![Page 1: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
IsMadnessitsOwnCure?AustrianLiteratureandthe
BeliefinAnomaly
GeoffreyC.HowesBowlingGreenStateUniversity
AustrianStudiesAssocia;onConferenceMay4,2013
![Page 2: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Theproject
• TheRepresenta=onofMadnessinAustrianFic=on– Literatureasasourceofnon‐clinicalknowledgeaboutmadnessanditssocialeffects,andhenceaboutAustrianculture.
– Thisknowledgeisembeddedincomplexculturalstructures,whichallowsaviewofmadnessasanintegralpartofsociety.
![Page 3: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Construc=vistapproachappliedtotheeffectsbutnottotheoriginsofmadness
• Theprojectwillassumeonthebasisofrecentresearchinneurology,physiology,andgene;csthatthee=ologyofmadnessisextremelycomplexandindividual.
• Theprojectwillnotaskliteraturetohelpshowhoworwhyasocietyproducesmentalillnessesinsomeofitsmembers,butratherhowasocietytreatsthosememberswhodosufferfrommentalillness.
![Page 4: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Construc=vistapproachappliedtotheeffectsbutnottheoriginsofmadness
• Cri;calapproachtowardFoucault’shistoricaltheoriesofmadnessandthean;‐psychiatricmovement(e.g.R.D.Laing,ThomasSzasz,KenKesey’sOneFlewovertheCuckoo’sNest)
• Thispresenta;onwilldrawinpartontheworkofMartaCaminero‐Santangelo,TheMadwomanCan’tSpeak,orWhyInsanityisNotSubversive(1998).
![Page 5: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Beliefinanomaly:Foucault
• Foucault,MadnessandCiviliza-on(1961;Engl.1964;nowHistoryofMadness,2006)
• “…bythemadnessthatinterruptsit,aworkofartopensavoid,amomentofsilence,aques;onwithoutanswer,provokesabreachwithoutreconcilia;onwheretheworldisforcedtoques;onitself.”(288)
![Page 6: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Beliefinanomaly:Felman
• ShoshanaFelman,Wri-ngandMadness(1978;Engl.1985)
Felmandescribes“thevanishingpointoftheuninterpretabletowardwhichtheeffortofinterpreta;onheads,butwhereitfallsapart”(32).
Interpreta;onmustenact,notexplain,thisdisintegra;on.
![Page 7: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Madnessasan=‐reason
• FoucaultandFelmanlookforliteraturethatenactsmadnessrhetoricallyasanul;matechallengetothepowerofdiscourse(especiallypsychology)toaccountfortheworld.
• Thisprojectlooksmoremodestlyatliteratureasarhetoricalandthema;cspacewherecompe;ngdiscourses,includingthediscoursesofthemad,areshowninjuxtaposi;on.
![Page 8: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
ThePatronandtheClient
• Inmylargerproject,Ianalyzefic;onalcharactersas“clients”(themad)and“patrons.”
• Thepatronfiguresprovideanoutsideperspec;veonthemadpersonthatisneitherclinicalnorfirst‐person.
• Patronsalsoshowtheeffec;venessandineffec;venessofnon‐clinicalassistanceto,supportfor,andinterac;onswiththemad.
![Page 9: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Madnessasitsowncure?
RobertMusil,DerMannohneEigenschaGen(1930,1932)
IngeborgBachmann,DasBuchFranza(1966)
WernerKofler,IdaH.(1978)
![Page 10: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Howcanmadnessbeitsowncure?
• Madnessisseeninthefaceofoppressivesocialcondi;onsandins;tu;onsasarebellionagainstorrefugefromthelimita;onsofsocial,poli;cal,familial,andgenderroles.
• Howeverisola;ngitmaybe,madnesssome;messeemstoinflictlesssufferingthanconformity(andtreatment)andcreateaspaceforfreedomandindividuality:ifsocietyenforcesmadness,madnessrejectsthatforce.
![Page 11: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
h.c.artmann(1921‐2000):“woseaumschdaahofdarad”
Source:ÖsterreichischeGesellschaGfürLiteratur
![Page 12: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
WOSEAUMSCHDAAHOFDARADh.c.artmann
![Page 13: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
artmann:“WhatI’ddoatSteinhof”con;nued
![Page 14: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Musil,DerMannohneEigenschaGen(1930,1932)
Source: wikipedia
![Page 15: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
PatronsandClientsinTheManwithoutQualiYes
• Patron1:Ulrich(themanwithoutquali;es)– Client1:Clarisse,thewifeofUlrich’schildhoodfriendWalter,anaesthete.
– Client2:Moosbrugger,ani;nerantworkerwhomurdersapros;tuteduringapsycho;cbreak.
• Patron2:Clarisse– Client:Moosbrugger:“DieserMörderistmusikalisch!”;andheembodiesthe“AustrianIdea.”
![Page 16: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Clarisse’sUtopianbeliefinanomaly
• ClarissewantstovisitMoosbruggerat(theunnamed)Steinhofbecauseheseemstorepresenthervisionfora“mad”alterna;vetosociety.
• Ulricharrangesthevisit.
• Clarissetriesandfailstointeractwiththeinmates,andnevergetstoMoosbrugger.
• “DieHölleistnichtinteressant,sieistfurchtbar.”
![Page 17: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
IngeborgBachmann:DasBuchFranza
Source: oe1.orf.at
![Page 18: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
PatronandClient
• Firstconfigura;on:– Patron:Franza’sbrotherMar;n
– Client:Franza,whohasfledhercruelpsychiatristhusbandandseeksrefugeinherhometowninsouthernAustria.Depression.
• Secondconfigura;on:– Patron:Franza,whowantstofleetoEgypttoescapethe“Whites”andforgesavisatodoso.
– Client:Mar;n,whoiscompelledbythemanicFranzatotakehertoEgypt.
![Page 19: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Franza’sUtopianbeliefinanomaly
• IfshecanescapetoEgypt,shecanescapetheworldinwhichsheisavic;moftheoppressionofpatriarchy,psychiatry,andtheirembodimentinherhusband.
![Page 20: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
FromTheBookofFranza,“Dieägyp;scheFinsternis”:reappropria;ngthelanguageofpsychiatry
• “SiesindindieWüstegegangen.DasLichterbrachsichüberihnen,derAuswurfdesHimmels,voneinemheißen,sauberenGeruchbegleitet.DiegroßeHeilanstalt,dasgroßeunverlaßbarePurgatorium,obgleichnachallenSeitenoffen…DieAnstalthanesieaufgenommen.”(90)
• “IchbinindergroßenGummizelleausHimmel,LichtundSand.”(91)
![Page 21: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Theendofutopia
• ButonceinEgypt,FranzadiscoverspowerstructuressimilartothoseinEurope.
• Ul;matelysheisrapedandcommitssuicide.
![Page 22: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
WernerKofler,IdaH.(1978,rpt.2000)
Source: buecher.de
![Page 23: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
PatronandClient
• Patron:Herbst,awriterwhoknowsIda,afrequentpa;entinSteinhof,andwantstomakeadocumentaryfilmexposingthepoorcondi;onsinthementalhospital.HetriestoengageIdaintheprojectandbecomesinvolvedinhercomplicatedlife.
• Client:Ida,aformerfashionmodelwhohasbeendiagnosedwithschizophrenia.
![Page 24: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
BeliefinanomalyinIdaH.
• Herbst’sUtopia:touseart(wri;ngandfilm)toexposetheterriblecondi;onsinthehellofSteinhof(whichisatfirst“interes;ng”)–prac;calandar;s;can;‐psychiatryasameansthroughsocialprotesttofreedomandequalityforthe“mad.”
![Page 25: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
UsingIdaH.’sanomalousexperiencesassocialcri;cism
• “HerbsthaneeinenBeitragüberSteinhofvorgeschlagen:dieAnstaltvonaußen,alsAbfolgeschönerBilder,AblichtungeinererholsamenParklandschap,während,alsTonzudiesenBildern,derBerichtvonIdaH.,einerehemaligenInsassin,überdasDrinnenzuhörenist;dieGeografieeinesErholungsgebietesalsBild,dieGeografieeinesKrankensaalesalsTon.”(Kofler2000,p.10)
![Page 26: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
“dieKomische”
• “Übersie,über‘dieKomische’habemansichzwardieverschiedenstenGeschichtenerzählt,dieSteinhof‐undElektroschockgeschichtenunddieNackt‐im‐Stefansdom‐,Nackt‐mit‐der‐Mao‐Bibel‐im‐Stefansdom‐Geschichte(weswegensiejadaserstemal‐)aberalsEben‐auch‐irgendwie‐AusgeflippteunterAusgeflippten…
![Page 27: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Aneccentricamongeccentrics
“…unterAnhängernfernöstlicherHeilslehrenundErnährungsfilosofen,zwischenRäucherstäbchenund;betanischenGebetsmühlenseisieeigentlichnichtweiteraufgefallen,zumindesthabeersiezuBeginnihrerBekanntschapgarnichtsokomischgefunden.”
(Kofler2000,p.25)
![Page 28: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
TheAnrac;onsandRepulsionsofIda’sAnomaly
• Tobeabletoexistwithinsociety,outsideofSteinhof,andavoidthelossofherrights.
• Herapproach:escapingSteinhof,goingoffhermeds,livingwithfriends,workingwhenshecan,butmainlydoingwhatshewantsorwhatsheiscapableof:
![Page 29: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Ida’sAnomaly
• “‐Niemandhatjegerngehabt,daßichimBenlieg,überall,woichhinkomm,wollendieLeutenicht,daßichimBenlieg…ichverbringeigentlichamliebstenmeinenganzenTagesablaufimBen,unddaswillniemandhaben.Selten,daßichLeutegetroffenhab‐diemüssenauchsoseinwieich…
“ImBenistesamgemütlichsten”.(182)
![Page 30: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
Thelimitsofanomalyarethelimitsbetweenmadnessandsociety
• InMusil:Clarisse’sanemptstomakeMoosbruggerthesymbolofAustriafailbecauseacommunityofthemadisimpossible.
![Page 31: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
Thelimitsbetweenmadnessandsociety
• InBachmann:Franza’sanemptstotakecontrolofherownmadnessandfleehersocialcontextfailbecausethatcontextisnotescapable.Hermadnessisculminatesinhersilence.
![Page 32: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
Thelimitsbetweenmadnessandsociety
InKofler:• Ida’sanemptstoresistpsychiatrybyintegra;ngherselfintotheworldoutsideSteinhoffailbecausehermadselfcannotbeintegratedintothatworld.
• Herbst’sidealofsocialcri;cism(inwhichdiscoursestrumpprac;ces)failsbecauseitcannotturnIdaintoitsinstrument.
![Page 33: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
MartaCaminero‐Santangelo:TheMadwomanCan’tSpeak
• “Farfromembracingthespaceofmadnessofferedtoaberrantwomenbydominantdiscourses,however,thewomenwritersIexaminegenerallysharethepremisethatinsanityisthefinalsurrendertosuchdiscourses,preciselybecauseitischaracterizedbythe(dis)abilitytoproducemeaning—thatis,toproducerepresenta;onsrecognizableasmeaningfulwithinsociety.”(11)
![Page 34: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
Aclosingthought
• Caminero‐Santangelolocatesthelimitofdiscoursesasthepointbeyondwhichcommuni;esofmeaningcannotfollowandstatesthatinsanityisthefinalsurrendertosuchdiscourses.
• IwouldadjustthisforthetextsIamconsidering:Thefailureofmadutopiasisalsothesurrenderofsuchdiscoursestoinsanity.Theauthorsandpatronscannotfollowtheirclientsintotheirmadness.
![Page 35: Is Madness its Own Cure? Austrian Literature and the ... · madness and its social effects, and hence about Austrian culture. –This knowledge is embedded in complex cultural structures,](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022050505/5f9699927c0b3c56d8021623/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
Aclosingthought(2)
• Caminero‐Santangelonotesthattheauthorsshediscussescounterrepresenta;onwithrepresenta;on,andtheirmadwomenretreatintosilence.(11)
• IwouldaddthattheauthorsIdiscussnotonlycounterrepresenta;onwithrepresenta;on,theyalsocountertheirownrepresenta;onswiththesilenceofthemad,whichisportrayedbythelossofcollabora;on–evenwiththebestwillandinten;ons‐betweenthepatronandtheclient.