UNIVERSIDADE DE LISBOA FACULDADE DE LETRAS PROGRAMA EM TEORIA DA LITERATURA Mousetrapping The Ordeals of Interpretation Maria Sequeira Mendes Doutoramento em Estudos Literários Teoria da Literatura 2011 UNIVERSIDADE DE LISBOA FACULDADE DE LETRAS PROGRAMA EM TEORIA DA LITERATURA Mousetrapping The Ordeals of Interpretation Maria Sequeira Mendes Dissertação orientada por: Professor António M. Feijó Doutoramento em Estudos Literários Teoria da Literatura 2011 To my grandparents. Table Of Contents Acknowledgments 3 Abstract 5 Introduction 8 I. Tribunal of Interpretation 17 Three plays, Hamlet, Macbeth and Othello will be contrasted. While Hamlet is attempting to discover Claudius’s guilt through an evaluation of his physical reactions during the theatre play; both Macbeth and his wife are making an effort to suppress their emotions and bodily signs, knowing that if they fail to do so, their plans to assassinate the King may be discovered. In Othello , the trials of witches are reenacted in the skeptical doubts that lead the Moor to prove Desdemona’s culpability. The medieval ordeal, torture (in some of its numerous forms and historical periods) and the polygraph make their appearance as illustrations that allow us to reformulate some of the plays’ intricate problems. II. Truth in a Nutshell 104 In this chapter, the idea that certain entities enclose the key that allows us to understand difficult objects, texts or situations is discussed. Interpreters – e.g. police investigators, literary critics or medieval judges – assume, and sometimes fear, the idea that we may comprehend these beings through observation and the skill of pointing to their main features. It will be seen how the ability to ostensively redefine these entities gives the (erroneous) impression that interpretation is not being used as a tool for their comprehension. 5 III. Being a Touchstone 176 Sometimes, the interpreter is the touchstone for the interpretation of others. His role will be portrayed, as well as the establishment of an asymmetry between those who are performing the test and those being tested, which seems to be a condition for procedures to work appropriately. Qualities for being a touchstone in interpretation, such as intuition, insight or conviction, education, and a certain knowledge of technique will be considered. Being a touchstone, however, may affect its agents, who have to deal with the physical and psychological consequences of the tasks they choose, or are being forced, to perform. Final Remarks 253 Works Cited 278 6 Acknowledgments After years of hard work on topics that would not make dinner conversation, it is reassuring to find so many persons to thank. To those forced to care about medieval ordeals, intricate torture procedures and Shakespearean lines about bleeding corpses, here is my sincere acknowledgment. Professor António M. Feijó has helped me put together the many pieces of this puzzle, given me valuable advice in trying times and has been an outstanding tutor. For thought-provoking classes, and unflinching support, I thank Professor Miguel Tamen. My first scholarship was bestowed by FLAD (Fundação Luso-Americana), to whom I owe a wonderful period of research at Harvard University. I would particularly like to acknowledge Eng. Luís Santos Ferro’s attentiveness during the application process. Gulbenkian Foundation has given me a PhD scholarship, which determined the outcome of this thesis, allowing me to spend time at NYU in order to improve my research, present papers, discuss ideas at various universities, and, more importantly, conclude the dissertation. With António Ramalho, João Figueiredo, and Teresa Gonçalves’s close friendship I made my way through the Program of Literary Theory. Recent companionships (Ana Cláudia Santos, Carlo Arrigoni, Joana Meirim, Marina Guiomar, Nuno Amado, Sílvia Alberto), long lunches and days at the library helped procrastinate the writing of the thesis. António Tomás and Mariana Ricca’s wise decision to go study abroad (and their uncanny ability to find much needed articles) made my life easier. Alexandra Lopes has accompanied my academic progress, being a friend indeed when one was in need. Research periods at Cambridge, MA, and New York would not have been the same without Joana Loureiro’s breakfasts, Joana Sá, José Antão, and Maria Teresa Catanese. 7 Discussions about the thesis helped me not only to improve and rewrite it, but most importantly to enjoy it. In this dissertation, various modes of proof illustrate particular problems. Learning about them would not have been possible without the extreme generosity of those who follow. Marco Viniegra and Julie Orlemanski put together The Bodily Proof conference at Harvard and, subsequently, I had the possibility to discuss my topic at Harvard’s History of Science Department. In these occasions, I received invaluable suggestions, for which I am extremely grateful. Joana Pontes suggested Haley’s therapeutic method and Rythy Pahn’s extraordinary documentary. With Professor Lawrence Rhu, I read Stanley Cavell’s work in detail. Professor Thomas Head gave me extensive bibliography on medieval ordeals, which I would not have otherwise found; Professor Robert Bartlett kindly replied to my inquiries; and Professor Anne Harrington suggested, among other things, Ken Alder’s book on polygraphs. Lastly, Ion Iacos, at the Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims, in Copenhagen, was extremely kind, sending me articles, lists of bibliography and answering my every query. Ana Sim-Sim has helped uncover a number of Maria Mendes convicted by the Inquisition. Writing a thesis and teaching at the same time was both an ordeal and a form of torture. Some students made it worth it. I am also indebted to Conceição Mendes and Eugénia Vasques, without whom this thesis would have never found its conclusion; to Armando Nascimento Rosa, who was generous in teaching one of my classes during a semester. And, of course, to Marta Cordeiro and Marisa Falcón, who have been much more than lunch companions, proving that kindred spirits may, from time to time, be found at the workplace. To those often unseen, but not forgotten, during the writing of this thesis, my gratitude: Alda Rodrigues, Ana Sim-Sim, Andreia Barbosa, Catarina Serradas, Cristina Ribeiro, Daniel Calado, Elisabete Sousa, Inês Neto, João Mendes, Miguel Silva, Miguel Gonçalves, Nuno Casimiro, and Sara Carvalho. One final word to thank my parents. And, last but certainly not least, to Alex for the discovery of America. 8 Interpretation – Ordeal – Polygraph – Torture – Shakespeare 9 Abstract The assumption that interpretation is widespread and must be tamed is illustrated in the ambition for a touchstone capable of showing the authenticity, or veracity, of certain entities. Such touchstone would have the capacity to help us distinguish friends from enemies, of identifying the quality of particular lines, and of bringing the truth to light. This touchstone, used for the comprehension of others, may be an object, a form of test, or a person. It will, however, be seen that accurate judgments do not derive from the use of the touchstone itself, but from a technical understanding of interpretation conducted by accomplished individuals. Precise forms of judgment are, thus, the result of a combination of factors that include good intuition, or conviction, the ability to learn a specific method or technique, to show something, detect errors and ask questions. Resumo Esta tese descreve a ambição por uma pedra de toque que demonstre a veracidade, ou autenticidade, de certas entidades. Esta pedra de toque, que pode ser um objecto, uma pessoa ou um teste, teria a capacidade de nos auxiliar a distinguir amigos de inimigos, de identificar a qualidade de alguns versos e de iluminar a verdade. Argumenta-se, todavia, que juízos precisos não derivam unicamente do uso da pedra de toque, mas de um entendimento técnico de interpretação conduzida por indivíduos hábeis. Bons juízos sobre terceiros são, assim, o resultado de uma combinação de factores que inclui boa intuição, ou convicção, a capacidade de se aprender um método ou uma técnica específica, de detectar erros e de fazer perguntas. 10 If circumstances lead me, I will find Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed Within the centre. (Hamlet , II, ii, 157-159) Construct, then, a mousetrap that will catch a sublimer evidence. Geoffrey Hartman, The Fate of Reading and Other Essays Introduction Picture a suspect of knowing a bomb’s location; a foreigner blamed for robbery in medieval times, but claiming to be innocent; a woman wishing to apply for a supermarket position, but unwilling to confess she had robbed before. In these cases, liable to skeptical doubt, the affirmations of the accused may not be taken in consideration, since their word has no value. Someone wishing to place a bomb would not be eager to confess its location; a foreigner’s word in medieval times had no judicial value; and no one applying for a job position would confess to previous robbery. There is no way of knowing if the suspect can be trusted, either since the accused is not considered honest or because there is no one able to testify as to whether he may indeed be relied upon. Thus, presumably and with good reason, one may assume the CIA, the medieval jury and the supermarket’s owner would prefer a way of finding the truth which would not depend on the suspect’s word. In many of the cases discussed, however, the only one capable of enlightening his interlocutors is the suspect. The modes of proof here described – some forms of literary criticism, the medieval judicial ordeal, the polygraph and torture (in its various forms and historical periods 1) – presume that certain entities enclose the key to their comprehension, which may come to light if the appropriate method is employed. The presumption that the body is a vessel with hidden contents has implications when applied to ways of determining the truth.