ReadingObscurity

Freud,Blanchot,andthePrimalScene
JordanYentzer
NewYorkUniversity
December,2013

(Aprimalscene?)
Imustbeginwithaquestionofthisparentheticalquestion:Howtoread(aprimalscene?)?Ofcourse,
thenextquestionathandishowtoreadinthefirstplace,andthushowtoreadwhat?Parenthetized,
bordered,yetunanswered,unrequited,howdoesonereadsuchaquestion?Onemustbeginatthe
questionoftheparenthetical,thethesisthatisbothbeside(para)andwithin(en)thetext:athesisthat
cannotbesimplystated,putforward,orclaimed,butmustbeestablishedoutsideofsomeexteriora
questioninsideout,insidetheout.Writtenassuch,cantheprimalscenebeeveragainlocated?Orhasit
beencastintononsense,phantasy,ormadness?Prime,indivisibleandfirst,nearlyimpossibletoread,
yetbynomeansdifficulttoreread,(aprimalscene?)resistsclarity,castingtheshadowofadarksky
acrossanincessantlyecstaticandplacelesstopographywhencewecame,immemorialized,andwhich
weawaitwiththeexpectationofremembrance.
WhenSigmundFreudpublishedFromtheHistoryofanInfantileNeurosishiscasehistory
oftheneurosesofSergeiPankejeff,theWolfManin1918,hewasreadytoassertthatevery
neurosisinanadultisbuiltuponaneurosiswhichhasoccurredinhischildhoodbuthasnotinvariably
beensevereenoughtostriketheeyeandberecognizedassuch.(StandardEditionv.17,99)The
WolfManscasewasonethatcausedagreatdealoftroubleforFreud,histreatmenthavinglastedfour
years(19101914),underanadherencetoatimelimitthatappearedtohave,uponitsdisclosure,
1
heightenedtheefficacyofthetreatment.
Inthecourseofafewyearsitwaspossibletogivehimbackalargeamountofhis
independence,toawakenhisinterestinlifeandtoadjusthisrelationstothepeoplemost
importanttohim.Butthereprogresscametoastop.Weadvancednofurtherinclearingupthe
neurosisofhischildhood,onwhichhislaterillnesswasbased,anditwasobviousthatthe
patientfoundhispresentpositionhighlycomfortableandhadnowishtotakeanystepforward
whichwouldbringhimnearertotheendofhistreatment.Itwasacaseofthetreatment
inhibitingitself:itwasindangeroffailingasaresultofitspartialsuccess.Inthispredicament
Iresortedtotheheroicmeasureoffixingatimelimitfortheanalysis.3Atthebeginningofa
year'sworkIinformedthepatientthatthecomingyearwastobethelastoneofhistreatment,
nomatterwhatheachievedinthetimestilllefttohim.Atfirsthedidnotbelieveme,butoncehe
wasconvincedthatIwasindeadlyearnest,thedesiredchangesetin.Hisresistancesshrankup,
andintheselastmonthsofhistreatmenthewasabletoreproduceallthememoriesandto
discoveralltheconnectionswhichseemednecessaryforunderstandinghisearlyneurosisand
masteringhispresentone.Whenheleftmeinthemidsummerof1914,withaslittlesuspicionas
therestofusofwhatlaysoshortlyahead,Ibelievedthathiscurewasradicalandpermanent.
1

Freudgoeson,inhis1939retrospectiveAnalysisTerminableandInterminabletoadmitthathewas
mistaken,andthatacertaintransferencestillneededtobeaddressed,afterwhichtheWolfManentered
treatmentunderFreudspupilandcolleague,RuthMackBrunswick. Freudsmakesnoteofthe
2
peculiarityofthisdurationalproceedingintheintroductorynotestohiscasehistory,justbefore
concludinghisintroductionthusly:
Athirdpeculiarityoftheanalysiswhichistobedescribedinthesepageshasonlyincreasedmy
difficultyindecidingtomakeareportuponit.Onthewholeitsresultshavecoincidedinthe
mostsatisfactorymannerwithourpreviousknowledge,orhavebeeneasilyembodiedintoit.
Manydetails,however,seemedtomemyselftobesoextraordinaryandincrediblethatIfelt
somehesitationinaskingotherpeopletobelievethem...Readersmayatalleventsrestassured
thatImyselfamonlyreportingwhatIcameuponasanindependentexperience,uninfluencedby
myexpectation.Sothattherewasnothingleftformebuttorememberthewisesayingthatthere
aremorethingsinheavenandearththanaredreamedofinourphilosophy.
3

AseasyasitwouldbetoclimbthroughthewindowFreudleavesajarbyquotingHamlet,Iamfarless
1
Freud,S.(1937).AnalysisTerminableandInterminable.TheStandardEditionoftheCompletePsychologicalWorks
ofSigmundFreud,VolumeXXIII(19371939):MosesandMonotheism,AnOutlineofPsychoAnalysisandOther
Works,216.
2
Ibid.217.
3
S.E.volVII.12.
2
interestedinthefactthatheprefaceshishistorywithanadmissionofbewildermentthanIamintrigued
bythepeculiaritythatheassignstothiscase.Itwouldfollow,ifthecaseistrulypeculiar,thatthe
lessonslearned,ortheconclusiveobservationsreachedthroughtheanalysisofthispatientshouldremain
inregardtoanddefenseofitself,prose.
Withthispeculiarityinmind,thatofanindependentexperience,anexperienceinandofitself,
whichleavesopensimultaneouslyatranscendentalquestionthroughtheinvocationofHamlet,agreater
questionwillarisepertainingtothemeansbywhichwe,asthereadersmentionedinthepassageabove,
aretointeractwith,orifneedbe,interpretthiscasehistory.Atleastfourteenmentionsofthereaderare
madethroughout,including,butnotlimitedto,theseexamples :
4
A. IhavenowreachedthepointatwhichImustabandonthesupportIhavehithertohadfromthe
courseoftheanalysis.Iamafraiditwillalsobethepointatwhichthereader'sbeliefwill
abandonme.(36)
B. Thediffusenessandelaborationofthiscommentaryhavebeenforcedonmebytheeffortto
presentthereaderwithsomesortofequivalentfortheconvincingpowerofananalysiscarried
throughbyoneselfperhapstheymayalsoservetodiscouragehimfromaskingforthe
publicationofanalyseswhichhavestretchedoverseveralyears.(42)
C. Imustthereforecontentmyselfwithbringingforwardfragmentaryportions,whichthereader
canthenputtogetherintoalivingwhole.(72)
D. SomeofmyreaderswillpossiblybeinclinedtothinkthatwithsuchhypothesesastheseIwas
forthefirsttimebeginningtoapproachanunderstandingofthecasebutthepatientlookedat
meuncomprehendinglyandalittlecontemptuouslywhenIputthisviewbeforehim,andhe
neverreactedtoitagain.(95)
E. If,inspiteofthis,Ihaveheldtothemoredifficultandmoreimprobableview,ithasbeenasa
resultofargumentssuchasareforcedupontheinvestigatorbythecasedescribedinthese
pagesorbyanyotherinfantileneurosisargumentswhichIonceagainlaybeforemyreaders
fortheirdecision.(103)

WhatispuzzlinginconsideringFreudsacknowledgmentsofhisreadersisthespecificlanguagethathe
usesinordertodoso.Whetheritistheauthoritytodecide,topiecetogether,ortocompletely
abandon,Freudgrantshisreaderssomesortofagency.Thisgrant,however,comeswithcertain
4
TheaddressesIhavelocatedcanbefoundonpages12,36,38,42,59,twiceon60,twiceon72,92,95,103,104,and
111.JamesStracheyalsonodsatthereaderintheconcludingparagraphofhisEditorsNote,whichIwilladdress
lateron.
3
warningsscatteredthroughoutthetext,whichshakeuptheseeminglypermissivelanguagethatIm
considering.Forexample:
[D]uringthelastfewyearstherehasgrownupanotherkindofoppositionaswell,among
peoplewho,intheirownopinionatallevents,taketheirstanduponthegroundofanalysis,who
donotdisputeitstechniqueorresults,butwhomerelythinkthemselvesjustifiedindrawing
otherconclusionsfromthesamematerialandinsubmittingittootherinterpretations...No
soonerhasonebeguntodepartfromthematerialonwhichoneoughttoberelying,thanone
runstheriskofbecomingintoxicated withonesownassertionsand,intheend,ofsupporting
5
opinionswhichanyobservationwouldhavecontradicted.
6

Illheedthiswarning.Itisbynomeansmyintentiontoconductanotherpsychoanalyticreadingor
diagnosisoftheWolfManhere,forsuchanattemptwouldrequireadebasementofFreudstheories,
thuspotentiallynegatingthevalidityorimportanceofanyofhisobservations.Asopposedtoattacking
Freudsmethodology,orforthatmatterratherthaninterpretingthesymptomatologyandneurosisofthe
WolfMan,thisworkwillaimtounpacktheagencyofthereaderinrelationtothistext,ifitisatext,
withthehopeoffoundingnewgroundsonwhichtoconsidertheimportanceoftheprimalscene.
Inthefourthchapterofhiscasehistory,TheDreamandthePrimalScene,Freudtellsusof
theWolfMansdream,whichheencounteredattheageoffour:
IdreamtthatitwasnightandthatIwaslyinginmybed.(Mybedstoodwithitsfoot
towardsthewindowinfrontofthewindowtherewasarowofoldwalnuttrees.Iknowit
waswinterwhenIhadthedream,andnighttime.)Suddenlythewindowopenedofits
ownaccord,andIwasterrifiedtoseethatsomewhitewolvesweresittingonthebig
walnuttreeinfrontofthewindow.Thereweresixorsevenofthem.Thewolveswere
quitewhite,andlookedmorelikefoxesorsheepdogs,fortheyhadbigtailslikefoxesand
theyhadtheirearsprickedlikedogswhentheypayattentiontosomething.Ingreat
terror,evidentlyofbeingeatenupbythewolves,Iscreamedandwokeup.
7

Freudmovesontodiscussalinkbetweenthisdreamandthelikelihoodofalastingimpressioncaused
5
Freudalludesthattheprimalscenemayintoxicatingwhenhewritesonpage77,Undertheinfluenceoftheprimal
scene
6
Ibid.48.
7
Ibid.29.(Freudsemphasis)
4
byascenewitnessedprehistorically(likelyaroundtheageof1)intheWolfManslife,namelyan
Urszene,oraprimalscene,inwhichtheinfantileWolfManawokeonahotsummersday,openinghis
eyes(asthewindowopenedinthedream)toseehisparentsintheactofacoitusatergo[from
behind]. Thecontingencyoftheactualityofthisscenesoccurrence,despiteitsspeculativefoundation
8 9
,becomesparamountinFreudsanalysis,aswellasinthetheorydevelopedinyearsafterthe
publicationofthiscase.WhatthewitnessingoftheprimalsceneprovidesintheWolfMansanalysisis
whatFreudelucidatesinhisIntroductoryLecturesonPsychoanalysisin1916asaprehistoricsexual
constitution,orinotherwords,aprimitiveencounterwithsexualitybeforeitcanbenecessarily
understood.Thissexualconstitution,whichiscarriedalongandrelatedtoandwithinfantilesexual
experience,whichisofcoursesubjective,establishesacertaindispositionorlibidinalcathexis/fixation
thatwillmanifestinadultlife.Adultneurosesarecaused,writesFreud,whenanaccidentalexperience
(atrauma)befallsasubject.
10 11
TheinfantileexperiencesoftheWolfMan,arriveaschildishattemptsatseduction.Thefirst
mentionofthisisinregardtoaseductionperformedbyhissisteratanearlyage(3),whereinshehad
takenholdofhispenisandplayedwithit,atthesametimetellinghimincomprehensiblestoriesabouthis
Nanya,asthoughbywayofexplanation.HisNanya,shesaid,usedtodothesamethingwithallkinds
ofpeopleforinstance,withthegardener:sheusedtostandhimonhishead,andthentakeholdofhis
genitals. TheWolfMansrelationtohisNanya,hisnurseandcaregiver,wasquitestrong,andhaving
12
8
Ibid.37
9
Freudnotes,justafterhisdepictionofthescene,IcanassurethereaderthatIamnolesscriticallyinclinedthan
[thereader]towardsanacceptanceofthisobservationofthechildsandIwillonlyaskhimtojoinmeinadoptinga
provisionalbeliefintherealityofthescene.Also,seeexampleAaboveanaddresstothereaderthatprefacesthe
leapintotheUrszene.
10
Freud,S.(1917).IntroductoryLecturesonPsychoAnalysis.TheStandardEditionoftheCompletePsychological
WorksofSigmundFreud,VolumeXVI(19161917):IntroductoryLecturesonPsychoAnalysis(PartIII),3612
11
InthecaseoftheWolfMan,thisadulttraumawillarriveasablowtohisnarcissism,intheformofagonorrheal
contraction.Thisisaddressedinfootnote26below.
12
S.E.volVII.20.
5
refusedtheseductionbyhissisterduetoarivalryfortheirparentslove,heattemptedtowin,instead
ofher,anotherpersonofwhomhewasfonder,andthereforebegantoplaywithhispenisinhis
Nanyaspresence,andthis,likesomanyotherinstancesinwhichchildrendonotconcealtheir
masturbation,mustberegardedasanattemptatseduction.HisNanyadisillusionedhimshemadea
seriousface,andexplainedthatthatwasntgoodchildrenwhodidthat,sheadded,gotawoundin
theplace.
13
Tosummarizealltooquicklythechainofcircumstantialeventsthattranspireinwhatmightbe
calledthenarrativeoftheWolfManscasehistory,andtoprovideanabstractofhowFreudwillrely
upontheprimalscene,Iwillrecapitulatethesedetails:Attheageofabout2,beforetheseductionby
hissister,theWolfManencountersGrusha,hisnursebeforeNanya,scrubbingthefloorwithher
buttocksintheair(thesamepositioninwhichhewitnessedhismotherduringtheprimalscene).When
hesaw[her]...hehadmicturatedintheroom,asaformofseduction,andshehadrejoined,nodoubt
jokingly,withathreatofcastration. UpontherejectionbyhisNanya,theWolfMantooktorevenge
14
bymeansoftormentingher,orbeating/mutilatingsmallanimals,whilesimultaneouslyactingoutinaway
thatwouldsurelygethimintotrouble.Assuch,attheageoffour,theWolfManhadtakenupapassive
masochisticdesire,misbehavinginsuchaway(inscreamingfits)thathecouldensuredisciplinaryaction
fromhisnewsexualobjectchoice,whichbecamehisfather. Aroundthissameperiodheexperienced
15
13
Ibid.24.
14
Ibid.92.Freudcontinueswithanotheraddresstohisreaders:Idonotknowifmyreaderswillhavealready
guessedwhyitisthatIhavegivensuchadetailedaccountofthisepisodefromthepatientsearlychildhood.It
providesanimportantlinkbetweentheprimalsceneandthelatercompulsivelovewhichcametobeofsuchdecisive
significanceinhissubsequentcareer,anditfurthershowsusaconditionuponwhichhisfallinginlovedepended
andwhichelucidatesthatcompulsion.ThecompulsionofwhichFreudiswritingistheadultWolfMansattraction
tolargeandconspicuousbuttocksandfailuretoachievemuchsexualsatisfactionexceptwhenfornicatingfrom
behind.
15
Ibid.278.
6
thewolfdream,andaphobiasetinuponhimofsaidwolves. Shortlythereafter,hisfatherwas
16
institutionalizedduetostrongfitsofdepression,andthesenseofabandonmentfeltbytheWolfManof
hissexualobjectopenedupthewindowforhisobsessionalneurosis,whichcameintheformofstrange
religiousritualsandastrangerelationshipwithanabsentfather:God.
Thenarrativecontinues,needlesstosay,intoadulthood.However,attheriskoffruitlessly
repeatingtheentiretyofFreudscasehistory,Iwillarrestmyrecapitulationuponthisnoteinorderto
delvedeeperintothequestionathandthequestionofthereaderofFreud.Ifwewanttostickwiththe
psychoanalyticaltradition,itwouldbeeasytoreadAnInfantileNeurosisassimplyananalystsnotes
onthedevelopmentsandobservationsthatoccurredorcametolightduringanalysis.However,because
Freudleavessomuchtothereader,asIhavealreadymentioned,itisimperativethatweexaminethis
workincessantlyfrommanyperspectives.Afterall,Freudsappointededitorandtranslator,James
Strachey,opensthewindowofliteraryreadinginthefawningconclusionofhispreface:
Finally,itisperhapslegitimatetodrawattentiontotheextraordinaryliteraryskillwithwhich
Freudhashandledthecase.Hewasfacedwiththepioneerstaskofgivingascientificaccount
ofpsychologicaleventsofundreamtofnoveltyandcomplexity.Theoutcomeisaworkwhich
notonlyavoidsthedangersofconfusionandobscuritybutfromfirsttolastholdsthereaders
fascinatedattention.

Okay,Strachey.Inwhatmightbeanoverlyexcitedattempttoacquiesce,afewobservationsaremade
herethattellusthatwearedealingwithmorethanjustapurelypsychoanalytictext.Firstly,thehilarious
wordingofpsychologicaleventsofundreamtofnovelty,whileevokingasortofhumor(whatinFreud
isntindreams?Theprimalsceneisrememberedbythedream,afterall),deemsthisworknovel.
17
16
FreudexplainsthisashavingarisenoutofacastrationanxietycausedbythethreatsofNanyaandGrusha,in
relationtohisfatherspositionduringtheprimalsceneapositiontakenbythepictureoftheBigBadWolfina
childhoodbookthattheWolfManhadreadaswellastoseveralotherfairytalesthatinvolvedwolves.
17
Novel,inthesenseofafictitiousstorybook,sotospeak,sharesthesameetymologyasnovel/noveltyasthat
whichisnew,fromtheItaliannovella,meaningnewstory,whichstemsfromtheLatinnovellameaningnewshootof
atree:abranch.
7
Andforthisverynovelty,AnInfantileNeurosisextendsabranchintotheliteraryrealm,whereFreud
theanalystbecomesFreudthepioneeringauthorandanauthorwithextraordinaryliteraryskillthat
willfascinateandholdthereader.
ToreadFreudasanauthor,ortotaketheWolfManasaliterarycharacterwouldrequirea
certainwayofreading,namelyofrereading,orreadingthatwillneverreachaconclusion.Theanalytic
textandtheliterarytextserve,accordingtoAndrGreen,differentpurposesoraims,andmustberead
assuch.
Theliterarytextistheoppositeofanalyticaldiscourse.Itisahighlycraftedproduct,evenwhen
itseekstogiveanimpressionoffreeassociation.Thetextisreworked,erased,censored,the
productnotonlyofwriting(criture)butofoneorseveralrewrites(oneneverknowshow
manytimesatexthasbeenwritten),overloadedwithinterpretations,whilewhateverfailstosuit
theauthorhasbeenexcisedormutilated.Wasthismaterialtaboo,orsimplybad?Nothinghere
remindsusoftheconditionsofanalyticalwork.
18

Thismightbethecase.Indeed,StracheysprefacetoAnInfantileNeurosisdetailseachandevery
change,addition,oralterationthathasbeenmadeonFreudstextsinceitsoriginalpublication.Inthis
way,Isuppose,asenseoftrust,orsomethingofitsnatureisinstilledintheanalyticreaderwriter
relationship.Analyticdiscourse,ifwecantakeGreenathisword,wouldloseitsscientificstreetcredif
itweretobesubjectedtoquestionsoflanguage,authorialintent(ortheabsencethereof),orwhatever
pseudodeconstructive,atheticpracticeyoumightimagine.Greencontinues:
Whyevenattempt[toanalyzeatext]?Allthemoresincethetext,despitetheeffortsofmodern
typography,remainsweddedtolinearity.Thetextisasuccessionofphraseswhichdiffersfrom
thelivingdiscourseofspeech.Everythinghappensasifcertainoftheconditionsofcarnal
speech,certaintransformations(whichwillalwaysbesomanydecantations,evenifthey
masqueradeasincantations)hadproducedthissuccessionofgrammaticalsequenceswhichwe
findinwrittenlanguage.
Theseinconvenienceswoulddiscourageanyattempt,ifitwerenotfortwocircumstanceswhich
"novel,n.".OEDOnline.December2013.OxfordUniversityPress.18December2013
<http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/128757?rskey=8riQXv&result=1&isAdvanced=false>
18
Green,Andr.OnPrivateMadness.London:Karnac,1997.Print.316.
8
cometotheanalystsrescue.Thefirstoftheseisthatthetextissetandonecanreturntoit
repeatedly.Thisisjusttheoppositeofwhatoccursinanalysiswheretherepetitionofastory
willalwaysyieldanotherstory.Tobesure,arereadingwillneverrepeatapreviousreading,
butthisonlyappliestotheanalystwhointerprets.Thetextitselfissealedandpermanentonly
withinourselvesdoesitoverflow.
TheSecondcircumstanceisthatanytext,ascraftedasitmaybe,alwaysbearstraces.Thanks
tothesetraces,whichalwaysawakensomethingintheanalystreader,aninterpretation
becomespossible,butneverurgentinanalysis,neverhurriedasinthetransferencewithits
countertransferentialinductions.Withthetext,thereisalwaystimeforfurtherreflection.The
publicationofonesthoughtdoesnotembarrassthepatient.
19

Iamnotsurethatthetextispermanent,howeverIagreethatthereturntotextwillbear,eachtime,a
newreading,andthatthereis,withtext,timeforrereading.Thereasonthisisimportant,inreading
Freud,isthatifweare(andweare,notwithurgencyasGreenhaspointedout,butwithcareand
patience)tointerpretAnInfantileNeurosisastext,thenitshouldbeunderstoodthatsuchan
interpretationispurelytextual,anddoesnotservetocombatthepracticesofpsychologyorscientific
methodologies.Thatbeingsaid,theWolfManscasehistoryisloadedwithlanguagethatdefeatsany
scientificpracticebymeansofleavingopenforinterpretationthereliabilityoftheprimalscenefor
readers.Interpretationisforeclosedtoanalyticdiscourse,bywayofboththepuretextualityofthe
work,aswellastherelationshipthatitinvites,invokes,andmaintainswiththereaderasitswitness.
StickingwithGreenstheory,onecannotreadatextwithoutreading(thisiswhatheissaying,is
itnot?).Thetext,psychoanalyticorwhatever,mustbereadsolongasitiswritten.Thereisnotother
relationship,ifIamreadingGreencorrectly,thatcanbehadwiththetext.Assuch,itfollowsthatthe
textcannotbewritteneither,forwritingmustprecedethetextifitistobewrittenatall.Thisisasortof
aphoristicillogicthatwemustfollowifwearetoevenbegintoreadtheprimalscene:notextiswritten.
Writingissomethingelse.GreeninvokesDerridatohelpexplainthis:
Writing(asDerrida,inhisownway,haseloquentlydemonstrated)is,accordingtoFreud,
communicationwiththeabsent,thereverseofspeech,whichisrootedinpresence.In
19
Ibid.3167.
9
psychoanalysis,thecontrivedconditionsoftheanalyticalsituationseektocreateakindof
presentabsenceorabsentpresence.Theanalysanddoesnotseetheanalystattimeshemay
feelalonelinessborderingondespairbecauseoftheanalystsnonvisibility
Inwriting,nooneispresent.Tobemoreprecise,thepotentialandanonymousreaderisabsent
bydefinition.Hemightevenbedead.Thissituationofabsenceisaprerequisiteforallwritten
communication.
20

Writinghasnothingtodowithreading.Readingisaattemptedrelationshipwithanalwaysresistanttext.
Alwaysresistantbecause,ashasalreadybeensaid,noreadingcanberepeated,andrereadingnever
mimes.Inthissense,thewritingofFreudisnotwritten,norisitofFreudatallsolongaswearereading
it.Freudisentirelyabsentfromourreading.Hemightevenbedead.Thissituationofabsenceisa
prerequisiteforallreading.
Implayingforeffect.Thereisagapbetweenthereaderandthewriterthatisnotspatialor
temporal,butratherthatwhichisopenedbyanaprioriremovalassumedoftheotherbyeach.So
whenFreud,ifwerestillreadingFreud,writestohisreaders,heiswritingawayfromthepotential
reader,forthereaderisabsent/removed.Assuch,heiscallingfortheinterpretationofthatwhich
cannotinterpret,thatwhichcannothearabeyondthatisnottranscendent,butthatispainfuland
unwieldy.PerhapsthisiswhatGreenwasgettingatwhenhewrites,Freudblazedatrailbutdidnot
followittotheend.Hecontinues:
Tothis,wewouldliketoaddthenotionthattheworkofwritingpresupposesawoundanda
loss,aworkofmourning,ofwhichthetextisthetransformationintoafictitiouspositivity.No
creationcanoccurwithoutexertion,withoutapainfuleffortoverwhichitisthepseudovictory.
Pseudo,becausethisvictorycanonlylastforalimitedtime,becauseitisalwayscontestedby
theauthorhimself,whoconstantlywishestostartover,andthustodenywhathehasalready
done,todenyinanycasethattheresult,satisfyingasitmightseem,shouldbetakenasthefinal
product.
21

IfweapplythistoacertainFreud,theFreudthatwrites,ortheFreudthatasksofhisreaders,thenwe
canbegintounderstandwhyitisthatAnInfantileNeurosiscannotconclude,sotospeak,asitsfinal
20
Ibid.321.
21
Ibid.322.
10
chapterendsintheevocationofcertainproblems. ThisFreudlaysout,asweveseenforinstancein
22
exampleEabove,argumentsforhisreadersdecision,butadecisionthatistocomeandcannotcome
asthereadercannotrespondtothewriter,andisassuchlost.Freudsfictitiouspositivitycanbe
locatedtherein:hecallstohisreadersinrecognitionoftheirabsence,tomourntheirloss.
Freudiswritingtoanabsencethatcanonlyrespondwithsilence.InvokingBlanchot,Green
writeswhathasperhapsalreadybeensaid:
Theworkisboundbytwosilences:theonefromwhichitemerges,andtheonetowardswhich
ittends.Writingissuspendedintheprovisionalspace,whichisthespaceofreadingwriting.
Thisiswhywefeelnotonlythatthetextalwayssayssomethingsinceitbreaksthatsilence,but
alsothatwhatitchoosestosayisevenmoreessential.Webecomeconsciousofitonlywhen
thelastwordhasbeenreadandwehaveclosedthebook.Andwewillthenhavetobeginanew
withanotherworkbythesameauthororbyanother.Readingandwritingconstitutean
uninterruptedworkofmourning.Ifthereisapleasureofthetext,weshouldbearinmindthatit
isasubstituteforalostsatisfactionthatweareseekingtoregaininindirectways.
23
Theworkofreadingisneverfinished,forevenwritingissubjecttothereadingofwriting,butthisissaid
alltooquickly.Thenotionofreadingtowardsafinishline,ortowardssomesortoftelosof
understanding,interpreting,communicating,etc.isimpossiblefortheveryreasonthatreadingisbased
entirelyuponandwithinarealmofabsenceandloss,whichistosaythattheworkofreadingpresumes
atelosasitsorigin.Allworkofreadingbeginswithanend.
Whenwefind,thusly,inFreudscasehistoryfourteenmentionsofareader,ofhisreaders,we
readaFreuddesperatetoremember,scrapingabouttogatherthefragmentedmemoriesofthosewho
readhim,fortowritetoareaderalwaysrequirestheirbeinglost.Theinvitationthatissentisone
thatintoohastyofareading,areadingthatwouldplaceFreudinanauthoritativeandthuspresent
22
Ifoneconsidersthebehaviourofthefouryearoldchildtowardsthereactivatedprimalscene,orevenifone
thinksofthefarsimplerreactionsoftheoneandahalfyearoldchildwhenthescenewasactuallyexperienced,itis
hardtodismisstheviewthatsomesortofhardlydefinableknowledge,something,asitwere,preparatorytoan
understanding,wasatworkinthechildatthetime.Wecanformnoconceptionofwhatthismayhaveconsistedin
wehavenothingatourdisposalbutthesingleanalogyanditisanexcellentoneofthefarreachinginstinctive
knowledgeofanimals.(S.E.volVII.119.)
23
Ibid.323.
11
rolewouldappeartograntreadersagencyindealingwiththeprimalscene,butinfactfunctionsasa
joyevokingobfuscationofthescenebywayofconjuringthelostasrecognizablylost.Or,torephrase,
thedifficultyinestablishingtheviabilityorlikelihoodoftheprimalscenearrivesasanattributethatispart
andparcelofthesceneitself.Inordertowriteabouttheprimalscene,itmustbelost,anditmustnotbe
abletopresentitselfasfact,itmustnotbeabletopresentitselfwhatsoever.Theprimalscenearrives
onlyasamemorythatcarriesalongwithittheattributedquestionofitshistoricalreality.
Repeating:Ifthereisapleasureofthetext,weshouldbearinmindthatitisasubstitute
foralostsatisfactionthatweareseekingtoregaininindirectways.Toreadaninvitationto
read/interpret/analyze/questiontheprimalsceneistoreadthattheprimalscenecannotbesosimply
read.Thereadersinteraction,ourinteraction,withtheprimalsceneinAnInfantileNeurosis,cannot
drawsatisfactionfromthesceneitself.IfwearetounderstandGreen,orifwecanforthemoment
suspendourreadingofhim,thentheprimalscenesuppliesforusthelostsatisfaction,alossthatcallsfor
mourning,forwhichasenseofpleasure,ajoyofreading,iscapableofsubstituting.Whereisthisjoyin
theprimalscene?
(Aprimalscene?)
Aquestionduetoitsshadyviabilityaparentheticalduetoitsinteriorizedremovalfromourabilityto
readit(andthusanabilitytoreaditasremoved,inincessantrepetition)asbelongingspecificallytoa
history,acasehistory,oratext.(Aprimalscene?)isthespecterofthatwhichservesasapotential
contingencyforthedevelopingsexualconstitutionandsubsequentneurosesexperiencedbyacharacter
inatextthatwemayonlyencounterinsilence(asubstitutionforalostsatisfaction).(Aprimalscene?),
asunreadable,isjoyous,asonlytheunreadablecanexpresssuchcertainty.
(Aprimalscene?)Youwholivelater,closetoaheartthatbeatsnomore,
suppose,supposethis:thechildishesevenyearsold,oreight
perhaps?standingbythewindow,drawingthecurtainand,throughthe
12
pane,looking.Whathesees:thegarden,thewintrytrees,thewallofa
house.Thoughhesees,nodoubtinachildsway,hisplayspace,hegrows
wearyandslowlylooksuptowardtheordinarysky,withclouds,grey
lightpalliddaylightwithoutdept.
Whathappensthen:thesky,thesamesky,suddenlyopen,absolutely
blackandabsolutelyempty,revealing(asthoughthepanehadbroken)
suchanabsencethatallhassincealwaysandforevermorebeenlost
thereinsolostthatthereinisaffirmedanddissolvedthevertiginous
knowledgethatnothingiswhatthereis,andfirstofallnothingbeyond.
Theunexpectedaspectofthisscene(itsinterminablefeature)isthefeeling
ofhappinessthatstraightawaysubmergesthechild,theravagingjoyto
whichhecanbearwitnessonlybytears,anendlessfloodoftears.Heis
thoughttosufferachildishsorrowattemptsaremadetoconsolehim.He
saysnothing.Hewilllivehenceforthinthesecret.Hewillweepnomore.
24

WhenMauriceBlanchotwroteoftheprimalsceneinTheWritingoftheDisaster(Lcrituredu
dsastre),heopensupawindowtoshedlightuponaplaceofreadingthatbegsthesuppositionofthe
parentheticalquestionof(Aprimalscene?).Adarkskyrevealsabsencetothechild(achildnowjust
olderthananyperioddepictedoftheWolfManslifeinFreudstext),hewitnesses,injoyoustears,his
ownremoval.Herecognizesthepositivityofabsence,ofthenothingnessthatfillsthespace(whichisby
nomeansaspace)ofabsence,andasatisfactionwithwhichhewillliveonhenceforthfloodshim,only
torapidlyandunexpectedlyceaseinamovementthatmimicsGreensdescriptionoftheworkof
reading(Thetextitselfissealedandpermanentonlywithinourselvesdoesitoverflow.).
WhatdoesBlanchots(Aprimalscene?)sayofFreud?Inhiswork,TheDarkGaze,Kevin
HartopensupareadingofBlanchotsscenewithregardtothetheoriesofWinnicottandLeclaire:
ForWinnicott,theinfantisshakenbyagoniesbeforeaselfisformed,andtracesofthese
disturbtheadultinlaterlife,beingtransformedintoacutefearsofthelossofselfinbreakdown
ordeath.Therearemoments...whenapatientneedstobetoldthatthebreakdown,afearof
whichdestroyshisorherlife,hasalreadybeen.Itisafactthatiscarriedroundhiddenawayin
theunconscious.Thepatientmustremembertheprimitivetrauma,butitisnotpossibleto
remembersomethingthathasnotyethappened,andthisthingofthepasthasnothappenedyet
becausethepatientwasnotthereforittohappento.Sotheanalystmustregisterthose
immemorialagoniesintheanalysandsmemorybymeansoftransferenceandtherebyassure
24
Blanchot,Maurice.TheWritingoftheDisaster.[S.l.]:UniversityofNebraska,1995.Print.72.
13
himorherthatthereisnothingtofearbecause,inapsychologicallyeffectivesense,breakdown
ordeathhasalreadytakenplace.Whileheconcedesthetherapeuticeffectivenessofthis
technique,Blanchotobjectstothefictiverealizationofanimmemorialpast,thelinearitythis
imposesonthesubject,andtheindividualizationofthatpast.Takentogether,Winnicotts
treatmentofthefearofdeathamountstoanendorsementthatdeathispossibleithasa
meaningandatruthandaccordinglyitresultsinasteadyrefusaltoacceptdeathasthe
impossibilityofdying,anotionthatBlanchotexploredyearsearlierinThomaslobscur.
25

LetusnottaketoocloselythethemeofdeathinHartsreadingofBlanchotasrelevanttotheprimal
sceneatquestioninFreud.WhatHartopensupthatisofgreatimportanceinunderstandinghowitis
wemustreadtheprimalsceneinFreudisadiscussionofBlanchotsobjectiontothefictive
realizationofanimmemorialpast.Simplyput,whatHart
(throughBlanchotthroughWinnicottthroughFreud)ispinpointingisthatthespeculativedesignationof
aprimalsceneaspastandcontingentinthedevelopmentandsymptomatologyoftheanalysand(as
constitutiveofaprimitivesexuality),whichwehaveseeninFreud,demandsitsremembranceasthat
whichcannotberemembered.Inotherwords,theprimalscenemustbefalltheanalysandasa
memorythats/hedoesnotpossessas,forBlanchot,theprimalsceneis,infact,thatwhichdemonstrates
acompletealterity,avoidexteriortotheselfthatmustbeinternalized,ashatteringblowtonarcissism.
26
ThoughitwouldbeeasytodigressuponadetailedreadingoftheinnerworkingsofBlanchots
thought(aprojectthatmightbefruitfulforfutureendeavorsintointerpretingtheprimalsceneforas
25
Hart,Kevin.TheDarkGaze:MauriceBlanchotandtheSacred.Chicago:UniversityofChicago,2004.Print.54
26
AsIhavementionedinfootnote11above,thisblowtonarcissismiswhat,Freudwrites,launchestheWolfMan
intohisadultillness.Blanchot,inTheWritingoftheDisaster,interpretsacertainfailureinOvidsdepictionofthe
Narcissusmyth,inwhichNarcissusatthespringwitnesseshisreflectionandcannotlookawayduetoanobsession.
Blanchotwillarguethatthisisawrongtellingofthemyth,andthatNarcissushad,infactlikethe78yearoldboy
depictedinthepassagequotedabove,seenabsolutelynothinginthewateranabsenceordarkness.Whathesaw,
writesBlanchot,wasspecificallynothimself.Whatthiswillmeanfortheprimalsceneisthatmomentofbearing
witnesstotheimpossibilityofreading,ofdealingwithanythingthatisremembered,andthatwhathappensfirst,if
thereisanyprimalwitnesswhatsoever,wouldbearecognitionoftheotherorofanalteritythatwillconstitutea
senseofselfinandthroughsimultaneouslyforeclosingbyinfiniteremovalanyaccesstoavisibleorreadable
exterior(areflectioninthisexample),inamovementthatdoesnotappeartobeentirelydifferentfromLacanstheory
ofthemirrorstage.
14
manyhavesaid,weareneverfinishedreading),Imustarrestmyselfhereinordertounpackatheoryof
aquaternarystructurethatisatworkwhenwebegintoconsiderthepossibilitythatanyprimalscene,or
atleasttheprimalsceneintheanalytictextofAnInfantileNeurosis,resistsusthroughbothits
demonstrationoftheobscureexteriorofthesubject,aswellasthroughthesheerunreadabilitybyway
ofitspotentialfictivity.Recapitulating:FreudscasehistoryontheanalysisoftheWolfManinvitesthe
readertospeculateastothefeasibilityoftheprimalscenebothashavingoccurredandashavingplayed
aroleinestablishingasortofsexualconstitutionthatwouldserveasthespringboardforsexual
experienceslaterinchildhood.Itisofgreatimportancethat,aswehaveseenwithAndrGreen,the
readerandthewriterareseparatedinsuchawaythatsilencesFreudscall,leavingwereadersto
communewiththetextastext,openingthewindowtoexaminetheprimalsceneasaliterarydeviceas
opposedtoapurelypsychoanalyticterminology.Theprimalscenethusbecomesanotionthatarrives
only,sofarasreadingcandetermine,uponthearrivaloftheterm,ortheoriginaryeventofitsdisclosure
whichcannotbeintendedtodenoteanimmemorialpast,butrathermustpointtoaquestion.Blanchot
rewritestheprimalsceneas(Aprimalscene?):asaparentheticalquestioninordertobringtoadark
lighttheinteriorizationofanexteriorthatistheveryresultofitsarrival,depictinghisownrenditionofa
primalscenewhichpermitsasortofjoy.
Inordertoreadtheprimalscenewemustexaminetherelationshipsorremovalsathand:
1. Anycalltointerpretisremoved(boundbysilence)fromthetextofAnInfantileNeurosisso
longaswecannotrespond(savebutbyrereading)bywayofitssourcelessness.Freudisnot
callingtointerpret,forFreudisabsent.Allthatweareleftwithasreadersis(Aprimalscene?).
2. (Aprimalscene?)isremovedfromtheprimalscene,orviceversa.Theirveryencounterwould
servetoelucidatetheactiontakingplacein(Aprimalscene?).
15
3. TheprimalscenecannotinteractwithAnInfantileNeurosis,onapurelypsychoanalyticlevel
becauseitisestablishedwithintheanalyticprocessasconjecture,whichFreudwriteswillallow
forananalyticreadingthateventuallyleavesnothingleft...buttorememberthewisesaying
thattherearemorethingsinheavenandearththanaredreamedofinourphilosophy.
4. Anyencounterwemighthavewith(Aprimalscene?)mustshowitselfasaflashofdarknessthat
willalwaysopenaspacebetween.AsHartwrites:[(Aprimalscene?)]determinesand
overdeterminesanarrativespace:betweenthedeadandtheliving,writerandreader,childand
adult,innerandouter,thisworldandapossiblebeyond.Ittellsofavision,andthereforestages
theolddifficultyofpresentingtheunpresentable.
27
Cyclingbetweenthereader,theFreudtext,theprimalscene,and(Aprimalscene?)weareleftwitha
seriesofremovalsandopenspacesofobscurity.Thisobscuritymaybeentirelynecessary,however,in
readingtheprimalscene.Ifaprehistorictraumaistoreturn,itmustreturnassuchprehistoric,
unmarked,unremarkable,withoutanydiscerniblequality.Itservesasaquestionaside,whichwhen
takenin,canonlycastintodarknessaself,aninterior,anarcissism,aconstitution.Thereisamysterious
functionatworkintheprimalsceneasanoriginwecannotyetdiscern,andyetmustbeoriginal.The
primalsceneungrounds,renderingitselfinvisibleeventhoughwehaveseenit,flickeringsomewhere,
whetherintheshadowsorthroughwindowpanes,intheskyorinabook.Itisdead,butwillcomeagain
asithasnotyetcometodie.Itisaquestion:onceaskeditdisappears.Onlywhenwerealizewedont
havetheanswerdoesitcomebacktoourvision.Theprimalsceneshowsup,sleepy,indarkness.
Theeversuspendedquestion:havingdiedofthisabilitytodiewhichgiveshimjoyand
devastation,didhesurviveorrather,whatdoestosurvivemeanthen,ifnottobesustainedby
anassenttorefusal,bytheexhaustionoffeeling,andtolivewithdrawnfromanyinterestin
oneself,disinterested,thinnedouttoastateofuttercalmness,expectingnothing?
Consequently,waitingandwatching,forsuddenlywakenedand,knowingthisfullwell
27
Ibid.52.
16
henceforth,neverwakefulenough.
28

Theprimalscene,theprimalquestion,isstillwakingup,joyful.Howcanwereadit?
Thatisthefirstquestion,whichIlaybeforemyreadersfortheirdecision.
28
WritingoftheDisaster.116.
17
WorksCited
Blanchot,Maurice.TheWritingoftheDisaster.[S.l.]:UniversityofNebraska,1995.Print.
Freud,Sigmund,JamesStrachey,AnnaFreud,AlixStrachey,andAlanTyson.TheStandardEdition
oftheCompletePsychologicalWorksofSigmundFreud:EarlyPsychoanalytic
Publications.Vol.16,19161917,IntroductoryLecturesonPsychoanalysis(partIII).
London:Vintage,2001.Print.
Freud,Sigmund,JamesStrachey,AnnaFreud,AlixStrachey,andAlanTyson.TheStandardEdition
oftheCompletePsychologicalWorksofSigmundFreud:EarlyPsychoanalytic
Publications.Vol.17,19171919,AnInfantileNeurosisandOtherWorks.London:
Vintage,2001.Print.
Freud,Sigmund,JamesStrachey,AnnaFreud,AlixStrachey,andAlanTyson.TheStandardEdition
oftheCompletePsychologicalWorksofSigmundFreud:EarlyPsychoanalytic
Publications.Vol.23,19371939,MosesandMonotheism,AnOutlineofPsychoanalysis
OtherWorks.London:Vintage,2001.Print.
Green,Andr.OnPrivateMadness.Madison,CT:InternationalUniversities,1986.Print.
Hart,Kevin.TheDarkGaze:MauriceBlanchotandtheSacred.Chicago:UniversityofChicago,
2004.Print.

18