Language of the Broken Mind

8/13/2019 Language of the Broken Mind

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Language of a Broken Mind: Suicidal Poetic Techniques and Dramatic Dialogue in 4.48 Psychosis

Gabriel Nicolás Larenas osa

This is the light of the mind! cold and "lanetar#$ %%S#l&ia Plath in 'The Moon and the (e) Tree*

Psychosis 4.48 is a "la# of agon#$ + thread$ The e,hausting! ill%tem"ered )orld of

suicide$ + "la# to think about killing #ourself$ 4.48 Psychosis is a claustro"hobic dark%room and

it doesn-t allo) an#one to go out until the curtains are o"ened$ .urtains )hich might be as )ell

arm%flesh/ the ro"e to the neck/ breath to mouth$

0ane masters her dramaturgia b# the use of "oetic )riting techniques$ These are used to

construct a &er# s"ecific t#"e of dramatic e,istentialist dialogue$ Gi&en that the critics argue that

4.48 Psychosis is more of a "oetic )ork than a theater "la#! the follo)ing "a"er )ill anal#1e the

2ust a "osition of "oetr# and dramatic dialogue in this "la#! so as to understand it as a &isual "la#$

3t-s studies )h# the "ur"ose of this dramatic%"oetic )riting is to achie&e a dense "s#chological!

suicidal! atmos"here$ The main ob2ecti&e is to e,"lore ho) 4.48 Psychosis creates its o)n

dramatic structure so as to create a "s#chological dialogue through its "oetic means$ 3t )ill

consider! so as to read its "s#chological meanings! ho) the "la# refers to psychosis (thinking

basically of psychosis as a psychiatric condition of those who loose contact with reality) )ithout

s"ecificall# articulating the "atholog# but "la#ed linguisticall#$ 3t is done so as to create a

dialogue that recreates! in the recei&er! a mental state of mind$

3t is agreeable that not all "oetr# o"enl# declaimed has to be theatrical/ as )ell as not

classic "oetr# must suit "erfectl# the )ritten te,t$ + theater "la# is an organic unit$ There is

something be#ond its forms that makes them )ork or not 4as if it )ere that sim"le5$ Dialogues are

essentials! since it is ho) the a "la# breathers out and sto"s being a form$ 3n this case! the "ath is

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"oetic! and )hat is be#ond the strateg# is to reach into the reader a "s#chological ner&e that )ill

connect te,t and reader in the same theatrical room! the same fear of suicide$

4.48 Psychosis is mainl# )ritten in blank &erses$ The te,t is &isuall# constructed in unusual

forms that )ill not usuall# be e,"ected in a dialogue$ +dded to the o&erl# charged semiotics! the

reader is "ushed into a strong! )ritten "oetic "resence that changes the habitual structure of

dramatic dialogue$ 7o)e&er! it does not change its functions$ 0ane is not )riting a collection of

"oems! she is )riting a dramatic "iece$ The &oices undergo a "oetic state of reasoning! but al)a#s

in interaction )ith a none%gi&en rece"tor$ She "resents this distinction in contrast! as the "la#

o"ens$ The &er# first lines indicate the clear "resence of dramatic dialogue!

4 A very long silence.)

- But #ou ha&e friends.

(a long silence)

(ou ha&e a lot of friends$

8hat do #ou offer #our friends to make them so

su""orti&e9

Though it does not sa# who is addressing to whom 4absence of the s"ecific names of characters5!

the &oices are clearl# dialogical and not monological$ The dialogue is marked b# a h#"hen$ +

&oice is addressing another )ith t)o statements! a question! and to someone else! not to itself$

This is different from the t#"e of dialogue that )ill follo)!

a consolidated consciousness resides in a darkened banqueting

hall near the ceiling of a mind )hose floor shifts as ten

thousand cockroaches )hen a shaft of light enters as all

thoughts unite in an instant of accord bod# no longer

e,"ellant as the cockroaches com"rise a truth


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)hich no one e&er utters$

This is an e,am"le of ho) 0ane creates a change throughout a "oetic dialogue$ She installs the

imager# of the sub2ect: the mind! a dark room! fragile floor! in&aded )ith cockroaches/ insects

that bring a message! a truth$ These insects could re"resent in fact )ords/ dark )ords )hich

in&ade the mind! )ords that are not "ronounced and that are tra""ed in the bod# 4the truth that is

ne&er uttered5 )hich is a reading of "s#chosis from Lacan "oint of &ie)! thinking that for Lacan

s#m"toms are )ords that the bod# does not )ant to e,"el/ )ords tra""ed in a bod#$ This is )hat

the te,t )ants to "ortra#$ 3f the "oetic function is recogni1ed as being "redominant in a s"ecific

te,t! the te,t can become more cr#"tic! enigmatic! allo)ing the reader of the "la# to manage a

)ider range of inter"retations of an# read information$

3f the reader is not able to be interacti&e )ith the &oices 4the non%titled characters5 b#

&isuall# inter"reting the fragments! the dialogue becomes automaticall# a monologue and it does

not function$ Therefore! Sarah 0ane uses &er# "articular )ords that cannot be easil# a&oided$

0no)ing that the cra)ling cockroaches )ill call the attention of the reader b# "h#sicall#

res"onding to it! she re"eats it t)ice in the same sentence$ She "laces it ne,t to a )ord that does

not ha&e a &isual equi&alent: mind ! hence its &isual inter"retation must be done b# the readers$

B# forcing them to e,ecute this action! she creates a dialogue$

The e,tract also is an e,am"le of ho) Sara 0ane makes references of Lacan! because of

the constant signification of realit# through language$ The gi&en te,t is in "resent tense 4a

consolidated consciousness resides in a darkened banqueting hall5$ 3t does not use )ords such as

'like*/ it is not a "oetic simile$ ;or the &oice! the message of this te,t is e,tracted from realit#!

the situation is ha""ening as it is being said in the te,t$ But for the reader! as there is a thought

character s"eaking! the "resence of these )ords signifies something different$


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4.48 Psychosis is a one%act "la#! though it is ne&er e,"licit that 0ane thought of acts

)hen )riting it$ 7o)e&er! all te,ts ha&e a solid connection bet)een one and another$ =&en if the

tone changes! the language is coherent )ith its dramatic flo)$ This is )h# the ne,t lines can be

analogous )ith the "re&ious te,t:

the broken herma"hrodite )ho trusted herself alone finds the

room in realit# teeming and begs ne&er to )ake

from the nightmare$

8ith this quote! 0ane brings back the room so as to reuse a "re&iousl# constructed image and

add more meanings to it$ This is a strateg# cle&erl# re"eated throughout the )hole "la# and it is

the reason )h# this "la# is so dense$ 3t ne&er suggests a con&e#ed meaning as a thread to be

follo)ed! so each time re"etition$

The "resence of the )ords 'herma"hrodite* and 'herself* is the linguistic se, ambiguit# of the

&oice! in )hich characters can be both male and )omen se"aratel# but )ith the fact that the#

once shared a mutual bod#$ +s there is no names in this "la#! there is no clear identit#! )hich

makes the conte,t much more richer! since it becomes interse,ual$ There is ne&er clear e&idence

about )ho is s"eaking$ There are no im"lied genders$ Presenting the figure of the interse,ed is a

technique that allo)s readers from both se,es to a""rehend the te,t at the same le&el$ 3t is

difficult! because the interse,ed is "art of our in&isibilit#$ 0ane dares the reader$

3t is a form of ambiguit# )hich redirects the reader into )ider "ossibilities of

inter"retation$ This em"hasis is starting to re&eal the need for the reader to be an acti&e

"artici"ant in the de&elo"ment of the "la#! and not 2ust a )itness of it$ The reader! or &irtual

audience! )ill be needed as the nucleus of the dramatic dialogue for this "la# to succeed$

+mbiguit# )ill also be needed a hand for the &isual constructions that must come ali&e through

this dialogue bet)een the declaiming &oices and the inter"retati&e reader$

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3t is im"ortant to kno) that the dialogues are built in dramatic &erse$ +s ?$ L$ St#lan

e,"lains in his book he !lements of "rama!

Poetr# can make the drama uniquel# "recise not onl# for the

actor to )ork )ith! but also for the audience to react to$ @$ $ $A 3t

)ill com"el drama on the stage of such a kind that the image of it

in the audience-s mind )ill be something )ider and #et finer@$ $ $A

The "oetr# is there to e,"ress and define "atterns of thoughts and

feeling other)ise ine,"ressible and indefinable*$

3n this sense! if the "la# "ortra#s death and suicide as the main sub2ects! "oetr# is 2ustified! since

there is a mandator# need to construct images! sometimes b# re"etitions that are ine,"ressible!

but e,"ressible onl# through language$ That is the "attern$ Poetr# )ill not be considered as such

in the thought of dialogue! but as a monologue that has an interaction )ith an unkno)n rece"tor$

4.48 Psychosis is integral! com"le, and organic for anal#1ing the crossing bet)een "oetr#

and drama$ +s mentioned before! the intensit# of the "oetic forms "resented in the "la# has led

man# critics to argue that 4.48 Psychosis is not a "la# because it does not function dramaticall#$

3t is claimed that the "la# is an e,tended "oem that can be declaimed in an o"en stage$ 0ane

)rites! '2ust a )ord on a "age and there is the drama* in order to state that the )ritten )ord can

e&en be ironicall# theatrical! questioning )ho decides )hether there is drama or not$ Des"ite the

fierceness of "oetr# in Sarah 0ane-s )ork! 4.48 Psychosis )orks as a "la# be#ond all doubts$

8hen anal#1ing dialogue! the )ritten dramatic te,t demands an intense )ork from the

reader! since it constantl# a""eals to all "ossible inter"retations$ 3n order to anal#1e! )ould ha&e

to choose from an original first reading and others led b# theor#$ The "erformance itself!

ho)e&er! is more deceitful in anal#sis because the gi&en messages ha&e to undergo more

channels of recognition besides inter"retation! e&en though the li&e transmission is more


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categorical$ Messages are sensible to change b# an# small &ariation of both internal and e,ternal

communication$

The t#"e of dialogue built b# Sarah 0ane suits the stage "erfectl#! as a "la#! not as an

o"en declamation$ No matter ho) language is "erformed! the s"ecific messages consider the

reaction of the reader$ 3t chooses the e,act )ords to "ro&oke himCher e&en in )riting$ Though

4.48 Psychosis is not a full%dressed h#brid! it comes &er# close to one$ 3ts "ro"osed anatom#

finds its o)n )a#s to gi&e the reader an o""ortunit# to understand our "ro"osed crossing$ This is

)h# )ords are so im"ortant in the anal#sis$ The# build a safet# net for the messages not to be

corru"ted b# an# e,ternal interference$

Pfister claims in heory and Analysis of "rama that 'normall#! the "oetic function onl#

a""lies to the e,ternal communication s#stem* because in order to reach internal communication

the &oice )ould ha&e to 'e,"ress their astonishment to his 'unnatural* manner of s"eaking*$

Sarah 0ane is a)are of this differentiation! because the &oice actuall# e,claims the required

astonishment$ 0ane )rites in the beginning! '3 had a night in )hich e&er#thing )as re&ealed to

me$ C 7o) can 3 s"eak again9*! and then she re"eats the confusion in the middle of the "la# )ith

'ho) can 3 return to form C no) m# formal thought has gone9*$ This is an e&ident! and cle&er!

"arado, about formalism and tr#ing to com"ose structures )ithout feelings$

The &oice is a)are of the language used! its articulations and forms$ The "oetic function

connects both structure and meaning/ &erses! )ords and significations$ The )a# she )rites and

ho) she )rites it$ She assigns logic in the a""rehension of the te,tC)ords$ 3t "laces e&er#one in

the same "osition$

Ne&ertheless! that the "la# is )ritten mostl# in free &erse as said before! is not the main

condition for the "oetic function to get hold of this )ork$ 3t is in fact! the dialogue that is

constructed b# this "redominant function$ Since "oetr# needs a recei&er that is able to both


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deci"her and inter"ret messages emotionall#! in theater both the reader of the te,t and the

audience of the "erformance becomes automaticall# that recei&er in a more acti&e )a# than

someone )ho 2ust )itnesses a con&ersation$ This! according to Ebersefeld! is one of the main

characteristics of the "oetic function! its figure of s"eech! the one that 'conditions theatrical

dialogue! @$ $ $A because the audiences kno) that all "ronounced )ords are addressed to them*$

The quote that )as "re&iousl# mentioned! 'ho) can 3 return to form C no) m# formal

thought has gone9*! can also be a""licable to ho) 0ane feels about her o)n "la# and ;ormalism$

+rtistic formalit# )ould manifest in structures and its clefts$ 7er language! s"irited "assion about

death! breaks the common dialogical structure since it does not allo) a transit from "assion to

form$ 3n order to accom"lish coherence! she breaks the comfortable structures of theater!

habituated dialogue! recogni1able characters! distinguishable stage directions! and translates them

under structures that corres"ond strictl# to "oetr#$ Poetr# is the main )ritten form that su""orts

the so called less formal structures such as blank &erse$ Blank &erse is ada"table for man#

situations! since it comes from an unstructured creati&it#/ it becomes stageable$ This does not

mean that all blank%&ersed "oetr# is suitable for the stage$ 3t needs a thread! it needs a reason to

be! and that is the brilliance of this "articular "la#/ it accom"lishes its goals com"letel#$ 3t creates

its o)n undefined! natural form$

To rel# on this function as "rinci"al and not secondar# is defiant$ 3n this "la#! the st#le of

the dialogue questions the re"etiti&e form of dramatic dialogue! the 'obser&able con&ersation*$

The actual reason for this construction is to s"eak! loudl#! about "ain$ 3t transmits )ithout an#

kind of considerations! the "ain of the )riter to an audience that becomes more sensiti&e

throughout the chosen )ords$

The "oetic dialogues in 4.48 Psychosis are al)a#s attached to their o)n suggestions of

realit#! ')hat is going to ha""en*! as seen in the "re&ious e,am"le! or e,"ressing feelings such as

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the follo)ing: ')hen he )akes he )ill en m# slee"less night of thought and s"eech unslurred

b# medication*$ 3n this sentence a 'he* that had ne&er been mentioned! a""ears$ +n out%of%

conte,t situation is "resent 4someone that is )aking u"5 and the &oice is )aiting for a

consequence ')hen he )akes*$ The sentence is the "ortra#al of ho) the &oice is signif#ing her

insomniac uneasiness )hich the reader kno)s occurs e&er# night at >$> am$ The &oice is

constantl# tr#ing to e,"lain )hat this time means! )ithout mentioning it all the time$ + signified

realit# is "resented in a &oice that is not a)are about its distance )ith realit#$

8ords are chosen to articulate a "ressured life that )ants to get a)a#$ + )ork )ritten b#

the intuition of suicide and that changes its o)n artistic codes that are inter&ened b# this lucid

de"ression$ 3ntuition is mainl# lead b# )ords and facial e,"ression$ The chosen language triggers

a transit bet)een life and death$ The same ha""ens! for e,am"le! in the last )ork of S#l&ia Plath!

Ariel ! found in Plath-s desk after she committed suicide$ The most famous &erses of this )ork are

closel# related to her suicide/ she )rites in her "oem 'Lad# La1arus*: 'D#ing is an art C like

e&er#thing else C 3 do it e,ce"tionall# )ell*$ ;or Plath and 0ane! death had a &er# similar

signification and it is not sur"rising that both of them are famous for ho) the# "ortra#ed suicide

in literar# )orks of art$

+l +l&are1! author of The Sa&age God! a Stud# of Suicide # )as a close friend of S#l&ia

Plath at the time of her death$ The a""roach +l&are1 has about death is daring! since there are not

man# te,ts that s"eak about suicide )ith such theoretical! #et caring! closeness$ 7e com"rehends

'the "o)er the act has e,erted o&er the creati&e imagination* )hich is com"elling for this

"articular anal#sis$ Both )riters de"icted death )ith a strange! #et a""ealing! seduction$ 0ane

flaunts her o)n threat to an e,ecuting reader$ 'The# )ill lo&e me for that )hich destro#s me*

)rites 0ane! 2ust as it ha""ened )ith the )ork of Plath! )ho became a fashionable icon of

suicide$ The &isual field becomes s)eetl# mined! a "erfect tra"$


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Because of the need to find )ords that e,actl# characteri1e a need for death and suicide!

the dramatic language is altered to meet e&er#thing that is needed to create the imager# necessar#

to understand the codes of theatre and suicide$ Language creates images )hich are strong enough

to condition an action$ 3f readers are constructing a "lace the# cannot recogni1e! the dialogue

bet)een the ones )ho are inside this "lace and the outsiders )ill raise the suggestions necessar#

for them to build this "lace into their o)n familiar codes$

The most effecti&e strateg# is to constantl# re"eat )ords in different situations for the

reader to concei&e di&erse significations u"on the same imageC)ord$ Because re"etition )ill be

found in different times and "laces! these )ill become more obscure conce"ts$ The# cannot be

gi&en! because a sudden mention of them )ill assume conce"ts of realit# )hich the "la# a&oids

and the re"etition )ould not )ork$ So! the semantic field is the ke# to un&eil the "lace$

The "la# has an e#eCear%catching em"hasis on certain )ords$ The follo)ing )ords! for

e,am"le! are e,tracted from the te,t/ )ords that re"eat constantl# or that are highlighted )ithin

their conte,t: silence# consciousness# dark# mind# nightmare# sad# hopeless# bored# dissatisfied#

failure# guilty# punished# kill myself# cry# tears# loneliness# fear# disgust# death# alone# depressed#

mortality# suicide# unconsciousness# sleepless# pain# bitter# grief# e$pressionless# dismay#

humiliation# illness# panic# shame# anguish# grave# hurt# lies# falsehoods# betrayal# nothing#

anger# scare# unhappy# hell# destroy# sickness# nervous breakdown# repugnant# aching# tears#

lobotomy# brain# pathological grief# darkness# madness# insanity# pain.

These are 0ane-s cockroaches/ the )ords that "o"ulate the "la#$ Most of them are

re"eated more than three times throughout the )hole "la#$ 8ith this strateg#! 0ane leads the

reader to &isuall# inter"ret death gi&ing s"ecific instructions of how the imager# must be

constructed$ The )eight of these )ords deal )ith attitudes and mental states/ the# s"eak of

des"eration as )ell a se&ere de"ression! as if the cockroaches could multi"l# due to the lack of

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light that these )ords a""rehend$ 7o)e&er! none of them are concrete/ most of them are abstract

nouns defining an abstract "icture$ 3n contrast! 0ane "resents in t)o full "ages! nouns that are

cor"oreal )ith the situation! concrete identifiable nouns such as the ones gi&en in the follo)ing

lines!

S#m"toms: Not eating! not slee"ing! not s"eaking! no se,

dri&e in des"air! )ants to die$

Diagnosis: Pathological grief$

Sertraline! I mg$ 3nsomnia! )orsened! se&ere an,iet#! anore,ia

4)eight loss 6Fkgs5! increase in suicidal thoughts! "lans and inten

tion$ Discontinued follo)ing hos"itali1ation$

These e,am"les are gi&en in the ne,t follo)ing t)o "ages of the "la#! )ith medications and

s#m"toms$ The former! gi&es an e,act anatomical reference to )hat is ha""ening to the &oice due

to a "s#chiatric condition$ 3t makes the &isual field more accurate b# the "resentation of concrete

nouns that the reader might be more familiar )ith$

Because of the need of &isual suggestion for this "la# to achie&e its goal! it can be

assured )e are in "resence of a dialogue and not a monologue/ the &oice its clearl# s"eaking to an

other! gi&ing information about its actual condition that has led her to the staged moment$

8ithout the re"etition of )ords! there could be no construction of imager#/ hence there )ould be

no dialogue bet)een &oice and reader$ 3f this dialogue is not "resent! then the actions )ould be

declamator# and the "la# )ould become a "oetr# collection$

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e"etition seems to be the main strateg# for Sarah 0ane to make the dialogue )ork$ ;or

Lacan! re"etition has a ma2or significance in a "s#chosis$ 3t is gi&en as an im"ulse$ The "s#chotic

tends to re"eat acts and )ords constantl#! "roducing a disorgani1ation of the mind$ =&er# time

something is re"eated! it signifies something different and it can lead to a different conte,t$

7o)e&er! the root of that re"etition )ill remain the same$ This is not onl# seen in the "la# )ith

the ma2or re"etitions of )ords! but )ith dialogues as )ell$ +s )e ha&e "re&iousl# seen! the "la#

o"ens as follo)s!

4 A very long silence.)

- But #ou ha&e friends.

(a long silence)

(ou ha&e a lot of friends$

8hat do #ou offer #our friends to make them so

su""orti&e9

+t the beginning it is not clear! but this dialogue is actuall# a re"etition$ 3t sho)s that e&er# "iece

of te,t can ha&e a different signification$ 3t blurs the conce"t of time since the te,t does not

s"ecif# )hat action came first$ This is )here the te,t establishes the loss of contact )ith realit#

on its o)n$ 3t is not a character! nor a &oice! the one that is "roducing this re"etition$ The te,t

re"eats itself for the reader$ The re"etition of )ords is necessar# to make this di&ision$ Death is

re"eated for the reader to assemble images )ith res"ect to their o)n "ri&ate &isions of death$ 3t is

im"ortant that the )ord death dri&es the dialogue bet)een "la# and reader! because this is the

instance )here the "la# achie&es its desired communication/ ridden inter"retation$

Death is "resent t)ent#%one times in the "la#! from beginning to end! "lus se&en forms of

d#ing and se&en references to the act of killing$ Number se&en is an im"ortant ke# in the "la#$ 3t

is im"licitl# re"eated in the te,t! such as in this number of re"etitions$ 3t a religious icon "resent

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as a negati&e bonding$ The anger )ith God is &iolentl# "resent on the te,t$ 3t can re"resent the

anger to)ard li&ing against a )ill of an o)n: 'fuck #ou God for making me lo&e a "erson )ho

does not e,ist! ;E.0 (J ;E.0 (JE ;E.0 (JE*$ 3n this sense! it is not a sur"rise that there

is an e,"licit bond bet)een death! religion and a mental state 4anger5$ Number se&en is also "art

of a mental treatment$ 3t consists in making "atients subtract from se&en to se&en 4kno)n as

'Serial F*5$ Numbers are "resented in the follo)ing dis"la#! )hich be#ond all doubts "ro&okes

an o"tic im"act on the reader:

6II H6

> 6

F

H

>> 6

6

F

3t is contrasted )ith ho) the# are "resented later on in the "la#:

6II

H<

FH

F

6

>>


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6

H

The &isual re"resentation of numbers is "erha"s the most characteristic &isual "resentation of the

"la#$ 3t influences the reading$ Because of the "la#-s "oetic structure! &erses! calligra"h# and free

"unctuation! 0ane forces the reader to inter"ret b# means of hisCher o)n channels$ 3nter"retations

in this "la# are not con&e#ed b# the obser&ation of different linguistic alternations/ the# are

"roduced b# the sensual reactions of the readers )hen the# find themsel&es as the recei&ing

other$ The constant re"etition of 'death* is not the re"resentation of a com"ulsi&e character/ on

the contrar#! is "roducing com"ulsion in the reader$

This is the reason )h# the im"ortance of )ords! as fragments! cannot be concei&ed as "art

of the "ortra#ed mental disorder! but a strateg#$ 'The strongest im"ressions are clearer

im"ressions*! states +le,ander Gottlieb in %efle$iones &ilos'ficas! 'hence more "oetic than the

less clear ones$ 3t is "oetic! in a high degree! to e,cite the more &ehement affections*$ + "oetic

structure in theater )ould )ork then onl# if it is able to rouse emotions &iolentl#$ The

inter"retation needs to be aggressi&e! not 2ust a "assi&e codification of )hat the )ords means to

)hoe&er is s"eaking$ Soon after the beginning! 0ane )ill re&eal this intention in the follo)ing

dialogue:

% (es$ 3t-s fear that kee"s me a)a# from the train tracks$ 3 2ust ho"e to

God that death is the fucking end$ 3 feel like 3-m eight# #ears old$ 3-m

tired of life and m# mind )ants to die

% That-s a meta"hor! not realit#$

% 3t-s a simile$

% That-s not realit#$

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% 3t-s not a meta"hor! it-s a simile! but e&en if it )ere! the defining feature

of a meta"hor is that it-s real$

B# announcing the )ish for mind%death as a simile 4this discussion 3 understood in time!

telling m# o)n thera"ist that e&er# clichK s"oken about madness is not a meta"hor! is in fact a

similie$ 3t is ha""ening$ 3t is not as if it )ere to ha""en$ The discussion about meta"hore and

similies is the da)ing line bet)een those )ho are trul# suffering from de"ression and those )e

see it from the outside or think the# might be cra1# or de"ressed5 )hat is trul# meant is that

)anting to die can be com"arable$ 3t ne&er sa#s )ith )hat can be com"ared to! since 'm# mind

)ants to die* is an outer embodiment! a despersonificaci'n! not a simile$ The "re&ious 'like* is

descri"ti&e$ The reader )ill tend to think of their o)n thoughts of suicide! constructing a

"ersonal imager# to)ards death$ This is the desired action$ The negation of the meta"hor is a

des"ersonification of her longing$ 3t is an affirmation that su""orts the consciousness of the

s"eaker to)ards realit#$

The former e,tract is rich for e,"laining the man# attitudes and a""roaches 4.48 Psychosis

has$ Jn a flight# surface! it is taken as a literar# discussion of similes and meta"hors/ ho) the#

can be recogni1ed in language use$ 7o)e&er! it is a far more intricate e,am"le$ Structurall#! it

denotes the use of &oices as dialogical characters "ro"osed b# Sarah 0ane$ These are more

regular t#"e of dialogues marked b# a h#"hen$ The tones of the &oices are clearl# different/ the#

can be set a"art as indi&iduals$ No matter ho) man# h#"hens might be found in the te,t! the final

decision of 'ho) man# characters there are* must be taken first b# the reader and hisCher &irtual

"erformance )hile reading! and then b# the director )ho )ants to take 4.48 Psychosis u" to the

stage$

The "la# can ne&er be con&erted in a mere re"resentation of the dialogue bet)een director

and te,t/ it has to )ork all the stageable%linguistic "ro"osals for the audience ne&er to lose their

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role as recei&ers$ Jn the other hand! the director )ill need to kno) ho) to transcribe all the

com"le, linguistic elements into the "la# for them ne&er to lose their functions gi&en b# the te,t

itself$ 3n this sense! 'Silence*! the second most re"eated )ord in the )hole "la#! is "robabl# the

most com"le, translation from te,t to stage$ =s"eciall# because it is gi&en as a multifunctional

stage direction$

3n Theater as Sign%S#stem: + Semiotics of Te,t and Performance +ston and Sa&ona claim

that the main bod# of the dramatic te,t and the te,t containing stage directions should be

distinguished from each other$ ;or them! stage directions are "ieces of highl# rele&ant

information for the "la# itself! )hether e,tra or intra%dialogic! and the# must al)a#s be

considered and anal#1ed$ 3n 4.48 Psychosis the stage directions are as im"ortant as the dramatic

te,t! because it "art of it$ The# cannot be di&ided from the te,t$ The onl# )ritten stage directions

are silences! so the reader might attribute them to characters! s"ace! acts! as )ell as "art of the

"oetic )riting/ as if 0ane )ould be using brackets in the st#le of e$e$ cummings$

3f considered onl# as stage directions! the# )ould ha&e an internal effect on the te,t as )ell

as in the "s#chological definition of &oices$ The "la# o"ens )ith '(A very long silence). 3n

brackets and cur&ed! as stage directions are )ritten$ 3t illustrates a command gi&en b# its im"lied

form$ The requirement is not there to hel" to construct a mood! it settles it$

(ilence) )ill be re"eated se&eral times from beginning to an end/


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inter"retation of the reader$ 7o)e&er! because of the ambiguit# of the te,t! and that there is an

em"hasis in onl# gi&ing silence as a stage direction! that "iece of )riting can be also inter"reted

not as a Stage Direction "er se! but as "art as )ell of the integral te,t )hich has a meaning o&er

the "re&ious and follo)ing te,ts$ 3t de"ends on ho) the reader )ants to take ad&antage of the

form$ S#mbolicall#! it is the "lace in )hich the author takes a breath herself! in silence! and

allo)s the &oice to rest as )ell! as if! because of the intensit# of the )ords! that )as the onl#

action trul# required$

(ilence) can be considered )ithin an uncon&entional phatic function as )ell$ +s Pfiester

recogni1es it! the Pathic ;unction refers to the '"s#chological )illingness of both "arties to

communicate* as )ell as hel"ing to 'create and intensif# the dialogical contact bet)een the

&arious figures*$ 3n the follo)ing e,am"le it can be seen ho) the figure of silence inter&enes in

communication:

% (ou are not eight# #ears old$

(ilence)

+re #ou9

(A ilence)

+re #ou

(A ilence)

Jr are #ou9

(a long silence)

+s it )as mentioned! 4.48 Psychosis does not ha&e structured characters$ 3t can be from

one &oice to se&eral &oices$ 8hen it )as first staged in the #ear III! three characters )ere

"resented$ 3n .hile! the "la# )as directed b# +lfredo .astro in II>$ T)o characters )ere staged$

3t is al)a#s a "ersonal decision that comes from the reader$ +s there are no turns in dialogue! the

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different t#"es of silences can be considered as ans)ers! that is to sa#! as "art of the dialogue! a

silence that is not "ortra#ed in s"eech$ 3t can be seen also as a ga" in )hich the other &oice gi&es

room for another question to a""ear$ 3t can be a refusal to the questions$ 3t is ne&er a closing

feature$

3n the follo)ing e,am"le! silence )ill be a figure of s"eech that leads the &oice to

continue the dialogue )ith the reader:

Do #ou think it-s "ossible for a "erson to be born in the

)rong bod#9

(ilence)

(ilence) can be translated as a time for breathing )hile the &oice is s"eaking to itself! as

)ell as a moment for the reader! or &irtual audience! to feel that the# are being addressed

"ersonall#$ This )ill encourage dialogue to de&elo"! al)a#s in a "s#chologicall# manner as

Pfister )ould notice$

These forceful breaks in structure signif# the emotional "s#chological breakdo)ns of the

)riter$ >:> am is the time 0ane )ould )ake u"! e&er#da#! due to "aranoia$ =&en though nor the

reader nor the audience must be a)are of this fact! it is a fundamental truth that configures

dialogue and its fragments! because from this re"etiti&e silence! the flo) of )ords emerge$

Silence is not a code that asks for a re"l#! but it does "ro&oke a reaction in the other . 3t

situates them in an a)k)ard! uncomfortable "lace )hich leads to the unra&eling dialogues$ Susan

Sontag! in her essa# 'The +esthetics of Silence* e,"resses a notion of silence )hich is

fundamental to understand the o"ening of the "la#$ She addresses the question of ho) literall#

silence figures in art$ She ans)ers!

silence e,ists as a decision in the e,em"lar# suicide of the artist!

)ho thereb# testifies that he has gone 'too far* @$ $ $A$ Silence

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also e,ists as a "unishment! in the e,em"lar# madness

of artists )ho demonstrate that sanit# itself ma# be the "rice of

tres"assing the acce"ted frontiers of consciousness*$

Sontag seems to "recisel# delimit the conce"t of silence used in 4.48 Psychosis$ Thefrontiers of consciousness are taken! literall#! to the boundaries of theater and )hat could be its

limitations/ silence as a stage direction in the &er# o"ening$ 7o)e&er! this first ru"ture of the rule!

that tres"assing! a silence that is mandator# stageable )ith ambiguous determinations of time (*a

long silence# a very long silence# silence) has a dee" communicati&e meaning$ Because it is a

neutral 1one! semanticall# uncharged! it leads the reader to )hat Ebersfeld )ould recogni1e as

'"resu""osing )hat is not said* because in silence there is a constant e,"ectation for )ords! )hat

is going to be said in order to break the tension$

The absence of "ronunciation must be "ortra#ed b# the actors on stage$ Because of the

constant re"etition done in different units of meaning! e&er# time silence a""ears in the "la# it

)ill 2oin the "re&ious sentences "ronounced$ The intuition in the other )ill be "ro&oked b# the

face that 2oins the silence/ a face that )ill rearrange the hearing )ords and that has the "o)er

enough to modif# the ones that )ill be said$ 8hether "ositi&e or negati&e! it )ill affect the flo)

of dialogue$ The "ro"osed silence is ne&er a "lace for resting$ 3t is al)a#s tensional$ +s it

"roduces constant e,"ectations! the "s#chological s"ace is used! first as a time to gather the gi&en

information! and then to build! at the same time! more e,"ectations about the de&elo"ment/

e,"ectations that al)a#s tend to be more negati&e as the dark intensit# of the "la# gro)s$ 3n this

sense! the e,"ectation! )hat it is not said! formulates a language of its o)n$ 3n this "lace! )here

hearable language is not "resent! )ords flo) inside the reader-s mind! a constant questioning/ the

com"lete lack of silence$

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This is ho) the dialogue begins bet)een the "la# and its readers$ 3t follo)s a

"s#chological order! since it is "s#cholog#! the failure of it! the fight against the institutionali1ed

rules of the mind &ersus the true self! the main concern of the "la#/ the reason of s"eech$ 3n this

logic! silence a""ro,imates )hat =sslin in his essa# Language and Silence )ould define as a

refusal to communicate$ 7o)e&er! in this "articular case! silence )ould be a simulation of that

refusal! as another strateg#$ The dialogue results to be a &er# intimate! still crudel# rough!

sharing of death )ishes! images! feelings! etc$ 3t al)a#s attem"ts to def# the "s#cholog# of the

reader! to "ro&e ho) long the# can resist )hile being confronted )ith their o)n &isions of death$

Because of this "s#chological intensit#! a "s#choanal#tical a""roach to the "la# )ould be easier!

but dangerous! since as +ston and Sa&ona e,"lain those t#"es of anal#sis can make the te,t loose

a se&ere amount of edges$ This is )h# )e )ill consider a "s#chological a""roach onl# to add

meaningful &ie)s to the rich construction of language and communication in 4.48 Pyschosis.

ie)ing the effects that this "s#chological com"rehension has u"on the te,t itself! 3 could

not agree more )ith 'TeorOa de la =,"resin PoKtica* )here .arlos BousoQo claims that '"oetr#

is the contem"lation of a real state of mind$ Poetr# does not communicate )hat it is being felt!

but its contem"lation*$ This statement reinforces the )a# in )hich the "la# )as )ritten$ BousoQo

highlights the difficult# in com"rehending the meaning of communication )hen it comes to

"oetr#! because of this crossing bet)een communication and inter"retation in a sub2ecti&e field$

7e claims that )hat the reader must al)a#s ha&e in mind is that e&er#thing that is being

communicated is imaginar# )ith codes that are real language! )hich determines e&er#thing that

has to be imagined$ 3n this sense! the &arious messages that can be decoded are com"letel# &alid$

BousoQo affirms that "oetr# follo)s an 'intuiti&e understanding! not a logic one*$

The dialogues marked b# h#"hens are clearl# about treatment/ it is usuall# recogni1ed as a

"atient and her thera"ist$ To allo) the other to decide )hether these dialogues follo) a

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"athological disorder means that the author is forcing the other to assume the role of a thera"ist

)hen labelling the artistic dri&e$ Dialogues are articulated under a "enetrating artistic insight$

8hether sick or health#! it should not infer an# form of "re2udice to)ards the )ork itself$ 0ane

"resents in her )ork ho) difficult it is to )rite under the constant "ressure of an outsider )ho

determines )hat is health#! )hat is not! )hat is a meta"hor! )hat is a simile$ ;or art sake! it is

clinical censure$

Jne of the main "athological characteristics of "s#chosis is the loss of contact )ith realit#

together )ith a derangement of "ersonalit#$ ;or man# readers! the main &oices as )ell as the

author might be dri&en b# a "s#chotic state of mind! but it is not technicall# necessar# as a

general truth$ 4.48 Psychosis is not a delirium/ a "s#chotic mind can ne&er inter"ret a delirium$

The &oice that s"eaks of mental states is clearl# eloquent/ hence the &oice comes from a se&ere

de"ression! cle&er enough to ha&e a theoretical a""roach to mental diseases$

There is a &oice )ho feels inside a "rison/ the o"inion of the doctor )ho is tr#ing to make

an o)n &ersion of her! tr#ing to "s#chologicall# decode her$ 3f 0ane is tr#ing to sha"e death as a

ma2or desire/ )hat she )ould be reflecting is the death of the 2udgemental &oice that critici1es

her$ The true self emerges! for Lacan! in delirium$ 0ane seems to kno) "recisel# )hat her

deliriums are$ =&en though there are sentences in )hich the signifier differs from )hat is being

signified! the critic self%recognition assures her in a refle,i&e state of mind! not a "s#chotic one$

There is no ;oreclusion 4this is a &er# s"ecific Lacanian term! )hich is used )hen a child

gro)s out of hisCher connections bet)een the real and the imager#! s"ecificall# because of the in

gro)n relations )ith the father$ ;or a "ost feminist reading of this "la#! this foreclusion must be

something to be de&elo"red together )ith the "ostulates of role and genders for e,am"le!

thinking the doctor as the "resence of a father5 in the dialogue! that is to sa#! there are no

forgotten radical re2ections$ The &oice is able to articulate e&er#thing that is ha""ening under her

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o)n language/ her &ie)s of realit#$ 3f the reader decides that the &oice is ill! that this is the &oice

of someone that is tr#ing to kill herself! then she is! because the reader is gi&ing the &oice a

suicidal identit#$ The &oice is coherent )ith its de"ression! but in a degree that gi&es her certain

logic that kee"s her mind lucid to declaim her inner truths$

+s )e kno)! if the signified is al)a#s changed! but it kee"s the signifier! e&er# time a

)ord is re"eated it )ill mean something different$ +ll this different significations are "art of an

identit# that is able to &isuall# construct meanings$ Ps#chosis 2ustifies re"etition as tr#ing to

release a s"ecific trauma$ No)! it is not ')hat is re"eated* but )hat is meant b# it$ +s e,"lained!

if the author re"eats 'death* o&er and o&er! it is not the actual conce"t of death )hat is tr#ing to

be "ortra#ed! but something dee"er$ 7o)e&er! the imager# constructed to reach the meaning! the

'signif#* out of it! comes from all images attached to the )ord$ 3n this sense! if it is suicide )hat

triggers the action! 'to e,"lain suicide* is absolutel# not the main goal of the "la#$

+n im"ortant as"ect that "s#chotics manifest through their language structure is the )a#

the# deal )ith their loss of identit#$ This loss is one of the main issues of 4.48 Psychosis. 3n the

follo)ing lines! e,am"les of alienation are "resented

3 )ill dro)n in D#s"horia

3n the cold black "ond of m# self

The "it of m# immaterial mind$

D#s"horia is a bi"olar disorder! in )hich grief release a confrontation )ith another self )ithin the

self$ '8e are anathema C The "ariahs of reason*$ +nathema is a gift made to the gods! lifted!

se"arated from the earth$ 3f the# are used as an ad2ecti&e to describe the '3*! it im"lies that the

s"eaker feels that she is not "art of her o)n self as a unit! that there is al)a#s a di&ision/ an

earthl# bod# and an atmos"heric one$ This re"resentation is seen as 0ate )rites

7ere am 3 and there is m# bod# dancing on glass$

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3dentit# is a delicate issue in 4.48 Psychosis$ 3t arises in both te,t and "erformance$ 3t is

addressed in dialogue itself$ Lacan assures that the identit# is not formed b# ho) the '3*

concei&es itself in language 43 am5! but ho) the other constructs the identit# of the other '3* + that

is to sa#! ho) the other sees me is ho) 3 )ill see m#self$ This is called 'Jtherness*$ 3n a lecture

gi&en on Jctober IIF! at the National Librar# of .hile! StK"hane Thibierge e,"lained that for

Lacan the self is something )e "ro2ect to bare e&er#thing that for us belongs to the other$ ;or this

reason! the s"eaker )ill tend to be narcissistic/ the image the '3* has about itself is fed b# the

other$ The '3* )ill tend to em"hasi1e the need to hear itself re"eated$

The "la# soundl# o"ens )ith the o"inion of that other 'But #ou ha&e friends*/ a

grammatical con2unction that immediatel# im"lies an e,"lication or 2ustification$ +s the reader

)ill "robabl# inter"ret later on! the character that o"ens )ith this line re"resents the &oice of the

other/ most "robabl# a doctor andCor a &er# 2udgmental &oice$ The constructed self! a self that is

al)a#s feeling attacked! is the one that the outsider is tr#ing to build b# attaching e&er# )ord to a

"s#chological reason to be$ 3t can be understood that the &oices are a )ritten "ol#"hon# )hich

articulate a conclusion of her state of mind before committing suicide$ This is the one "oint in

)hich the notion of inter"retati&e dialogue becomes more than essential$

The most unstructured &oice might hallucinate the a""earance of other characters 4)hich

does not ha&e to be t)o5! or heCshe can "la# them! assuming a disorder of "ersonalit# or a

schi1o"hrenia$ =&en though readers can freel# assume these "ositions! because in their mind the#

can ha&e all "ossibilities! this )ill be a difficult choice for the director! because sheChe )ill take a

"ersonal inter"retation of the dialogues into a stage! conditioning the "erce"tion of the reader and

defining the dialogue that )ill be shared$ This is also an instance in )hich readers! in their role as

&irtual directors! and the directors themsel&es become 'doctors*$ This fact is &iolent! because the

"la# )ould attack the reader from beginning to an end$


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Personall#! 3 belie&e that 4.48 Psychosis is the most intense "iece )ritten b# 0ane$ 3ts

brilliance relies on ho) the "la# instates its o)n dramatic structure b# means of "oetic dialogues$

B# )riting in blank%&erses! 0ane fi,es a form of dialogue that "ortra#s the inner functioning of a

de"ressi&e mind! ho) clear death a""ears to those )ho ha&e been called 'unstable*$ She

questions identit# b# suggesting the reader ho) to build conclusions about sanit#$ Sarah 0ane

uses &iolence to make her "la# )ork$ She al)a#s thinks about ho) readers )ill construct their

o)n intuitions b# their "ossibl# reactions suggested b# the )ords she )rites$ 4.48 Pyschosis is a

dramatic "iece of )ork led! e,clusi&el#! b# its "oetr#! its )ords$

Though "oetr# and theatre ha&e come across together re"eatedl# in histor#/ though man#

forms of "oetr# can be &i&idl# declaimed on a stage! 0ane is clearl# a "la#)right$ She re&els

against formal dramatic structure )ithout e&er sto""ing using it$ The most clear e,am"le is ho)

she uses stage directions/ im"ossible to follo) )ithout the other-s inter"retation$ There is no clear

"resentation of characters$ 3f three! t)o are called ' % * and the other one has no name! no title$

0ane is smart enough to cross%e,amine the characteristic of language and its functions$

She kno)s e,actl# ho) to construct a dialogue from her "ro"osed forms$ 0ane kno)s "recisel#

ho) to )ork )ith language in order to affect dialogue effecti&el#$ ;or this reason! e&en though it

can be easil# argue that 4.48 Psychosis is a "oem because of the )a# it is )ritten/ it is! be#ond all

doubts! a "enetrating "la# )hich requires an e,traordinar# alertness from the reader$ The "la#

)ill find no difficult# to achie&e such$ Language per se is "ri&atel# rich! and it a""rehends

attention )ith its high suicidal notes$

The title of the "la# hints to a kno)n mental disorder called "s#chosis$ 7o)e&er! there are

not an# e,act references about this state of mind! since the &oices! though highl# meta"horical!

are al)a#s coherent )ith their o)n truth$ +s )e ha&e seen! the reference to "s#chosis is done in

order to e,ecute an a""roach to the linguistic )ork of ?acques Lacan! a ;rench "s#chiatrist )ho


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"aid "articular attention to language in different states of mind$ The te,t follo)s the main t)o

"oints that Lacan sees in a "s#chosis/ a detachment from realit# and a "roblem of identit#/

identit# that is looked for in the other not in the self $ 3n this sense! the "s#chotic )ill not be an#

of the characters! nor the author! but the "la# itself$

Portra#ing a language of her o)n! choosing &er# carefull# )hat )ords )ill conduce each

reading! 0ane "ro&es to be a gifted )riter )ho suffered from an uns"eakable "ain$ The te,t gi&es

ho"es of light '3 )ant to li&e*/ ho)e&er it )as death )ho )ould )in the battle$ This fact

sometimes seems to outshine the )ork of art as such$ +s Da&id Greig argues in the introduction

of Sarah 0ane-s com"lete )orks! she must not be ackno)ledged for her )ill to suicide! but

because of her accurate literar# talent$ 3 ho"e the anal#sis "ro&ided sufficient clues for a "ersonal

literar# a""roach to the "la#/ clues! not forced inter"retations! since the# )ould not )ork )ell for

Sarah$ The reading of this "la# must al)a#s be a "ersonal e,"erience$

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Language of the Broken Mind

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Transcript of Language of the Broken Mind