Lacan, Doyle, and Holmes: Men and the Feminine (Part 3 of 3)

From the start, the differences between the Lacanian interpretation of the Oedipal Triangle and the one presented by Doyle become evident. Women are placed first in the position of the males in the triangle, not always possessing sight but always possessing power. It is the male characters of Doyle’s story that find themselves more often inContinue reading “Lacan, Doyle, and Holmes: Men and the Feminine (Part 3 of 3)”

Lacan, Doyle, and Holmes: Men and the Feminine (Part 2 of 3)

Lacan presents a theory that, while engaging, relies on a relatively narrow-minded definition of feminine characteristics versus masculine characteristics. For Lacan, the feminine is a shadowy, deceptive form, both indefinable and irresistible. However, it is still a position of vulnerability, one that presents more risks than rewards. If a man falls into a ‘feminine’ role,Continue reading “Lacan, Doyle, and Holmes: Men and the Feminine (Part 2 of 3)”

Lacan, Doyle, and Holmes: Men and the Feminine (Part 1 of 3)

Playwright William Congreve penned the infamous phrase “Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned/Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned” in 1697 (Moncur). Throughout literary history, the woman scorned has been a powerful antagonist, instigating trouble and woe for a story’s protagonist, often for the purpose of revenge. In its most simplistic sense,Continue reading “Lacan, Doyle, and Holmes: Men and the Feminine (Part 1 of 3)”

Books Connect the Human Race (Part 2 of 2)

Nevertheless there must be something more to the book mystery. Why not just go out and travel the world if discovery and experience are so important to you? Another dimension of the allure of the published word is the effort involved in reading and the lust for cognizant activity. The act of reading is anContinue reading “Books Connect the Human Race (Part 2 of 2)”

Books Connect the Human Race (Part 1 of 2)

We live in an age where there is a vast multitude of ways to entertain ourselves. Of the hundreds of channels on TV, most run programming twenty-four hours a day. Newspapers are delivered daily to households across the world; the internet never turns off. And of course, there are books. According to the American LibraryContinue reading “Books Connect the Human Race (Part 1 of 2)”