This dissertation provides an exploration of the nature and scope of the category of the Unconscious as a necessary feature of rhetorical theory and criticism. In order to demonstrate the fundamental importance of the Unconscious to rhetorical theory and criticism, this dissertation focuses on Kenneth Burke's rhetorical theory of Dramatism. Burke is one of the most frequently cited theorists by rhetorical scholars, and offers a familiar site for rhetorical scholars to understand the Unconscious as a rhetorical factor. Burke formulated a theory of the Unconscious by drawing from Freudian psychoanalysis. Since Freud, Jacques Lacan has advanced and altered the Freudian understanding of the Unconscious. Therefore, by navigating the terrain of both Burkeian and Lacanian scholarship, this dissertation moves toward a BurkeLacanian theory and method to offer a more critical lexicon for the rhetorical study of the dialectical relationship between the conscious and Unconscious parts of the psyche. In doing so, this dissertation develops and answers the following questions: How can we theorize the Unconscious as a rhetorical factor? How is Burke's theory of the Unconscious rhetorically useful? How might we understand Burke's theory of rhetoric differently and better if we read his Freudian influences through Lacanian scholarship on the Unconscious? How is a theory of the BurkeLacanian subject rhetorically useful? How does a BurkeLacanian theory of the Unconscious inform productive criticism? This dissertation applies a BurkeLacanian theory of the Unconscious by introducing a rhetorical method called "Ideographic Cluster Quilting." This method moves toward the rhetorical study of texts as cultural psyches that are constructed from fragments of discourse that form around figures of abjection. In order to demonstrate the usefulness for studying Ideographic Cluster Quilts, this dissertation analyzes the cultural psyche that forms around the figure of the "illegal immigrant" as abject. In doing so, we gain an insight into the Unconscious hatred of humanity as the perverse core of American identity that qualifies which bodies do and do not matter. We will also gain an insight into the way nationalistic identities function within globalization by confining labor forces within national boundaries, while multinational corporations move freely around the world. / text

This thesis argues that desire is a major theme in Samuel Beckett's dramatic works. Central to our analysis is Jacques Lacan's concept of the Desire for the Other, as the outcome of the human subject's division. We will investigate how desire is expressed at the level of Beckett's characters' utterance. The characters' attempts at and inability to achieve a reconciliation with their speech correlate with the impossibility of reunifying Lacan's split subject. The first part of our discussion focuses upon desire-as-paradox--the lack of will to desire and the continuation of desire--in Not I, Footfalls and Krapp's Last Tape, whereas Rockaby and That Time are indicative of the regression of desire leading toward the characters' death. The second part emphasizes the dramatic presentation of these plays, except for Footfalls. It will become clear that desire affects the performance and the audience, thus preventing them from attaining a unified perception of self and other.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Women's Studies, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-134).

Heidelberg, Univ., Diss., 1999.

Thesis (M.A.)--Flinders University, Dept. of Screen Studies. / Typescript bound. Includes bibliographical references: (leaves 147-156) Also available online.

Mémoire (M.E.L.) - Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 1994. / En tête du titre: Mémoire présenté comme exigence partielle de la maîtrise en études littéraires de l'Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières offerte à l'Université du Québec à Chicoutimi en vertu d'un protocole d'entente. Résumé disponible sur Internet. CaQCU CaQCU Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2008. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on July 31, 2009) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 155-161).

Ce travail – dont l´origine découle d´une question clinique – cherche, dans le champ de la théorie psychanalytique, établir une comparaison entre les concepts de vérité chez Freud et Lacan, ainsi que rechercher les conceptions de vérité qui peuvent être reconnues dans les deux oeuvres. Nous utilisons la formalisation lacanienne pour concevoir une “topologique” de la vérité, c´est à dire, le fondement du concept, pour ainsi mettre en question ses possibles impacts dans le champ de la technique psychanalytique. Avec le même objectif, à partir de la référence à la topologie des surfaces, on investigue le rapport entre le dispositf de coupure dans la situation clinique et la conception topologique de coupure, essentielle pour aborder l´interprétation (opération central à la technique). C´est ainsi que l´on débat le rapport de la vérité avec propositions comme mi-dire, acte, scansion, citation, énigme et ponctuation, afin d´exposer un possible fondement de la technique interprétative en la psychanalyse. On présente donc l´importance du concept lacanien de vérité pour le champ de la technique, ce que définirait la pratique psychanalytique comme une pratique de vérité. / Este trabalho origina-se de uma questão clínica e busca, no campo da teoria psicanalítica, estabelecer uma comparação entre os conceitos de verdade de Freud e Lacan, assim como pesquisar as concepções de verdade que podem ser reconhecidas em ambas obras. Utiliza-se a formalização lacaniana para conceber uma “topológica” da verdade, isto é, o fundamento do conceito, para assim questionar seus possíveis impactos no campo da técnica psicanalítica. Com a mesma finalidade, através da referência à topologia das superfícies, investiga-se a relação entre o dispositivo de corte na situação clínica e a concepção topológica de corte, essencial para a abordagem da interpretação (operação central à técnica). Dessa maneira coloca-se em debate a relação da verdade com propostas tais quais semi-dizer, ato, escansão, citação, enigma e pontuação, a fim de expor um possível fundamento da técnica interpretativa em psicanálise. Tendo isso em vista, apresenta-se a relevância do conceito de verdade de Lacan para o campo da técnica, o que definiria a prática psicanalítica como uma prática de verdade.

This dissertation seeks to explore the nature of the self/other, subject/object dialectic that can be found in Jacques Lacan's theory of the Minor Stage and his notion of Imaginary mastery, and how this relationship can be re-read in terms of a beholder/image relationship. What I seek to demonstrate in exploring the relationship between the beholder and the image is the staging of two opposing emotions, aggression and desire and the consequential tussle for mastery that arises from the self/other, and hence the beholder/image, dichotomy. I seek to explore the reasons why such a beholder/image relationship becomes ambivalent, due to veiled, obscured and fragmented images. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in