Gaston Bachelard and the Phenomenology of the Reading Consciousness

Author(s): James S. Hans

Source: The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, Vol. 35, No. 3 (Spring, 1977), pp. 315-327
Published by: Blackwell Publishing on behalf of The American Society for Aesthetics
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/430291
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JAMES
S. HANS
G a s t o n Ba chela rd a n d t he
Phen o men o lo gy o f
t he
Rea din g C c
MUC H
co n t empo ra rylit era ryt heo ry
builds
o n t he idea t ha t
lit era ry
crit icis ms ho uld
beco me a s cien t if ic
dis ciplin e,
t ha t crit icis m's
go a l
is t o des cribe t he s t ruct ure o r t he
s ys -
t emo f
lit era ry
wo rks o f a rt . Fo r G a s t o n
Ba chela rd, t ho ugh,
s uch
s ys t ems
a re bes ide
t he
po in t ;
f o r himt he es s en ce o f
po et ry
lies
well
beyo n d a n y
s t ruct ura l co n s idera t io n s ,
a n d in deed, he wo uld ma in t a in t ha t o n e
des t ro ys
t he ef f ect o f a
po em
in t he
pro ces s
o f
o bject ivizin g
it s s t ruct ure. Ba chela rd's
po et ics
is a
po et ics
o f
epipha n y,
o f t he
mo men t s in a
po em
o r n o vel t ha t s t a n d
by
t hems elves , t ha t ha ve n o f un ct io n a s a
pa rt
o f a
po et ic
o r n a rra t ive s t ruct ure, a n d his
s en s it ive
rea din g
o f va rio us t ext s evin ces a
grea t un ders t a n din g
o f t he
po et ic ima ge
a n d it s
pla ce
in huma n lif e. As a rea der o f
t ext s / t ho ugh,
a n d a s a
philo s o pher,
he be-
lieves t ha t t he
bea ut y
o f
po et ry
ha s
n o t hin g
t o do wit h it s
o bject ive co n dit io n , t ha t
po et ryo n ly
is
po et ry
if it rema in s a s ub-
ject ive
pro ces s ,
o n e t ha t is n o t in t en t
upo n
purs uin g t he ra t io n a l rela t io n s hips o f t he
wo rk. Thus , while o n e ca n rea dilyco n cede
t ha t Ba chela rd is a go o d rea der, o n e mus t
a ls o ques t io n his a ppro a ch t o po et ry a n d
co n s ider it s rela t io n s hip t o o t her po et ic
t heo ries a s well. Here o n e is lef t in t he
JAMES S. HANS is a t ea chin g
f ello w
in En glis h a t
Wa s hin gt o n Un ivers it y, St . Lo uis .
)n s cio us n es s
a wkwa rd
po s it io n
o f
ha vin g
t o
a ppro a ch
a
t heo rys pecif ica llys ubject ive
in
viewpo in t
wit h a n
o bject ive
in t en t : in o rder t o eva lu-
a t e t he
po et ics ,
o n e mus t
go a ga in s t
t he
n o t io n s
put
f o rt h in t he wo rks in o rder t o
o bject if y
t hemf o r ra t io n a l co n s idera t io n .
Such a n eva lua t io n is
n eces s a ry
if we a re t o
view t he co heren ce o f t he
t heo ry,
s o I will
n o t hes it a t e
us in g
t he mo re t ra dit io n a l
mea n s f o r
a n a lyzin g
Ba chela rd's wo rk.
In it ia lly,
Ba chela rd's
t heo ry
res t s o n a
t heo ry
o f co n s cio us n es s . He
ma y
well ex-
co ria t e
ps ycho lo gis t s
a n d
ps ycho a n a lys t s
f o r
t heir
impro per
met ho ds o f
dea lin g
wit h
lit era t ure, but he t o o is co n cern ed wit h
ps ycho lo gy, prima rily
wit h t he
ps ycho lo gy
o f t he rea der a n d
s eco n da rily
wit h t he
ps y-
cho lo gy
o f t he a ut ho r. The
o rigin s
o f t his
ps ycho lo gy
a re f o un d in t he
f o llo win g pa s -
s a ge:
"To
s pecif yexa ct ly
wha t a
phen o me-
n o lo gy
o f t he
ima ge
ca n be, t o
s pecif y
t ha t
t he
ima ge
co mes
bef o re t ho ught ,
we s ho uld
ha ve t o
s a y
t ha t
po et ry,
ra t her t ha n
bein g
a phen o men o lo gy o f t he min d, is a phe-
n o men o lo gy o f t he s o ul." 1 Here t here a re
ma n y t erms t ha t n eed qua lif yin g, but we
s ha ll dea l f o r t he mo men t wit h t he divis io n
bet ween min d a n d s o ul. Ea ch ps yche is
co mpo s ed o f bo t h a min d a n d a s o ul, a n d
t he min d is n o t rela t ed t o t he "phen o me-
n o lo gyo f t he ima ge" beca us e t he min d is
t he o bject ive a s pect o f t he ps yche a n d t he
HANS
ima ge
is
s ubject ive.
This divis io n is im-
po rt a n t
beca us e t he
ima ge
"co mes
bef o re
t ho ught "
in t he rea lmo f t he s o ul.
Tho ught
a n d rea s o n a re t he
a s pect s
o f t he min d t ha t
o bject if y rea lit y: t hey
us e
co n cept s
a n d
met a pho rs ,
n eit her o f which a re
impo rt a n t
f o r Ba chela rd.
Met a pho rs
a re o f n o va lue
t o
po et ry
beca us e
t heymerely
in t ellect ua l-
ize
ima ges :
"A
met a pho r
is a f a ls e
ima ge,
s in ce it do es n o t
po s s es s
t he direct virt ue o f
a n
ima ge
f o rmed in
s po ken revery" (PS, 77).
Met a pho rs
a re n o t direct o r immedia t e;
t hey
a re dis t a n ced, men t a l
co n cept io n s .
As
s uch, t hey
ha ve va rio us
n ega t ive qua lit ies ;
t hey
a re rea l, in t ellect ua l, co n s t it ut ive,
ca us a l, f a ct ua l, a n d s t a t ic. Tha t is t o
s a y,
t he f irs t f ive
qua lit ies
a re
n ega t ive
beca us e
t hey
ma ke t he wo rd s t a t ic. The
met a pho r
ref ers t o
s o met hin grea l, s o it is res t rict ed
t o t ha t
po in t
o f ref eren ce. This ref eren ce
t o rea lit yma kes t he met a pho r f a ct ua l a n d
co n s t it ut es it in a ca us a l cha in which f ur-
t her res t rict s t he mo vemen t o f t he met a -
pho r; t he met a pho r co n s t it ut es o r s ign if ies
s o me o bject o r idea a n d is t o t a llyres t rict ed
t o t he o rien t a t io n o f t ha t o bject o r idea .
All o f t hes e qua lit ies a re n eces s a ryf o r co n -
cept ua liza t io n a n d a re es s en t ia l t o t ho ught ,
f o r it is precis ely t heir s t a t ic a s pect t ha t
a llo ws rea vo n t o f un ct io n .
The s o ul, ho wever, ma kes n o cla ims t o
o bject ivit y; it is s ubject ive a n d, a s s uch, it
is a n ima gin a t ive ra t her t ha n a ra t io n a l
f a cult y. Hen ce, it us es ima ges ra t her t ha n
met a pho rs o r co n cept s . The ima ges t hem-
s elves a re o f prima ryimpo rt a n ce, o f co urs e,
but f irs t o n e mus t un ders t a n d t he f a cult y
t heyema n a t e f ro m, f o r it is n o t o f o ur n o r-
ma l co n s cio us wo rld. As we po in t ed o ut
a bo ve, t he ima ge co mes bef o re t ho ught , s o
t he rea lmo f t he s o ul is a ls o bef o re t ho ught .
The ra t io n a l, o bject ive wo rld is t he wo rld
o f n o rma l co n s cio us n es s , t he wo rld o f a dis -
t in ct s plit bet ween s ubject a n d o bject , a n d
co n t a in s a ll t he n eces s a ryco n s equen ces o f
s uch a s plit : t empo ra lit y, his t o ricit y, et c.
But t he wo rld o f t he s o ul is dif f eren t , f o r
when dea lin gwit h ima ges "it is n o t a ques -
t io n o f o bs ervin g, but o f experien cin gbein g
in it s immedia cy. Full co n t empla t io n wo uld
divide in t o o bs ervin gbein g a n d bein go b-
s erved" (PS, 234). Or a ga in : "At t he level
o f t he
po et ic ima ge,
t he
dua lit y
o f
s ubject
a n d
o bject
is irides cen t ,
s himmerin g,
un -
cea s in gly
a ct ive in it s in vers io n s "
(PS, xv).
There is n o
s ubject /o bject dicho t o my
in t he
s o ul; ra t her, t o us e Hus s erlia n
t ermin o lo gy,
s ubject
a n d
o bject
a re co -co n s t it ut ed:
t hey
a re
a pprehen ded
in t heir
rela t io n s hip
t o -
get her
ra t her t ha n in t heir o t hern es s . An d
wit ho ut t his
s plit ,
t here is n o
t empo ra lit y:
"t he
ima gin g
a t t en t io n
prepa res
o ur a t t en -
t io n f o r in s t a n t a n eo us n es s "
(PS, 87).
Ba che-
la rd
reject s
rea s o n a n d it s
met a pho rs pre-
cis ely
beca us e
t heya lrea dy
ha ve driven a
wedge
bet ween
s ubject
a n d
o bject a n d, in s o
do in g,
ha ve remo ved t he
o bject ,
t he
ima ge,
f ro m
immedia cy.
The
ima ge
mus t be t a ken
a s it is , bef o re
t ho ught
ha s a dult era t ed it
wit h it s
co n cept ua l
a n d a bs t ra ct f ra mewo rks .
Ba chela rd
develo ps
t his
a n t in o my
o f
min d a n d s o ul f urt her in The Po et ics
o f
Reverie, where he dis cus s es it un der t he
rubric o f a n imus a n d a n ima . The min d
ha s beco me a n imus , t he s o ul a n ima . Here,
a s ide f ro mdra win go ut t he ma s culin e a s -
pect s o f min d (f o rce, po wer, et c.) a n d t he
f emin in e a s pect s o f s o ul (gra ce, well-bein g,
et c.), he ma kes t he divis io n clea r: "The
ima ge ca n n o t pro vide ma t t er f o r a co n cept .
Bygivin g s t a bilit y t o t he ima ge, t he co n -
cept wo uld s t if le it s lif e." 2 Byco n cept ua liz-
in g t he ima ge, o n e s uf f o ca t es it , t a kes a ll
o f t he lif e o ut o f it . Hen ce, ima ges a n d
co n cept s mus t rema in a n t it het ica l: "Thus ,
ima ges a n d co n cept s t a ke f o rma t t ho s e t wo
o ppo s it e po les o f ps ychic a ct ivit ywhich a re
ima gin a t io n a n d rea s o n . . . . Here, t he o p-
po s in g po les do n o t a t t ra ct ; t hey repel"
(PR, 53). Ima ges a n d co n cept s repuls e ea ch
o t her ra t her t ha n bein g a t t ra ct ed t o ea ch
o t her; t heyca n n ever be s yn t hes ized, s o t he
dis t in ct io n beco mes a ll-impo rt a n t in ma in -
t a in in ga precis e f o rmula t io n o f t he ima ge.
Ba chela rd empha s izes t his po in t beca us e
his met ho do lo gydepen ds o n it ; if t he rea der
do es n o t t rea t ima ges a s ima ges , he will de-
s t ro yt he po em: "It is a n o n -s en s e t o cla im
t o s t udyima gin a t io n o bject ively s in ce o n e
rea llyreceives t he ima ge o n lyif he a dmires
it . Alrea dy in co mpa rin g o n e ima ge t o
a n o t her, o n e run s t he ris k o f lo s in g pa r-
t icipa t io n in it s in dividua lit y" (PR, 53).
Ea ch ima ge is in dividua l a n d mus t be t a ken
316
Phen o men o lo gy o f
Rea din g
C o n s cio us n es s
o n it s o wn
gro un d.
To
co mpa re
it t o a n -
o t her
ima ge
is t o un dermin e it s va lue. Such
a s evere n o min a lis m, o f co urs e, elimin a t es
a n ys ys t ema t ic
co n s idera t io n o f
po et ry,
s o
Ba chela rd ha s
a ct ua lly
res t rict ed t he crit ic's
jo b:
n o w he mus t co n f in e his
a ct ivit y
t o
rea din g:
"a s in cere
impuls e,
a lit t le
impuls e
t o wa rd a dmira t io n , is
a lwa ys n eces s a ry
if
we a re t o receive t he
phen o men o lo gica l
ben ef it o f a
po et ic ima ge.
The
s light es t
crit ica l co n s idera t io n a rres t s t his
impuls e
by put t in g
t he min d in s eco n d
po s it io n ,
des t ro yin g
t he
primit ivit y
o f t he
ima gin a -
t io n " (PS, xxii). Thus , we mus t lea ve o ur
crit ica l
pret en s io n s ,
o ur
pret en s io n s
o f o b-
ject ivit y,
behin d if we a re
go in g
t o dea l
wit h t he es s en ce o f a
po em.
Bef o re we ret urn t o t he
po et ic ima ge
it -
s elf , we mus t s t a t e t he o bvio us : t his dicho t -
o my
bet ween min d a n d s o ul
pla ces t ho ught
in o n e a rea a n d
ima gin in g
in a n o t her, but
la n gua ge
it s elf is
pres en t
in bo t h. On e
ca n n o t ha ve a
po et ic ima ge
wit ho ut la n -
gua ge,
s o
la n gua ge
is
clea rlypres en t
in t he
wo rld o f t he s o ul. This is
impo rt a n t
f o r
s evera l rea s o n s , t he mo s t
impo rt a n t
o f
which is t ha t t he rea lmo f t he s o ul is t hus
a rea lmo f co n s cio us n es s - t he kin d o f co n -
s cio us n es s
ma y
dif f er f ro mt ha t o f t he min d,
but if
la n gua ge,
a s o cia l medium, is
pres en t ,
co n s cio us n es s mus t a ls o be
pres en t .
We
s ha ll ret urn t o t his dis cus s io n la t er.
Rela t ive t o t he
po et ic ima ge
it s elf , we
ca n n o w s ee ho w it dif f ers f ro mt he met a -
pho r.
While t he
met a pho r
wa s rea l, t he
ima ge
is un rea l
(o r irrea l):
it ma kes n o
cla ims
upo n co n cept ua l rea lit y
a n d is in n o
wa y
bo un d t o it . While
met a pho rs
a re in -
t ellect ua l, ima ges
a re
prima l,
bo t h in t ha t
t hey
co me bef o re
t ho ught
a n d in t ha t
t hey
rela t e t o t he rea lmo f
a rchet ypes .
Beca us e
t hey
a re n o t t ied t o
rea lit y,
beca us e
t hey
a re
prima l, t hey
a re n o t s t a t ic; in s t ea d,
t hey
a re va ria t io n a l, reverbera t io n a l, va lua -
t io n a l, a n d
dyn a mic.
Ra t her t ha n
bein g
co n s t it ut ed o n ce a n d f o r a ll like a met a -
pho r,
t he
ima ge
is n ew ea ch t ime it is
a p-
prehen ded:
"t he
po et ic
a ct ha s n o
pa s t "
(PS, xi)
beca us e ea ch
ima ge
mus t be t a ken
o n it s o wn t erms , a s t he n o min a lis t ic s t a t e-
men t s a bo ve ma ke clea r. Ra t her t ha n
bein g
a f ixed
ca t ego ry, ima ges reverbera t e, t ra n s -
317
f o rmin g
t he wo rds a n d
ima ges
a ro un d
t hem. Mo s t
impo rt a n t ly, t hey
a re va lua -
t io n a l ra t her t ha n f a ct ua l:
t hey
a re
a djec-
t ives , n o t n o un s , a s Ba chela rd
po in t s
o ut :
"An d when a
philo s o pher
lo o ks t o
po et s
.. he s o o n beco mes co n vin ced t ha t t he
wo rld is n o t s o much a n o un a s a n
a djec-
t ive"
(PS, 143).
This
dyn a mic, qua lit a t ive,
a dject iva l qua lit y
o f
ima ges
dif f eren t ia t es
t hemf ro m
met a pho rs
a n d ha s
grea t s ign if i-
ca n ce f o r Ba chela rd.
In a ddit io n t o
pla cin g po et ic ima gin in g
in t he rea lmo f t he s o ul, Ba chela rd a ls o
divides t he
ima gin a t io n
in t o t wo
ca t ego ries :
t he f o rma l a n d t he ma t eria l
ima gin a t io n .
The
ima ges
o f t he f o rma l
ima gin a t io n
a re
n ew; t hey
"t a ke
plea s ure
in t he
pict ures que,
in
va riet y,
in t he
un expect ed
even t ." 3 Phi-
lo s o phers
ha ve
a lrea dy
dea lt wit h t hes e
ima ges , s a ys Ba chela rd, s o he devo t es him-
s elf t o ma t eria l
ima ges . They "plumb
t he
dept hs
o f
bein g;
t here
t hey
s eek a t o n ce t he
primit ive
a n d et ern a l"
(PI, 10).
The wo rd
"ma t eria l" here is t he
key,
f o r t hes e
ima ges
do ha ve a ma t eria l
qua lit y
a bo ut t hem;
t hey
un co ver
qua lit ies , prima l qua lit ies ,
a n d a s s uch, t hey
ha ve t he
"f eelin g"
o f t he
ma t t er it s elf . In o t her wo rds , if we
pict ure
ima ges
t ha t rela t e mo re t o t he
co n cept ua l
a s pect
o f a
wo rd/ima ge,
we a re
dea lin g
wit h f o rma l
ima gin a t io n ;
if we
pict ure
ima ges
t ha t rela t e mo re t o t he
phys ica l
qua lit ies
o f a
wo rd/ima ge, brin gin g
t o min d
t he f eel, t ext ure, lo o k o f a n
ima ge,
we a re
dea lin g
wit h t he ma t eria l
ima gin a t io n .
Wit h a ll o f t hes e dis t in ct io n s in min d, we
ca n n o w bro a den o ur
in quiry
wit h t he a id
o f t he
f o llo win g
rema rk:
"On lyphen o me-
n o lo gy
- t ha t is t o
s a y,
co n s idera t io n o f t he
o n s et
o f
t he
ima ge
in a n in dividua l co n -
s cio us n es s - ca n
help
us t o res t o re t he s ub-
ject ivit y
o f
ima ges
a n d t o mea s ure t heir
f ulln es s , t heir
s t ren gt h,
a n d t heir t ra n s -
s ubject ivit y" (PS, xv).
Ba chela rd's met ho d
is
phen o men o lo gica l,
but it is n o t Hus s er-
lia n
phen o men o lo gy.
Hus s erl t ried t o es -
ca pe ps ycho lo gizin g t hro ugh phen o men o l-
o gy,
but Ba chela rd ma kes n o
pret en s e
o f
a vo idin g ps ycho lo gy.
This is mo s t eviden t
in
co mpa rin g
his met ho d t o
In ga rden 's
in
The
Lit era ry
Wo rk
o f
Art : t he
pa in s t a kin g
des cript io n
o f t he va rio us s t ra t a o f t he wo rk
HANS
o f a rt s ho w
In ga rden 's empha s is
o n t he
wo rk o f a rt it s elf ; Ba chela rd's wo rk, o n t he
o t her ha n d, is a lmo s t
a lwa ys
f o cus s ed
o n
t he rea der's
percept io n
o f t he wo rk o f a rt .
He t a kes t he
phen o men o lo gica l impuls e
in
co n s iderin g
"t he o n s et o f t he ima ge,"
like
t ra dit io n a l
phen o men o lo gy,
a n d his co n -
cept
o f
t ra n s -s ubject ivit y
a ls o ha s s o me f a m-
ily
res embla n ces t o Hus s erl's t ra n s cen den t a l
ego , t ho ugh
Hus s erl
cert a in ly
wo uld
ha ve
n o t hin g
t o do wit h Ba chela rd's a rchet ypes .
But t he
ps ycho lo gica l
a t t it ude here is co m-
plet ely
o f Ba chela rd's o wn ma kin g.
Ba chela rd, a s we ha ve s een , wa n t s t o dea l
wit h t he o n s et o f t he
ima ge
in a n in dividua l
co n s cio us n es s ; he wa n t s t o
gra s p
t he ima ge
a s it
emerges ,
a s it is co -co n s t it ut ed
wit h
t he
s ubject ,
bef o re it is
s plit
in t o a dis t in ct
o bject byt ho ught .
On e co uld n o t dea l wit h
a
prima l ima ge
in
a n y
o t her wa y.
But ha v-
in g
in s is t ed o n
res t o rin g
t he
"s ubject ivit y
o f
ima ges ,"
a n d
ha vin g
in s is t ed o n t he dy-
n a mic,
ever-cha n gin g qua lit ies
o f ima ges ,
Ba chela rd f a ces t he s a me
pro blem
Hus s erl
en co un t ered:
s o lips is m.
If t he
ima ge
is
a lwa ys cha n gin g,
a n d if we ca n
a lwa ys
o n ly
gra s p
it a s we o urs elves co n s t it ut e
it ,
ho w
ca n we ever ha ve
a n ypret en s e
o f
s eein gt he
ima ge
t ha t t he a ut ho r
in t en ded,
a n d ho w
ca n we a vo id t he co n clus io n t ha t t he ima ge
is
s o met hin g
dif f eren t f o r
every
rea der a n d
f o r
everyrea din g? Byden yin g
a n y
o bjec-
t ive s t a t us t o
ima ges ,
ho w ca n we ever t es t
t he
va lidit y
o f a wo rk o f a rt ? All o bs erva -
t io n a n d
in t erpret a t io n
wo uld be purely
s ubject ive
a n d a
given
rea der's t a s t e wo uld
be t he
decidin g
f a ct o r in
a n y
a es t het ic
judgmen t .
While Ba chela rd n ever rea lly
co mes t o
grips
wit h t he eva lua t ive pa rt
o f
t he
pro blem, except
t o
ign o re
eva lua t io n ,
he do es o verco me t he
s o lips is t ic
po s it io n
bywa y
o f
a rchet ypes
a n d t he co n cept o f
t ra n s -s ubject ivit y.
Archet ypes
a re t he
key
t o
t ra n s -s ubject iv-
it y,
s o we mus t be clea r a bo ut Ba chela rd's
n o t io n o f t hem. An
a rchet ype
is a prima l
ima ge,
a ma t eria l
ima ge,
a n
ima ge
a ll ma n -
kin d ha s in co mmo n . The Po et ics o f Spa ce,
f o r
exa mple,
is devo t ed t o a dis cus s io n o f
s o me
a rchet ypa l ima ges
o f
s pa ce:
ho us es ,
s hells , n es t s ,
a n d t he like. We a ll res po n d
t o t hes e
ima ges
in t he s a me ma n n er, f o r
"All
grea t ima ges
revea l a
ps ychic
s t a t e"
(PS, 72),
a n d we a ll
res po n d
t o t his ps ychic
s t a t e in t he s a me
wa y.
To co n t in ue
wit h
Ba chela rd's
exa mples ,
when we experien ce
a
po s it ive ima ge
o f a ho us e, we a ll experi-
en ce
ima ges
o f o ur f irs t
prima l
ho us es
a n d
t he res ult a n t
qua lit ies
o f
well-bein g,
s ecur-
it y, pea ce,
et c. When we
experien ce
a n
ima ge
o f a n es t , "we
pla ce
o urs elves
a t t he
o rigin
o f co n f iden ce in t he wo rld,
we re-
ceive a
begin n in g
o f co n f iden ce,
a n urge
t o wa rd co s mic co n f iden ce"
(PS, 103).
This
f eelin g
o f co n f iden ce is t he
qua lit y
o f t he
prima l
n es t , a n d t hus , even t ho ugh
we a ll
experien ce
t hes e
ima ges s ubject ively,
we a ll
rea ct t o t heir
qua lit ies
in t he s a me wa y:
t hey
a re t ra n s -s ubject ive.
If t he
po et pres en t s
us wit h a n ima ge
o f
a ho us e, "it will be t he vo ice we a ll hea r
when we lis t en a s f a r ba ck a s memo ry
rea ches ,
o n t he
very
limit s o f memo ry, be-
yo n d memo ryperha ps ,
in t he f ield o f t he
immemo ria l. All we co mmun ica t e t o o t hers
is a n o rien t a t io n t o wa rds wha t is s ecret
wit ho ut ever
bein g
a ble t o t ell t he s ecret
o bject ively" (PS, 13).
The
po et
pro vides
us wit h s uch a n "o rien t a t io n " a n d t he
o rien t a t io n lea ds us t o cert a in
qua lit ies
(a ga in , well-bein g, s ecurit y,
et c.)
-
t hes e
qua lit ies
ra t her t ha n
a n y
a ct ua l
pict ure
o f
a ho us e a re wha t t he
po et ic
ima ge
brin gs
t o t he
f o ref ro n t ,
a n d it is t hes e
qua lit ies
o f
t he ho us e a n d n o t t he in dividua l ho us e t ha t
ma ke t he
ima ge a rchet ypa l.
Fo r Ba chela rd,
"Well-det ermin ed cen t ers o f reverie a re
mea n s o f co mmun ica t io n bet ween men who
drea ma s
s urely
a s well-def in ed co n cept s
a re
mea n s o f co mmun ica t io n bet ween men who
t hin k"
(PS, 39).
If we s ucceed in
gra s pin g
t he
ima ge
a t it s
o n s et ,
we will
res po n d
t o it
in t he s a me ma n n er a s
everyo n e
els e who
pro perlyres po n ds
t o it .
So lips is m
is t hus
a vo ided.
The
a rchet ypes
t hems elves , t ho ugh,
de-
ma n d f urt her
cla rif ica t io n ,
la rgely
beca us e
o f t he
plet ho ra
o f
a rchet ypa l
crit icis mt o -
da y.
While Ba chela rd a n d
Frye,
f o r exa m-
ple,
bo t h derive t he
co n cept
f ro mJun g,
t here a re
s ign if ica n t
dif f eren ces in t heir
views . Fo r
bo t h,
a n d
by
def in it io n ,
a rche-
t ypes
a re co mmo n t o a ll men . Fo r bo t h,
cert a in
a rchet ypes
ha ve
prima ry
va lue:
318
Phen o men o lo gy o f Rea din g
C o n s cio us n es s
ea rt h, a ir, f ire, a n d wa t er, f o r
exa mple,
a re
impo rt a n t
f o r bo t h men , Ba chela rd devo t -
in g
o n e en t ire bo o k a n d s ect io n s o f o t hers
t o a dis cus s io n o f ho w t hes e
ima ges s ha pe
o ur lives , Frye rein f o rcin g
t hes e n o t io n s in ,
a mo n g
o t her
pla ces ,
t he
pref a ce
t o t he
En glis h
t ra n s la t io n o f Ba chela rd's
s t udy
o n
The Ps ycho a n a lys is o f
Fire.
But a
quick gla n ce
a t Ba chela rd's wo rk
o r a t
Frye's An a t o my o f
C rit icis mrevea ls
cert a in dif f eren ces . Fo r Ba chela rd, t he
a rchet ype
is much mo re immedia t e: it is
ma t eria l, it is a
qua lit y,
a n d t he rea der
per-
ceives t he
"ma t eria lit y"
o f t he
a rchet ypa l
ima ge
a n d it s
qua lit y:
he
a ct ua llyf eels
t he
ea rt h, o r he ha s a
f eelin g
o f
well-bein g
a n d
s ecurit y
when
ima gin in g
a ho us e. Ba chela rd
s a ys
t ha t "This wa rm
in t ima cy
is t he ro o t
o f a ll
ima ges " (PS, 154),
t ha t wit ho ut t his
in t ima cy,
t here is n o
ima ge.
But f o r
Frye,
t ho ugh
t he ma t eria l
qua lit y
a n d t he f eel o f
t he
ima ge
a re do ubt les s
pres en t ,
t he a rche-
t ypes
a re much mo re
co n cept ua lly
o rien t ed:
he is mo re co n cern ed wit h
a rchet ypa l pa t -
t ern s t ha n wit h t he
s pecif ic qua lit y
o f a
given a rchet ype
in a
s pecif ic po em.
An d
while o n e
might res po n d
t ha t t he dif f er-
en ce in
empha s is
here is ba s ed mo re o n t he
res pect ive met ho do lo gies
o f t he t wo t ha n
o n t heir
co n cept io n s
o f
a rchet ypes ,
it is
mo re
likely
t ha t t heir
co n cept io n s
o f a rche-
t ypes
det ermin ed t heir
met ho do lo gies .
C lea rly,
Ba chela rd
emplo ys
t he
phen o me-
n o lo gica l
met ho d beca us e he believes t ha t
t he
ima ge
is
o n ly
.pure a t it s o n s et , t ha t it
is n o
lo n ger
a n
ima ge
'o n ce it ha s been
co n cept ua lized
o r f it in t o a
pa t t ern .
G iven
t his , a rchet ypa l pa t t ern s
a re n o t
po s s ible,
f o r t ha t wo uld be t o
reject
n o min a lis mf o r
rea lis m, t o s a crif ice t he
pa rt icula rit y
o f t he
ima ge
f o r a
gen era l co n cept .
If
Frye
were
t o a dhere t o t his
prin ciple,
t he s t ruct ures
o f t he
An a t o my
wo uld be o f n o va lue, f o r
t he
dyn a mic
n a t ure o f t he in dividua l
ima ge
wo uld
def y a n y
s uch
ca t ego riza t io n .
We
co uld
s a y, t hen , t ha t
Frye emplo ys
a rche-
t ypes
o f t he min d, a n d Ba chela rd us es
a rchet ypes
o f t he s o ul, wit h t he
pro vis o
t ha t
Ba chela rd wo uld
s a y
t ha t a n
a rchet ype
o f
t he min d is a
co n cept ua l impo s s ibilit y.
G en era liza bilit y
is wha t
s epa ra t es
t he t wo
co n cept io n s .
319
Ba chela rd's
a rchet ypes
a n d t heir t ra n s -
s ubject ivit y
a re co n n ect ed t o o ur
ea rlylif e,
o ur childho o d, a n d it is t o o ur childho o d
t ha t t hes e
ima ges
lea d.
They
ret urn us t o
t he
f eelin gs , qua lit ies ,
a n d
percept io n s
o f
lif e bef o re
ma t urit y
a n d t he
develo pmen t
o f t he min d t a ke
a wa y
o ur immedia t e view
o f t he wo rld a n d
pro mpt
us t o
co n cept ua lize
a wa y
o ur
ea rly
co n t a ct wit h t he wo rld. As
s uch, a child do es n o t t hin k - he
ima gin es .
Like Freud, Ba chela rd
empha s izes
t ha t we
a lwa ys ca rry
o ur childho o d wit h us , even
if it lies hidden
by
t he min d; un like Freud,
he
empha s izes
t he
po s it ive a s pect s
o f child-
ho o d:
"Bein g
is
a lrea dy
a va lue. Lif e be-
gin s
well, it
begin s
en clo s ed,
pro t ect ed
..."
(PS, 7).
Thus , in
o ppo s it io n
t o
Heidegger's
"t hro wn n es s ," bein gbegin s
wit h
well-bein g
f o r Ba chela rd, a n d we ret urn t o t his well-
bein g
in t he
po et ic ima ge.
Ba chela rd co m-
men t s : "The reverie t o wa rd childho o d re-
t urn s us t o t he
bea ut y
o f t he f irs t
ima ges "
(PR, 103).
Po et ic
ima ges
t a ke us ba ck t o
t he
bea ut y
o f o ur f irs t
ima ges ,
a llo w us
t o relive t hem. Thus , a ga in
in
o ppo s it io n
t o
Freud, t his is n o t a
regres s io n
in t o child-
ho o d who s e
purpo s e
is t o res o lve dilemma s
o rigin a t in g
f ro m
ea rly
t ra uma s ; we ret urn
t o t hes e
ima ges
t o
brin g
ba ck
well-bein g,
t o
expa n d
o ur
ha ppin es s
in
ma t urit yt hro ugh
a
relivin g
o f
prima l ima ges .
C hildho o d
ima ges
a re
perma n en t ,
a rche-
t ypa l,
a n d
a lwa ys
a live in us : "The
perma -
n en ce o f a n ucleus o f childho o d, a n im-
mo bile but ever
livin g
childho o d, o ut s ide
his t o ry,
hidden f ro mt he o t hers , dis guis ed
in
his t o ry
when it is reco un t ed, but which
ha s rea l
bein go n ly
in it s in s t a n t s o f illumi-
n a t io n which is t he s a me a s
s a yin g
in t he
mo men t s o f it s
po et ic
exis t en ce"
(PR, 100).
Even mo re
impo rt a n t ,
it is
precis ely
o ur
childho o d
experien ces
t ha t we s ha re wit h
o t her
peo ple; pres uma bly,
o n ce t he min d
begin s
t o
develo p,
o ur
in dividua lit y begin s
t o
develo p,
but bef o re t ha t , o ur
experien ces
a re co mmun a l. Thus , f o r Ba chela rd, "An
exces s o f childho o d is t he
germ
o f a
po em"
(PR, 100),
a n d "f o r t ha t rea s o n t here is
co mmun ica t io n bet ween a
po et
o f child-
ho o d a n d his rea der
t hro ugh
t he in t er-
media ry
o f t he childho o d which en dures
wit hin us "
(PR, 101).
The
experien ces
o f
HANS
childho o d beco me t he
in t ermedia ry
be-
t ween
po et
a n d rea der; wit ho ut t hes e
per-
ma n en t remembra n ces o f childho o d t here
wo uld be n o
t ra n s -s ubject ivit y.
Wit ho ut
bein g
a ble t o rea wa ken t hes e remembra n ces
t hro ugh po et ry,
t here co uld be n o t ra n s -
s ubject ivit y,
a n d wit ho ut t his
ever-pres en t
childho o d, t he
po et
co uld n o t writ e his
po ems .
Fin a lly,
bef o re
mo vin g
o n t o t he co n n ec-
t io n s bet ween
ima gin a t io n
a n d
memo ry,
we s ho uld lo o k
s pecif ica lly
a t t he
qua lit y
o f
t he
ima ges
o f childho o d.
Thro ugh po et ic
ima ges
"we rea ch a n
a n o n ymo us childho o d,
a
pure
t hres ho ld o f lif e, o rigin a l lif e,
o rigi-
n a l huma n lif e" (PR, 125).
This childho o d
is
"a n o n ymo us "
beca us e t he
s ubject
is
blen ded in t o t he
o bject ,
co -co n s t it ut ed wit h
it , a n d beca us e o f t his , we a re n o t
relivin g
o ur
his t o ry
o r a
memo ry
o f t ha t
his t o ry
-
we a re
livin g
"a
memo ry
o f t he co s mo s "
(PR, 119).
In t he
ja rgo n
o f
Ro ma n t icis m,
we beco me o n e wit h t he un ivers e. Hen ce
t he
s co pe
a n d t he
gra n deur
a n d
bea ut y~
o f
s uch
prima l ima ges :
"Fro m
po et ic reverie,
in s pired by
s o me
grea t s pect a cle o f t he
wo rld t o childho o d
reverie,
t here is a co m-
merce o f
gra n deur.
An d t ha t is
why
child-
ho o d is a t t he
o rigin
o f t he
grea t es t
la n d-
s ca pes .
Our childho o d s o lit udes ha ve
given
us t he
primit ive
immen s it ies "
(PR, 102).
Hen ce, t o o ,
t he
a t empo ra lit y
o f t he
experi-
en ce: "He
[t he drea mer] o pen s
hims elf t o
t he
wo rld,
a n d t he wo rld
o pen s
it s elf t o
him.... Time is
s us pen ded.... Time is en -
gulf ed
in t he do uble
dept h
o f t he drea mer
a n d t he wo rld"
(PR, 173).
Here Ba chela rd
is a t his
bes t , des cribin g t he epipha n ic
mo men t in a ll o f it s
gra n deur
wit h a ll o f
it s
philo s o phica l implica t io n s .
Thro ugh
a ll o f
t his , t ho ugh,
it is
impo r-
t a n t t o remember t wo
po in t s . Firs t ,
t he
ma t eria lit y
o f t he
ima ge
is n ever
lo s t ,
t ho ugh
t ime
ma y s t o p, t ho ugh s ubject
is
o n e wit h
o bject :
"The co s mic
ima ge gives
us a
co n cret e, s pecif ied repo s e
. . ."
(PR,
178).
The
ima ge
it s elf
a lwa ys
rema in s co n -
cret e a n d it
a lwa ys
rema in s
s pecif ic.
Ba che-
la rd is ca ref ul t o a vo id
a n y met a phys ica l
implica t io n s here,
f o r in
s t res s in gt he ma -
t eria lit y
o f t he
ima ge
t o t he
en d,
he a vo ids
t he
mys t ica l t ra ppin gs
o f mo re
met a phys i-
ca l
expla n a t io n s . Seco n d,
po et , ima ge,
a n d
childho o d a re
a lwa ys co n t in gen t upo n
o n e
a n o t her: "Wit ho ut childho o d, t here is n o
rea l
co s micit y.
Wit ho ut co s mic
s o n g,
t here
is n o
po et ry" (PR, 126). Ba chela rd, t hen ,
ha s wo ven t hes e
t o get her
in t o a n
in s epa r-
a ble f a bric where t o lo s e t he wo rld-view o f
childho o d is t o lo s e t he co s mic ef f ect o f a n
ima ge
a n d hen ce t o lo s e
po et ry
it s elf .
Wit h a ll t he
empha s is
o n childho o d, o f
co urs e, Ba chela rd will ha ve t o in clude
memo ry
in his
po et ics ,
f o r wit ho ut
memo ry,
o n e ca n n o t reca ll o n e's childho o d. An d
des pit e
t he
a t empo ra lit y
o f a
po et ic ima ge,
we f in d t his s t a t emen t : "Af t er t he
o rigin a l
reverbera t io n , we a re a ble t o
experien ce
res o n a n ces , s en t imen t a l
repercus s io n s ,
re-
min ders o f
o ut pa s t .
But t he
ima ge
ha s
t o uched t he
dept hs
bef o re it s t irs t he s ur-
f a ce"
(PS, xix).
The remin ders o f o ur
pa s t ,
t ho ugh, mus t co me a f t er t he rea l memo ries ,
t he co s mic memo ries t ha t a re in t ert win ed
in t he ima ge, f o r o t herwis e t he even t do es
n o t t a ke pla ce in a mo men t , a n d Ba chela rd
ha s els ewhere po in t ed o ut t ha t it is precis ely
t hro ugh t he ima ge t ha t ima gin a t io n a n d
memo ryblen d: "In t heir ps ychic primit ive-
n es s , Ima gin a t io n a n d Memo rya ppea r in
a n in dis s o luble co mplex" (PR, 105). Ba che-
la rd cla rif ies t his a ppa ren t co n t ra dict io n o f
t empo ra lit ya n d a t empo ra lit yin t he f o llo w-
in gco mmen t : "The f urt her o n e go es t o wa rd
t he pa s t , t he mo re in dis s o luble t he ps ycho -
lo gica l memo ry-ima gin a t io n mixt ure a p-
pea rs " (PR, 119). Thus , t here mus t be t wo
kin ds o f memo ry: t he co s mic memo rymen -
t io n ed ea rlier, t he memo ry t ha t is n o t
s pecif ica lly huma n , a n d t he pa rt icula r
memo ries o f childho o d: a s pecif ic ho us e, a
cert a in s t reet , et c. On lyt he co s mic memo ry
is blen ded wit h t he ima gin a t io n - t he pa r-
t icula r memo ries co me a f t erwa rds a n d a re
n o t a pa rt o f t he t ra n s -s ubject ive co mplex.
We ca n s ee t his mo vemen t mo s t explicit ly
wit h Ba chela rd's o wn t ext s . At va rio us
po in t s in The Po et ics o f Spa ce, f o r exa mple,
he will in t errupt his co mmen t a rywit h re-
ma rks like t he f o llo win g: "But my co m-
men t a ryis beco min gt o o precis e. C o n cern -
in gt he dif f eren t cha ra ct eris t ics o f t he ho us e,
it is in clin ed t o be ho s pit a ble t o f ra gmen -
t a rydia lect ics , a n d if I were t o purs ue it ,
320
Phen o men o lo gy o f Rea din g
C o n s cio us n es s
I s ho uld
des t ro y
t he
un it y
o f t he a rche-
t ype" (PS, 53).
When
dea lin g
wit h
po et ic
ima ges , t hen , o n e mus t t a ke ca re n o t t o
lea ve t he
un it y
o f t he
a rchet ype
f o r t he
res o n a n ces o f
pa rt icula r
memo ries .
To s um
up
t his dis cus s io n o f co s mic
memo ry,
co s mic
ima ges ,
a n d co s mic
ima gi-
n a t io n , it is
n eces s a ry
t o
po in t
t o t he en d
pro ces s
o f s uch co s mic
ima ges .
Ba chela rd
gives
us t his
po in t
in t wo
pa s s a ges rela t in g
t o a dis cus s io n o f Ba udela ire's us e o f t he
wo rd "va s t ." Firs t Ba chela rd t ells us t ha t
"All
impo rt a n t wo rds , a ll t he wo rds ma rked
f o r
gra n deur by
a
po et ,
a re
keys
t o t he un i-
vers e, t o t he dua l un ivers e o f t he C o s mo s
a n d t he
dept hs
o f t he huma n
s pirit " (PS,
198). Immen s it y expa n ds
in bo t h direc-
t io n s , un f o ldin g
t he
in f in it y
o f t he un ivers e
a n d t he
"dept hs
o f t he huma n
s pirit ."
An d
in t he en d, s uch
immen s it y
lea ds ba ck t o
t he
ima gin a t io n :
"s in ce
immen s it y
is n o t
a n
o bject ,
a
phen o men o lo gy
o f immen s e
wo uld ref er us
direct ly
t o o ur
ima gin in g
co n s cio us n es s . In
a n a lyzin gima ges
o f im-
men s it y,
we s ho uld rea lize wit hin o urs elves
t he
pure bein g
o f
pure ima gin a t io n " (PS,
184).
The
ima gin a t io n ult ima t elyima gin es
it s elf ; t he s o ul
co n t empla t es
it s elf , a bs o rbs
it s elf in t o it s o wn
pa t t ern , co n t empla t es
t he
f o rmo f it s o wn
a ct ivit y.
Ba chela rd's rema rk
here is
s t rikin gly
clo s e t o Levi-St ra us s 's
s t a t emen t t ha t
myt h
a n d mus ic a re ref lec-
t io n s o f huma n men t a l
pa t t ern s .4
Ba chela rd
ha s in deed t a ken us t o t he
en d-po in t
o f t he
pro ces s
o f
ima gin a t io n .
If t he
ima gin a t io n
is
ca pa ble
o f s uch
po werf ul t ra n s f o rma t io n s , t ho ugh,
it s t ill
n eeds t he
po et ic ima ge,
a n d t he
po et ic
ima ge,
o f co urs e, requires la n gua ge.
The
po et
mus t
put
his
ima ges
in t o wo rds a n d
we mus t
a pprehen d
t he
ima ges t hro ugh
t he
wo rds .
La n gua ge
it s elf , t hen , is
impo rt a n t
f o r Ba chela rd's
po et ics ,
s o we mus t lo o k a t
his rema rks a bo ut it .
"La n gua ge
drea ms "
(PS, 146), s a ys Ba chela rd, a n d t his
a pplies
well t o his
drea m-memo ry-ima ge co mpo un d.
Mo re
s pecif ica lly, t ho ugh,
"t he
po et ic ima ge
pla ces
us a t t he
o rigin
o f t he
s pea kin g
be-
in g" (PS, xix).
In t he co n t ext o f t he min d/
s o ul dis t in ct io n , t his s t a t emen t is
impo rt a n t ,
f o r in t he rea lmo f t he s o ul, a t t he o n s et o f
t he
ima ge,
we o bs erve
s ubject
a n d
o bject
a s
321
t hey
a re co -co n s t it ut ed, bef o re
t hey s plit
in t o
s ubject
a n d
o bject .
Thus , it is f ro m
t his co -co n s t it ut ed
co mplex
t ha t
"s pea kin g
bein g" emerges ,
t ha t
la n gua ge emerges ;
a n d
in s o f a r a s t he
po et ic ima ge pla ces
us a t t his
po in t
o f
o rigin ,
we ca n
o n ly
a s s ume t ha t
la n gua ge emerges
beca us e o f t he
po et ic
ima ge. "Expres s io n
crea t es
bein g" (PS, xix),
t he
po et ic ima ge
is t his
expres s io n ,
a n d t he
bein g
is
"s pea kin gbein g,"
n o t writ t en
bein g
- t he wo rd is
in it ia lly
a vo ca l en un cia t io n ,
wit h Ba chela rd's
empha s is ,
a s we ha ve a l-
rea dys een , o n t he ma t eria l
qua lit y
o f t he
ima ge/en un cia t io n .
This
po in t
o f
o rigin ,
ho wever, is n o t t he
pro vin ce
o f a ll
la n gua ge.
Ba chela rd
s a ys
t ha t
"po et ryput s la n gua ge
in a s t a t e o f
emergen ce,
in which lif e beco mes ma n if es t
t hro ugh
it s
viva cit y" (my empha s is ) (PS,
xxiii). C o n cept ua l la n gua ge
do es n o t
per-
mit t his ma n if es t a t io n o f lif e beca us e it
o ccurs
a f t er la n gua ge emerges t hro ugh
t he
po et ic ima ge.
In o t her wo rds , co n cept ua l
la n gua ge
is
depen den t
o n t he
po et ic ima ge
beca us e wit ho ut t he
po et ic ima ge, la n gua ge
co uld n o t
emerge
a t a ll. Thes e rema rks
s o un d much like
Heidegger's
co mmen t t ha t
"La n gua ge
is t he ho us e o f
Bein g,"
but
Ba chela rd's
po in t
rela t es
s pecif ica lly
t o his
dis cus s io n o f
ima ges .
When he
s pea ks
o f
t he
po et ic ima ge
a s
a llo win g la n gua ge
a n d
bein g
t o
emerge,
we mus t remember his
co n s t a n t
empha s is
o n t he ma t eria l a n d
qua lit a t ive a s pect s
o f t he
ima ge.
It is
pre-
cis ely
t he
ma t eria lit y
o f t he
ima ge
t ha t
a llo ws
bein g
t o
emerge,
f o r it is t he ma -
t eria lit y
t ha t co n n ect s t he
s ubject
t o t he
o bject . C o n cept ua l a s pect s
o f
la n gua ge
ca n
o n ly
be
develo ped
a t a la t er
s t a ge,
in t he
min d,
a f t er t he ma t eria l co n n ect io n s ha ve
been ma de.
Bo t h
Heidegger
a n d Ba chela rd wo uld
a gree
t ha t t he
o rigin s
o f
la n gua ge
a n d be-
in g
a re t he s a me, t ha t
bein g
ca n n o t
emerge
wit ho ut
la n gua ge,
but while
Heidegger
is
co n cern ed wit h ho w
la n gua ge
a llo ws
bein g
in
gen era l
t o
emerge,
Ba chela rd is co n -
cern ed wit h ho w
la n gua ge
a llo ws t he
qua l-
it y
a n d
ma t eria lit y
o f
bein g
t o
emerge,
wit h
t he
empha s is
o n
ma t eria lit y
a n d
qua lit y
ra t her t ha n o n
la n gua ge
it s elf . To
put
it
a n o t her
wa y: Heidegger
s ees
la n gua ge
a s
HANS
t ha t mediumwhich crea t es
bein g
in it s
t empo ra lit y;
Ba chela rd s ees
la n gua ge (po et ic
la n gua ge)
a s t ha t mediumwhich evo kes
bein g
in it s
phys ica lit y,
wit ho ut
a n y
n eces -
s a ryrela t io n s hip
t o
t empo ra lit y. La n gua ge,
t hen ,
pla ys
a mo re
s ubs idia ry
ro le in Ba che-
la rd's
po et ics .
Fin a lly,
Ba chela rd's
min d/s o ul
dicho t -
o my,
his
empha s is
o n
co n s iderin g
t he
ima ge
a t it s o n s et , a n d his
a rchet ypes
a n d t ra n s -
s ubject ivit y
a ll
pla ce po et ry
a n d
po et ics
in
t he rea lmo f reverie.
Tho ught
will n o t do
here, f o r a ll
t ho ught
is ra t io n a l a n d co n -
cept ua l,
which t he
po et ic ima ge
is n o t . We
ha ve
a lrea dy
s een ho w
t ho ught
dis t o rt s
ima ges byma kin g
t hems t a t ic, byma kin g
t hemref er t o
s pecif ic o bject s ,
a n d
by
co m-
pa rin g
o n e
ima ge
wit h a n o t her. If we wa n t
t o dis cus s
ima ges , t hen , we ca n
o n ly
do t his
in t he s a me ma n n er wit h which we o bs erve
t hem: t hro ugh reverie. Here a ga in , Ba che-
la rd t a kes grea t ca re in def in in g wha t he
mea n s byreverie: it is a f un ct io n o f t he
s o ul; it a llo ws t he ima ge t o be perceived in
it s "s himmerin g" immedia cy; it a llo ws t he
ima ge t o reverbera t e o ver a ll co n s cio us n es s ,
a n d ra t her t ha n co n s t rict in gt he ima ge, a l-
lo ws it t o expa n d in t o in f in it y. In po et ic
reverie, "The min d is a ble t o rela x, but in
po et ic reverie t he s o ul keeps wa t ch, wit h
n o t en s io n , ca lmed a n d a ct ive" (PS, xviii).
It is a les s -in t en t io n a lized s t a t e, but it is n o t
a s o mn o len t s t a t e (PS, xvii).
Reverie a ls o dif f ers f ro mdrea min s ev-
era l impo rt a n t res pect s . In reverie, a s ub-
ject ca n ima gin e it s elf a n d t he ima ge a s t hey
a re co -co n s t it ut ed a n d ca n repo rt t his co m-
plex a s it o ccurs (t heo ret ica lly); a drea m
ca n o n lybe repo rt ed a f t er-t he-f a ct , t he n ext
mo rn in g, when it is n o lo n ger immedia t e,
a s it wo uld be in reverie. A rela t ed dif f i-
cult yis t ha t t here is n o s ubject in a drea m,
while t here is o n e in reverie: "t he s ubject
lo s es his bein g; t heya re drea ms wit ho ut a
s ubject " (PR, 147). There is n o t hin g t o be
co -co n s t it ut ed wit h t he ima ge in a drea m,
f o r t he s ubject ca n n o t be lo ca t ed. In a ddi-
t io n , a drea mha s n o co heren ce t o it , while
reverie ha s co heren ce (PR, 15). As s uch,
Ba chela rd f eels he ha s s uf f icien t lydelin ea t ed
t he rea lmo f reverie, a n d byin co rpo ra t in g
t his s t a t e in t o t he f ield o f po et ry, he ha s
given
us a met ho d f o r
dea lin g
wit h
po et ic
ima ges
a n d a t t he s a me t ime he ha s
given
grea t
va lue t o reverie it s elf , a n
a ct ivit y
t ha t
is
n o rma lly
co n s idered f rivo lo us .
But while Ba chela rd ha s t a ken
grea t
ca re
in
des cribin g
a ll o f t he
pro ces s es
in vo lved
in a rea der's in t era ct io n wit h a
given t ext ,
t here a re s o me in heren t dif f icult ies in his
po et ics .
Fro ma
s ubject ive
a n d
a t empo ra l
po in t
o f view, t hes e dif f icult ies
might
n o t
a ris e, but f ro ma n
o bject ive po in t
o f view,
t here a re cert a in in co n s is t en cies . So s t a t ed,
t here is a
pro blem
in Ba chela rd's
co n cep-
t io n o f
la n gua ge.
He s t a t es ,
quit e co rrect ly,
t ha t
"everyt hin gs pecif ica lly
huma n in ma n
is
lo go s .
On e wo uld n o t be a ble t o medit a t e
in a zo n e t ha t
preceded la n gua ge" (PS,
xix).
Fo r Ba chela rd, t hen , t he
s ubject ive
a rea o f t he
ps yche (t he s o ul)
is a n a rea t ha t
mus t co n t a in
la n gua ge,
f o r t he s o ul em-
plo ys reverie t o a pprehen d t he po et ic ima ge
- t he po et ic ima ge is la n gua ge, a n d reverie,
a s a s t a t e o f medit a t io n , mus t a ls o be in
t he rea lmo f la n gua ge in o rder f o r it t o be
medit a t io n . The s o ul, t o o , we will remem-
ber, is t he pla ce where s ubject a n d o bject
a re co -co n s t it ut ed. The pro blemis t his :
is n 't t he very pres en ce o f la n gua ge a n
a ckn o wledgmen t t ha t t he s plit bet ween s ub-
ject a n d o bject ha s a lrea dyo ccurred, in s o f a r
a s , in t he ma n n er o f C a s s irer, it is precis ely
t he wo rd t ha t is mea n t t o media t e bet ween
s ubject a n d o bject , in s o f a r a s , wit ho ut t he
cha s mbet ween t he s ubject a n d t he o bject
t ha t we ca ll co n s cio us n es s , t here is n o n eed
f o r wo rds ? If s o , t hen Ba chela rd is rea lly
des cribin g t he re-co n s t it ut in g o f s ubject
a n d o bject ra t her t ha n t heir in t ia l co -
co n s t it ut io n , a n d t his co n ces s io n wo uld n ec-
es s a rilyremo ve t he ima ge f ro ma n y pre-
t en s e o f immedia cy. An d immedia cy, o f
co urs e, is o n e o f t he prima rycrit eria f o r
Ba chela rd's po et ics .
This dif f icult yis a ls o a ppa ren t f ro ma n -
o t her viewpo in t : a s Hus s erl dis co vered, t o
view t he s ubject a n d o bject a s co -co n s t it ut ed
n eces s it a t es a s ma ll t ime-la g, f o r t he s ubject
ca n n o t bo t h o bs erve a n d be co -co n s t it ut ed
a t t he s a me t ime. The s ubject mus t view
it s elf a s it wa s a mo men t a go , a s it wa s
co -co n s t it ut ed wit h t he o bject ; it ca n o n ly
view t his pro ces s a s a n immedia t e ret en t io n ,
322
Phen o men o lo gy o f Rea din g
C o n s cio us n es s
a n d
rega rdles s
o f ho w immedia t e t he re-
t en t io n is , t he
s ubject -o bject
is
a lrea dy
in
t he
pa s t
t en s e a s it is o bs erved. As s uch,
t here is
a ga in
a n in evit a ble
s plit
bet ween
s ubject
a n d
o bject ,
a
s plit
t ha t
s imply
ca n -
n o t be a vo ided: wit ho ut a
s plit ,
t here is n o
co n s cio us n es s -o f ; wit h a
s plit ,
t here is n o
immedia cy.5
This
pro blem
led Merlea u-
Po n t y
t o
reject
Hus s erl's n o t io n o f t he t ra n -
s cen den t a l reduct io n beca us e, a s Merlea u-
Po n t y
s a w it , t he
s ubject
a n d
o bject
ca n
o n ly
be co -co n s t it ut ed in a
pre-co n s cio us
s t a t e - t o be co n s cio us o f t hemis t o a dmit
t ha t
t hey
a re n o
lo n ger
co -co n s t it ut ed in
a n yt hin g
but
memo ry.6
Fro mt his
po in t
o f
view, co n s cio us n es s ,
la n gua ge, t empo ra lit y,
a n d t he
s ubject /o bject s plit
a re a ll co n t in -
gen t upo n
o n e a n o t her; t o ha ve co n s cio us -
n es s is t o ha ve t he who le
co mplex,
a n d in s o -
f a r a s Ba chela rd's "s o ul"
a ppea rs
t o be
n o t hin g
mo re t ha n
Merlea u-Po n t y's "pre-
co n s cio us " s t a t e, Ba chela rd's met ho d will
n o t do : he ca n
o n ly co n s ign
hims elf t o a
wo rld o f en dles s
a ppro xima t io n s , a ppro xi-
ma t io n s t ha t ca n
o n ly
a s s ume t ha t
t hey
a re in f a ct o bs erva t io n o f t he
s ubject
a s
co -co n s t it ut ed wit h t he
po et ic ima ge.
The
o n lypo s s ible wa y
o ut o f t his dilemma is t o
s a y
t ha t o n e's
co n cept
o f
a t empo ra lit y
in -
cludes t ha t s ma ll
t ime-la g
t ha t is
n eces s a ry
t o view
s ubject
a n d
o bject t o get her
a n d t ha t
o ur
la n gua ge, precis ely
beca us e it is lo cked
in t o a
co n cept ua l
f ra mewo rk a t t his
po in t ,
do es n o t ha ve a t ermt ha t wo uld
s uf f icien t ly
dis t in guis h
t his
t empo ra lit y-in -a t empo ra lit y
co n cept .
But even here t here a re dif f icult ies ,
f o r Ba chela rd wa s
quit e explicit
in
s t a t in g
t ha t t he
o n lymemo ry
in vo lved in t he in it ia l
o bs erva t io n wa s a co s mic
memo ry,
o n e t ha t
ha d n o co n n ect io n wit h
a n y pa rt icula r
huma n
pa s t ,
a n d t he
t ime-la g
des cribed
a bo ve
clea rly
rela t es t o a
pa rt icula r
huma n
memo ry.
The s a me
po in t s
ca n be ma de f ro m
Ja cque
Derrida 's ra dica l
crit ique
o f Wes t ern
met a phys ics
a n d his n o t io n s o f dif f eren ce
a n d t he t ra ce. In t hes e t erms , Ba chela rd's
t heo ry
f a ils t o
reco gn ize
t ha t a n
ima ge
is
n o t a n
ima ge
un les s it is bo t h def erred in
t ime a n d dif f eren t ia t ed f ro ma ll t he o t her
ima ges (o r s ign s )
in t he
lin guis t ic s ys t em.
Byma kin g
ea ch
ima ge t o t a lly
a ut o n o mo us
323
a n d dis co n t in uo us f ro mt he o t hers , Ba che-
la rd t hin ks he ha s elimin a t ed t his
pro b-
lem; f o r him, t he
t empo ra l
a n d
lin guis t ic
in co n s is t en cies in his
t heo ry
wo uld
o n ly
be in co n s is t en cies if he wa s
s pea kin g
o f
ima ges
a s
co n cept s .
In
rea lit y, ho wever,
even
ima ges
a re
gro un ded
in t he
lin guis t ic
s ys t em
a n d mus t t hus a ls o co me un der t he
s wa y
o f dif f eren ce. Ba chela rd is
rea llyo n ly
cha s in g
t he en dles s s eries o f t ra ces in t he
lin guis t ic s ys t em,
t ra ces n o t a t a ll ba s ed o n
pres en ce
o r
immedia cy
but o n a bs en ce a n d
perpet ua l
def erra l. Fo r Derrida , t hen ,
Ba chela rd's wo rk is but o n e mo re met a -
phys ica l mys t if ica t io n
o f
pres en ce
in a
lo n g
s eries o f
mys t if ica t io n s da t in g
ba ck t o Pla t o .7
There a re o t her, mo re mun da n e, dif f i-
cult ies in Ba chela rd's
a ppro a ch
a s well, a n d
t hey
ca n be
s po t t ed
in t he
f o llo win gquo t a -
t io n : "On e mus t be
recept ive, recept ive
t o
t he
ima ge
a t t he mo men t it
a ppea rs :
if
t here be a
philo s o phy
o f
po et ry,
it mus t
a ppea r
a n d
rea ppea r t hro ugh
a
s ign if ica n t
vers e, in t o t a l a dheren ce t o a n is o la t ed
ima ge;
t o be exa ct , in t he
veryecs t a s y
o f
t he n ewn es s o f t he
ima ge" (PS, xi).
Here
a ga in
t he
pro blem
o f
a t empo ra lit y
co mes
up, o n ly
n o w in a dif f eren t
guis e.
"The
cult ura l
pa s t
do es n 't co un t "
(PS, xi)
f o r
Ba chela rd, a n d s o his t o rica l crit icis mha s
n o va lue. The
ima ge
mus t
a lwa ys
be t a ken
in it s n ewn es s , wit ho ut ref eren ce t o t he
pa s t , rega rdles s
o f ho w
ma n y
t imes t he
rea der
ma y
ha ve en co un t ered t he
ima ge
bef o re. On ce t he
ima ge
ha s been
gra s ped,
o n ce it s s a lien ce ha s s t ruck t he s o ul, t he
rea der is f ree t o mo ve t o t he memo ries t he
ima ge
lea ds t o , but t his is a
periphera l
a n d
n o t a
prima rya ct ivit y,
a n d it ha s n o va lue
f o r o t her rea ders . As s uch, t he
ima ge
n ever
ha s a co n t ext , mus t n ever ha ve a co n t ext ,
eit her in t he
po em
it s elf o r in
po et ic his t o ry
in
gen era l.
If o n e
pla ces
t he
ima ge
in s uch
a co n t ext , o n e is
co mpa rin g it , a n d s in ce
co mpa ris o n s
a re a ct ivit ies o f t he min d a n d
n o t t he s o ul, t he
ima ge
ha s lo s t it s ef f ect .
On ly
t he
ima ge byit s elf , wit ho ut ref eren ce
t o
a n yt hin gels e, is va lid, a n d t his excludes
mo s t o f t he crit ic's us ua l
a ct ivit y.
Ba chela rd a ls o s t a t es t ha t "The
ima gin -
in g
a t t en t io n
prepa res
o ur a t t en t io n f o r
in s t a n t a n eo us n es s " (PS, 87),
a s men t io n ed
324
ea rlier, a n d t his is
cert a in ly
wha t Ba chela rd
des cribes in his wo rks . In deed, his
grea t n es s
a s a crit ic lies in his
a bilit y
t o wres t s o me
s en s e o ut o f t he
epipha n ic qua lit y
o f a s t rik-
in gpo et ic ima ge;
he is
clea rly
a
very
s ubt le
rea der o f
ima ges ,
a n d his dis cus s io n s o f
t hes e
ima ges a t t empt
t o des cribe t hemin
t heir
immedia cy, a t t empt
t o t a ke t he rea der
a lo n g
o n Ba chela rd's
epipha n ic jo urn eys .
Then , t o o , f ew crit ics wo uld
dis a gree
t ha t
t hes e
epipha n ies
a re a n
impo rt a n t a s pect
o f lit era t ure, whet her o n e cho o s es t o ca ll
t hemArn o ldia n t o uchs t o n es o r Bla ckmuria n
ges t ures ,
a n d Ba chela rd's
des cript io n s
in
The Po et ics
o f Spa ce,
f o r
exa mple,
o f a n
ima ge un f o ldin g
t he
dept hs
o f
bein g
while
expa n din g
t he limit s o f
s pa ce
a re excellen t
mo vemen t s o f t his t heme. But if o n e mus t
ma in t a in t his
expa n s io n
in "t o t a l a dher-
en ce t o a n is o la t ed
ima ge,"
o n e wo n ders
wha t he is s uppo s ed t o do wit h t he res t o f
a po emo r n o vel, o r wha t he ca n us e t o dis -
t in guis h a po emf ro ma n o vel. Ho w do es
t he po ema s a who le lea d up t o t he epiph-
a n y? In wha t wa ydo es it co n t ribut e t o t his
experien ce? Ho w do es t he epipha n y in a
n o vel dif f er f ro ma n epipha n y in a po em,
o r in deed, ho w is t he n o vel a dis t in ct gen re
f ro mpo et ry? Ba chela rd n ever a n s wers t hes e
ques t io n s , a n d given t he res o lut e empha s is
o n t he is o la t io n o f t he ima ge, o n e ca n n o t
s ee ho w he co uld po s s iblyin clude t he f ra me-
wo rk o f a po emo r a des cript io n o f gen re
dif f eren ces in his po et ics . It is o n e t hin g,
t hen , t o s a yt ha t a po emo r n o vel wo rks up
t o a n epipha n y, a n d it is a n o t her t o s a yt ha t
t his epipha n ic cha ra ct er o ccurs wit ho ut t he
help o f t he res t o f t he wo rk o f a rt . We a re
lef t in a wo rld o f po et ic f ra gmen t s , a n d
Ba chela rd n ever s ho ws us t he wa yo ut .
Furt hermo re, a lt ho ugh Ba chela rd co n -
t in ua lly empha s izes t he prima cy o f t he
ima ge a n d a t t ribut es grea t impo rt a n ce t o
lit era t ure in gen era l, t he po et ic ima ge ult i-
ma t ely beco mes o n ly t he in it ia t o r o f a n
experien ce t ha t ha s n o t hin g t o do wit h t he
ima ge it s elf : "Pa ra do xica lly, in o rder t o
s ugges t t he va lues o f in t ima cy, we ha ve t o
in duce in t he rea der a s t a t e o f s us pen ded
rea din g. Fo r it is n o t un t il his eyes ha ve
lef t t he pa ge t ha t reco llect io n s o f myro o m
ca n beco me a t hres ho ld o f o n eiris mf o r
him"
(PS, 14). Po et ry
it s elf ha s n o in t rin s ic
va lue: it is va lua ble
o n ly
t o t he ext en t t ha t
it
pro mpt s
us
a wa y
f ro mit s elf a n d in t o o ur
o wn wo rld o f reverie. It s
"grea t
f un ct io n
... is t o
give
us ba ck t he s it ua t io n o f o ur
drea ms "
(PS, 15).
It t urn s o ut , t hen , t ha t
po et ry
it s elf is
s eco n da ry
t o t he drea ms it
lea ds us t o - if o ur
eyes
n ever lea ve t he
pa ge,
t he
po emis
n o
go o d.
Fin a lly,
wit h
rega rd
t o t he eva lua t io n o f
po et ry,
we f in d Ba chela rd o f lit t le o r n o
help.
We co uld derive t he crit erio n t ha t , if
t he
po em
lea ds us f ro mt he
pa ge
in t o o ur
drea ms it is a
go o d po em,
o r t ha t if t he
ima ge expa n ds
a n d
reverbera t es
in it s
s ig-
n if ica t io n , it is a
go o d po em,
but even here
we wo uld ha ve s o me
dif f icult y,
f o r we
wo uld ha ve t o res o rt t o s o me s o rt o f co m-
pa ris o n ,
a n d
co mpa ris o n s
ha ve been ex-
cluded f ro m
po et ics .
Ba chela rd's o wn writ -
in gs s ho w us t ha t , f ro mhis pers pect ive,
t here is n o wa yt o eva lua t e po et rya n d t ha t
t here is n o n eed t o eva lua t e po et ry. When
rea din go ver a n yo f his t ext s , o n e is s t ruck
by t he f a ct t ha t while he dis cus s es t he
ima ges o f "grea t " writ ers like Ba udela ire,
t here a re a t lea s t a s ma n yquo t a t io n s f ro m
rela t ivelyo bs cure f igures like Jo e Bo us quet .
So me o f t he quo t a t io n s , t o o , s eemles s t ha n
ext ra o rdin a ry: o n e wo n ders , f o r exa mple,
where t he grea t n es s lies in t his quo t e:
"L'es pa ce m'a t o ujo urs ren du s ilen cieux"
(PS, 183). Thus , we a re s us picio us ea rlyo n
a s t o ho w Ba chela rd cho o s es his ima ges ,
a n d he do es n 't hes it a t e t o in f o rmus : "An y
ima ge is a go o d o n e, pro vided we kn o w ho w
t o us e it " (myempha s is ) (PS, 29). If a n y
ima ge is go o d, a ll po ems ha ve t he s a me
va lue, o r n o va lue; it is o n lya ques t io n o f
whet her o r n o t a given rea der ca n wo rk
wit h t he ima ge in s uch a wa ya s t o ma ke it
ef f ect ive, a n d a t t his po in t , o n e is likelyt o
co n clude t ha t Ba chela rd ha s empha s ized
t he rea der o f t he po ems t o s uch a n ext en t
t ha t t he po ems t hems elves a re bes ide t he
po in t : a ll po ems a re equa llyva lua ble, given
t he f a cilit yo f t he rea der.
Up t o t his po in t , I ha ve been eva lua t in g
Ba chela rd's po et ics la rgelyf ro ma n o bjec-
t ive s t a n dpo in t , but mo s t o f t he dif f icult ies
a re a ls o pres en t f ro ma phen o men o lo gica l
pers pect ive. Ba chela rd a do pt s t he phe-
HA N S
Phen o men o lo gy o f Rea din g
C o n s cio us n es s
n o men o lo gica l
met ho d f o r
go o d
rea s o n s :
he s eeks t o
ca pt ure ima ges
a t t heir
po in t
o f
o rigin ,
a n d he wa n t s t o des cribe t heir emer-
gen ce a s
f a it hf ully
a s he ca n . An d in s o f a r
a s t his
po in t
o f
o rigin
is lo ca t ed in a
pre-
o bject ive s t a t e, where
s ubject
a n d
o bject
a re co -co n s t it ut ed, where
la n gua ge
lea ds t o
t he
emergen ce
o f
bein g,
t he
phen o men o lo gi-
ca l met ho d is a n idea l t o o l t ha t wa s de-
velo ped precis ely
t o dea l wit h t hes e
pro b-
lems .
Phen o men o lo gica lly, t hen , o n e ca n
rea dilygra n t
t he
po s it in g
o f t he s o ul a n d
it s co n n ect io n s wit h
la n gua ge
a n d t he emer-
gen ce
o f
bein g;
o n e ca n
gra n t
t ha t t hes e
emergen t ima ges co rres po n d
t o t he co n s t i-
t ut ive
a ct ivit y
o f childho o d, t o t he n o n -
co n cept ua l f ra min g
o f
bein g;
o n e ca n a ls o
gra n t
t he
n eces s a ryimmedia cy
o f t he ex-
perien ce
o f s uch
ima ges .
But even if a ll o f
t his is
a ccept ed,
t he
t empo ra l
n a t ure o f a ll
experien ces n eces s a rily
dis t a n ces us f ro m
t he
ima ge, a n d, a s I ha ve s ho wn a bo ve, t he
pres en ce
o f
la n gua ge
evin ces t his
pro blem.
In deed, t here a re f ew
pres en t -da yphen o me-
n o lo gis t s
who wo uld
gra n t
t he
immedia cy
o f
a n yexperien ce
t ha t in vo lved
la n gua ge.
Ra t her, a s wit h hermen eut ic
phen o men o lo -
gis t s
like Rico eur a n d G a da mer, t heir s t a rt -
in gpo in t
wo uld be t ha t it is
a lwa ys impo s -
s ible t o
gra s p a n ylin guis t ic
elemen t in it s
immedia cy,
f irs t beca us e a ll
un ders t a n din g
o f
la n gua ge implies in t erpret a t io n ,
which
implies
a
n eces s a ry
dis t a n ce f ro m
a n yt ext ,
a n d s eco n d beca us e
a n y
writ t en a rt if a ct ha s
co me o ut o f a
s pecif ic,
f in it e his t o rica l
f ra mewo rk which will ha ve a wo rld-view o r
ho rizo n t a l s t ruct ure t ha t will
in evit a bly
dif f er f ro mo ur o wn ho rizo n s in s o me
wa y,
lea din g
t o a f urt her
dis t a n cin g
o f t he t ext .
Such a
pers pect ive, ho wever, wo uld n o t
co n f irmDerrida 's view o f t he in f in it e
regres s
in vo lved in t he
lin guis t ic s ys t em; in s t ea d, a
hermen eut ic
viewpo in t
wo uld
a rgue
t ha t
t he
s ign if ica n ce
o r
mea n in g
o f a n
ima ge
o r
a t ext co uld be reco vered
by
a rea der,
t ho ugh
n ever
t o t a lly
s o . Thus , my
rema rks
a bo ut t he
t empo ra l ga p
a n d t he media -
t io n a l n a t ure o f
la n gua ge
do n o t
depen d
o n Derrida 's
crit ique;
t he s a me
po in t s
wo uld be ma de f ro mt he hermen eut ic
per-
s pect ive,
which wo uld
den y
t he
po s s ibilit y
o f t he immedia t e
experien ce
o f t he
ima ge
325
t ha t Ba chela rd wa n t s while s t ill
a rguin g
t ha t t he
ima ge
ca n be reco vered. The ex-
perien ce
o f t he
ima ge a lwa ys depen ds
o n
t he f us io n o f o ur o wn ho rizo n s wit h t he
ho rizo n s o f t he
ima ge.
The o t her
ma jo r pro blem
a rea in Ba che-
la rd is his t o t a l co mmit men t t o t he is o -
la t ed
ima ge,
a n d here o n e is remin ded o f
G a da mer's lucid dis cus s io n o f t he in crea s -
in g
dif f eren t ia t io n o f t he a es t het ic rea lm
f ro mt he rea lmo f t rut h o r
kn o wledge
t ha t
bega n
wit h Ka n t 's
C rit ique o f Judgmen t
a n d rea ches a n ext reme
po in t
in Ba che-
la rd:8 we a re mea n t t o
en jo y
t he
well-bein g
o f
ima ges ,
a n d we s ho uld
en jo y
t he reverie
t ha t is
pa rt
o f t he
experien ce
o f
ima ges ,
but
bo t h a re dis co n t in uo us f ro mo ur n o rma l
lives a n d s eemt o ha ve n o rea l ef f ect o n
t hem. We ca n o bs erve
bein gemerge t hro ugh
ima ges ,
but t he
po em
ha s n o t rut h va lue,
n o r is t here
a n ywa y
o f
in t egra t in g
o ur ex-
perien ce
o f it in t o o ur
gen era l
ho rizo n s .
But , a s we ha ve s een , t his
dis co n t in uit y
is
n o t
o n ly
a
pro blem
o f
experien ce;
t he t ext s
we rea d
ult ima t ely
beco me dis co n t in uo us
pieces t hems elves , a n d
t hey
a re
t o t a lly
cut
o f f f ro mt heir
his t o ry
a n d t heir
pla ce
in t he
t ra dit io n o f lit era t ure.
Ima ges
ha ve ho ri-
zo n s , but t ext s
a ppa ren t ly
do n o t .
Thes e dis co n t in uit ies s ho w t ha t Ba che-
la rd ha s
a do pt ed
t he
phen o men o lo gica l
met ho d wit ho ut
a do pt in ga n y
o f t he o n t o -
lo gica l a s s umpt io n s
t ha t ha ve been
pa rt
a n d
pa rcel
o f t he va rio us
phen o men o lo gies .
His co n t in ua l in s is t en ce t ha t
bein gemerges
t hro ugh la n gua ge
s eems t o
pla ce
himwit h
Heidegger,
but
Heidegger's phen o men o l-
o gy
wa s
gro un ded
in
Bein g a n d, a t lea s t
in it ia lly,
ha d it s lo cus in t he
his t o ricit y
o f
Da s ein . When he dis cus s es a t ext , whet her
it be Ka n t 's o r Ho lderlin 's , he is
a lwa ys
a wa re o f t he his t o rica l ho rizo n s o f t he t ext
a n d o f his o wn his t o rica l ho rizo n s , a n d his
rema rks a re
pa rt
o f t he
co n t in uit y
t ha t t he
f us io n o f t hes e ho rizo n s
repres en t s .
Ba che-
la rd
ign o res
a ll his t o rica l ho rizo n s a n d
s eems in t he en d n o t t o be
s pea kin g
a bo ut
Heidegger's o n t o lo gica l Bein g
but a bo ut
o n t ic
bein gs .
But o n e ca n
reject Heidegger's
dis t in c-
t io n s a n d s t ill f in d
wa ys
o f
a chievin g
co n -
t in uit y, t ho ugh
Ba chela rd
reject s
t hes e
po s -
H2 ANS
s ibilit ies a s well. Hus s erl hims elf ca n be
s a id t o ha ve
develo ped
t hree
wa ys
o f
gro un din g
his
phen o men o lo gy, a lt ho ugh
it
co uld be
a rgued
t ha t ea ch is
merely
a n
a s pect
o f t he s a me f o un da t io n . His
co n cept
o f t he t ra n s cen den t a l
ego
wa s
o rigin a lly
t he
ult ima t e s ubs t ra t e o f a ll t he va rio us in -
t en t io n a lit ies o f t he
s ubject ,
a n d it
pro -
vided
co n t in uit y
f o r t he
experien ces
o f t ha t
s ubject . Hus s erl's des cript io n
o f in t ern a l
t ime co n s cio us n es s , wit h it s
run n in g
o f f o f
pro t en t io n s
a n d
ret en t io n s ,
a ls o
pro vided
a
co n t in uo us s ubs t ra t umf o r t he a ct s o f t he
s ubject ,
a s did his n o t io n o f t he lif e-wo rld
in his la t er wo rk. Ea ch
pro vided
a
wa y
o f
in t egra t in g
t he immedia t e
experien ces
o f
co n s cio us n es s , a n d ea ch co uld ha ve been
a pplica ble
t o a
des cript io n
o f t he
ima ge.
But t ra n s cen den t a l idea lis mwa s n o t s uit ed
t o Ba chela rd's
en t erpris e.
Ot her a lt ern a t ives were a va ila ble t ha t
wo uld ha ve a vo ided t he idea lis t ic t en den cies
o f Hus s erl's
po s it io n ,
but Ba chela rd do es
n o t
a do pt
t hem. If we a ga in brief lyref er
t o Ro ma n
In ga rden o r t o Mikel Duf ren n e,
we ca n s ee t ha t Ba chela rd's ba s ic po s it io n
co uld a chieve s o me s o rt o f co n t in uit y. Bo t h
In ga rden a n d Duf ren n e pro vide a dua l a es -
t het ic
des cript io n ,
a n o et ic a n a lys is which
des cribes t he
a ct ivit y a n d t he ho rizo n s o f
t he
s ubject ,
a n d a n o ma t ic a n a lys is which
des cribes t he mo de o f bein g a n d ho rizo n s
o f t he wo rk o f a rt . Byt hus gra n t in g t he
t ext a s a who le s o me o bject ive s t a t us , a n
ext ern a l
co n t in uit y
is
po s s ible. But Ba che-
la rd, des pit e a ll o f his rema rks a bo ut t he
ima ge, is rea llyo n lyco n cern ed wit h n o et ic
a n a lys es :
he
pro vides us wit h a t ho ro ugh
des cript io n
o f t he rea din g co n s cio us n es s ,
but he
pa ys
lit t le o r n o a t t en t io n t o t he
n o ma t ic
a s pect o f t he co -co n s t it ut io n . He
gra n t s
t he
ima ge grea t po wer in cla imin g
t ha t
bein gemerges t hro ugh it , yet he n ever
pro vides
a n eidet ic a n a lys is o f s pecif ic
ima ges
in t he wa yt ha t Hus s erl s ugges t ed.
Ra t her t ha n
des cribin g
t he es s en ce o f a n
ima ge, he rema in s a
phen o men o lo gis t o f
n o et ic
a n a lys es .
On e f in a l
po s s ibilit y
f o r
givin gco n t in uit y
t o t he
po et ics a ppea rs
in t he
a rchet ype.
Bo t h
Jun g
a n d
Frye
f in d t ha t
a rchet ypes
pro vide
a ba s ic mea n s f o r
in t egra t in g hu-
ma n
experien ce,
a n d t hes e
primeva l ima ges
co uld a ls o
s upply
a co n t in uo us s ubs t ra t um
f o r t he ma t eria l
ima gin a t io n .
In Ba che-
la rd's t erms , t he
a rchet ype
co uld
pro vide
a
bridge
f ro mt he s o ul t o t he min d.
In deed,
t he
a rchet ypa l
s ubs t ra t ums eems t o be
Ba chela rd's
o n t o lo gica l gro un d
a n d s ho uld
t hus lea d t o a co n n ect io n bet ween s o ul a n d
min d. On ce
a ga in , t ho ugh,
Ba chela rd re-
ject s
s uch a
po in t
o f view beca us e it wo uld
n eces s a rily
in vo lve
co n cept ua liza t io n ,
which
wo uld in t urn
des t ro y
t he
ima ge.
We ha ve
t hus ret urn ed t o o ur
previo us
rema rk t ha t
Ba chela rd
repres en t s
t he ext reme
po in t
o f
a es t het ic dif f eren t ia t io n : he will a llo w
n o t hin g
in t o his
po et ics
which ha s
a n y
co n -
n ect io n wit h
co n cept ua liza t io n ;
he res o -
lut ely
den ies
a n y
co n n ect io n bet ween co n -
cept ua liza t io n
a n d
ima gin a t io n
beca us e t he
ima ge
ca n
o n ly
live in a
s ubject ive rea lm,
a rea lmdevo id o f a ll co mpa ris o n o r ra t io n a l
t ho ught . G iven his det ermin a t io n t o up-
ho ld t his po in t , he mus t a lmo s t o f n eces s it y
a do pt t he dis cret e n o min a lis mt ha t he do es ;
he mus t den y t he ima ge a n y o n t o lo gica l
s t a t us a n d pla ce it in t he rea lmo f t he
irrea l, a n d he mus t a rgue t ha t jus t a s a ll
ima ges a n d t ext s a re dis co n t in uo us , s o a ls o
a re t he s o ul a n d t he min d t o t a lly dis co n -
t in uo us f a cult ies t ha t ca n n o t a dmit o f a n y
in t erco n n ect io n s . Thes e co n clus io n s a ll f o l-
lo w f ro ma co mmit men t t o t he privileged
s t a t us o f t he ima ge a s Ba chela rd des cribes
it , a n d t his mea n s t ha t dis co n t in uit y is a
n eces s a rypa rt o f t he s ys t em.
Overa ll, t hen , Ba chela rd ha s pro vided us
wit h a po et ics which pla ces t he ima ge in
t he f o ref ro n t , which dis t in guis hes t he ima ge
f ro mbo t h met a pho r a n d co n cept . He ha s
ret urn ed t o a s ubject ive va lua t io n o f po ems
while a vo idin g s o lips is mt hro ugh his co n -
cept io n s o f t he a rchet ype a n d t ra n s -
s ubject ivit y. He ha s f urt her o f f ered us
s o me s o phis t ica t ed rea din gs o f va rio us lin es
a n d given bo t h reverie a n d po et rya n im-
po rt a n t pla ce in huma n lif e. In s o do in g,
t ho ugh, he ha s n o t a vo ided cert a in in -
co n s is t en cies in his a t empo ra l viewpo in t ,
a n d he ha s lef t t he crit ic wit ho ut a f un c-
t io n : he mus t be co n t en t t o rea d lit era t ure
a n d t o en jo yit . If he go es f urt her, he will
des t ro ypo et rybyo bject ivizin g it . Ba che-
326
Phen o men o lo gy o f Rea din g
C o n s cio us n es s
la rd ha s a ls o
pla ced a n y
s t ruct ura l o r
ge-
n eric co n s idera t io n s o n t he s ide,
cla imin g,
bo t h in
t heo ry
a n d
pra ct ice,
t ha t wo rks a s
who les a re irreleva n t . We s ho uld be co n -
t en t t o dea l wit h
f ra gmen t s ,
wit h is o la t ed
ima ges
in t heir
immedia cy. Thus , he ha s
co n s ign ed
us t o a n o min a lis t ic un ivers e
where eva lua t io n in t he t ra dit io n a l s en s e
o f t he wo rd is
mea n in gles s
o r even des t ruc-
t ive, a n d where,
des pit e
t he s ubt le
rea din gs ,
we en d
up kn o win g
les s a bo ut
po et ry
a s a
who le t ha n we did bef o re we
bega n .
An d
un les s we a re
willin g
t o co n cede t ha t t he
en t ire
co rpus
o f t he wo rld's
po et ry
exis t s
s o lely
f o r t he s a ke o f n umero us is o la t ed
epipha n ies ,
o r un les s we a re
willin g
t o
mo dif y
Ba chela rd's n o min a lis ms o we ca n
f in d s o me
wa y
o f
in t elligen t ly dis cus s in g
t he
po em
a s a who le, we mus t co n clude
t ha t Ba chela rd ha s do n e mo re deco n s t ruct -
in g
t ha n
reco n s t ruct in g,
t ha t he ha s lef t us
o n ly
a s ca t t ered
pile
o f
epipha n ic f ra gmen t s .
'
G a s t o n Ba chela rd, The Po et ics
o f Spa ce,
t ra n s .
Ma ria
Jo la s (Bo s t o n , 1969), p.
xvi.
Subs equen t
quo t a t io n s
a re f ro mt his t ra n s la t io n a n d will be
f o llo wed
by
"PS" a n d lin e n umbers
pa ren t het ica lly
in t he t ext .
2
G a s t o n Ba chela rd, The Po et ics o f Reverie,
327
t ra n s . Da n iel Rus s ell
(New
Yo rk,
1969), p.
52.
Subs equen t quo t a t io n s
a re f ro mt his t ra n s la t io n
a n d will be f o llo wed
by
"PR" a n d lin e n umbers
pa ren t het ica lly
in t he t ext .
3G a s t o n Ba chela rd, On Po et ic
Ima gin a t io n
a n d
Reverie: Select io n s
f ro m
t he Wo rks
o f G a s t o n
Ba chela rd, t ra n s . a n d ed. C o let t e G a udin
(New
Yo rk, 1971), p.
10.
Subs equen t quo t a t io n s
f ro m
t his bo o k a re f ro mt his edit io n a n d will be f o l-
lo wed
by
"P1" a n d lin e n umber
pa ren t het ica lly
in
t he t ext .
4See C la ude Levi-St ra us s , The Ra w a n d t he
C o o ked, t ra n s .
Jo hn
a n d Do reen
Weight ma n (New
Yo rk, 1969), pp.
15-17.
5
Fo r a n excellen t dis cus s io n o f t his
pro blem
in
Hus s erl's wo rk, s ee
Ludwig La n dgrebe,
"Hus s erl's
Depa rt ure
f ro mC a rt es ia n is m" in The Phen o men -
o lo gy o f Hus s eri: Select ed C rit ica l
Rea din gs ,
ed.
a n d t ra n s . R.
O.
Elvet o n
(C hica go , 1970), pp.
259-302.
6 See Ma urice
Merlea u-Po n t y,
"Wha t is Phen o m-
en o lo gy?"
in
Phen o men o lo gy:
The
Philo s o phy o f
Edmun d Hus s erl a n d it s
In t erpret a t io n ,
ed.
Jo s eph
J.
Ko ckelma n s
(G a rden C it y,
N. Y., 1967), pp.
357-374.
7 The mo s t lucid dis cus s io n s o f t hes e
po in t s
o ccur in t he
es s a y
"Dif f eren ce" in Derrida 's Speech
a n d Phen o men a , t ra n s . Da vid Allis o n
(Eva n s t o n ,
1973), pp. 129-160, a n d in t he
es s a y "St ruct ure,
Sign ,
a n d
Pla y
in t he Dis co urs e o f t he Huma n Sci-
en ces " in The St ruct ura lis t
C o n t ro vers y:
The La n -
gua ges o f C rit icis ma n d t he Scien ces o f Ma n , eds .
Richa rd
Ma cks ey
a n d
Eugen io
Do n a t o
(Ba lt imo re,
1970),
pp. 247-264.
8Ha n s -G eo rg G a da mer, Trut h a n d Met ho d
(New Yo rk,
1975), pp.
39-90.