Jacques lacan jacques lacan19011981\the mirror stage. The mirror stage is based on the belief that infants recognize themselves in a mirror literal or other symbolic contraption which induces apperception the turning of oneself into an object that can be viewed by the child from outside themselves from the age of about six. Lacan s reinterpretation of freud, with the central focus on language, brought about a poststructuralist turn to psychoanalytic theory. Jan 17, 2007 the psychoanalyst jacques lacan 19011981 was one of the twentieth centurys most influential thinkers. Jun 10, 2016 jacques lacan was frances most famous psychoanalyst, who came up with the intriguing concept of the mirror phase. As in freud, this is formed through an external force.
Lacans article the mirror stage as formative of the i 1936, 1949 lays out the parameters of a doctrine that he never foreswore, and which has subsequently become something of a poststructuralist mantra. This is a summary of the version of lacan s paper presented in the norton anthology of theory and criticism, 2001. In the early stages of his career, from 192653, lacan progressed from conventional psychiatric treatment to gradual inclusion of clinical psychoanalysis. Owen hewitson september, 2010 what does lacan say about this is the first of two articles looking at the theory of the mirror stage in lacans work. Yet, despite these departures from analytic orthodoxy. Jacquesmarieemile lacan was a french psychoanalyst, psychiatrist, and doctor, who made prominent contributions to the psychoanalytic movement. The mirror stage jacques lacan 19011981 jacques lacan was born in paris on april, 1901. The mirror stage is based on the belief that infants. Lacan can account for this through his analysis of the mirror stage.
Introduction to jacques lacan, module on psychosexual development 2. This concept corresponds to the mirror stage see the lacan module on psychosexual development and marks the movement of the subject from primal need to what lacan terms demand. Drawing on work in physiology and animal psychology, lacan proposes that human infants pass through a stage in which an external image of the body reflected in a mirror, or represented to the infant through the mother or primary caregiver produces a psychic. First, i will expose what appears to be the essence of lacans mirror stage. Lacans concept of mirror stage by nasrullah mambrol on april 22, 2016 5. The mirror stage is based on the belief that infants recognize themselves in a mirror literal or other symbolic contraption which induces apperception from the age of about six months. Sep 22, 2016 in this video, i explore the theory behind psychoanalyst jacques lacan s the mirror stage. It happens through the identification with the mirror and with the other. His theories and research have immensely benefitted critical theory, french philosophy, sociology, feminist theory, literary theory, film theory and clinical psychoanalysis. Although it may seem strange at first to analyze mary shelleys frankenstein from a psychoanalytic perspective, the founder of psychoanalysis, sigmund freud, and french psychoanalyst jacques lacan theories of the mirror stage and the oedipal complex enable frankenstein to be read as a novel embracing psychoanalytic theories.
Mirror stage and instance of the letter the mirror stage the. Pdf lacan ebooks includes pdf, epub and kindle version. Lacan, jacques internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Lacans concept of mirror stage literary theory and. Jacques marie emile lacan april, 1901 to september 9, 1981 was a major figure in parisian intellectual life for much of the twentieth century. By the early 1950s, he came to regard the mirror stage as more than a moment in the life of the infant. Introduction to jacques lacan, module on the structure of.
This is a summary of the version of lacans paper presented in the norton anthology of theory and criticism, 2001. Pdf my intention in this article is to evaluate lacans theory of the mirror. Lacan s first official contribution to psychoanalysis was the mirror stage, which he described as formative of the function of the i as revealed in psychoanalytic experience. Lacan s ideas about the formation of the i developed over time in conjunction with his other elaborations of freudian theory. Jacques lacan was a renowned philosopher and an extremely controversial psychoanalyst, who ranked amongst the most notable academics of parisian society during the 20 th century. Jacques marie emile lacan 1901 1981 was a french psychoanalyst and psychiatrist. The student anticipates in the early texts the maturation of lacan s teachings. His teachings and writings explore the significance of freuds discovery of the. Selfrecognition in the mirror, which precedes language acquisition, occurs for the child between the ages of 6 and 8 months, and occurs in three stages 20. Lacans first official contribution to psychoanalysis was the mirror stage, which he described as formative of the function of the i as revealed in psychoanalytic. Jacques lacan 19011981 the mirror stage as formative of the function of the i as revealed in psychoanalytic experience delivered at the 16th international congress of psychoanalysis, zurich, july 17, 1949 discussion questions 1. Mirror stage artikel zum spiegelstadium bei no subject encyclopedia for lacanian psychoanalysis. This ego ideal, for lacan, provides an image of wholeness which constitutes the ego. This first part looks at the presentation of the mirror stage as we find it in the ecrits, specifically in the 1949 paper, the mirror stage as formative of the function of the i as revealed in psychoanalytic experience.
The mirror stage as formative of the function of the i as revealed in psychoanalytic. A largerthanlife provocateur, lacans oracular lectures and clinical innovations including the notorious short session ultimately led to his excommunication from the international psychoanalytic association. The idea of the mirror stage is an important early component in lacans critical reinterpretation of the work of freud. In this video, i explore the theory behind psychoanalyst jacques lacans the mirror stage. Jacques lacan, the mirrorphase as formative of the. According to zuernt, we might say that the patient comes to terms with desire.
Lacans reinterpretation of freud, with the central focus on language, brought about a poststructuralist turn to psychoanalytic theory. Introduction to jacques lacan, module on psychosexual development. Lacan refers to this conference in the first sentence of the essay. By viewing himself in the mirror, the subject at the mirror stage begins his entrance into culture and language by establishing his. This first part looks at the presentation of the mirror stage as we find it in the ecrits, specifically in the 1949 paper, the mirror stage as formative of the function.
He studied medicine, specializing in psychiatry, and received his doctorate in psychiatry in 1932. Jacques lacan 19011981 it would be fair to say that there are few twentieth century thinkers who have had such a farreaching influence on subsequent intellectual life in the humanities as jacques lacan. The mirror stage as formative of the function of the i no. The student anticipates in the early texts the maturation of lacans teachings. The idea of the mirror stage is an important early component in lacans reinterpretation of the work of freud. For lacan, the mirror stage establishes the ego as fundamentally dependent upon external objects, on an other. Thus, somehow, the effect of lacans text on his stu. One the mirror stage as formative of the function of the i page 1 7. Drawing on work in physiology and animal psychology, lacan proposes that.
But were i to build on these subjective data alonewere i to so. Lacans concept of mirror stage by nasrullah mambrol on april 22, 2016 5 lacans reinterpretation of freud, with the central focus on language, brought about a poststructuralist turn to psychoanalytic theory. Doc summary of lacans the mirror stage as formative of. At first, gazing was important in his theories in relation to the mirror stage, where the subject appears to achieve a sense of mastery by seeing himself as ideal ego. Jacques lacan, the mirror stage free download as pdf file. Lacans return to the meaning of freud profoundly changed the institutional face of the psychoanalytic movement internationally. Lacan accorded paramount importance to what is said and posited parallels between the structure of language and the unconscious. Jacques lacan complicated his position on the gaze as he developed his theories. Translated by alan sheridan with a foreword by malcolm bowie. These are the sources and citations used to research mirror stage. After publishing his paper on the mirror stage in 1949, for which he is probably best known to the general public, in the early fifties lacan embarked on a project he called the return. Appearances notwithstanding, the ego is, when all is said and done, an inert. Lacans concept of mirror stage literary theory and criticism. This is intended as an aide for students of literary criticism, to make it easier for them to comprehend a source often considered.
Including coverage of developments in lacanian psychoanalysis since his death, this is the perfect introduction to the great modern theorist. French psychiatrist jacques lacan 1901 1981 tried to provide a philosophical basis for freudianism, which gained him prestige in his native land. Drawing on work in physiology and animal psychology, lacan proposes that human infants pass through a stage in which an external image of the body reflected in a mirror. If you like our films, take a look at our shop we ship worldwide. T he conception of the mirror phase which i introduced at our last congress, years ago, has since become more or less established in the practice of the french group. The conception of the mirrorphase which i introduced at our last congress, years ago, has since become more or less established in the. The mirror stage as formative of the function 79 metaphors for which arise spontaneously, as if deriving from the subjects very symptoms, to designate the mechanisms of obsessive neurosis. The image itself in the mirror is described by lacan as the ideali lacan, mirror, 2. Jacques lacan has 103 books on goodreads with 24556 ratings.
Mirror stage psychology bibliographies cite this for me. Jacques lacan was a french psychoanalyst, 1901 1981. The key observation of lacans essay concerns the behaviour of infants between. However, at least at this phase, lacan is perfectly comparable to modern theories on the genesis of the self and the mirror stage. Lacan s conception of the mirror stage has been called his most famous and significant contribution to the field of psychoanalysis.
In this paper i first examine lacans doublemirror device, also called the optical. The mirror stage from the fifteenth century to the imaginary zenith of modern man. He presented a paper on the mirror stage on august 3, 1936, at a conference of the international psychoanalytical association in marienbad. This is usually seen as the main text on the mirror stage theory, but there.
This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on wednesday, may 17, 2017. The idea of the mirror stage is an important early component in lacans critical. Pdf is lacans theory of the mirror stage still valid. Home literary criticism lacans concept of mirror stage. A primordial form of i is formed, as lacan notes, before it is objectified by. The mirror stage as formative of the function of the i as revealed in psychoanalytic experience. The conception of the mirror phase which i introduced at our last congress, thirteen years ago, has since become more or less established in the practice of the french group. May 17, 2017 these are the sources and citations used to research mirror stage. The mirrorphase as formative of the function of the i. Pdf the mirror stage as formative of the function of the i as. Sometimes referred to as the french freud, he is an important figure in the history of psychoanalysis. Apr 22, 2016 home literary criticism lacans concept of mirror stage. Mirror stage is to be understood as the prelinguistic identification of the subject with the image although the image is itself a fiction.
Its also essential reading for anyone interested in lacan due to the prevalence of the mirror. Theresa thompson english 7010 spring 2011 jacques lacan. Lacans conception of the mirror stage has been called his most famous and significant contribution to the field of psychoanalysis. But this form is even tangibly revealed at the organic level, in the lines of fragiliza tion that define the anatomy of phantasy, as exhibited in the schizoid and spasmodic symptoms of hysteria. This is the first of two articles looking at the theory of the mirror stage in lacans work. Jacques lacan and the other side of psychoanalysis. Its also essential reading for anyone interested in lacan due to the prevalence of the mirror stage s concepts found throughout his entire oeuvre. In other words, this recognition of the selfs image precedes the entrance into language, after which the subject can understand the place of that image of the self within a larger social order, in which the subject must negotiate his or her relationship with others. I am led, therefore, to regard the function of the mirrorstage as a particular case of the function of the imago, which is to establish a relation. To stay at this more general metapsychological level for a little while longer, lacan eventually forges, partly on the basis of the mirror stage, a distinction between the ego moi and the subject sujet, a word freighted with philosophical baggagelacan knowingly adds this word and its philosophical vocabulary to analytic discourse, although freud did not speak of the subject and was wary of philosophy.
As the connection to the mirror stage suggests, the imaginary is primarily narcissistic even though it sets the stage for the fantasies of desire. In his paper titled mirror stage 1949, lacan expounds the concept of the mirror stage that. Since art imitates life, an in depth exploration of the way that these scenes play out can illuminate how lacans abstract theories might look in the real life formation of identity and in malefemale relations. The mirror stage as formative of the function of the i as revealed in psychoanalytic experience by. Trained as a psychiatrist, he abandoned the profession in favour of psychoanalysis in the early thirties.
Thus, somehow, the effect of lacan s text on his stu. The mirror stage is based on the belief that infants recognize themselves in a mirror literal or other symbolic contraption which induces apperception the turning of oneself into an object that can be viewed by the child from outside themselves from the age of about six months. Drawing on work in physiology and animal psychology, lacan proposes that human infants pass through a stage in which an external image of the body reflected in a mirror, or represented to the infant through. Introduction to jacques lacan, module on the structure of the. This is the first of two articles looking at the theory of the mirror stage in lacan s work. The mirror stage as formative function of the i as revealed in psychoanalytic experience. According to lacan, in the mirror stage, the subject anticipates in a mirage the maturation of his power ecrits, pp. Robert louis stevenson, jacques lacan, rouben mamoulian, strange case. The seminar of jacques lacan, book x seminar of jacques lacan.
Jacques lacan, the mirrorphase as formative of the function. The principal categories of lacanian psychoanalysis in the structuring of the psyche are the imaginary, the symbolic, and the real. I think it nevertheless worthwhile to bring it again to your attention, especially today, for the light that it sheds on the formation of the i as we experience it in psychoanalysis. Jacques lacan jacques lacan19011981\the mirror stage as. Jacques lacan was frances most famous psychoanalyst, who came up with the intriguing concept of the mirror phase. His yearly seminars, conducted in paris from 1953 until his death in 1981, were a major influence in the french intellectual milieu of the 1960s and 1970s, particularly among poststructuralist thinkers. Such facts are inscribed in an order of homeomorphic identification which would itself. Lacans construction and deconstruction of the double.
Many of the arguments lacan uses here are foreshadowed in the freudian thing or the meaning of the return to freud in psychoanalysis. Through the mirror image the child is introduced into the imaginary order. Defending lacan from his numerous detractors, past and present, bailly guides the reader through lacans canon, from lobjet petit a to the mirror stage and beyond. He began to train as a psychoanalyst sometime around 1934. In his paper titled mirror stage 1949, lacan expounds. His books and ideas had a significant impact on critical theory, literary theory, philosophy, sociology, feminist theory, film theory and clinical psychoanalysis. Published in 1936, the mirror stage was lacans first formal contribution to the field of psychoanalysis. The psychoanalyst jacques lacan 19011981 was one of the twentieth centurys most influential thinkers. The mirror stage is a concept in the psychoanalytic theory of jacques lacan.
In the 1950s jacques lacan developed a device with a concave mirror and a plane mirror figure figure1 1 in order to discuss the nature of human identification and formulate ideas on how psychoanalysis, qua clinical practice, responds to identification. As the socalled individual matures and enters into social relations through language, this other will be elaborated within social and linguistic frameworks that will give each subjects personality and his or her neuroses and. The presence of jacques lacans mirror stage and gaze in. Lacans ideas about the formation of the i developed over time in conjunction with his other elaborations of freudian theory.
The mirror stage as formative of the function of the i as. In 1936, lacan formulated his theory of the mirror stage, and he published several articles and papers explaining the significance and development of this subject. Delivered at the 16th international congress of psychoanalysis, zurich, july 17, 1949 the conception of the mirror stage that i introduced. The mirror stages deals with the ability of a 618 months old infant to be able to recognize itself in the mirror before developing his motor or speech skills. Jacques lacan always insisted that he was a thoroughgoing freudianperhaps the most orthodox freudian of them all. In his paper titled mirror stage 1949, lacan expounds the concept of the mirror stage that occurs between 618 months of a childs development. The idea of the mirror stage is an important early component in lacan s critical reinterpretation of the work of freud. The conception of the mirror stage i introduced at our last congress thirteen years ago, having.
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