Andre Gide’s L’Immoraliste A Feminist and Psychoanalytic Reading

What does feminist criticism do? deconstructs predominantly male cultural paradigms (models) reconstructs a female perspective and experience, in order to change the tradition that has oppressed, marginalised or silenced women Feminist Literary Criticism (Gayle Greene and Coppelia Kahn 1985, p.1)

First type of feminist criticism critiques male-authored texts sees canonical male-authored literature as discourse in collusion with patriarchal ideology Examines ‘the images and stereotypes of women in literature, the omissions and misconceptions about women in criticism, and the fissures in male-constructed literary history’ (Elaine Showalter,‘Towards a Feminist Poetics’ 1979, p.25)

Second type of feminist criticism ‘gynocriticism’ focuses on the woman as writer explores the themes and structures of women’s literature looks at the relationship between the established male literary tradition and women’s writing this reading belongs to first type, focuses on character Marceline, male writer Gide, and male first person narrator Michel. A feminist, but not a gynocritical reading.

Psychoanalytic literary criticism grew out of writings of Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) on the human psyche traditionally analyses either the unconscious traits of the author, or of the central character(s) since 1970s, tends to analyse the structural (formal, linguistic) properties of the literary text, based on dictum ‘The unconscious is structured like a language’ (Jacques Lacan) this is traditional reading – of unconscious desire of narrator character Michel to destroy his wife (two aspects)

Narcissus and Echo (Segal 1988) 1 explores treatment of women characters in 15 male-authored, male-narrated French confessional récits argues a relationship exists between male author, male narrator and implied male reader (= reader invited/expected by text) maintains that ‘frame narrative’ told to other men constructs an ‘implied reader’ in a similar position to the narrator’s audience

Narcissus and Echo 2 récits Segal analyses usually recount failed male life to other men in frame narrative (failure is reason for telling) woman is involved in man’s failure and also dies. He is haunted by and tells her story with his own. woman is marginalised and silenced woman fails narrator as ‘mother-mirror’, and dies

Narcissus and Echo 3 Narcissus is ‘a closed, bisexed unit’, ‘suicidally complete’ (p.9). Echo is ‘the detached part of an inconceivable whole, having neither life nor, finally, death’ (p.9) Michel (Narcissus) seeks out (male) doubles to act as mirrors to his (unconsummated) homosexual desire. He also seeks, unconsciously, to makes Marceline into a mirroring other. He fails in this, but destroys her in the process.

Michel’s male doubles Bachir (Biskra), introduced by Marceline (164) Moktir, who steals Marceline’s scissors (165) Coach driver, his desire for whom is transferred to Marceline in single consummation of his marriage (165-6) Charles at La Morinière (Marceline is pregnant and ignored) (166) Ménalque (Marceline miscarries when Michel spends night away with him) (167-9) 2nd coach driver ‘delicious as a fruit’, whom Michel kisses (172)

Conclusion 1 Michel slips passively into sex with woman provided by Moktir (again, desire is mediated) while Marceline vomits blood Neither destruction of Marceline nor telling her story (with his) brings Michel any release from narcissistic desire

Conclusion 2 – Segal’s reading Clearly sets out how an apparent tale of heroic male self-discovery is actually a complex account of male narcissism, exploitation and misogyny Doesn’t fully explain nature of link between Marceline’s decline and death and Michel’s unconscious pursuit of homosexual love objects.