Journal article 414 views
Psychoanalysing the Monster: Exploring the Monstrous-Feminine and Teratologies of Organisation
Sheena Vachhani
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Swansea University Author: Sheena Vachhani
Abstract
This article problematises the notion of woman-as-monster and draws together a conceptual analysis of the monstrous-feminine and its relation to the maternal and monstrous bodies. Whilst exploring how female monsters are inextricably tied to their sexual difference, I psychoanalyse the monster and f...
| Published in: | Equality, Diversity and Inclusion |
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| Published: |
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa12310 |
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| Abstract: |
This article problematises the notion of woman-as-monster and draws together a conceptual analysis of the monstrous-feminine and its relation to the maternal and monstrous bodies. Whilst exploring how female monsters are inextricably tied to their sexual difference, I psychoanalyse the monster and focus on how such monstrosity is expressed through the maternal-feminine by drawing on two ‘faces’ of the monstrous-feminine: the archaic mother and the monstrous womb (Creed, 1993). Firstly, I expose the basis on which the monstrous-feminine articulates and disarticulates femininity, that is to say, how a feminist analysis of monsters may enable but also foreclose a positive articulation of disruption, disorder and disorganisation central to the conceptualisation of monsters. This is done through a reading of the maternal-feminine. Secondly, I locate the monstrous-feminine in the body, where disorder and dysfunction appear through the diseased body. The monster is thus embodied and I expose the basis on which we might explore teratologies of organisation. |
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| Keywords: |
monstrous-feminine, difference, femininity, maternal, diseased bodies |
| College: |
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences |