r m s o f the s o c i a l r e g u l a t i o n o f p s y c h i c life. Yet the a c c o u n t o f melancholy is an account of h o w psychic and social domains are p r o d u c e d i n r e l a t i o n t o o n e another. A s s u c h , m e l a n c h o l y offers p o t e n t i a l i n s i g h t i n t o h o w the b o u n d a r i e s o f the s o c i a l are i n s t i t u t e d a n d m a i n t a i n e d , n o t o n l y a t the e x p e n s e o f p s y -

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c h i c life, b u t t h r o u g h b i n d i n g p s y c h i c life i n t o f o r m s o f m e l a n -

g e n e r a t i o n a n d f o l l o w s f r o m the p s y c h i c c o m p u l s i o n t o s u b -

cholic ambivalence.

s t i t u t e f o r objects lost. T h u s , i n m e l a n c h o l i a n o t o n l y d o e s the

M e l a n c h o l i a t h u s r e t u r n s us to the f i g u r e of the " t u r n " as a

ego s u b s t i t u t e for the object, b u t t h i s act of s u b s t i t u t i o n insti-

f o u n d i n g t r o p e i n the d i s c o u r s e o f the p s y c h e . I n H e g e l , t u r n -

tutes the ego as a n e c e s s a r y r e s p o n s e to or "defense" a g a i n s t

i n g b a c k u p o n oneself c o m e s t o s i g n i f y the ascetic a n d s k e p t i -

loss. To the extent that the ego is "the p r e c i p i t a t e of its a b a n -

c a l m o d e s o f r e f l e x i v i t y that m a r k the u n h a p p y c o n s c i o u s n e s s ;

d o n e d object-cathexes," it is the c o n g e a l m e n t of a h i s t o r y of

i n N i e t z s c h e , t u r n i n g b a c k o n oneself suggests a r e t r a c t i n g o f

loss, the s e d i m e n t a t i o n o f r e l a t i o n s o f s u b s t i t u t i o n o v e r t i m e ,

w h a t o n e h a s s a i d o r d o n e , o r a r e c o i l i n g i n s h a m e i n the face

the r e s o l u t i o n o f a t r o p o l o g i c a l f u n c t i o n i n t o the o n t o l o g i c a l

o f w h a t o n e has done. I n A l t h u s s e r , the t u r n that the p e d e s -

effect of the self.

t r i a n m a k e s t o w a r d the v o i c e o f the l a w i s a t o n c e r e f l e x i v e

M o r e o v e r , t h i s s u b s t i t u t i o n o f ego for object d o e s n o t q u i t e

(the m o m e n t of b e c o m i n g a subject w h o s e s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s

w o r k . T h e ego i s a p o o r s u b s t i t u t e for the lost object, a n d its

i s m e d i a t e d b y the l a w ) a n d s e l f - s u b j u g a t i n g .

f a i l u r e to s u b s t i t u t e in a w a y that satisfies (that is, to o v e r c o m e

A c c o r d i n g t o the n a r r a t i v e o f m e l a n c h o l i a that F r e u d p r o -

its status as a s u b s t i t u t i o n ) , l e a d s to the a m b i v a l e n c e that d i s -

v i d e s , the ego i s s a i d t o " t u r n b a c k u p o n i t s e l f " o n c e l o v e fails

t i n g u i s h e s m e l a n c h o l i a . T h e t u r n f r o m the object t o the ego c a n

t o f i n d its object a n d i n s t e a d takes itself a s n o t o n l y a n object o f

n e v e r q u i t e b e a c c o m p l i s h e d ; i t i n v o l v e s f i g u r i n g the ego o n

l o v e , b u t o f a g g r e s s i o n a n d hate a s w e l l . B u t w h a t i s t h i s "self"

the m o d e l o f the object (as s u g g e s t e d i n the i n t r o d u c t o r y p a r a -

that takes itself as its o w n object? Is the o n e w h o " t a k e s " itself

g r a p h s o f " O n N a r c i s s i s m " ) ; i t a l s o i n v o l v e s the u n c o n s c i o u s

a n d the o n e w h o i s " t a k e n " the s a m e ? T h i s s e d u c t i o n o f reflex-

b e l i e f that the ego m i g h t c o m p e n s a t e f o r the loss that is suf-

i v i t y s e e m s t o f o u n d e r l o g i c a l l y , s i n c e i t i s u n c l e a r that t h i s ego

fered. T o the extent that the ego fails t o p r o v i d e s u c h c o m p e n -

c a n exist p r i o r t o its m e l a n c h o l i a . T h e " t u r n " that m a r k s the

s a t i o n , i t e x p o s e s the f a u l t l i n e s i n its o w n t e n u o u s f o u n d a t i o n s .

m e l a n c h o l i c r e s p o n s e t o loss a p p e a r s t o i n i t i a t e the r e d o u b l i n g

A r e w e t o accept that the ego t u r n s f r o m the object t o the

o f the ego a s a n object; o n l y b y t u r n i n g b a c k o n itself d o e s the

ego, or that the ego t u r n s its p a s s i o n , as o n e m i g h t r e d i r e c t a

ego a c q u i r e the status of a p e r c e p t u a l object. M o r e o v e r , the at-

w h e e l , f r o m the object to itself 1 D o e s the s a m e ego t u r n its i n -

t a c h m e n t t o the object that i s u n d e r s t o o d i n m e l a n c h o l i a t o b e

v e s t m e n t f r o m the object t o itself, o r i s the ego f u n d a m e n t a l l y

r e d i r e c t e d t o w a r d the ego u n d e r g o e s a f u n d a m e n t a l t r a n s f o r -

a l t e r e d b y v i r t u e o f b e c o m i n g the object o f s u c h a t u r n ? W h a t

m a t i o n i n the c o u r s e o f that r e d i r e c t i o n . N o t o n l y i s the attach-

i s the status o f " i n v e s t m e n t " a n d " a t t a c h m e n t " ? D o t h e y i n d i -

m e n t s a i d t o g o f r o m l o v e t o hate a s i t m o v e s f r o m the object

cate a f r e e - f l o a t i n g d e s i r e that r e m a i n s the s a m e r e g a r d l e s s of

to the ego, b u t the ego itself is p r o d u c e d as a psychic object; in

the k i n d o f object t o w h i c h i t i s d i r e c t e d ? D o e s the t u r n n o t

fact, the v e r y a r t i c u l a t i o n o f t h i s p s y c h i c space, s o m e t i m e s f i g -

o n l y p r o d u c e the ego b y w h i c h i t i s o s t e n s i b l y i n i t i a t e d b u t

u r e d as " i n t e r n a l , " depends on this m e l a n c h o l i c t u r n .

a l s o s t r u c t u r e the a t t a c h m e n t i t i s s a i d t o r e d i r e c t ?

T h e t u r n f r o m the object t o the ego p r o d u c e s the ego, w h i c h

I s s u c h a t u r n o r r e d i r e c t i o n e v e n p o s s i b l e ? T h e loss f o r

s u b s t i t u t e s for the object lost. T h i s p r o d u c t i o n is a t r o p o l o g i c a l

w h i c h the t u r n seeks t o c o m p e n s a t e i s n o t o v e r c o m e , a n d the

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object i s n o t r e s t o r e d ; rather, the loss b e c o m e s the o p a q u e c o n -

that s u c h a d i v i s i o n c a n b e u n d e r s t o o d a p a r t f r o m its c o n t e x t

d i t i o n f o r the e m e r g e n c e of the ego, a loss that h a u n t s it f r o m

in melancholia. In what follows, I hope to clarify h o w m e l -

the start a s c o n s t i t u t i v e a n d a v o w a b l e . F r e u d r e m a r k s that i n

a n c h o l i a i n v o l v e s the p r o d u c t i o n o f a n i n t e r n a l w o r l d a s w e l l

m o u r n i n g the object i s " d e c l a r e d " lost o r d e a d , b u t i n m e l a n -

as a t o p o g r a p h i c a l set of f i c t i o n s that s t r u c t u r e s the p s y c h e . If

cholia, it follows, no such declaration is possible. M e l a n c h o -

the m e l a n c h o l i c t u r n i s the m e c h a n i s m b y w h i c h the d i s t i n c -

l i a is p r e c i s e l y the effect of u n a v o w a b l e loss. A loss p r i o r to

tion between internal a n d external w o r l d s is instituted, then

s p e e c h a n d d e c l a r a t i o n , i t i s the l i m i t i n g c o n d i t i o n o f its p o s -

m e l a n c h o l i a i n i t i a t e s a v a r i a b l e b o u n d a r y b e t w e e n the p s y c h i c

s i b i l i t y : a w i t h d r a w a l o r r e t r a c t i o n f r o m s p e e c h that m a k e s

a n d the s o c i a l , a b o u n d a r y , I h o p e to s h o w , that d i s t r i b u t e s a n d

s p e e c h p o s s i b l e . I n this sense, m e l a n c h o l i a m a k e s m o u r n i n g

r e g u l a t e s the p s y c h i c s p h e r e i n r e l a t i o n t o p r e v a i l i n g n o r m s o f

p o s s i b l e , a v i e w that F r e u d c a m e to a c c e p t in The Ego and the Id.

social regulation.

2

T h e i n a b i l i t y t o d e c l a r e s u c h a loss s i g n i f i e s the " r e t r a c t i o n "

That a love or desire or l i b i d i n a l attachment is under-

o r " a b s o r p t i o n " o f the loss b y the ego. C l e a r l y , the ego d o e s n o t

s t o o d to take itself as its object, a n d to do t h i s t h r o u g h the

l i t e r a l l y t a k e a n object i n s i d e itself, a s i f the ego w e r e a k i n d o f

f i g u r e o f the t u r n , suggests o n c e a g a i n the t r o p o l o g i c a l b e g i n -

shelter p r i o r t o its m e l a n c h o l y . T h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l d i s c o u r s e s

n i n g s o f subject f o r m a t i o n . F r e u d ' s essay p r e s u m e s that l o v e

that p r e s u m e the t o p o g r a p h i c a l s t a b i l i t y o f a n " i n t e r n a l w o r l d "

o f the object c o m e s first, a n d o n l y u p o n the loss o f the o b -

a n d its v a r i o u s " p a r t s " m i s s the c r u c i a l p o i n t that m e l a n c h o l y

ject does m e l a n c h o l y e m e r g e . C o n s i d e r e d closely, h o w e v e r ,

i s p r e c i s e l y w h a t i n t e r i o r i z e s the p s y c h e , that is, m a k e s i t p o s -

F r e u d ' s essay m a k e s c l e a r that there c a n b e n o ego w i t h o u t

s i b l e t o refer t o the p s y c h e t h r o u g h s u c h t o p o g r a p h i c a l t r o p e s .

m e l a n c h o l i a , that the ego's loss i s c o n s t i t u t i v e . T h e n a r r a t i v e

T h e t u r n f r o m object t o ego i s the m o v e m e n t that m a k e s the

g r a m m a r that m i g h t a c c o u n t for this r e l a t i o n s h i p i s n e c e s s a r i l y

d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e m p o s s i b l e , that m a r k s the d i v i s i o n ,

c o n f o u n d e d f r o m the start.

the s e p a r a t i o n o r loss, that f o r m s the ego t o b e g i n w i t h . I n t h i s

M e l a n c h o l i a does n o t n a m e a p s y c h i c p r o c e s s that m i g h t b e

sense, the t u r n f r o m the object to the ego fails s u c c e s s f u l l y to

recounted t h r o u g h an adequate explanatory scheme. It tends

s u b s t i t u t e the latter f o r the f o r m e r , b u t d o e s s u c c e e d i n m a r k -

t o c o n f o u n d a n y e x p l a n a t i o n o f p s y c h i c p r o c e s s that w e m i g h t

i n g a n d p e r p e t u a t i n g the p a r t i t i o n b e t w e e n the t w o . T h e t u r n

b e i n c l i n e d t o offer. A n d the r e a s o n i t c o n f o u n d s a n y s u c h

t h u s p r o d u c e s the d i v i d e b e t w e e n ego a n d object, the i n t e r n a l

effort is that it m a k e s c l e a r that o u r a b i l i t y to refer to the

a n d e x t e r n a l w o r l d s that i t a p p e a r s t o p r e s u m e .

p s y c h e t h r o u g h t r o p e s o f i n t e r n a l i t y are t h e m s e l v e s effects o f

If a p r e c o n s t i t u t e d ego w e r e able to m a k e s u c h a t u r n f r o m

a m e l a n c h o l i c c o n d i t i o n . M e l a n c h o l i a p r o d u c e s a set of s p a -

an object to itself, it a p p e a r s that it w o u l d h a v e to t u r n f r o m a

t i a l i z i n g t r o p e s f o r p s y c h i c life, d o m i c i l e s o f p r e s e r v a t i o n a n d

p r e c o n s t i t u t e d e x t e r n a l r e a l i t y t o a n i n t e r n a l one. B u t s u c h a n

s h e l t e r a s w e l l a s arenas for s t r u g g l e a n d p e r s e c u t i o n . S u c h

e x p l a n a t i o n c o u l d n o t a c c o u n t for the v e r y d i v i s i o n b e t w e e n

tropes do not " e x p l a i n " m e l a n c h o l i a : they constitute some of

internal a n d external on w h i c h it depends. Indeed, it is unclear

its t a b u l a r d i s c u r s i v e effects. In a m a n n e r that r e c a l l s N i e t z 3

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sche's a c c o u n t of the f a b r i c a t i o n of c o n s c i e n c e , F r e u d offers a

tutes for the p e r s o n a n d that, p r e s u m a b l y , r e n d e r s the p e r s o n

v i e w of conscience as an agency a n d " i n s t i t u t i o n " p r o d u c e d

lost, i s u n k n o w a b l e .

and maintained by melancholy.

F r e u d says m e l a n c h o l i a i s r e l a t e d t o " a n object-loss w i t h -

A l t h o u g h F r e u d seeks t o d i s t i n g u i s h m o u r n i n g a n d m e l a n -

d r a w n f r o m c o n s c i o u s n e s s , " b u t t o the extent that m o u r n i n g

c h o l i a i n t h i s essay, h e offers a p o r t r a i t o f m e l a n c h o l i a that

is related to substitute ideals a n d abstractions such as "coun-

c o n t i n u a l l y blurs into his v i e w of m o u r n i n g . He begins his de-

t r y a n d l i b e r t y , " i t t o o i s c l e a r l y c o n s t i t u t e d t h r o u g h the loss o f

s c r i p t i o n , for i n s t a n c e , b y r e m a r k i n g that m o u r n i n g m a y b e a

the object, a d o u b l e loss that i n v o l v e s b o t h the s u b s t i t u t e i d e a l

" r e a c t i o n to the loss of a l o v e d p e r s o n , or to the loss of s o m e

a n d the p e r s o n . W h e r e a s i n m e l a n c h o l i a the i d e a l i s o c c l u d e d

a b s t r a c t i o n that has t a k e n the p l a c e o f o n e , s u c h a s one's c o u n -

a n d o n e does n o t k n o w w h a t o n e has lost " i n " the p e r s o n lost,

try, l i b e r t y , a n i d e a l , a n d s o o n " (243). A t first, m o u r n i n g seems

i n m o u r n i n g o n e r i s k s n o t k n o w i n g w h o m o n e has lost " i n "

t o h a v e t w o f o r m s , o n e i n w h i c h s o m e o n e i s lost, s o m e o n e r e a l

l o s i n g the i d e a l .

i s lost, a n d a n o t h e r , i n w h i c h w h a t i s lost i n the s o m e o n e r e a l

L a t e r i n the essay F r e u d specifies the p s y c h i c s y s t e m s i n

i s i d e a l , the loss o f a n i d e a l . A s the essay p r o g r e s s e s , i t a p p e a r s

w h i c h m e l a n c h o l y takes p l a c e a n d w h a t i t m e a n s for m e l a n -

that the loss o f the i d e a l , "the loss o f a m o r e i d e a l k i n d " i s

c h o l y t o b e r e l a t e d t o " a n object-loss w i t h d r a w n f r o m c o n -

correlated w i t h melancholia. A l r e a d y w i t h i n m o u r n i n g , h o w -

s c i o u s n e s s . " H e w r i t e s that "the u n c o n s c i o u s [ t h i n g - ] p r e s e n -

ever, the loss m a y b e o f a n a b s t r a c t i o n o r a n i d e a l , o n e that

t a t i o n [Dingvorstellung] of the object has b e e n a b a n d o n e d by

has t a k e n the p l a c e o f the o n e w h o i s lost. A f e w p a r a g r a p h s

the l i b i d o " (256)." T h e " t h i n g - p r e s e n t a t i o n " of the object is

later, h e notes that " m e l a n c h o l i a t o o m a y b e the r e a c t i o n t o

n o t the object itself, b u t a c a t h e c t e d trace, o n e that is, in r e -

the loss of a l o v e d object" a n d that " w h e r e the e x c i t i n g causes

l a t i o n to the object, a l r e a d y a s u b s t i t u t e a n d a d e r i v a t i v e . In

are d i f f e r e n t [ f r o m m o u r n i n g ] o n e c a n r e c o g n i z e that there i s

m o u r n i n g , the traces o f the object, its i n n u m e r a b l e " l i n k s , " are

a loss of a m o r e i d e a l k i n d . " If o n e m o u r n s f o r the loss of

o v e r c o m e p i e c e m e a l o v e r t i m e . I n m e l a n c h o l i a , the p r e s e n c e

a n i d e a l , a n d that i d e a l m a y s u b s t i t u t e for a p e r s o n w h o has

o f a m b i v a l e n c e i n r e l a t i o n t o the object m a k e s a n y s u c h p r o -

b e e n lost, o r w h o s e l o v e i s b e l i e v e d t o b e lost, t h e n i t m a k e s

g r e s s i v e d e - l i n k i n g o f l i b i d i n a l a t t a c h m e n t i m p o s s i b l e . Rather,

no sense to c l a i m that m e l a n c h o l i a is d i s t i n g u i s h e d as a loss

" c o u n t l e s s separate s t r u g g l e s are c a r r i e d o n o v e r the object, i n

o f " a m o r e i d e a l k i n d . " A n d yet, a different k i n d o f d i s t i n c t i o n

w h i c h l o v e a n d hate c o n t e n d w i t h e a c h o t h e r ; the o n e seeks

b e t w e e n the t w o e m e r g e s w h e n F r e u d c l a i m s , w i t h reference

t o d e t a c h the l i b i d o f r o m the object, the o t h e r t o m a i n t a i n this

t o m o u r n i n g , that the i d e a l m a y h a v e s u b s t i t u t e d for the p e r -

p o s i t i o n o f the l i b i d o a g a i n s t the assault." T h i s s t r a n g e battle-

s o n a n d , w i t h reference t o m e l a n c h o l i a , that the m e l a n c h o l i c

f i e l d i s t o b e f o u n d , F r e u d m a i n t a i n s , i n "the r e g i o n o f the

" k n o w s w h o m h e has lost b u t n o t what h e h a s lost i n h i m . " I n

m e m o r y - t r a c e s of things."

m e l a n c h o l i a , the i d e a l that the p e r s o n r e p r e s e n t s a p p e a r s t o b e

A m b i v a l e n c e m a y b e a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c feature o f e v e r y l o v e

u n k n o w a b l e ; i n m o u r n i n g , the p e r s o n , o r the i d e a l that s u b s t i -

a t t a c h m e n t that a p a r t i c u l a r ego m a k e s , o r i t m a y " p r o c e e d

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p r e c i s e l y f r o m those e x p e r i e n c e s that i n v o l v e d the threat o f

T h e a m b i v a l e n c e that i s w i t h d r a w n f r o m c o n s c i o u s n e s s r e -

l o s i n g the object" (256). T h i s last r e m a r k suggests, h o w e v e r ,

m a i n s w i t h d r a w n " n o t u n t i l the o u t c o m e characteristic o f

that ambivalence may well be a result of loss, that the loss of an

m e l a n c h o l y h a s set i n " (257; " b i s n i c h t d e r f u r d i e M e l a n c h o l i e

object p r e c i p i t a t e s a n a m b i v a l e n c e t o w a r d i t a s p a r t o f the

c h a r a k t e r i s t i s c h e A u s g a n g e i n g e t r e t e n i s t " [211]). W h a t i s t h i s

p r o c e s s of l e t t i n g it go. If so, t h e n m e l a n c h o l i a , d e n n e d as the

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c " e x i t " o r " p o i n t o f d e p a r t u r e " that m e l a n c h o l y

a m b i v a l e n t r e a c t i o n t o loss, m a y b e c o e x t e n s i v e w i t h loss, s o

takes? F r e u d w r i t e s , " t h i s , a s w e k n o w , consists i n the threat-

that m o u r n i n g i s s u b s u m e d i n m e l a n c h o l i a . F r e u d ' s s t a t e m e n t

e n e d l i b i d i n a l c a t h e x i s a t l e n g t h a b a n d o n i n g the object, o n l y ,

that m e l a n c h o l i a arises f r o m " a n object-loss w i t h d r a w n f r o m

h o w e v e r , t o d r a w b a c k t o the p l a c e i n the ego f r o m w h i c h i t

consciousness" is thus specified in relation to ambivalence:

has p r o c e e d e d . " A m o r e p r e c i s e t r a n s l a t i o n w o u l d c l a r i f y that

5

" e v e r y t h i n g t o d o w i t h these s t r u g g l e s d u e t o a m b i v a l e n c e r e -

m e l a n c h o l i a i n v o l v e s a n a t t e m p t t o s u b s t i t u t e the ego f o r that

m a i n s w i t h d r a w n f r o m c o n s c i o u s n e s s , u n t i l the o u t c o m e c h a r -

cathexis, o n e that i n v o l v e s a r e t u r n of the cathexis to its p o i n t

a c t e r i s t i c o f m e l a n c h o l i a h a s set i n . " T h e a m b i v a l e n c e r e m a i n s

o f o r i g i n : the t h r e a t e n e d c a t h e x i s i s a b a n d o n e d , b u t o n l y t o

entzogen—withdrawn—only to

take on a s p e c i f i c f o r m in m e l -

pull itself back onto the place of the ego ("aber n u r , um s i c h a u f

a n c h o l i a , o n e i n w h i c h different aspects o f the p s y c h e a r e a c -

d i e S t e l l e des Ichs . . . z u r ù c k z u z i e h e n " ) , a p l a c e f r o m w h i c h

c o r d e d o p p o s i n g p o s i t i o n s w i t h i n the r e l a t i o n o f a m b i v a l e n c e .

the t h r e a t e n e d a t t a c h m e n t has d e p a r t e d ( " v o n d e r sie a u s g e -

F r e u d offers t h i s p s y c h i c a r t i c u l a t i o n o f a m b i v a l e n c e a s " a c o n -

gangen war").

flict b e t w e e n o n e p a r t o f the ego a n d the c r i t i c a l a g e n c y " a s a n

I n m e l a n c h o l i a , c a t h e x i s i s u n d e r s t o o d t o engage reflex-

a c c o u n t o f the f o r m a t i o n o f the s u p e r - e g o i n its c r i t i c a l r e l a t i o n

i v e l y w i t h itself ( " u m s i c h a u f d i e Stelle des Ichs . . . z u r ù c k -

t o the ego. A m b i v a l e n c e t h u s p r e c e d e s the p s y c h i c t o p o g r a -

z u z i e h e n " ) a n d , s p e c i f i c a l l y , t o d r a w o r p u l l itself i n a n d b a c k

p h y o f s u p e r - e g o / e g o ; its m e l a n c h o l i c a r t i c u l a t i o n i s offered

t o the p l a c e o f its o w n d e p a r t u r e o r g o i n g - o u t . T h i s " p l a c e "

a s the c o n d i t i o n o f p o s s i b i l i t y o f that v e r y t o p o g r a p h y . T h u s ,

of the ego is n o t q u i t e the s a m e as the ego itself, b u t s e e m s

i t w o u l d m a k e n o sense t o seek r e c o u r s e t o s u c h a t o p o g r a p h y

to r e p r e s e n t a p o i n t of d e p a r t u r e , an Ausgangspunkt, for the

to explain m e l a n c h o l i a , if the a m b i v a l e n c e that is s a i d to d i s -

l i b i d o , a s w e l l a s the m e l a n c h o l i c site o f its r e t u r n . I n t h i s r e -

tinguish melancholia is what then becomes articulated—after

t u r n of l i b i d o to its p l a c e of d e p a r t u r e , a p l a c e of the ego, a

a p e r i o d o f b e i n g w i t h d r a w n f r o m c o n s c i o u s n e s s — a s ego a n d

m e l a n c h o l i c c i r c u m s c r i p t i o n o f l i b i d o takes p l a c e .

super-ego. T h e internal topography by w h i c h melancholia is

T h i s r e t u r n is described as a w i t h d r a w a l , a d r a w i n g or p u l l -

p a r t i a l l y e x p l a i n e d i s itself the effect o f that m e l a n c h o l i a . W a l -

i n g b a c k (zuriickziehung), b u t also, in the n e x t l i n e , as a flight:

ter B e n j a m i n r e m a r k s that m e l a n c h o l i a s p a t i a l i z e s , a n d that

" D i e L i e b e hat s i c h s o d u r c h i h r e F l u c h t i n s I c h d e r A u f h e b u n g

its effort t o r e v e r s e o r s u s p e n d t i m e p r o d u c e s " l a n d s c a p e s " a s

e n t z o g e n " (210). A l t h o u g h t h i s l i n e i s t r a n s l a t e d i n f a m o u s l y

its s i g n a t u r e effect. O n e m i g h t p r o f i t a b l y r e a d the F r e u d i a n

a s " S o b y t a k i n g f l i g h t i n t o the ego l o v e escapes e x t i n c t i o n "

t o p o g r a p h y that m e l a n c h o l y o c c a s i o n s as p r e c i s e l y s u c h a s p a -

(257), the sense o f e s c a p i n g e x t i n c t i o n i s n o t p r e c i s e l y r i g h t .

t i a l i z e d l a n d s c a p e o f the m i n d .

T h e w o r d entzogen, for i n s t a n c e , w a s p r e v i o u s l y t r a n s l a t e d a s

6

7

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" w i t h d r a w n " a n d Aufhebung c a r r i e s a n o t o r i o u s l y a m b i g u o u s

r e p r e s e n t e d to c o n s c i o u s n e s s as a c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n p a r t s of the

set o f m e a n i n g s f r o m its c i r c u l a t i o n w i t h i n H e g e l i a n d i s c o u r s e :

ego; i n d e e d , the ego c o m e s t o b e r e p r e s e n t e d i n p a r t s o n l y o n

cancellation but not quite extinction; suspension, preserva-

the c o n d i t i o n that s u c h a w i t h d r a w a l o r r e g r e s s i o n has t a k e n

t i o n , a n d o v e r c o m i n g . T h r o u g h its f l i g h t i n t o the ego, o r i n the

p l a c e . I f m e l a n c h o l i a c o n s t i t u t e s the w i t h d r a w a l o r r e g r e s s i o n

ego, l o v e has w i t h d r a w n o r t a k e n a w a y its o w n o v e r c o m i n g ,

o f a m b i v a l e n c e , a n d i f that a m b i v a l e n c e b e c o m e s c o n s c i o u s

w i t h d r a w n a transformation, rendered it psychic. H e r e it is

t h r o u g h b e i n g r e p r e s e n t e d a s o p p o s i t i o n a l p a r t s o f the ego,

not a question of love "escaping an extinction" mandated f r o m

a n d that r e p r e s e n t a t i o n i s m a d e p o s s i b l e o n the c o n d i t i o n o f

e l s e w h e r e ; rather, l o v e i t s e l f w i t h d r a w s o r takes a w a y the d e -

that w i t h d r a w a l , t h e n i t f o l l o w s that t h i s p r é f i g u r a t i o n o f the

s t r u c t i o n o f the object, takes i t o n a s its o w n d e s t r u c t i v e n e s s .

t o p o g r a p h i c a l d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n ego a n d s u p e r - e g o i s i t s e l f

I n s t e a d o f b r e a k i n g w i t h the object, o r t r a n s f o r m i n g the object

d e p e n d e n t u p o n m e l a n c h o l i a . M e l a n c h o l i a p r o d u c e s the p o s -

t h r o u g h m o u r n i n g , t h i s Aufhebung—this a c t i v e , n e g a t i n g , a n d

s i b i l i t y for the r e p r e s e n t a t i o n of p s y c h i c life. T h e Aufhebung

t r a n s f o r m a t i v e m o v e m e n t — i s t a k e n i n t o the ego. T h e " f l i g h t "

that i s w i t h d r a w n — o n e that m i g h t h a v e m e a n t the o v e r c o m i n g

of l o v e i n t o the ego is t h i s effort to s q u i r r e l the Aufhebung a w a y

of loss t h r o u g h a t t a c h m e n t to a s u b s t i t u t e o b j e c t — i s an Auf-

inside, to w i t h d r a w it f r o m external reality, a n d to institute an

hebung that r e e m e r g e s w i t h i n a n d as r e p r e s e n t a t i o n , a c a n c e l -

i n t e r n a l t o p o g r a p h y i n w h i c h the a m b i v a l e n c e m i g h t f i n d a n

l a t i o n a n d p r e s e r v a t i o n of the object, a set of " w o r d - t r a c e s " (to

altered articulation. The w i t h d r a w a l of ambivalence thus p r o -

u s e F r e u d ' s t e r m ) that b e c o m e s the p s y c h o a n a l y t i c r e p r e s e n -

d u c e s the p o s s i b i l i t y of a p s y c h i c t r a n s f o r m a t i o n , i n d e e d , a

t a t i o n o f p s y c h i c life.

fabulation of psychic topography.

T o w h a t extent d o e s m e l a n c h o l i a r e p r e s e n t a n o t h e r w i s e

T h i s f l i g h t a n d w i t h d r a w a l i s n a m e d , i n the n e x t l i n e , a s a

unrepresentable ambivalence by fabulating psychic topogra-

r e g r e s s i o n , o n e that m a k e s p o s s i b l e the c o n s c i o u s r e p r e s e n t a -

p h i e s ? R e p r e s e n t a t i o n i s itself i m p l i c a t e d i n m e l a n c h o l i a , that

t i o n o f m e l a n c h o l i a : " A f t e r t h i s r e g r e s s i o n o f the l i b i d o the p r o -

is, the effort to r e - p r e s e n t that is at an i n f i n i t e d i s t a n c e f r o m its

cess c a n b e c o m e c o n s c i o u s , and it is represented to consciousness

object. M o r e s p e c i f i c a l l y , m e l a n c h o l i a p r o v i d e s the c o n d i t i o n

as a conflict between one part of the ego and the critical agency [ u n d

o f p o s s i b i l i t y for the a r t i c u l a t i o n o f p s y c h i c t o p o g r a p h i e s , o f

r e p r a s e n t i e r t s i c h d e m B e w u s s t s e i n als e i n K o n f l i k t z w i s c h e n

the ego i n its c o n s t i t u t i v e r e l a t i o n t o the s u p e r - e g o a n d t h u s o f

e i n e m T e i l des Ichs a n d d e r k r i t i s c h e n I n s t a n z ; m y e m p h a s i s ] . "

the ego itself. A l t h o u g h the ego i s s a i d t o b e the p o i n t o f d e p a r -

W h e r e a s o n e m i g h t e x p e c t that the r e g r e s s i o n o f the l i b i d o ,

t u r e for a l i b i d o that i s s u b s e q u e n t l y w i t h d r a w n i n t o the ego,

its b e i n g w i t h d r a w n i n t o c o n s c i o u s n e s s (as w e l l a s the w i t h -

i t n o w a p p e a r s that o n l y u p o n s u c h a w i t h d r a w a l c a n the ego

d r a w a l o f a m b i v a l e n c e i n t o c o n s c i o u s n e s s ) i s the f a i l u r e o f its

e m e r g e a s a n object for c o n s c i o u s n e s s , s o m e t h i n g that m i g h t

a r t i c u l a t i o n , the o p p o s i t e a p p e a r s t o b e the case. O n l y u p o n

be r e p r e s e n t e d at a l l , w h e t h e r as a p o i n t of d e p a r t u r e or a site

the c o n d i t i o n o f s u c h a w i t h d r a w a l d o e s m e l a n c h o l i a t a k e

o f r e t u r n . I n d e e d , the p h r a s e " w i t h d r a w n i n t o the e g o " i s the

a conscious f o r m . The w i t h d r a w a l or regression of libido is

r e t r o a c t i v e p r o d u c t o f the m e l a n c h o l i c p r o c e s s i t p u r p o r t s t o

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describe. T h u s it does not, strictly speaking, describe a pre-

ego, s u g g e s t i n g that i n s o m e p r i o r state, t h i s c r i t i c a l f a c u l t y

constituted psychic process but emerges in a belated fashion

w a s n o t yet separate. H o w , p r e c i s e l y , this s p l i t t i n g o f the ego

as a representation c o n d i t i o n e d by m e l a n c h o l i c w i t h d r a w a l .

i n t o p a r t s o c c u r s is, i t seems, p a r t o f the strange, f a b u l a t i n g

T h i s last p o i n t raises the q u e s t i o n o f the status o f the p s y -

scene i n i t i a t e d b y m e l a n c h o l y , the w i t h d r a w a l o f c a t h e x i s f r o m

c h i c t o p o g r a p h i e s that p r e d o m i n a t e i n this a n d o t h e r essays

the object to the ego, a n d the s u b s e q u e n t e m e r g e n c e of a r e p -

b y F r e u d . A l t h o u g h o n e m i g h t e x p e c t that s u c h t o p o g r a p h i e s

r e s e n t a t i o n o f the p s y c h e i n t e r m s o f s p l i t s a n d parts, a r t i c u l a t -

are to be r e a d as the e x p l a n a t o r y a p p a r a t u s of p s y c h o a n a l y -

i n g ambivalence a n d internal antagonism. Is this t o p o g r a p h y

sis a n d n o t , a s i t w e r e , o n e o f its t e x t u a l i z e d s y m p t o m s , F r e u d

n o t s y m p t o m a t i c o f w h a t i t seeks t o e x p l a i n ? H o w else d o w e

suggests that the v e r y d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n ego a n d s u p e r - e g o

e x p l a i n this i n t e r i o r i z a t i o n o f the p s y c h e a n d its e x p r e s s i o n

c a n b e t r a c e d t o a n a m b i v a l e n c e that i s first w i t h d r a w n f r o m

h e r e as a scene of p a r t i t i o n a n d c o n f r o n t a t i o n ? Is there an i m -

consciousness a n d then reemerges as a p s y c h i c topography

p l i c i t s o c i a l text i n this t o p o g r a p h i c a l r e n d i t i o n o f p s y c h i c life,

i n w h i c h " c r i t i c a l a g e n c y " i s s p l i t off f r o m the ego. S i m i l a r l y ,

o n e that i n s t a l l s a n t a g o n i s m (the threat of j u d g m e n t ) as the

i n h i s d i s c u s s i o n o f the self-beratements o f the s u p e r - e g o , h e

s t r u c t u r a l n e c e s s i t y o f the t o p o g r a p h i c a l m o d e l , o n e that f o l -

refers t e l l i n g l y to c o n s c i e n c e as "one of the m a j o r i n s t i t u t i o n s

lows f r o m melancholia a n d f r o m a w i t h d r a w a l of attachment?

of the ego."

M e l a n c h o l i a d e s c r i b e s a p r o c e s s b y w h i c h a n o r i g i n a l l y ex-

C l e a r l y p l a y i n g on a metaphor of a socially constructed d o -

t e r n a l object i s lost, o r a n i d e a l i s lost, a n d the r e f u s a l t o b r e a k

m a i n o f p o w e r , F r e u d ' s reference t o c o n s c i e n c e a s " a m o n g the

the a t t a c h m e n t t o s u c h a n object o r i d e a l l e a d s t o the w i t h -

m a j o r i n s t i t u t i o n s of the ego [Ichinstitutionen]" (247) suggests

d r a w a l of the object i n t o the ego, the r e p l a c e m e n t of the object

n o t o n l y that c o n s c i e n c e i s i n s t i t u t e d , p r o d u c e d , a n d m a i n -

b y the ego, a n d the s e t t i n g u p o f a n i n n e r w o r l d i n w h i c h a

t a i n e d w i t h i n a l a r g e r p o l i t y a n d its o r g a n i z a t i o n , b u t that the

c r i t i c a l a g e n c y i s s p l i t off f r o m the ego a n d p r o c e e d s t o take

ego a n d its v a r i o u s p a r t s are accessible t h r o u g h a m e t a p h o r i c a l

the ego as its object. In a w e l l - k n o w n passage, F r e u d m a k e s

l a n g u a g e that attributes a s o c i a l c o n t e n t a n d s t r u c t u r e to these

c l e a r that the a c c u s a t i o n s that the c r i t i c a l a g e n c y is s a i d to l e v e l

p r e s u m a b l y psychic phenomena. A l t h o u g h F r e u d begins his

against the ego t u r n o u t t o b e v e r y m u c h l i k e the a c c u s a t i o n s

essay b y i n s i s t i n g o n the i n d i s p u t a b l y " p s y c h o g e n i c n a t u r e "

that the ego w o u l d h a v e l e v e l e d a g a i n s t the object o r the i d e a l .

(243) o f the m e l a n c h o l i a a n d m o u r n i n g u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n

T h u s , the ego a b s o r b s b o t h l o v e a n d rage a g a i n s t the object.

i n the essay, h e also p r o v i d e s s o c i a l m e t a p h o r s that n o t o n l y

M e l a n c h o l i a appears to be a process of internalization, a n d one

g o v e r n the t o p o g r a p h i c d e s c r i p t i o n s o f m e l a n c h o l y ' s o p e r a -

m i g h t w e l l r e a d its effects as a p s y c h i c state that has e f f e c t i v e l y

tion, but i m p l i c i t l y u n d o his o w n c l a i m to p r o v i d e a specifi-

s u b s t i t u t e d itself for the w o r l d i n w h i c h i t d w e l l s . T h e effect o f

c a l l y p s y c h o g e n i c e x p l a n a t i o n o f these p s y c h i c states. F r e u d

m e l a n c h o l i a , t h e n , a p p e a r s t o b e the loss o f the s o c i a l w o r l d ,

d e s c r i b e s "one p a r t of the ego [that] sets itself o v e r against the

the s u b s t i t u t i o n o f p s y c h i c p a r t s a n d a n t a g o n i s m s f o r e x t e r n a l

other, j u d g e s it c r i t i c a l l y , a n d , as it w e r e , takes it as its object."

r e l a t i o n s a m o n g s o c i a l actors: " a n object-loss w a s t r a n s f o r m e d

A c r i t i c a l a g e n c y is s a i d to be " s p l i t off" (abgespalten) f r o m the

i n t o a n ego-loss a n d the c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n the ego a n d the l o v e d

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p e r s o n i n t o a c l e a v a g e b e t w e e n the c r i t i c a l a c t i v i t y o f the ego

p r o c e s s ) t r a n s f o r m s the object (one m i g h t e v e n u s e the t e r m

a n d the ego a s a l t e r e d b y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n " (249).

Aufhebung for s u c h a t r a n s f o r m a t i o n ) ; the o t h e r is t a k e n in

8

T h e object i s lost, a n d the ego i s s a i d t o w i t h d r a w the o b -

a n d t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o a n ego, b u t a n ego t o b e r e v i l e d , t h e r e b y

ject i n t o itself. T h e "object" t h u s w i t h d r a w n i s a l r e a d y m a g i c a l ,

b o t h p r o d u c i n g a n d s t r e n g t h e n i n g the c r i t i c a l " a g e n c y . . .

a trace of s o m e k i n d , a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of the object, b u t n o t

c o m m o n l y called conscience." A f o r m of m o r a l reflexivity is

the object itself, w h i c h is, after a l l , gone. T h e ego i n t o w h i c h

p r o d u c e d i n w h i c h the ego s p l i t s itself t o f u r n i s h a n i n t e r -

t h i s r e m n a n t i s " b r o u g h t " i s n o t e x a c t l y a s h e l t e r f o r lost p a r t -

n a l p e r s p e c t i v e b y w h i c h t o j u d g e itself. T h i s r e f l e x i v e r e l a -

objects, a l t h o u g h i t i s s o m e t i m e s d e s c r i b e d that w a y . T h e ego

t i o n b y w h i c h the ego b e c o m e s a n object f o r itself t u r n s o u t

i s " a l t e r e d b y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , " that is, a l t e r e d b y v i r t u e o f ab-

to be a w i t h d r a w n a n d t r a n s f o r m e d (entzogen a n d aufgehoben)

s o r b i n g the object o r p u l l i n g b a c k its o w n c a t h e x i s o n t o itself.

r e l a t i o n t o the lost o t h e r ; i n t h i s sense, r e f l e x i v i t y a p p e a r s t o

T h e " p r i c e " o f s u c h a n i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , h o w e v e r , i s that the ego

d e p e n d u p o n the p r i o r o p e r a t i o n o f m e l a n c h o l i a . T h e ego i s

s p l i t s i n t o the c r i t i c a l a g e n c y a n d the ego a s object o f c r i t i c i s m

a l s o f i g u r e d as h a v i n g a voice t h r o u g h this p r o c e s s , a n d it a p -

a n d j u d g m e n t . T h u s the r e l a t i o n t o the object r e a p p e a r s " i n "

p e a r s i m p e r a t i v e w i t h i n m e l a n c h o l i a that s e l f - b e r a t e m e n t b e

the ego, n o t m e r e l y as a m e n t a l e v e n t or s i n g u l a r r e p r e s e n -

v o i c e d , n o t m e r e l y t o oneself, b u t i n the p r e s e n c e o f others.

t a t i o n , b u t as a scene of s e l f - b e r a t e m e n t that r e c o n f i g u r e s the

T h e s e l f - r e p r o a c h e s o f the ego are n o t s i m p l y the i m i t a t i o n

t o p o g r a p h y o f the ego, a f a n t a s y o f i n t e r n a l p a r t i t i o n a n d j u d g -

o f r e p r o a c h e s o n c e l e v e l e d a g a i n s t the ego f r o m the o n e lost,

m e n t that c o m e s t o s t r u c t u r e the r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f p s y c h i c life

a s i s c o m m o n l y a s s u m e d ; rather, t h e y are r e p r o a c h e s l e v e l e d

tout court. T h e ego n o w s t a n d s for the object, a n d the c r i t i c a l

a g a i n s t the o t h e r that n o w t u r n b a c k u p o n the ego.

a g e n c y c o m e s to r e p r e s e n t the ego's d i s o w n e d rage, r e i f i e d as

Before we consider m o r e closely what it means for some-

a p s y c h i c a g e n c y separate f r o m the ego itself. T h a t rage, a n d

t h i n g to " t u r n back u p o n itself" in this way, it seems i m p o r -

the a t t a c h m e n t i t i m p l i e s , are " t u r n e d b a c k u p o n " the ego, b u t

tant t o n o t e that the p s y c h i c f o r m o f r e f l e x i v i t y m e l a n c h o l i a

from where?

elaborates c a r r i e s the trace of the o t h e r w i t h i n it as a d i s s i m u -

Yet c e r t a i n s o c i a l l y i d e n t i f i a b l e features o f the m e l a n c h o l i c ,

l a t e d s o c i a l i t y , a n d that the p e r f o r m a n c e o f m e l a n c h o l i a a s the

i n c l u d i n g " c o m m u n i c a t i v e n e s s , " suggest that m e l a n c h o l i a i s

s h a m e l e s s v o i c i n g o f s e l f - b e r a t e m e n t i n f r o n t o f o t h e r s effects

n o t a n a s o c i a l p s y c h i c state. I n fact, m e l a n c h o l i a i s p r o d u c e d

a d e t o u r that rejoins m e l a n c h o l i a t o its lost o r w i t h d r a w n s o c i -

t o the extent that the s o c i a l w o r l d i s e c l i p s e d b y the p s y c h i c ,

ality. I n m e l a n c h o l i a , n o t o n l y i s the loss o f a n o t h e r o r a n i d e a l

that a c e r t a i n transfer of a t t a c h m e n t f r o m objects to ego takes

lost t o c o n s c i o u s n e s s , b u t the s o c i a l w o r l d i n w h i c h s u c h a loss

p l a c e , n o t w i t h o u t a c o n t a m i n a t i o n o f the p s y c h i c s p h e r e b y

b e c a m e p o s s i b l e i s a l s o lost. T h e m e l a n c h o l i c d o e s n o t m e r e l y

the s o c i a l s p h e r e that i s a b a n d o n e d . F r e u d suggests a s m u c h

w i t h d r a w the lost object f r o m c o n s c i o u s n e s s , b u t w i t h d r a w s

w h e n h e e x p l a i n s that the lost o t h e r i s n o t s i m p l y b r o u g h t i n -

i n t o the p s y c h e a c o n f i g u r a t i o n o f the s o c i a l w o r l d a s w e l l . T h e

s i d e the ego, a s o n e m i g h t shelter a w a y w a r d d o g . T h e act o f

ego thus b e c o m e s a " p o l i t y " a n d c o n s c i e n c e o n e of its " m a j o r

i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n (to be c o n s t r u e d as a f a n t a s y r a t h e r t h a n as a

i n s t i t u t i o n s , " p r e c i s e l y b e c a u s e p s y c h i c life w i t h d r a w s a s o c i a l

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w o r l d i n t o itself i n a n effort t o a n n u l the losses that w o r l d d e -

self a n d r e h a b i l i t a t e the o t h e r i n the f o r m o f m y o w n i n t e r n a l

m a n d s . W i t h i n m e l a n c h o l i a , the p s y c h e b e c o m e s the t o p o s i n

a m b i v a l e n c e . I refuse to s p e a k to or of the other, b u t I s p e a k

w h i c h there i s n o loss a n d , i n d e e d , n o n e g a t i o n . M e l a n c h o l i a

v o l u m i n o u s l y a b o u t m y s e l f , l e a v i n g a r e f r a c t e d t r a i l of w h a t I

refuses t o a c k n o w l e d g e loss, a n d i n t h i s sense " p r e s e r v e s " its

d i d n o t say t o o r a b o u t the other. T h e s t r o n g e r the i n h i b i t i o n

lost objects as p s y c h i c effects.

a g a i n s t e x p r e s s i o n , the s t r o n g e r the e x p r e s s i o n o f c o n s c i e n c e .

F r e u d r e m a r k s the s o c i a l c o n d u c t o f the m e l a n c h o l i c , e m -

H o w d o e s t h i s p r o b l e m o f the u n c o n s c i o u s loss, the r e f u s e d

p h a s i z i n g h i s o r her s h a m e l e s s s e l f - e x p o s u r e : "the m e l a n c h o l i c

loss, that m a r k s m e l a n c h o l i a r e t u r n u s t o the p r o b l e m o f the r e -

does n o t b e h a v e i n q u i t e the s a m e w a y a s a p e r s o n w h o i s

l a t i o n b e t w e e n the p s y c h i c a n d the s o c i a l ? I n m o u r n i n g , F r e u d

crushed by remorse a n d self-reproach in a n o r m a l fashion.

tells us, there is n o t h i n g a b o u t the loss that is u n c o n s c i o u s . In

F e e l i n g s o f s h a m e are l a c k i n g . . . o r . . . are n o t p r o m i n e n t . . . .

m e l a n c h o l i a , h e m a i n t a i n s , "the object-loss i s w i t h d r a w n f r o m

O n e m i g h t e m p h a s i z e the p r e s e n c e i n h i m o f a n a l m o s t o p p o -

c o n s c i o u s n e s s " : the object i s n o t o n l y lost, b u t that loss itself i s

site t r a i t o f i n s i s t e n t c o m m u n i c a t i v e n e s s w h i c h f i n d s satisfac-

lost, w i t h d r a w n a n d p r e s e r v e d i n the s u s p e n d e d t i m e o f p s y -

t i o n i n s e l f - e x p o s u r e " (247). T h e m e l a n c h o l i c s u s t a i n s a n i n -

c h i c life. I n o t h e r w o r d s , a c c o r d i n g t o the m e l a n c h o l i c , " I h a v e

d i r e c t a n d d e f l e c t e d r e l a t i o n s h i p t o the s o c i a l i t y f r o m w h i c h

lost n o t h i n g . "

he or she has w i t h d r a w n . O n e would have d e n o u n c e d the lost

T h e u n s p e a k a b i l i t y a n d u n r e p r e s e n t a b i l i t y o f t h i s loss t r a n s -

other if one c o u l d — f o r departing, if for no other reason. F u l -

lates d i r e c t l y i n t o a h e i g h t e n i n g o f c o n s c i e n c e . W h e r e o n e

f i l l i n g a w i s h w h o s e f o r m , the past s u b j u n c t i v e , p r e c l u d e s

m i g h t e x p e c t that c o n s c i e n c e w o u l d w a x a n d w a n e a c c o r d i n g

a n y s u c h f u l f i l l m e n t , the m e l a n c h o l i c seeks n o t o n l y t o r e -

t o the s t r e n g t h o f e x t e r n a l l y i m p o s e d p r o h i b i t i o n s , i t a p p e a r s

verse t i m e , r e i n s t a t i n g the i m a g i n a r y past a s the p r e s e n t , b u t

that its s t r e n g t h has m o r e t o d o w i t h m a r s h a l l i n g aggres-

t o o c c u p y e v e r y p o s i t i o n a n d t h e r e b y t o p r e c l u d e the loss o f

s i o n i n the s e r v i c e o f r e f u s i n g t o a c k n o w l e d g e a loss that h a s

the addressee. T h e m e l a n c h o l i c w o u l d h a v e said something, if

a l r e a d y t a k e n p l a c e , a r e f u s a l to lose a t i m e that is a l r e a d y

h e o r she c o u l d , b u t d i d n o t , a n d n o w b e l i e v e s i n the s u s -

gone. O d d l y , the p s y c h e ' s m o r a l i s m a p p e a r s t o b e a n i n d e x o f

t a i n i n g p o w e r o f the v o i c e . V a i n l y , the m e l a n c h o l i c n o w says

its o w n t h w a r t e d g r i e f a n d i l l e g i b l e rage. T h u s , i f the r e l a t i o n

w h a t h e o r she w o u l d h a v e s a i d , a d d r e s s e d o n l y t o h i m s e l f , a s

b e t w e e n m e l a n c h o l i a a n d s o c i a l life i s t o b e r e e s t a b l i s h e d , i t i s

o n e w h o i s a l r e a d y s p l i t off f r o m h i m s e l f , b u t w h o s e p o w e r o f self-address d e p e n d s u p o n this self-forfeiture. T h e m e l a n c h o l i c t h u s b u r r o w s i n a d i r e c t i o n o p p o s i t e t o that i n w h i c h h e m i g h t f i n d a fresher trace of the lost other, a t t e m p t i n g to r e s o l v e the loss t h r o u g h p s y c h i c s u b s t i t u t i o n s a n d c o m p o u n d i n g the loss as he goes. A f a i l u r e of address, a f a i l u r e to s u s t a i n the o t h e r t h r o u g h the v o i c e that addresses, m e l a n c h o l i a e m e r g e s as a c o m p e n s a t o r y f o r m of n e g a t i v e n a r c i s s i s m : I r e v i l e m y -

n o t t o b e m e a s u r e d b y r e g a r d i n g the self-beratements o f c o n science a s m i m e t i c i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n s o f the b e r a t e m e n t s l e v e l e d b y s o c i a l agencies o f j u d g m e n t o r p r o h i b i t i o n . R a t h e r , f o r m s o f s o c i a l p o w e r e m e r g e that r e g u l a t e w h a t losses w i l l a n d w i l l n o t b e g r i e v e d ; i n the s o c i a l f o r e c l o s u r e o f g r i e f w e m i g h t f i n d w h a t fuels the i n t e r n a l v i o l e n c e o f c o n s c i e n c e . A l t h o u g h s o c i a l p o w e r r e g u l a t e s w h a t losses c a n b e g r i e v e d , it is n o t a l w a y s as effective as it a i m s to be. T h e loss c a n -

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science w o r k i n s u c h a w a y that the s u p e r - e g o gauges the ego

c a n d i r e c t l y b e a f f i r m e d . T h e " p l a i n t s " o f the m e l a n c h o l i c are

against the " e g o - i d e a l . " T h e ego i s f o u n d t o b e i m p o v e r i s h e d

i n v a r i a b l y m i s d i r e c t e d , yet i n t h i s m i s d i r e c t i o n r e s i d e s a n a -

b e s i d e t h i s i d e a l , a n d the " l o s s " that the ego suffers is a loss

scent p o l i t i c a l text. T h e p r o h i b i t i o n on g r i e f registers as a loss

o f c o m m e n s u r a b i l i t y b e t w e e n itself a n d the i d e a l b y w h i c h i t

o f s p e e c h for its addressee. T h e p a i n o f loss i s " c r e d i t e d " t o

is judged. W h e r e does this i d e a l emerge from? Is it a r b i t r a r i l y

the o n e w h o suffers it, a t w h i c h p o i n t the loss i s u n d e r s t o o d

m a n u f a c t u r e d b y the ego, o r d o s u c h i d e a l s r e t a i n the t r a c e o f

as a f a u l t or i n j u r y d e s e r v i n g of redress; o n e seeks r e d r e s s f o r

s o c i a l r e g u l a t i o n a n d n o r m a t i v i t y ? F r e u d r e m a r k s that m e l a n -

h a r m s d o n e t o oneself, b u t f r o m n o o n e e x c e p t oneself.

c h o l i a is a r e s p o n s e n o t just to d e a t h , b u t to o t h e r o r d e r s of

T h e v i o l e n c e o f s o c i a l r e g u l a t i o n i s n o t t o b e f o u n d i n its

loss, i n c l u d i n g "slights a n d d i s a p p o i n t m e n t s " (250). A n d w h e n

u n i l a t e r a l a c t i o n , b u t i n the c i r c u i t o u s r o u t e b y w h i c h the p s y -

h e i n t r o d u c e s the n o t i o n that b o t h m o u r n i n g a n d m e l a n c h o l i a

che accuses itself o f its o w n w o r t h l e s s n e s s . N o d o u b t , t h i s i s a

c a n b e r e s p o n s e s t o the loss o f a n i d e a l , s u c h a s " c o u n t r y " o r

strange a n d o p a q u e s y m p t o m o f u n r e s o l v e d grief. W h y does

" l i b e r t y , " h e m a k e s c l e a r b y h i s e x a m p l e s that s u c h i d e a l s are

the r e t r a c t i o n of the lost o t h e r i n t o the ego, the r e f u s a l to ac-

s o c i a l i n character.

k n o w l e d g e loss, c u l m i n a t e in a d e p r i v a t i o n of the ego? Is the

T h e i d e a l s b y w h i c h the ego j u d g e s itself c l e a r l y are ones b y

loss r e s i t u a t e d i n a w a y that n u l l i f i e s the ego i n o r d e r , p s y -

w h i c h the ego w i l l b e f o u n d w a n t i n g . T h e m e l a n c h o l i c c o m -

c h i c a l l y , to save the object? T h e decrease in self-esteem that is

p a r e s h i m - o r herself i n v i d i o u s l y w i t h s u c h s o c i a l i d e a l s . I f

said to distinguish melancholia f r o m m o u r n i n g appears to re-

t h e y are the p s y c h i c s a n c t i f i c a t i o n o f o n c e - e x t e r n a l objects o r

sult f r o m p r o d i g i o u s efforts b y the c r i t i c a l a g e n c y t o d e p r i v e

i d e a l s , t h e n they are s e e m i n g l y a l s o the target o f a g g r e s s i o n .

the ego of its esteem. B u t o n e c o u l d e q u a l l y say that there is no

I n d e e d , w e m i g h t w e l l ask w h e t h e r the s i t u a t i o n i n w h i c h the

q u e s t i o n o f h i g h o r l o w self-esteem p r i o r t o the o p e r a t i o n o f

ego is, as it w e r e , b e r a t e d by the i d e a l is n o t the i n v e r s i o n of

t h i s c r i t i c a l agency, n o " e s t e e m " that b e l o n g s t o the ego p r i o r t o

a p r i o r s i t u a t i o n i n w h i c h the ego w o u l d , i f i t c o u l d , h a v e b e -

its p a r t i t i o n i n t o ego a n d s u p e r - e g o . P r i o r t o the o p e r a t i o n o f

r a t e d the i d e a l . Is the p s y c h i c v i o l e n c e of c o n s c i e n c e n o t a r e -

a c r i t i c a l agency, it w o u l d be d i f f i c u l t to g a u g e the ego against

f r a c t e d i n d i c t m e n t o f the s o c i a l f o r m s that h a v e m a d e c e r t a i n

an i d e a l , a j u d g m e n t that p r e s u p p o s e s a c r i t i c a l a g e n c y that

k i n d s o f losses u n g r i e v a b l e ?

m i g h t a p p r o v e o r d i s a p p r o v e o f the ego's m o r a l state. I n t h i s

T h u s , a loss i n the w o r l d that c a n n o t b e d e c l a r e d enrages,

sense, self-esteem a p p e a r s t o b e p r o d u c e d b y the v e r y c r i t i c a l

generates a m b i v a l e n c e , a n d b e c o m e s the loss " i n " the ego that

agency by w h i c h it is potentially destroyed.

i s n a m e l e s s a n d d i f f u s e a n d that p r o m p t s p u b l i c r i t u a l s o f self-

F r e u d d o e s refer t o t h i s r e s i t u a t i n g o f loss i n the ego w h e n

b e r a t e m e n t . O f m o u r n i n g , F r e u d w r i t e s that i t " i m p e l s the

he refers to the ego as i m p o v e r i s h e d , as h a v i n g b e c o m e p o o r ,

ego to g i v e up the object by declaring the object to be d e a d "

a n d " a n object-loss . . . t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o an e g o - l o s s " (249).

(257, m y e m p h a s i s ) . M e l a n c h o l i a , i t w o u l d f o l l o w , refuses t o

T h i s loss i n the ego i s a p p a r e n t l y a loss o f a n i d e a l o f itself, a n d

m a k e a n y s u c h d e c l a r a t i o n , d e c l i n e s s p e e c h , s u s p e n d i n g the

i n F r e u d ' s later w o r k , h e specifies that the j u d g m e n t s o f c o n -

" v e r d i c t o f r e a l i t y that the object n o l o n g e r e x i s t s " (255). W e

•

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k n o w , h o w e v e r , that the m e l a n c h o l i c i s also " c o m m u n i c a t i v e , "

(246). T h e a g g r e s s i o n t u r n e d against the ego has the p o w e r

w h i c h suggests that h i s o r h e r s p e e c h i s n e i t h e r v e r d i c t i v e

t o contest a n d o v e r c o m e the d e s i r e t o l i v e . A t t h i s p o i n t i n

n o r d e c l a r a t i v e (assertoric), b u t i n e v i t a b l y i n d i r e c t a n d c i r c u -

F r e u d ' s theory, a g g r e s s i o n against o n e s e l f i s d e r i v e d f r o m a n

i t o u s . W h a t c a n n o t b e d e c l a r e d b y the m e l a n c h o l i c i s n e v e r -

o u t w a r d l y d i r e c t e d a g g r e s s i o n against a n other. B u t o n e c a n

theless w h a t g o v e r n s m e l a n c h o l i c s p e e c h — a n u n s p e a k a b i l i t y

d i s c e r n i n this f o r m u l a t i o n the b e g i n n i n g s o f r e f l e c t i o n o n a

that o r g a n i z e s the f i e l d of the s p e a k a b l e .

d r i v e that m i g h t b e s a i d t o c o u n t e r the p l e a s u r e p r i n c i p l e ,

" T h e loss o f the m e l a n c h o l i c seems p u z z l i n g t o u s b e c a u s e

w h a t is later r e f e r r e d to as the d e a t h d r i v e .

we cannot see what it is that is a b s o r b i n g h i m so e n t i r e l y " (247).

I n m e l a n c h o l i a , the ego c o n t r a c t s s o m e t h i n g o f the loss o r

W h a t c a n n o t b e d i r e c t l y s p o k e n i s also w h a t i s o c c l u d e d f r o m

a b a n d o n m e n t b y w h i c h the object i s n o w m a r k e d , a n a b a n -

sight, absent f r o m the v i s u a l f i e l d that o r g a n i z e d m e l a n c h o -

d o n m e n t that i s r e f u s e d a n d , a s r e f u s e d , i s i n c o r p o r a t e d . I n

lia. Melancholia is kept from view; it is an absorption by

this sense, to refuse a loss is to b e c o m e it. If the ego c a n n o t

s o m e t h i n g that c a n n o t b e a c c o m m o d a t e d b y v i s i o n , that re-

accept the loss of the other, t h e n the loss that the o t h e r c o m e s

sists b e i n g b r o u g h t i n t o the o p e n , n e i t h e r seen n o r d e c l a r e d .

t o r e p r e s e n t b e c o m e s the loss that n o w c h a r a c t e r i z e s the ego:

A s p r i v a t e a n d i r r e c o v e r a b l e a s t h i s loss seems, the m e l a n -

the ego b e c o m e s p o o r a n d i m p o v e r i s h e d . A loss s u f f e r e d i n

cholic is strangely outgoing, p u r s u i n g an "insistent c o m m u n i -

the w o r l d b e c o m e s n o w the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c l a c k i n the ego ( a

cativeness w h i c h f i n d s s a t i s f a c t i o n i n s e l f - e x p o s u r e " (247). T h e

s p l i t that is, a s i t w e r e , i m p o r t e d t h r o u g h the n e c e s s a r y w o r k

w o r t h l e s s n e s s o f the ego i s i n s i s t e n t l y c o m m u n i c a t e d . M e l -

of internalization).

ancholic speech, neither verdictive nor declarative, remains

I n t h i s w a y , m e l a n c h o l i a operates i n a d i r e c t i o n d i r e c t l y

u n a b l e t o s p e a k its loss. W h a t the m e l a n c h o l i c does d e c l a r e ,

c o u n t e r t o n a r c i s s i s m . E c h o i n g the b i b l i c a l c a d e n c e o f "the

n a m e l y , h i s o w n w o r t h l e s s n e s s , i d e n t i f i e s the loss a t the s i g h t

s h a d o w o f d e a t h , " a w a y i n w h i c h d e a t h i m p o s e s its p r e s e n c e

of the ego a n d , hence, c o n t i n u e s to f a i l to i d e n t i f y the loss. S e l f - b e r a t e m e n t takes the p l a c e o f a b a n d o n m e n t , a n d b e c o m e s the t o k e n of its r e f u s a l .

o n life, F r e u d r e m a r k s that i n m e l a n c h o l i a "the s h a d o w o f the object fell u p o n the e g o " (249). I n L a c a n ' s essays o n n a r c i s s i s m , the f o r m u l a t i o n i s i m p o r t a n t l y r e v e r s e d : the s h a d o w o f

The heightening of conscience under such circumstances

the ego falls u p o n the object. N a r c i s s i s m c o n t i n u e s t o c o n t r o l

attests to the u n a v o w e d status of the loss. T h e ego b e c o m e s

l o v e , e v e n w h e n that n a r c i s s i s m a p p e a r s t o g i v e w a y t o object-

m o r a l i z e d o n the c o n d i t i o n o f u n g r i e v e d loss. B u t w h a t c o n d i -

l o v e : it is s t i l l m y s e l f that I f i n d there at the site of the object,

t i o n s m a k e i t p o s s i b l e t o g r i e v e , o r n o t t o g r i e v e , loss?

9

m y absence. I n m e l a n c h o l i a t h i s f o r m u l a t i o n i s r e v e r s e d : i n the

T h e ego n o t o n l y b r i n g s the object i n s i d e b u t b r i n g s ag-

p l a c e of the loss that the o t h e r c o m e s to r e p r e s e n t , I f i n d m y -

g r e s s i o n against the object a l o n g w i t h it. T h e m o r e t h i s object

self t o b e that loss, i m p o v e r i s h e d , w a n t i n g . I n n a r c i s s i s t i c l o v e ,

is b r o u g h t i n s i d e , as it w e r e , the h i g h e r the s e l f - d e b a s e m e n t ,

the o t h e r c o n t r a c t s m y a b u n d a n c e . I n m e l a n c h o l i a , I c o n t r a c t

the p o o r e r the ego b e c o m e s : d e l u s i o n a l self-abasement "over-

the o t h e r ' s absence.

c o m e s the i n s t i n c t w h i c h c o m p e l s e v e r y l i v i n g t h i n g t o l i f e "

T h i s o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n m e l a n c h o l i a a n d n a r c i s s i s m ges-

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t u r e s t o w a r d the d u a l - d r i v e theory. F r e u d i s c l e a r that m e l a n -

b e e n e x p e r i e n c e d a s " t u r n e d a r o u n d u p o n the subject's o w n

cholia must be u n d e r s t o o d in part as a narcissistic disturbance.

self" (251) — " e i n e W e n d u n g g e g e n d i e eigene P e r s o n e r f a h r e n

S o m e o f its features c o m e f r o m n a r c i s s i s m , b u t s o m e c o m e

h a b e n . " T h e a m b i v a l e n c e that c o n t a i n s t h i s a g g r e s s i o n s p l i t s

f r o m m o u r n i n g . I n m a k i n g t h i s c l a i m , F r e u d a p p e a r s t o set

the cathexis, w h i c h i s t h e n d i s t r i b u t e d i n t o "parts": p a r t o f

m o u r n i n g as a l i m i t to n a r c i s s i s m , or p e r h a p s , as its c o u n t e r -

the e r o t i c cathexis regresses to i d e n t i f i c a t i o n ; the other p a r t to

d i r e c t i o n . W h a t e r o d e s the ego i n m e l a n c h o l i a i s u n d e r s t o o d

s a d i s m . Set up as i n t e r n a l p a r t s of the ego, the s a d i s t i c p a r t

to be a loss that w a s o r i g i n a l l y e x t e r n a l , b u t by The Ego and

takes a i m a t the p a r t that i d e n t i f i e s , a n d the p s y c h i c a l l y v i o l e n t

the Id F r e u d c o m e s to r e c o g n i z e that the w o r k of m e l a n c h o -

d r a m a o f the s u p e r - e g o p r o c e e d s . F r e u d a p p e a r s t o a s s u m e

l i a m a y w e l l b e i n the s e r v i c e o f the d e a t h d r i v e . H e asks,

a m b i v a l e n c e at the scene of loss: a w i s h for the o t h e r to d i e or

" H o w i s i t t h e n that i n m e l a n c h o l i a the s u p e r - e g o c a n b e -

to go (a w i s h that is s o m e t i m e s i n s t i g a t e d by the d e s i r e of the

c o m e a g a t h e r i n g - p l a c e for the d e a t h i n s t i n c t s ? "

H o w is it

ego t o l i v e a n d , hence, b r e a k its a t t a c h m e n t t o w h a t has gone

that the e g o - e r o d i n g effects of m e l a n c h o l i a , the ones that o v e r -

or died). F r e u d interprets this ambivalence as at once an i n -

1 0

c o m e "the i n s t i n c t w h i c h c o m p e l s e v e r y l i v i n g t h i n g t o life,"

stance of s a d i s m a n d a w i s h to p r e s e r v e the other as oneself.

c o m e t o w o r k i n the s e r v i c e o f a d r i v e that seeks t o o v e r c o m e

S e l f - t o r m e n t i s t h i s s a d i s m t u r n e d b a c k o n the ego, e n c o d i n g

life? F r e u d goes f u r t h e r a n d r e m a r k s that the " m e r c i l e s s v i o -

a n d d i s s i m u l a t i n g the d u a l d e s i r e t o v a n q u i s h a n d t o save the

l e n c e " o f c o n s c i e n c e s h o w s that " w h a t i s n o w h o l d i n g s w a y

object. S e l f - p u n i s h m e n t , h e notes, i s "the c i r c u i t o u s p a t h " o f

in the s u p e r - e g o is, as it w e r e , a p u r e c u l t u r e of the d e a t h

s a d i s m ; w e m i g h t a d d , i t i s the c i r c u i t o u s p a t h o f i d e n t i f i c a -

i n s t i n c t [Todestrieb]" (53). In m e l a n c h o l i a , t h e n , a c c o r d i n g to

tion as w e l l .

this r e v i s e d t h e o r y p u b l i s h e d in The Ego and the Id, it w o u l d

F r e u d a p p e a r s clear h e r e that s a d i s m p r e c e d e s m a s o c h i s m .

b e i m p o s s i b l e t o separate the d e a t h d r i v e f r o m the c o n s c i e n c e

( H i s later e m p h a s i s o n the d e a t h d r i v e w i l l i n v e r t t h i s p r i o r i t y . )

h e i g h t e n e d t h r o u g h m e l a n c h o l i a . I n e i t h e r case, the ego r i s k s

R e f l e x i v e a r t i c u l a t i o n s o f a g g r e s s i o n are a l w a y s d e r i v e d f r o m

its life i n the face o f its f a i l u r e t o l i v e u p t o the s t a n d a r d s e n -

o u t w a r d l y d i r e c t e d ones. W e h a v e k n o w n f o r s o m e t i m e , h e

c o d e d i n the e g o - i d e a l . A n d the a g g r e s s i o n i t takes u p o n itself

w r i t e s , that "no n e u r o t i c h a r b o r s t h o u g h t s o f s u i c i d e w h i c h h e

i s i n p a r t p r o p o r t i o n a l t o the a g g r e s s i o n against the other that

has n o t t u r n e d b a c k u p o n h i m s e l f [auf sich zuruckwendet] f r o m

i t has m a n a g e d t o b r i n g u n d e r c o n t r o l .

m u r d e r o u s i m p u l s e s t o w a r d o t h e r s " (252). T h e ego takes itself

In t h i s a c c o u n t of m e l a n c h o l i a , r e f l e x i v i t y e m e r g e s , as it

as an object in the p l a c e of t a k i n g the other as an object. I n d e e d ,

does for N i e t z s c h e , a s a t r a n s p o s e d a g g r e s s i v i t y . A s w e h a v e

the ego first takes itself as an object on the c o n d i t i o n that it has

seen, for F r e u d i n " M o u r n i n g a n d M e l a n c h o l i a , " a g g r e s s i o n

already t a k e n the other as an object, a n d that the other b e c o m e s

is p r i m a r i l y a r e l a t i o n to others a n d o n l y s e c o n d a r i l y a r e l a -

the m o d e l b y w h i c h the ego a s s u m e s its b o u n d a r y a s a n o b -

t i o n t o oneself. H e r e m a r k s that the s u i c i d a l p e r s o n m u s t first

ject for i t s e l f — a k i n d o f m i m e s i s , n o t u n l i k e that d e s c r i b e d b y

h a v e u n d e r g o n e m u r d e r o u s i m p u l s e s , a n d suggests that self-

M i k k e l Borch-Jacobsen,

t o r m e n t satisfies s a d i s m a n d hate. B o t h o f these i m p u l s e s h a v e

the ego a s a n object o n the m o d e l o f the other. M i m e s i s w i t h i n

11

in w h i c h mimetic activity produces

Psychic Inceptions

190

Melancholy,

Ambivalence,

Rage

191

m e l a n c h o l i a p e r f o r m s t h i s a c t i v i t y a s the i n c o r p o r a t i o n o f the

social a n d psychic instrument. This super-egoic conscience is

other " i n t o the ego." T h i s i s a n effort t o p r e s e r v e the other a n d

n o t s i m p l y a n a l o g o u s t o the state's m i l i t a r y p o w e r o v e r its c i t i -

a t the s a m e t i m e t o d i s s i m u l a t e a g g r e s s i o n t o w a r d the other.

z e n r y ; the state c u l t i v a t e s m e l a n c h o l i a a m o n g its c i t i z e n r y p r e -

C l e a r l y n o F r e u d i a n t h e o r y that takes the ego a s p r i m a r y

c i s e l y a s a w a y o f d i s s i m u l a t i n g a n d d i s p l a c i n g its o w n i d e a l

o r p r e g i v e n c a n a c c o u n t for the w a y i n w h i c h the ego first

a u t h o r i t y . T h i s is n o t to suggest that c o n s c i e n c e is a s i m p l e

b e c o m e s a n object o n the c o n d i t i o n o f the i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n o f

i n s t a n t i a t i o n of the state; on the c o n t r a r y , it is the v a n i s h i n g

a g g r e s s i o n a n d the r e f u s a l o f loss. M e l a n c h o l i a establishes the

p o i n t o f the state's a u t h o r i t y , its p s y c h i c i d e a l i z a t i o n , a n d , i n

t e n u o u s basis of the ego, a n d i n d i c a t e s s o m e t h i n g of its status

that sense, its d i s a p p e a r a n c e as an e x t e r n a l object. T h e p r o c e s s

as an i n s t r u m e n t of containment. T h e s i g n i f i c a n c e of the ego

of f o r m i n g the subject is a p r o c e s s of r e n d e r i n g the t e r r o r i z -

a s c o n t a i n i n g a g g r e s s i o n b e c o m e s clear w h e n w e c o n s i d e r

i n g p o w e r o f the state i n v i s i b l e — a n d e f f e c t i v e — a s the i d e a l i t y

F r e u d ' s e x p l i c i t l y s o c i a l m e t a p h o r i c s i n these d e s c r i p t i o n s . O n e passage, n o t e d b y H o m i B h a b h a ,

12

suggests s o m e t h i n g o f

the p o l i t i c a l a n a l o g y at issue. " M e l a n c h o l i c . . . r e a c t i o n . . . p r o c e e d s f r o m a m e n t a l c o n s t e l l a t i o n of r e v o l t [seelischen Konstellation der Auflehnung], w h i c h has t h e n , by a c e r t a i n p r o c e s s , p a s s e d o v e r i n t o the c r u s h e d state of m e l a n c h o l i a [die melancholische

Zerknirschung]"

(248).

B h a b h a a r g u e s that m e l a n c h o l i a is n o t a f o r m of p a s s i v i t y , b u t a f o r m o f r e v o l t that takes p l a c e t h r o u g h r e p e t i t i o n a n d m e t o n y m y . T h e m e l a n c h o l i c i n v e r t s against itself the i n d i c t m e n t i t w o u l d l e v e l against the other; t h i s " i n c o r p o r a t i o n " o f

o f c o n s c i e n c e . F u r t h e r m o r e , the i n c o r p o r a t i o n o f the i d e a l o f " L a w " u n d e r s c o r e s the c o n t i n g e n t r e l a t i o n b e t w e e n a g i v e n state a n d the i d e a l i t y o f its p o w e r . T h i s i d e a l i t y c a n a l w a y s b e incorporated elsewhere a n d remains incommensurable w i t h a n y o f its g i v e n i n c o r p o r a t i o n s . T h a t t h i s i d e a l i t y c a n n o t b e r e d u c e d t o a n y o f its i n c o r p o r a t i o n s does n o t m e a n , h o w e v e r , that i t subsists i n a n o u m e n a l s p h e r e b e y o n d a l l e m b o d i m e n t s . R a t h e r , the i n c o r p o r a t i o n s are sites o f r e a r t i c u l a t i o n , c o n d i tions for a " w o r k i n g t h r o u g h " a n d , potentially, a " t h r o w i n g off"

(Auflehnung).

The revolt in melancholia can be distilled by marshalling

the o t h e r is also, B h a b h a notes, a " d i s i n c o r p o r a t i o n of the M a s -

a g g r e s s i o n i n the s e r v i c e o f m o u r n i n g , b u t also, n e c e s s a r i l y , o f

ter." U n d e r s c o r i n g that "the L a w is e n t o m b e d as loss at the

life. A s a n i n s t r u m e n t o f p s y c h i c t e r r o r , c o n s c i e n c e w i e l d s the

p o i n t o f its i d e a l a u t h o r i t y , " h e a r g u e s that m e l a n c h o l i a c o n -

p o w e r of c o n d e m n a t i o n that, q u i t e l i t e r a l l y , p o s e s a threat to

tests the i d e a l i t y o f that a u t h o r i t y p r e c i s e l y b y i n c o r p o r a t i n g

one's life. F r e u d notes that i t "often e n o u g h s u c c e e d s i n d r i v -

it.

i n g the ego i n t o d e a t h , if the latter d o e s n o t fend off its tyrant in

1 3

A u t h o r i t y ' s ideality is incorporable elsewhere, no longer

t i e d i n a n y a b s o l u t e sense t o one f i g u r e o f the l a w . M e l a n c h o l i a i s a r e b e l l i o n that has b e e n p u t d o w n , c r u s h e d . Yet it is n o t a static affair; it c o n t i n u e s as a k i n d of " w o r k " that takes p l a c e b y d e f l e c t i o n . F i g u r e d w i t h i n the w o r k i n g s o f the p s y c h e i s the p o w e r o f the state t o p r e e m p t a n i n s u r r e c t i o n a r y rage. T h e " c r i t i c a l a g e n c y " of the m e l a n c h o l i c is at o n c e a

t i m e b y the c h a n g e r o u n d i n t o m a n i a . "

1 4

M a n i a appears to be

the e n e r g e t i c t h r o w i n g off of the a t t a c h m e n t to the lost object, e n s h r i n e d i n the w o r k i n g s o f c o n s c i e n c e . Yet i n m a n i a , " w h a t the ego has s u r m o u n t e d a n d w h a t i t i s t r i u m p h i n g o v e r r e main hidden from it."

1 5

I n m a n i a , the t y r a n t i s f e n d e d off, b u t

n o t t h r o w n off o r o v e r c o m e . M a n i a m a r k s a t e m p o r a r y s u s -

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p e n s i o n o r m a s t e r i n g o f the t y r a n t b y the ego, b u t the t y r a n t

psychic survival. Whereas melancholia involves a "delusional

r e m a i n s s t r u c t u r a l l y e n s c o n c e d f o r that p s y c h e — a n d u n k n o w -

s e l f - a b a s e m e n t . . . that o v e r c o m e s the i n s t i n c t w h i c h c o m p e l s

able. F o r a r e s o l u t i o n o f m e l a n c h o l i a that i s m o r e t h o r o u g h

e v e r y l i v i n g t h i n g t o l i f e , " the b r e a k w i t h m e l a n c h o l i a i n v o l v e s

t h a n a n y m a n i a c a n p r o v i d e , F r e u d suggests that " a v e r d i c t o f

t u r n i n g against the a l r e a d y " t u r n e d b a c k " a g g r e s s i o n that c o n -

r e a l i t y " m u s t b e a c c e p t e d for m e l a n c h o l i a t o b e c o m e m o u r n -

stitutes c o n s c i e n c e . S u r v i v a l , n o t p r e c i s e l y the o p p o s i t e o f m e l -

i n g , a n d f o r the a t t a c h m e n t t o the lost object t o b e s e v e r e d .

ancholia, but what melancholia puts in suspension—requires

I n d e e d , the a g g r e s s i o n i n s t r u m e n t a l i z e d b y c o n s c i e n c e a g a i n s t

r e d i r e c t i n g rage a g a i n s t the lost other, d e f i l i n g the s a n c t i t y o f

the ego i s p r e c i s e l y w h a t m u s t b e r e a p p r o p r i a t e d i n the ser-

the d e a d f o r the p u r p o s e s o f life, r a g i n g a g a i n s t the d e a d i n

v i c e of the d e s i r e to l i v e : "the l i b i d o ' s a t t a c h m e n t to the lost

order not to join them.

object i s m e t b y the v e r d i c t o f r e a l i t y that the object n o l o n g e r

A l t h o u g h s u c h rage m a y b e r e q u i r e d t o b r e a k the m e l -

exists; a n d the ego, c o n f r o n t e d a s i t w e r e w i t h the q u e s t i o n

a n c h o l i c b i n d , t h e r e i s n o f i n a l r e p r i e v e f r o m the a m b i v a -

w h e t h e r i t s h a l l s h a r e t h i s fate, i s p e r s u a d e d b y the s u m o f the

lence a n d no final separation of m o u r n i n g f r o m m e l a n c h o l i a .

n a r c i s s i s t i c s a t i s f a c t i o n s i t d e r i v e s f r o m b e i n g a l i v e t o sever its

F r e u d ' s v i e w that m o u r n i n g a n d m e l a n c h o l i a m i g h t b e d i s t i n -

a t t a c h m e n t to the object that has b e e n a b o l i s h e d " (255).

g u i s h e d i s c h a l l e n g e d n o t o n l y i n h i s o w n essay b y that n a m e ,

F o r the m e l a n c h o l i c , b r e a k i n g the a t t a c h m e n t c o n s t i t u t e s

b u t e x p l i c i t l y in The Ego and the Id. A m b i v a l e n c e , w h i c h is first

a s e c o n d loss of the object. If the object l o s t its e x t e r n a l i t y

i d e n t i f i e d a s a p o s s i b l e r e s p o n s e t o loss i n " M o u r n i n g a n d M e l -

w h e n i t b e c a m e a p s y c h i c i d e a l , i t n o w loses its i d e a l i t y a s the

a n c h o l i a , " b e c o m e s , t o w a r d the e n d o f the essay, the s t r u g g l e

ego t u r n s a g a i n s t c o n s c i e n c e , t h u s d e c e n t e r i n g itself. T h e j u d g -

that loss o c c a s i o n s b e t w e e n the d e s i r e t o l i v e a n d the d e s i r e

m e n t s o f c o n s c i e n c e are e x c h a n g e d f o r the v e r d i c t o f r e a l i t y ,

t o die. A s s u c h , b o t h a m b i v a l e n c e a n d the s t r u g g l e o f life a n d

a n d t h i s v e r d i c t p o s e s a d i l e m m a for the m e l a n c h o l i c , n a m e l y ,

d e a t h , t o b o r r o w H e g e l i a n p a r l a n c e , are o c c a s i o n e d b y loss,

w h e t h e r t o f o l l o w the l o s t object i n t o d e a t h o r t o s e i z e the

i n d e e d , i n s t i g a t e d b y loss. I f a m b i v a l e n c e d i s t i n g u i s h e s m e l -

o p p o r t u n i t y t o l i v e . L a t e r , F r e u d r e m a r k s that there c a n b e

ancholia f r o m m o u r n i n g , a n d i f m o u r n i n g entails a m b i v a l e n c e

no s e v e r i n g of t h i s a t t a c h m e n t to the object w i t h o u t a d i r e c t

a s p a r t o f the p r o c e s s o f " w o r k i n g t h r o u g h , " t h e n t h e r e i s n o

" d e c l a r a t i o n " o f loss a n d the d e s a n c t i f i c a t i o n o f the object b y

w o r k o f m o u r n i n g that d o e s n o t engage m e l a n c h o l i a . A s w a s

e x t e r n a l i z i n g a g g r e s s i o n against it: "Just a s m o u r n i n g i m p e l s

r e m a r k e d i n the p r e v i o u s chapter, F r e u d a r g u e s i n The Ego

the ego t o g i v e u p the object b y d e c l a r i n g the object t o b e

and the Id that the ego is c o m p o s e d of its l o s t a t t a c h m e n t s a n d

d e a d a n d o f f e r i n g the ego the i n d u c e m e n t t o l i v e , s o d o e s e a c h

that there w o u l d b e n o ego w e r e there n o i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n o f

s i n g l e s t r u g g l e o f a m b i v a l e n c e l o o s e n the f i x a t i o n o f the l i b i d o

loss a l o n g m e l a n c h o l i c l i n e s . T h e i n v e r s e o f t h i s p o s i t i o n , h o w -

t o the object b y d i s p a r a g i n g i t , d e n i g r a t i n g i t a n d e v e n a s i t

ever, i s n o t p u r s u e d b y F r e u d , a l t h o u g h h i s t h e o r y p o i n t s the

w e r e k i l l i n g it off [entwertet, herabsetzt, gleichsam audi erschlagt]"

w a y : i f the ego c o n t a i n s a g g r e s s i o n a g a i n s t the o t h e r w h o i s

(257). " K i l l i n g off" the c r i t i c a l a g e n c y reverses a n d d i s p l a c e s

gone, t h e n i t f o l l o w s that r e e x t e r n a l i z i n g that a g g r e s s i o n " u n -

the i n t e r i o r i z e d scene o f c o n s c i e n c e a n d c l e a r s the w a y f o r

c o n t a i n s " the ego. T h e d e s i r e t o l i v e i s n o t the d e s i r e o f the

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ego, b u t a d e s i r e that u n d o e s the ego in the c o u r s e of its e m e r -

i s b o u n d t o take. " L i b i d o " a n d " a t t a c h m e n t " i n s u c h a v i e w

gence. T h e " m a s t e r y " o f the ego w o u l d t h e n b e i d e n t i f i e d a s

c o u l d not be conceived as free-floating energies, but as h a v i n g

the effect of the d e a t h d r i v e , a n d life, in a N i e t z s c h e a n sense,

a h i s t o r i c i t y that c o u l d n e v e r f u l l y b e r e c o v e r e d .

w o u l d b r e a k a p a r t that m a s t e r y , i n i t i a t i n g a l i v e d m o d e o f b e -

I f i n " M o u r n i n g a n d M e l a n c h o l i a , " F r e u d t h o u g h t that o n e

c o m i n g that contests the stasis a n d d e f e n s i v e status of the ego.

m u s t s e v e r o n e a t t a c h m e n t to m a k e a n o t h e r , in The Ego and the

B u t the s t o r y o f m o u r n i n g c a n n o t b e r e d u c e d t o o n e i n

Id, he is clear that o n l y u p o n the c o n d i t i o n that the lost o t h e r

w h i c h life t r i u m p h s o v e r d e a t h . T h e d y n a m i c i s m o r e c o m -

b e c o m e s i n t e r n a l i z e d c a n m o u r n i n g ever b e a c c o m p l i s h e d a n d

p l i c a t e d . A l t h o u g h i n 1917 F r e u d does n o t yet d i s t i n g u i s h b e -

n e w attachments begun. H e r e , of course, an u n e x p l o r e d p o i n t

t w e e n the p l e a s u r e p r i n c i p l e a n d the d e a t h d r i v e , h e d o e s note

d e s e r v e s r e m a r k : i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n does n o t h a v e t o t a k e the

that m e l a n c h o l y has the p o w e r t o force the ego i n t o d e a t h .

f o r m of a mercilessly violent conscience, a n d certain k i n d s of

B y 1923, h e e x p l i c i t l y c l a i m s that c o n s c i e n c e , a s i t f u n c t i o n s

i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n , w h i c h are n o t a l w a y s i n c o r p o r a t i o n s , are n e c -

i n m e l a n c h o l i a , i s " a g a t h e r i n g p l a c e " for the d e a t h d r i v e s . I n

essary f o r s u r v i v a l .

m o u r n i n g , the c l a i m o f life does n o t t r i u m p h o v e r the l u r e o f

F r e u d , that " m o u r n i n g i s the a f f i r m a t i v e i n c o r p o r a t i o n o f the

d e a t h ; o n the c o n t r a r y , the "death d r i v e s " are m a r s h a l l e d i n the

O t h e r " a n d that, i n p r i n c i p l e , there c a n b e n o e n d t o m o u r n -

s e r v i c e o f b r e a k i n g w i t h the object, " k i l l i n g " the object i n o r d e r

ing.

1 6

I n d e e d , D e r r i d a insists, w i t h the later

1 7

to l i v e . F u r t h e r , i n s o f a r as the object r e s i d e s as the i d e a l i t y of

I n d e e d , o n e m a y rage a g a i n s t one's a t t a c h m e n t t o s o m e

c o n s c i e n c e , a n d the ego i s s i t u a t e d w i t h i n that t o p o g r a p h i c a l

o t h e r s ( w h i c h i s s i m p l y t o alter the t e r m s o f the a t t a c h m e n t ) ,

scene, b o t h c o n s c i e n c e a n d the ego are n e c e s s a r i l y u n d o n e b y

b u t n o rage c a n s e v e r the a t t a c h m e n t t o alterity, e x c e p t p e r -

that m u r d e r o u s c l a i m o n life. T h e "death d r i v e " i s t h u s p a r a -

h a p s a s u i c i d a l rage that u s u a l l y s t i l l leaves b e h i n d a note, a

d o x i c a l l y n e c e s s a r y for s u r v i v a l ; i n m o u r n i n g , the b r e a k i n g o f

f i n a l a d d r e s s , t h u s c o n f i r m i n g that a l l o c u t o r y b o n d . S u r v i v a l

a t t a c h m e n t i n a u g u r a t e s life. B u t t h i s " b r e a k " i s n e v e r f i n a l o r

d o e s n o t t a k e p l a c e b e c a u s e a n a u t o n o m o u s ego exercises a u -

f u l l . O n e does n o t r e t r a c t a q u a n t i t y o f l i b i d o f r o m o n e object

t o n o m y i n c o n f r o n t a t i o n w i t h a c o u n t e r v a i l i n g w o r l d ; o n the

i n o r d e r t o i n v e s t i t i n another. T o the extent that m e l a n c h o l y

c o n t r a r y , n o ego c a n e m e r g e except t h r o u g h a n i m a t i n g ref-

establishes the p o s i t i o n a l i t y o f the ego, the d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n

e r e n c e to s u c h a w o r l d . S u r v i v a l is a m a t t e r of a v o w i n g the

the p s y c h i c a n d the s o c i a l , i t also f u n c t i o n s t o m a k e p o s s i b l e

trace o f loss that i n a u g u r a t e s one's o w n e m e r g e n c e . T o m a k e

a n e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l e n c o u n t e r w i t h alterity. T h e c o n c l u s i o n o f

of m e l a n c h o l i a a s i m p l e " r e f u s a l " to g r i e v e its losses c o n j u r e s

g r i e f m a y u n d o the ego ( i n the sense o f " u n b i n d i n g " i t f r o m its

a subject w h o m i g h t a l r e a d y b e s o m e t h i n g w i t h o u t its losses,

c a t h e x i s i n c o n s c i e n c e ) , b u t i t does n o t d e s t r o y it. T h e r e i s n o

that is, o n e w h o v o l u n t a r i l y e x t e n d s a n d retracts h i s o r h e r

b r e a k w i t h the c o n s t i t u t i v e h i s t o r i c i t y o f loss t o w h i c h m e l a n -

w i l l . Yet the subject w h o m i g h t g r i e v e i s i m p l i c a t e d i n a loss

c h o l y attests (except p e r h a p s i n the m a n i c r e s p o n s e , w h i c h i s

o f a u t o n o m y that i s m a n d a t e d b y l i n g u i s t i c a n d s o c i a l life; i t

a l w a y s t e m p o r a r y ) . T h e h i s t o r i c i t y o f loss i s t o b e f o u n d i n

c a n n e v e r p r o d u c e itself a u t o n o m o u s l y . F r o m the start, t h i s

i d e n t i f i c a t i o n a n d , h e n c e , i n the v e r y f o r m s that a t t a c h m e n t

ego i s o t h e r t h a n itself; w h a t m e l a n c h o l i a s h o w s i s that o n l y

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b y a b s o r b i n g the o t h e r a s o n e s e l f does o n e b e c o m e s o m e t h i n g

r e g u l a t i o n ; rather, i t i s the i n s t r u m e n t o f its d i s s i m u l a t i o n . T o

at all. The social terms w h i c h make survival possible, w h i c h

c l a i m life i n s u c h c i r c u m s t a n c e s i s t o contest the r i g h t e o u s p s y -

i n t e r p e l l a t e s o c i a l existence, n e v e r reflect the a u t o n o m y o f the

che, n o t b y a n act o f w i l l , b u t b y s u b m i s s i o n t o a s o c i a l i t y a n d

one w h o comes to recognize h i m - or herself in t h e m arid, thus,

l i n g u i s t i c life that m a k e s s u c h acts p o s s i b l e , o n e that exceeds

s t a n d s a c h a n c e "to b e " w i t h i n l a n g u a g e . I n d e e d , b y f o r f e i t i n g

the b o u n d s o f the ego a n d its " a u t o n o m y . " T o p e r s i s t i n one's

that n o t i o n o f a u t o n o m y s u r v i v a l b e c o m e s p o s s i b l e ; the "ego"

b e i n g m e a n s t o b e g i v e n o v e r f r o m the start t o s o c i a l t e r m s

i s r e l e a s e d f r o m its m e l a n c h o l i c f o r e c l o s u r e o f the s o c i a l . T h e

that are n e v e r f u l l y o n e ' s o w n . T h o s e t e r m s i n s t i t u t e a l i n g u i s -

ego c o m e s i n t o b e i n g o n the c o n d i t i o n o f the " t r a c e " o f the

tic life f o r the " o n e " w h o s p e a k s p r i o r t o a n y act o f agency,

other, w h o is, at that m o m e n t of e m e r g e n c e , a l r e a d y at a d i s -

a n d t h e y r e m a i n b o t h i r r e d u c i b l e t o the o n e w h o s p e a k s a n d

tance. To a c c e p t the a u t o n o m y of the ego is to forget that trace;

the n e c e s s a r y c o n d i t i o n s o f s u c h s p e e c h . I n t h i s sense, i n t e r -

a n d t o a c c e p t that trace i s t o e m b a r k u p o n a p r o c e s s o f m o u r n -

p e l l a t i o n w o r k s b y f a i l i n g , that is, i t i n s t i t u t e s its subject a s a n

i n g that c a n n e v e r b e c o m p l e t e , for n o f i n a l s e v e r a n c e c o u l d

agent p r e c i s e l y to the extent that it fails to d e t e r m i n e s u c h a

t a k e p l a c e w i t h o u t d i s s o l v i n g the ego.

subject e x h a u s t i v e l y i n t i m e .

T h i s i n s i g h t that m e l a n c h o l i a offers i n t o the p o w e r o f the

T h e i n a u g u r a t i v e scene o f i n t e r p e l l a t i o n i s o n e i n w h i c h a

trace of a l t e r i t y to p r o d u c e the ego " a l o n g a f i c t i o n a l l i n e , " as

c e r t a i n f a i l u r e t o b e c o n s t i t u t e d b e c o m e s the c o n d i t i o n o f p o s -

L a c a n has p u t i t , i s n o t r e s t r i c t e d t o the trace o f s o m e s p e c i f i c

s i b i l i t y for c o n s t i t u t i n g oneself. S o c i a l d i s c o u r s e w i e l d s the

set o f others, that is, t o the c h i l d a n d its m o t h e r o r t o o t h e r

p o w e r t o f o r m a n d r e g u l a t e a subject t h r o u g h the i m p o s i t i o n

d y a d i c p a i r s . I n d e e d , the " o t h e r " m a y b e a n i d e a l , a c o u n t r y , a

o f its o w n t e r m s . T h o s e t e r m s , h o w e v e r , are n o t s i m p l y ac-

c o n c e p t o f l i b e r t y , i n w h i c h the loss o f s u c h i d e a l s i s c o m p e n -

c e p t e d o r i n t e r n a l i z e d ; t h e y b e c o m e p s y c h i c o n l y t h r o u g h the

sated b y the i n t e r i o r i z e d i d e a l i t y o f c o n s c i e n c e . A n o t h e r o r a n

m o v e m e n t b y w h i c h t h e y are d i s s i m u l a t e d a n d " t u r n e d . " I n

i d e a l m a y b e " l o s t " b y b e i n g r e n d e r e d u n s p e a k a b l e , that is, lost

the absence of e x p l i c i t r e g u l a t i o n , the subject e m e r g e s as o n e

through p r o h i b i t i o n or foreclosure: unspeakable, impossible

for w h o m p o w e r h a s b e c o m e v o i c e , a n d v o i c e , the r e g u l a t o r y

t o d e c l a r e , b u t e m e r g i n g i n the i n d i r e c t i o n o f c o m p l a i n t a n d

i n s t r u m e n t o f the p s y c h e . T h e s p e e c h acts o f p o w e r — t h e d e c -

the h e i g h t e n e d j u d g m e n t s o f c o n s c i e n c e . C o n t a i n e d w i t h i n the p s y c h i c t o p o g r a p h y o f a m b i v a l e n c e , the f a d e d s o c i a l text r e q u i r e s a d i f f e r e n t sort o f g e n e a l o g y i n the f o r m a t i o n o f the subject, o n e w h i c h takes i n t o a c c o u n t h o w w h a t r e m a i n s u n s p e a k a b l y absent i n h a b i t s the p s y c h i c v o i c e o f the o n e w h o r e m a i n s . T h e v i o l e n c e o f the loss i s r e d o u b l e d a n d r e f r a c t e d i n a v i o l e n c e o f the p s y c h i c a g e n c y that threatens d e a t h ; the s o c i a l i s " t u r n e d b a c k " i n t o the p s y c h i c , o n l y t o leave its trace i n the v o i c e o f c o n s c i e n c e . C o n s c i e n c e t h u s fails t o i n s t a n t i a t e s o c i a l

l a r a t i o n o f g u i l t , the j u d g m e n t o f w o r t h l e s s n e s s , the v e r d i c t s o f reality—are topographically rendered as psychic instruments a n d i n s t i t u t i o n s w i t h i n a p s y c h i c l a n d s c a p e that d e p e n d s o n its m e t a p h o r i c i t y f o r its p l a u s i b i l i t y . R e g u l a t o r y p o w e r b e c o m e s " i n t e r n a l " o n l y t h r o u g h the m e l a n c h o l i c p r o d u c t i o n o f the f i g u r e o f i n t e r n a l space, o n e that f o l l o w s f r o m the w i t h d r a w i n g of resources —a w i t h d r a w a l a n d t u r n i n g of language, a s w e l l . B y w i t h d r a w i n g its o w n p r e s e n c e , p o w e r b e c o m e s a n object l o s t — " a loss o f a m o r e i d e a l k i n d . " E l i g i b l e f o r m e l a n -

198

Psychic Inceptions

c h o l i c i n c o r p o r a t i o n , p o w e r n o l o n g e r acts u n i l a t e r a l l y o n its subject. R a t h e r , the subject i s p r o d u c e d , p a r a d o x i c a l l y , t h r o u g h t h i s w i t h d r a w a l o f p o w e r , its d i s s i m u l a t i o n a n d f a b u l a t i o n o f the p s y c h e as a s p e a k i n g t o p o s . S o c i a l p o w e r v a n i s h e s , b e c o m i n g the object lost, o r s o c i a l p o w e r m a k e s v a n i s h , effecting a m a n d a t o r y set of losses. T h u s , it effects a m e l a n c h o l i a that r e p r o d u c e s p o w e r a s the p s y c h i c v o i c e o f j u d g m e n t a d d r e s s e d t o ( t u r n e d u p o n ) oneself, t h u s m o d e l i n g r e f l e x i v i t y o n s u b j e c t i o n . S o m e p s y c h o a n a l y t i c t h e o r i s t s o f the s o c i a l h a v e a r g u e d that s o c i a l i n t e r p e l l a t i o n a l w a y s p r o d u c e s a p s y c h i c excess i t c a n n o t c o n t r o l . Yet the p r o d u c t i o n of the p s y c h i c as a d i s t i n c t d o m a i n c a n n o t o b l i t e r a t e the s o c i a l o c c a s i o n o f t h i s p r o d u c t i o n . T h e " i n s t i t u t i o n " o f the ego c a n n o t f u l l y o v e r c o m e its s o c i a l r e s i d u e , g i v e n that its " v o i c e " i s f r o m the start b o r r o w e d f r o m e l s e w h e r e , a r e c a s t i n g of a s o c i a l " p l a i n t " as p s y c h i c selfjudgment. T h e p o w e r i m p o s e d u p o n o n e i s the p o w e r that a n i m a t e s one's e m e r g e n c e , a n d t h e r e a p p e a r s t o b e n o e s c a p i n g t h i s a m b i v a l e n c e . I n d e e d , there a p p e a r s t o b e n o " o n e " w i t h o u t a m b i v a l e n c e , w h i c h i s t o say that the f i c t i v e r e d o u b l i n g necess a r y to b e c o m e a self r u l e s o u t the p o s s i b i l i t y of strict i d e n t i t y . F i n a l l y , t h e n , there i s n o a m b i v a l e n c e w i t h o u t loss a s the v e r d i c t of s o c i a l i t y , o n e that leaves the t r a c e of its t u r n at the scene of one's e m e r g e n c e .