The Scandal of the Speaking Body: Don Juan with J.L. Austin, or Seduction in Two Languages

In The Scandal of the Speaking Body, Shoshana Felman examines the intersection of language theory, literary criticism, and psychoanalysis through an analysis of Molière's Don Juan. She uses J.L. Austin's speech act theory to explore the relationship between promises, seduction, and linguistic performance. The text investigates Don Juan as a figure who exists between speech and action, between the body and language. Felman connects his role as seducer to broader questions about how language functions in literature and philosophy. The book incorporates perspectives from linguistics, literary theory, and gender studies to analyze the nature of promises and their connection to desire. Through close readings of Molière's text and Austin's How to Do Things with Words, Felman constructs a framework for understanding performative speech. This work stands as a significant contribution to literary theory and philosophy of language, raising questions about the boundaries between speaking and doing, promising and performing. The analysis suggests new ways to understand how language acts upon both speakers and listeners.

Readers note this book connects speech act theory with psychoanalysis and literary criticism through analysis of the Don Juan myth. Many describe it as challenging but rewarding for those interested in the intersection of linguistics and literature. Likes: - Clear explanation of Austin's speech act theory - Original perspective on promises and performative language - Detailed close readings of Molière's Don Juan Dislikes: - Dense academic writing style - Heavy use of untranslated French passages - Some sections feel repetitive - Complex theoretical framework requires background knowledge Notable reader comment: "Felman makes fascinating connections between seduction and speech acts, though the writing can be quite opaque at times." - Goodreads reviewer Ratings: Goodreads: 4.05/5 (37 ratings) Amazon: 3.5/5 (2 ratings) The low number of online reviews and ratings suggests this remains primarily an academic text with a specialized audience.

Speech Acts in Literature by J. Hillis Miller This text examines the relationship between performative speech acts and literary works through readings of Proust, James, and Kafka.

Bodies That Matter by Judith Butler The book explores performativity through the lens of materiality and language, building on Austin's theories of speech acts.

The Literary Speech Act by Sandy Petrey The analysis connects linguistic performativity to literary and historical contexts through examination of novels and political discourse.

How to Do Things with Words by J.L. Austin The foundational text establishes the theory of performative utterances and speech acts that Felman builds upon in her work.

The Pleasure of the Text by Roland Barthes The work investigates the intersection of language, desire, and textual pleasure through a post-structural examination of literature.

🗣️ Originally published in French in 1980 under the title "Le Scandale du corps parlant," this groundbreaking work combines literary theory with philosophy of language in an unprecedented way. 📚 Through analyzing Molière's Don Juan, Felman challenges J.L. Austin's theory of performative utterances, suggesting that every promise inherently contains the possibility of its own betrayal. 👩‍🏫 Shoshana Felman wrote this book while teaching at Yale University, where she revolutionized the field of literary criticism by introducing psychoanalytic and linguistic approaches to textual analysis. 🎭 The book explores how the body "speaks" beyond verbal language, examining the gap between what we say and what our bodies communicate—a concept that has influenced feminist theory and performance studies. 🌟 Stanley Cavell, in his afterword to the 2003 edition, called this work "the most revealing study I know of Austin's theory of performative utterances," highlighting its lasting impact on both philosophy and literary studies.