Love Stories: The Discourses of Desire in Literature and Culture, 1800 – the Present Session Two

Agenda Summary of Session One Summary of Session One How to theorise desire: Catherine Belsey How to theorise desire: Catherine Belsey Tennyson, ”The Lady of Shalott” Tennyson, ”The Lady of Shalott”

A Summary of Session One From the Tristan and Isolde promotion web page we saw that: From the Tristan and Isolde promotion web page we saw that: –Love is transgression –Love is sadness –Love is simulation, a copy of a copy, cliché, hyperreal, quotation, citatation

Cultural Studies Assignment Hyperreal love in Tristan and Isolde With Special Reference to the Film Website. [Taking your point of departure in an outline of Baudrillard’s notions of simulation and the simulacrum, you analyse and discuss how the website both claims that Tristan and Isolde is a representation of love and undermines that claim by hinting that we’re really dealing with a copy of a copy].

A Summary of Session One From Keats we saw that From Keats we saw that Love is the love of love – happy love is aching separation, longing for unification Love is the love of love – happy love is aching separation, longing for unification Love (as unification) is loss of identity, self, consciousness, a kind of death Love (as unification) is loss of identity, self, consciousness, a kind of death

Literary Project Love, Identity, and Reading in Keats’ “La Belle Dame Sans Merci”, “The Eve of St. Agnes”, and “Lamia”. Love, Identity, and Reading in Keats’ “La Belle Dame Sans Merci”, “The Eve of St. Agnes”, and “Lamia”.

Theorising Desire – According to Catherine Belsey. ”Reading Love Stories” Two key assumptions of romance: Two key assumptions of romance: Human beings are divided into mind and body Human beings are divided into mind and body Human beings are incomplete until united with their soul mates Human beings are incomplete until united with their soul mates

Theorising Desire – According to Catherine Belsey. ”Reading Love Stories” (cont.) In romances ”true love offers to unify mind and body” (23) In romances ”true love offers to unify mind and body” (23) However, romances celebrate ”the elemental otherness of desire as a constituent of true love” (28) in metaphors of the destruction of subjectivity [remember Keats!] However, romances celebrate ”the elemental otherness of desire as a constituent of true love” (28) in metaphors of the destruction of subjectivity [remember Keats!] ”True love, then, is not so much a union of mind and body as an alternation of their dominance” (30) ”True love, then, is not so much a union of mind and body as an alternation of their dominance” (30)

Theorising Desire – According to Catherine Belsey. ”Reading Love Stories” (cont.) But, in fact, neither mind nor body is the dominant one. Both are social and cultural constructs (34). Moreover, desire is an effect of the signifier. Differance. – difference and deferral But, in fact, neither mind nor body is the dominant one. Both are social and cultural constructs (34). Moreover, desire is an effect of the signifier. Differance. – difference and deferral Perhaps this is why we need so many love stories: they never actually fulfil their promise of uniting mind and body and lover and beloved. Perhaps this is why we need so many love stories: they never actually fulfil their promise of uniting mind and body and lover and beloved. Still, fulfilment rather than disappointment is an important aspect of romance. The happiness of reading springs from the process rather than the end. Still, fulfilment rather than disappointment is an important aspect of romance. The happiness of reading springs from the process rather than the end. Tragic love. Love is related to loss. The end of reading is always the end of desire. Tragic love. Love is related to loss. The end of reading is always the end of desire.

Belsey, ”Adultery in King Arthur’s Court” Arthur, Guinevere, LAncelot, Elaine, Mark, Tristam, Iseult, etc. Arthur, Guinevere, LAncelot, Elaine, Mark, Tristam, Iseult, etc. Stories of adultery and homosocial desire: triangular desire - rivalry Stories of adultery and homosocial desire: triangular desire - rivalry

Belsey, ”Adultery in King Arthur’s Court” The literary and cultural history of Arthurian legend: The literary and cultural history of Arthurian legend: I: the 12th Century romance. ”Love is passionate, extravagant, agonizing, and obsessional” (108). Love is not related to marriage and family I: the 12th Century romance. ”Love is passionate, extravagant, agonizing, and obsessional” (108). Love is not related to marriage and family II. The 15th Century romance. Adultery is tolerated. II. The 15th Century romance. Adultery is tolerated. III. 19th century romance. Adultery in conflict with moral and spiritual (religious) duty III. 19th century romance. Adultery in conflict with moral and spiritual (religious) duty

Tennyson, ”The Lady of Shalott” Why a poem about the Lady of Shalott? Why a poem about the Lady of Shalott? What does Camelot signify? What does Camelot signify? What’s the Lady’s situation like? Outline the changes. What’s the Lady’s situation like? Outline the changes. What’s the theme of the poem? What’s the theme of the poem?

Paintings of The Lady of Shalott John William Waterhouse ( ) John William Waterhouse ( )

John William Waterhouse 1888

John William Waterhouse, 1894

John William Waterhouse, 1916 ”’I Am Half Sick of Shadows’”, Said The Lady of Shalott”

William Holman Hunt

John Sidney Meteyard

Arthur Huges

William More Egley

John Atkinson Grimshaw