The dis-orienting orients : a Lacanian reading of Philip Massinger's tragicomedy The Renegado
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Comedy Studies
Publication Date
2017
Volume
8
Issue
1
First Page
22
Last Page
35
Publisher
Routledge
Keywords
Tragicomedy, Orientalism, Jacques Lacan, castration, Philip Massinger, The Renegado
Abstract
Philip Massinger's The Renegado (1624) has been widely discussed for its relationship between the Turks, trading and castration. While many critics tend to limit the notion of castration to a Freudian understanding, this article expands the theme to a Lacanian one and discusses how Donusa, the Oriental woman in the play, represents a castrating force with her power of gaze. The article first draws readers’ attention to the presence of Carazie, a eunuch of Donusa, suggesting that his ‘lack’ should make us associate with hers. The exhortation that underpins the play ‘not to meddle with the Turks’ implies the Europeans’ fear of castration, which is simultaneously an anxiety within comedy. Focusing on the encounter between Donusa and Vitelli, this article argues how the Oriental woman can be read as epitomizing the power of the gaze because of her veil. With the help of the psychoanalytic theory of Lacan, and the reading of Žižek, it addresses the dis-orienting power of the Oriental woman. Understanding this portrayal of Donusa, we can see how the combination of comedy and tragedy at the end represents an attempt to subdue this disorienting effect on the stage.
DOI
10.1080/2040610X.2017.1294412
Print ISSN
2040610X
E-ISSN
20406118
Funding Information
Funding for this research was provided by: Faculty Research Grant (Arts Faculty), Lingnan University (DA15A6). {DA15A6}
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2017 Routledge. Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Hui, I. (2017). The dis-orienting orients : a Lacanian reading of Philip Massinger's tragicomedy The Renegado. Comedy Studies, 8(1), 22-35. doi: 10.1080/2040610X.2017.1294412