Passion, Vanity, and External Mediation -- Mimetic Theory and Literary Study

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Date Posted: 07:57:32 01/21/08 Mon
Author: HWAET!
Subject: Passion, Vanity, and External Mediation

In "Triangular Desire," Girard distinguishes between "external mediation" and "internal mediation." Narratives of external mediation, he explains, feature the least conflict between subject and model because the subject recognizes that his model's superiority eliminates any real comparison or competition between them. Girard also points out that because desire is triangular, it takes the form of vanity--desire over someone--rather than passion--desire for something. Indeed, he is critical of "romantic" novels because they misunderstand desire as "passion," "spontaneous," "linear," and "symbolist." It seems, however, that novels of external mediation do feature desire in the form of passion rather than vanity. Don Quixote has no desire to vanquish his model, Amadis, who exists essentially in Plato's World of Forms. DQ's desire is unique because it is simultaneously triangular and passionate.

And so I can make sure my terms are straight:
"romantic" vs. "novelistic"
"passion" vs. "vanity"
"spontaneous" and "original" vs. "imitative,"
"linear" and "symbolist" vs. "triangular."

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