The problem of representing “truly” in Henry James'sThe Tragic Muse
Year: 2003
Type: article
Abstract: Summary In The Tragic Muse (1978) Henry James offers a study of the ways in which acting and portraiture are unseated from a locus of transcendental signification by the fact that they are irretrievably and problematically cut off from origin and self‐authenticating presence. Both Miriam Rooth's performances and Nick's portraits fail to bridge the “spacing” that divides imitation from that which it represents. Jacques Derrida's essay “Signature Event Context” (1982) proves to be particularly apposite to a consideration of the narrative and thematic permutations thrown up by the problem of deferred origin in The Tragic Muse. The notion of iterability is central to Derrida's essay: iterability is a function of différance which refers to a sign's effective operation in the absence of a producer or addressee; as such it is especially pertinent to a discussion of imitation and representation in James's work.
Source: Journal of Literary Studies
Author: Karen Scherzinger
Institutions: University of South Africa, Universidade de Santo Amaro
Language: English
Subfield: Literature and Literary Theory
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $388
OpenAlex ID: W1995014081