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32PARRHESIANUMBER3200732–42Friendship,Asymmetry,Sacrifice:BatailleandBlanchotPatrickffrenchJacquesDerrida'sPoliticsofFriendship[Politiquesdel'amitié]carrieswithinitahopethatfriendshipconcievedas'familial,fraternalistandandocentric'beinterrupted.
1Theotherfriendship,whichinterruptsthefriendshipof'brothers'isextendedtoanyother,andanticipatesthedeathofthefriend;itisafriendshipbeyondthegrave.
Thefriendspeakstothefriendalreadyfrombeyondthegrave,ifthefriendspeakstothefriendatall,andthefriendrespondsinasituationofsurvivalandofmourning,ifresponsethereis.
Therearetwopolitics(atleast)offriendship:thatofthebrothers,ofman,ontheonehand,andontheotherfriendshipasarupturewithanykindofreciprocityorbond.
Theotherfriendshipruinsreciprocalexchange;itisnotoftheorderofdialogueorofinterlocution:friendshipofthiskindissynonymouswithasymmetry.
InthefinalpagesofDerrida'sbook,thisfriendshipwithoutbondandbeyondthebondfindsanexemplarintherelation(orthenon-relation)ofMauriceBlanchotandGeorgesBataille,andparticularlyinthetextthatBlanchotdedicatedtoGeorgesBataille:Friendship[L'Amitié](PF293).
Thefriendshipwhichinterruptsthebondismoreovertobelinked,Derridasuggests,tothe'communitywithoutcommunity'(48)namedbyBataille,andonwhichBlanchotwillwriteinTheUnknowableCommunity[Lacommunautéinavouable],inresponsetoJean-LucNancy'sTheInoperativeCommunity[Lacommunautédésuvrée].
PoliticsofFriendshipthusaddresses,obliquely,acommunityoffriendswhoselinkswitheachothertakethewrittenformofaseriesofruptureswithcommunity,aseriesofasymmetricalinterventionsandresponses.
Friendship,inthissense,existsintheresponseortheechothatonetextgivestoanother,wherethisresponserespondswithoutanswering,andwheretheechoisalreadyanothervoice;communityisinscribedinorratheracrossadisjunctivenetworkoftexts.
Inthiscontext,canitbesaidthatthetextaddressesorisaddressedtotheotherHowdotheseconditionsaffectthemodeofaddressandthecharacterofcriticalthoughtThereciprocityofnon-reciprocity,orinotherwords,thewayinwhichthesetextsrespondtoorechoeachotherbynotrespondingtoorechoingeachother,hasimportantconsequencesintermsofwhatdoesnotreturninBlanchot'sfriendshipwithBataille,andintermsofwhatisnotaddressedinBataille'swork.
Agenealogyoftextsthusconstitutesthisseriesofinterruptionsoffriendship,leadingbacktotheencounterbetweenBatailleandBlanchotintheearly1940sandtotheinterplayoftheirwritings,whichoftenreferto'conversations';thisistakenupagaininthe1980swiththe'exchange'betweenNancyandBlanchotoncommunity(inwhichBlanchot'smodeofrespondingtoNancyistowrite,partly,onMargueriteDuras'Maladiedelamortandonthe'communitywithoutcommunity'ofMay1968).
ButthefirstpartofTheUnknowableCommunityatleastisconcernedwiththetheoreticallegacyofBataille'sexperimentswithcommunityofthepre-warperiod,the'secret'societyAcéphale,theCollègedeSociologie,whosecontextsaretheprecisepoliticalconjuncturesofthe1930s.
BlanchotandNancy'sengagementswithBatailletend,toanextent,todisengagehimfromtheseconjunctures.
2Blanchot'sFriendshipalso,whileitsvariousarticlescanbesituatedasasymmetricalresponsestospecificmomentsinBataille'swriting,disengagesthesemomentsfromtheirimmediateconjunctures.
Thisdis-engagementorde-scriptionis,however,inherenttothemodeoffriendshipenvisagedbybothBlanchotandBataille.
Theirfriendship,otherwisetheircommunication,isonewhichFRIENDSHIP,ASSYMETRY,SACRIFICEwww.
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org33withdrawsfrompresenceandfromimmediacyindifferingways.
Inbothwithdrawingfromimmediacy,BlanchotandBataille'stexts(Friendshipand'Friendship')seemtogesturetowardseachother,oneithersideofthelimitofBataille'sdeath,textsontwosidesofatomb,toformanasymmetricalreciprocity.
Bataille,'Friendship''Friendship'isthetitleofthefirstsectionofthebookGuilty[LeCoupable],whichBataillebegantowriteonthe5thSeptember1939,twodaysafterthedeclarationofwar.
Guilty,thesecondvolumeofBataille'sSummaatheologica[Lasommeathéologique]wouldoriginallyhavebeentitledL'Amitié[Friendship],butfortheinterventionofRaymondQueneau,Bataille'seditoratGallimard.
'Friendship'isalsothetitleofacollectionoffragmentspublishedseparatelyinJeanPaulhan'sreviewMesuresinApril1940,underthepseudonymDianus.
Theyre-appearinGuilty.
'Friendship'isthustextuallypluralandcomplex.
ForBataille,moreover,theword'Friendship'iswritteninatimeofwarorimminentwar.
3Bataillewritesitunderthethreatofwar,intheperiodofthe'drledeguerre'fromSeptember1939toMarch1940.
Themanuscriptsfromwhichthis,andthetextsofthepublishedworksGuiltyandInnerExperiencederivereadaspartjournals,partdrafts.
TheyarepunctuatedbythesoundofsirensandthemovementsoftheFrencharmy.
Toreadthepublishedworkswiththefragmentaryjournalsfromwhichtheyderive(movingbetweenthetextandthenotesoftheuvresComplètes)istorecogniseadifficulttensionbetweenwhatwemighttermcompletion[achèvement]-thecompleteandcoherentbookpublished,inthecaseofGuilty,fouryearslater-andawritingofincompletion[inachèvement],morecloselytiedtothe'presenttime',tothewarandtoBataille'sactivitiesduringit,outsidethetimeofwriting,yetstrangelyalsowithdrawingfromthismomentthroughtheveryattentiontoit.
TwotemporalitiesofreadingBataillesuggestthemselveshere,twochronologies:thechronologyofthepublicationofbooksandthereadingoffinishedworks(workswhichnonethelessannouncetheirincompletionasaprinciple),andontheotherhandthedailychronologyofwriting,closetotheeventyetinthatproximityannouncingawithdrawal.
'Friendship',inthisinstance,isproximatetotheevent.
Thetermitself,inoneofitsinstances,designatesarelationtotheotherinthetimeofwar,arelationnotofidentificationwith'lapatrie',orofsupportforthepoliticalcauseofFranceagainstGermany,butofcomplicitywiththevictim(ofdestruction,offlight)insacrificeandtragedy;complicityalsowiththeexecutioner.
Iffriendshipdesignatesapoliticalrelation,itisnotoftheorderofpolitics,strictlyspeaking(wherethisdenotescivicorconsensualrelationsanddiscourses).
Ifinthewritingof'Friendship'Batailleengageswiththepolitical,itisnotinthesamespiritas,forexample,hisinvolvementwiththepre-warstreet-actiongroupsofMassesorContre-attaque(whosetextualmodeisthetract),norinthespiritofanalysiswhichinformedthewritingsonfascism('ThePsychologicalStructureofFascism','TheProblemoftheState'),norinthespiritofpublicaddresswhichdistinguishthelecturesfortheCollègedeSociologie('TheSacredConjuration').
Inthissense,BataillewithdrawsfrompoliticsfromGuiltyonwards.
However,thiswithdrawalofwritingfromapublicmodeofaddressstrangelyopensupthedimensioninwhichtheaddresseeexists;previouslydistinguishedbythegroup,the'secretsociety'4ortheCollege,Bataille'swithdrawnorabandonedwritingaddressesthefriend.
'Friendship'thusnamesarelationtotheeventandtotheotherwhichisnotoftheorderofinterventioninpoliticaldebate.
5InBataille'spoliticsoffriendshipthewriterisradicallyseparatedfromthecommunity,particularlyfromthecommunityofthenationatwar.
Hewillnotthereforespeakofwar,althoughthisisnotthesignofapacifism:Iwillnotspeakofwarbutofmysticexperience.
Iamnotindifferenttothewar.
Iwouldwillinglygivemyblood,myexhaustion,and,what'smore,thosemomentsofsavagerywhichwereachwhenarounddeath…ButhowcouldIforaninstantforgetmyignorance,andthatIamlostinsomedarkcellarcorridor…Thisworld,aplanetandthestarrysky,areformenothingbutatomb…PATRICKffRENCHwww.
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org34Jeneparleraipasdeguerre,maisd'expériencemystique.
Jenesuispasindifférentàlaguerre.
Jedonneraisvolontiersmonsang,mesfatigues,quiplusest,cesmomentsdesauvagerieauxquelsnousaccédonsauvoisinagedelamort.
.
.
Maiscomment-oublierai-jeuninstantmonignoranceetquejesuisperdudansuncouloirdecaveCemonde,uneplanèteetlecielétoilénesontpourmoiqu'unetombe.
.
.
6Beyondtheimmediacyofwaranditsviolencethereisamoregeneralabandonmentwhichsotospeakinstallsthewriteralreadywithinthegrave.
Fromthisviewpoint,theillusionofcommunalrelationsisannihilated:Asortofhallucinatorydarknessmakesmeslowlylosemyhead,leadingmyentirebeingtobendtowardstheimpossible.
TowardsIdon'tknowwhatwarm,flourishing,mortalexplosion…bywhichIescapefromtheillusionofsolidrelationsbetweenmyselfandtheworld.
Unesorted'obscuritéhallucinantemefaitlentementperdrelatête,mecommuniqueunetorsiondetoutl'êtretenduversl'impossible.
Versonnesaitquelleexplosionchaude,fleurie,mortelle.
.
.
paroù'j'échappeal'illusionderapportssolidesentrelemondeetmoi.
7Ifapoliticsoffriendshipisadumbratedhere,itisononehandthroughawithdrawalfrompoliticsbutontheotherhandacorrespondingattentiontothe'political'relationofcomplicitywiththeotherwhichisbroughtoutinthistimeofwar,butnotonlybythis.
Thisfriendship,orthiscommunity,isfoundedontheruinsofcommunity,ofaconsensualworld.
Furthermore,asofteninBataille'swork,thepossibilityofcommunityorofarelationtotheotherisconsideredbearinginmindthefactthathewrites.
Itisinandthroughwritingthatthepossibilityoffriendshipsurvivestheabandonmentofthepresent:'ThesenoteslinkmelikeAriadne'sthreadtomyfellowhumanbeingsandtherestseemsvaintome…'['Cesnotesmelientcommeunfild'Arianeàmessemblablesetlerestemeparaitvain'].
8Suchawritingcannotbetheobjectofspokencommunication,betweenfriends:'ButIcouldn'treadthemtoanyofmyfriends.
WhenceIfeellikeI'mwritingfrominsideatomb.
'['Jenepourraiscependantlesfairelireàaucundemesamis.
Parlà,j'ail'impressiond'ecrireàl'intérieurdelatombe'].
9Thefriendshipdesignatedbythetitleisthusnotthatofacommunityoflivingreaders,friendsofthelivingauthor,whomightbeinvolvedinacommunityofspeechorinsomethinglikeadialogue.
Itisnotdirectedtoaclosedsetofreaderswithinanintellectualcommunity,secretgrouporcollege,buttoreaderstocome,readerswhowillarriveafterthedeathofthewriter.
10Thewritingof'Friendship'isthusdistinctinthemodeofitsaddressfromBataille'spre-warwritingswhichweremoreoftenthannotdestinedforspokendeliverytoanassembledcommunity,ortothespecificdiscursivecommunityofaperiodical.
Weshouldthinkofthesetextsaswritingsofwithdrawalfromdiurnal,discursivecommunication,projectedbeyondtheruinofthepresentcommunitytoacommunityofreaderstocome,writtenfrombeyondthegraveorfromwithinitandholdingwithinthemtheanticipateddeathofthefriendwhowrites.
Anypublicationbeforetheeventofthedeathofthewriter,whichthiswritingholdswithinitandanticipates,willthusbeacompromise,afailure:'Iwouldlikethesenotestobepublishedaftermydeath,butit'spossiblethatIwilllivelongenoughforthemtobepublishedinmylifetime.
Thisideamakesmesuffer.
'['jevoudraisqu'onpublie[cesnotes]quandjeseraimort,maisilsepeutquejeviveassezlongtemps,quelapublicationaitlieudemonvivant.
Jesouffreàcetidée'].
11Thewritingoffriendship,beyondpolitics,engageswiththepoliticalspaceofDerrida'stocome,thespaceofthatanticipatedmourningwhichconstitutesfriendshipinhisaccountofit.
Anticipation,theDerrideantocome,12findtheirequivalentinBataille'sexperienceofincompletion-aprinciplewhichinformstheformofhiswriting,hisrelationtothepolitical,andhisexperienceofwarandofloss,andwhichinformsandisproximatealsotoBlanchot'snotionofdésuvrementandDerrida'sthematicsofthedisjucture(disjonction)ofthepresent:'FromthevertiginousslopewhichI'mclimbingup,Inowpercievetruthfoundedonincompletion'['Delapentevertigineusequejegravis,j'aperoismaintenantlavéritéfondéesurl'inachèvement.
.
.
'].
13AgainstHegel'shypothetical'edifice'ofhumanknowledge,basedonthepostulationofitscompletionorclosure,BatailleposesNietzsche'sloveofan'ignoranceinrelationtothefuture',14andthisjoyfulignorance,forBataille,findsitselfmostexplicitlyrealisedandrevealedinthetimeofwar:'WartimeFRIENDSHIP,ASSYMETRY,SACRIFICEwww.
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org35revealstheincompletionofhistorytothepointthatitisshockingtodieafewdaysbeforetheend'['Untempsdeguerrerévèlel'inachèvementdel'histoireaupointqu'ilestchoquantdemourirquelquesjoursavantlafin.
.
.
'].
15Nietzsche's(affirmationof)ignoranceinrelationtothefuture,or,indifferentterms,theincompletionofhistory,parallelsthelatter'saffirmationoffriendshipnotastheloveofthenextman(Nebenmesch)butofthe'mostdistant'.
Bataillewrites:'Thedestinyofmenhadmetwithpity,moralityandthemostdivergentattitudes:anguishoroftenenoughevenhorror;ithadhardlybeenmetwithfriendship.
UntilNietzsche…'['Ladestinéedeshommesavaitrencontrélapitié,lamoraleetlesattitudeslesplusopposées:l'angoisseoumêmeassezsouventl'horreur:ellen'avaitguèrerencontrél'amitié.
Jusqu'àNietzsche.
.
.
'].
16ThefriendshipwhichBatailledesignateswiththetitleofthistextisthusintimatelytiedtothetimeofwarandtheuncertaintywithregardtothefuturewhichitimposes.
Theaffirmationofincompletion,whichwarreveals,parallelstheprojectionofthefriendbeyondthepresent,outsidethepresentcommunityoffriendstowhomanydirectspokencommunicationwouldbedestined.
Blanchot,FriendshipBataille's'Friendship'elaboratesfriendshipasanintimaterelationwiththefriendfrombeyondthegrave.
Itelaboratesthisinacontextofimminentbombardmentandinvasion,ofathreattocontinuedexistence.
OntheothersideofthetombBlanchot'sFriendshipisbotharesponsetoandanechoofthisthreatandthisvoicefromthetomb.
17ItdevelopsitsresponseanditsechonotasacommentaryonBataille,norasthesecondvoiceinadialogue,butthroughitsattentiontoacommunityofothertexts.
Itrepeatswithoutrepeating,citeswithoutcitingandechoesinadifferentvoiceBataille'salreadymultipletitle'Friendship',andincludeswithinitselfatextalsotitled'Friendship'writtenasaformofobituary,subsequenttoBataille'sdeathin196218(inwhich,however,Batailleisbarelynamed).
Outsidethistextwhichisspecificallyintendedasawritingofsurvivalandmourning,thebookFriendshipinscribesitsasymmetricalrelationtoBatailleinanumberofways.
19Thefirstarticle,'TheBirthofArt'['Naissancedel'art'],considersBataille'sbookLaPeinturepréhistorique:Lascauxoulanaissancedel'art(Skira,1955),ontheprehistoriccavepaintingsofLascaux.
HereBlanchotannounceshisownconcernwithdistantbeginnings,proximityanddistance,appearanceandpresence.
HereadsBataille'sLascaux,forexample,asintroducingusinto'aspaceofintimateknowledge'['unespaced'intimeconnaissance'].
20Thisintimacyisproblematised,however,bythefinalwordsoftheparagraph,inwhichBlanchotcommentsonthepowerofart,'whichisnearuseverywhereandallthemoresoforvanishingfromus'['quipartoutnousestproche,d'autantplusqu'ilnouséchappe'(A10)].
Themostintimateisalsothemostdistant.
21Immediacy,intimacy,areinterruptedandwithdrawntoaninfinitedistance.
OurexperienceofLascaux,asreadbyBlanchot,parallelsBataille'swithdrawalofhisfriendship,andofhiswriting,fromthenear-at-hand,andtheircommunication'frominsidethetomb'.
22Thechoicetobeginwithanaccountofthedistantbirthofartwhichveilsitselfanticipatesthemourningofthefriend,Bataille,andthesentimentofproximityinterruptedbyinfinitedistancewhichhisdeathimposes.
Furtherintotheessay,BlanchotnotesthatthesentimentinspiredbyLascaux,andbyLascauxisthatoftheproximity,thecloseness,ofthisdistantbirthofart.
Buthethendeflectsthis'proximity'towardsthetermpresence,andmoreprecisely,appearance.
ThepaintingsofLascauxareclosetousintheirspectralappearanceonthewallsofthecave.
ThisappearanceofLascauxismoreover,instantaneousandfragile,onthepointofbeingeffaced.
Itisanappearance'madevisiblebytheinstantaneousruptureofthenight'['renduesvisible(s)parl'ouvertureinstantanéedelanuit'(A16)].
Thefigurationoftheinstantaneousilluminationofthenightmust(cannotnot)introducethespectralapparitionofBataille.
23AssuchthepresenceofBatailleinthisarticle,throughareadingofLascauxasPATRICKffRENCHwww.
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org36ananticipatedmourningofBataille,createsa'strangefeelingofpresence'['étrangesentimentdeprésence'(A16)]orimposes'beingasnon-presence'['l'êtrecommenon-présence'(A18)].
Blanchot'stextisscannedbyaconstantgestureofinterruption-proximitywithoutproximity,distancewithoutdistance:proximitywithdistance,presenceofnon-presence.
Itsuggestsaversionoffriendship,theversionoffriendshiptowhichthebookisdedicated,asintimacyinterruptedbyinfinitedistance.
24AfurtherseriesofdisjunctiveechoesandrelationsofrelayareperformedinBlanchot'sessayonLouisRenédesForêt'snovelLeBavard,wherethethemeofsilenceandthewithdrawalfromspeechispredominant.
Herethesequestionsareenmeshedwiththoseofspeaking,responding,writingandwritingon.
Blanchotrecalls,attheopeningofthisarticle,aconversationwithBatailleafewdaysbeforehisdeath:Iamnotgoingtodothe'workofthecritic'here.
Iwouldevenhavegivenup,inamoveIdon'thavetoexplain,onanyaccountingwhichmightappeartobeacommentary,ifIhadnotrecalledafewwordsthatwerespokentomealittlebeforehisdeathbyGeorgesBatailleonLebavard;thistaleappearedtohimasoneofthemostdevastatingeverwritten;hefeltittobeclosetohimlikeatruthwhichslidesawayandwhichpullsyouwithit.
Thiswasoneofthelastbooksheread,and,sincehealmostlackedanydesiretowrite,knowinghowmuchItoowasaffectedbythetale,heaskedmeifonedayImightnothaveoccasiontospeakofit.
Ikeptsilent.
Imusttrytorespondtothissilencewhichiscommontobothofusnow,butwhichonlyIremember,byofferingsomethinglikeacontinuationofthesewordsbetweenus.
Jeneferaipasici"uvredecritique".
J'auraismêmerenoncé,parunmouvementsurlequeljen'aipasàexpliquer,àtouteparolequipuisseparatredecommentaire,sijenemerappelaisquelquesmotsquimefurentdits,peudetempsavantsamort,parGeorgesBataillesurLebavard:cerécitluiparaissaitl'undesplusbouleversantsquiaientétéécrits;illesentaitprochedesoi,commeestprocheunevéritéquiglisseetvousentrinedansleglissement;ceftpeut-êtrel'unedesesdernierslectures;maiscommelui-mêmen'avaitpresqueplusledésird'écrire,ilmedemanda,sachantcombiencerécitmetouchait,moiaussi,s'ilnem'arriveraitpasunjourd'enparler.
Jegardailesilence.
Cesilencequinousestcommunaujourd'hui,maisdontjesuisseulàmesouvenir,jedoisessayerd'yrépondreendonnantcommeunesuiteàcetentretien.
(A137)Bataille'sproximitytoDesForêt'stextwasexperienced,accordingtoBlanchot,'likeatruththatslidesaway'.
Onceagainwehavetheincidenceofaproximityorapresencecontaminatedbyawithdrawal,aslippingaway.
BatailleeffectivelycommissionsBlanchottowrite,afterhisdeath,atextonDesForêts'Lebavard(orsoBlanchotsuggests),andBlanchot'sessayisaresponsetothatdemand,afterkeepingsilent.
However,hisresponseimmediatelyproblematisesitselfasa'textonLeBavard'.
Itisatthesametimeacontinuationofthe'entretien'withBataille,andaresponsetoasharedsilence;notonlythesilenceimposedbythedeathofBataille,butasilenceofwithdrawalanddiscretion,aresistanceto'speakingabout',tocommentary,whichBlanchotisneverthelessenjoinedtobetraybecauseoftheconversationwithBataille.
Blanchot'stextisentitled'VainSpeech'['Laparolevaine'],atitlewhichsuggests,coupledwiththeopeningparagraph,thattospeakabout-abook,afriend,isvain,treacherous.
Co-incidentallyitalsoaccuratelyevokesthecharacterofthenarrationofLeBavard.
Whatisdemandedisaresponsetothesilenceofdiscretion,proximityanddistance-tofriendship-thatdoesnotspeakofit,butspeakstoit.
Withdrawnfromthisappearanceofcommentary,andfromtheexplicitcommunityoftextsandfriendsitaddressesandisaddressedto,Blanchot'stextspeakstoBataille,establishesavaledictoryaddresstoafriendboundinafriendshipconceivedasradicallydifferentfromanybond-outsideanycommunityoffriendsoroftexts.
Blanchotreciprocates,responds,nottoBataille,buttoaprescriptiontowritefrombeyondthegrave,aboutastrange,thirdpresencewhichbindsbothofthemtoitwithoutbindingthemtoeachother.
Theprescriptionisnotcarriedout,however,insofarasBlanchotdoesnoteffectively'speakaboutLebavard'('enparler').
Notspeaking,notresponding(not-speaking,not-responding)isthemodeofhisresponse.
FRIENDSHIP,ASSYMETRY,SACRIFICEwww.
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org37WritingonEdmondJabès'BookofQuestions,BlanchotmightthusalsobewritingtoBataille:IhadpromisedtosaynothingaboutEdmondJabes'book,abouthisbooks(Ihavethesametendencytosilencewithregardtocertainaustere,evenwithdrawnworks,workswhichareneverthelessprematurelymadeclamourous,seizedbyastrangefameandthusreducedtoasignificancerelatedtotheirclass,grouporuse).
Therearethusworksthatareconfidedtoourdiscretion.
Wedothemwronginpointingtothem,ormorejustly,westealthemawayfromtheirspace,whichisthatofreserveandfriendship.
Dulivre,deslivresd'EdmondJabes,jem'étaispromisdeneriendire(mêmepenchantausilenceàl'égarddecertainsouvragesaustères,voireretirés,maisprématurémentébruités,saisiesparunebizarrerenomméeetainsiréduitesàunesignificationdeclasse,degroupeoud'usage).
Ilyaainsidesuvresquiseconfientànotrediscretion.
Nousleurfaisonstortenlesdésignant,ou,plusjustement,nouslesenlevonsàleurespacequiestceluidelaréserveetdel'amitié.
(A252;emphasisadded)Intextualterms,Blanchot'sfriendshipwithBataillegoesbywayoftheconversationwithBataillecontinuedbyBlanchot'spracticeof'notwriting'(not-writing)25onothertexts,ofwritingonfriendshipwithoutnamingBataille,orofechoing/citingBatailleinhisowntext.
Atallcosts,nocommentary.
Inthefinaltext,'Friendship',Blanchotresumesanddrawstogetherthecodedaccountsoffriendshipofferedinthebook,thistimeexplicitlyinrelationtoBataille,who,however,isnamedonlyonceinthefourpagearticle.
Blanchot'stextaddressesthefriendthroughanaccountoftheunrepresentable,andofremembrance.
Wemightqualify,betray,Blanchot'sdeliberationinthefollowingwords:thepresentcontainsatraumawhichcannotberepresentedorremembered.
Attemptstowitness,toattest,tocommunicateortomonumentalisethistrauma(thetrauma,thedisasteroffriendship)aredoomedtofailure,fortheexperiencewhichgaverisetoitwasnotonewhich,intheevent,wasrepresentedorcommunicated.
Friendshipisthedisaster,whichruinstheexchangeofdialogueandimposestheasymmetryofwritingoneithersideofthetomb.
IsoneasymmetrycancelledbyanotherIfBataille's'Friendship'iswrittenfromwithinatombtoafriendbeyondthegrave,doesBlanchot'sFriendship,whichwithdrawsfromintimacyandproximity,respondtoit,thusrestoringsymmetryParadoxically,itmayseemthatBlanchot'srenderingofBataille'svoiceobscuresadeeper,othercommunication,whichexceedstheresponsethatBlanchotgivesinnot(-)responding.
Anotherasymmetry,differentfromthatfashionedinBlanchot'sFriendship,maydisturbtheequilibriumofthisrelationeithersideoforfromwithinandwithoutthetomb.
Friendship/SacrificeFriendshipisopen,withdrawn,reserved.
Butitsreserveisnotoftheorderofclosureandofreticence;ratherofincompletion.
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.
InBataille'swriting,however,thethematicsofincompletionareenmeshedwiththoseofexposure,withthewoundandwiththeerotic.
TheincompletionofhistoryoroftheHegelianprojectisfiguredinMadameEdwarda'scuntwhichisrenderedasawound,'laplaievive'.
26TheincompletiontowhichIamexposed,whichIexperience,intimeofwar,andthecomplicitywiththeotherthatemergesthenalsoqualifytheexperienceoferoticismandofsacrifice.
InBataille'swritinglubricitylaceratesliketheknifewhichopensthethroatofthesacrificialvictim.
Iftheotherfriendshipinterruptsorrupturesthebond,itisbecauseitisopen,exposedtothedeathofthefriend.
Or,putmorePATRICKffRENCHwww.
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org38simply,friendshipisanopennesstodeath,tothewoundthatthedeathoftheothercausesinme.
ItwouldbepossibletoshowhowthepoeticsoffriendshipandofcomplicityandguiltinBataille,whichechoandreprisethoseofthegift,ofexcessandexpenditureinBataille'swritingarefromthebeginningassociatedwithaspecificpoliticsofthebodyandofgender.
ConsiderthisaffirmationfromLeCoupable,forexample:'Inanyaccessiblereality,ineverybeing,wemustlookforthesacrificialplace,thewound.
Abeingisonlytouchedwhereitsuccumbs,awomanunderherdress,agodatthethroatofasacrificialanimal'['Entouteréalitéaccessible,enchaqueêtre,ilfautchercherlelieusacrificiel,lablessure.
Unêtren'esttouchéqu'aupointoùilsuccombe,unefemmesouslarobe,undieuàlagorgedel'animaldusacrifice'].
27Thispolitics,whichrunsthroughoutBataille'swriting,whileitmaybetestedatspecificmoments,isoneofsacrifice,evenwhilesacrificeinitsanthropologicalorpathologicalsensemightbeaspecificmomentofthegeneralisedpoliticsofsacrificewhichunderliehiswork.
Thebodypoliticsofsacrificeisonewhichprivilegesthewoundasadeterminingfigure.
Thegenderpoliticswhichbothproducesthisandisproducedbyitisonewhich,moreoftenthannot,construesfemininegenitalsexualityasopenness,exposure,wound,siteofsacrifice:thebodyasopenratherthanclosedbythetotemicphallus.
Itistheinverseofaphallocentrism,butproducesthesamesymboliceconomy,wherevaluesaresymbolicallyarrayednotaroundaprincipleofunityorofsymbolicpower,butaroundthelackintheplaceofsuchaprinciple.
28Suchanargumentwouldassociatethethematicsofdisjunction,withdrawalanddistancewhichcharacterisetheDerrideanandBlanchotianaccountsoffriendshipwithanaltogethermoreeroticandinanycasebodilyregister.
Iffriendship,inBataille'ssense,isasenseofcomplicityinexposure,thefriendship'frombeyondthegrave',whichin'Friendship'bindshimtothesufferingotherbeyondanypatrioticorfamilialbondisalsoacomplicitywiththeotheraroundthesacrificialsiteofthebody,thewoundorthecrack,lafente.
Thefriendisalsothesacrificialvictim,thevictimofviolenceorofwar,theonewhosedeathisprojected,theonewhoopensinhimselfasiteofsacrifice,awound,onthebasisofwhichalonecommunicationbecomespossible.
Bataillealsowrotethat'[t]hefriendshipofthesaintisaconfidencewhichknowsitselftobebetrayed.
Itisthefriendshipthatmanhasforhimself,knowingthathewilldie,thathecouldgetdrunkondying.
'['L'amitiédusaintestuneconfiancesesachanttrahie.
C'estl'amitiéquel'hommeapourlui-même,sachantqu'ilmourra,qu'ilpourras'enivrerdemourir.
']29Thefriendalsoseems,inthisaccount,tobetheotherman(thereaderofMadameEdwarda,ofStoryoftheEye)whoiscomplicitbeforetheexposed'wound'ofthefemalelover.
Friendshipasincompletion,orinanotherconfiguration'anintolerableexcessofbeing'['undépassementintolérabledel'être']30isalsostagedwhenMadameEdwardapartsherlegsinfrontofthenarratorandsays'See,IamGOD'['Tuvois-jesuisDIEU'].
31Howcanfriendshipbethoughthereoutsideascenewhichwouldfeatureacommunitygatheredaroundasacrificialdeath,orthefreneticcomplicityofvirilebrothersaroundthefemininewhichundoesthemintheveryexcessoftheirfervour32Derrida,wecanrecall,linksthewholemetaphysicsoftheSubjecttothethematicsofsacrifice,andimplicitlyproposesadeconstructiveinterruptionofthismythicalscenethroughacritiqueofHeideggerandLevinasas(still)endemicallyhumanistinthatthey'donotsacrificesacrifice'.
33Heimpliesthatthereisapoliticsofgenderinherenttothiseconomy,withhisproposalofthetermcarnophallogocentrism.
34Byimplication,Bataille'sthinkingoffriendshipwouldremainwithintheboundariesofacertainhumanism,ofacommunityofmenandofbrothers,aslongasthethematicsofsacrificeremaintenaciouslycentraltohisthought.
MightnotBlanchot'sdiscretionbeoverdeterminedbythissceneinitsveryblindnesstoitJean-LucNancy,inTheUnsacrificeable,locatesinBataille'sthoughtan'obsession'anda'fascination'withsacrifice,butalsoalessknown'slowdisplacementthatledBatailletodenouncethetheatreofsacrificeandconsequentlytorenounceitssuccessfulaccomplishment'.
35Thethinkingoffriendship,thegenealogyofafriendship'withoutbond',beyondthecommunityofmenorofbrothers,whichDerrida'countersigns',afterBlanchotandafterBataille,wouldneverthelessremainboundupwiththewholequestionofthesacrificeableandtheunsacrificeable,withthequestionoftowhatextentBatailleisabletothinkbeyondtheconceptuallimitsofsacrifice,andparticularlythepoliticsofgenderitsupposes.
AnotetothesecondchapterofPoliticsofFriendshipsuggestsDerrida'ssuspicionofthetenacityofafraternalfriendshipintheworkofBataille,FRIENDSHIP,ASSYMETRY,SACRIFICEwww.
parrhesiajournal.
org39BlanchotandNancy:'ThereisstillperhapssomebrotherhoodinBataille,BlanchotandNancy,andIwonder,intheinnermostrecessofmyadmiringfriendship,ifitdoesnotdeservealittlelooseningup,andifitshouldstillguidethethinkingofthecommunity,beitacommunitywithoutcommunityorabrotherhoodwithoutbrotherhood'.
[…]Mustnottheinterruptionofthismythicalscenealso,bysomesupplementtothequestionconcerningwhattranspires'beforethelaw',atthemythicalmomentofthefather'smurder(fromFreudtoKafka)reachandaffectthefigureofthebrothers'(PF48).
36Wemightpostulatehereanimaginary,mythicalscenebehindthethematicsofsacrificeinBataillebutalsothoseoffriendshipinBatailleandBlanchot-themurderofthefatherorthesacrificeofthedyinggod-whichdeconstructivethoughtwouldattempttointerrupt.
Aslongasthismythicalsceneremaineduninterrupted,thatis,withoutcritique,tenaciouslyfundamentaltoBataille'sthinking,thethinkingoffriendshipwouldremainultimatelywithinthelimitsofthefraternal,afriendshippreciselywithbond(thebondofthesonsofthesacrificedGod).
Thefriendship'beyondbond'whichDerridaandbeforehimBlanchotclaimisBataille's,ishisonlytotheextentthatheisabletothinkbeyondsacrificeandtotheextentthatsacrificialstructureisshowntobeinterruptedinhisthought.
ThepoliticsoffriendshipwhoselegacyDerrida(withreservations)andBlanchotclaimfromBataillefunctionsonlyonthebasisofaneffacementofthe(primal)sceneofsacrifice,whichbearsfurthercriticalnalysis.
PatrickffrenchisProfessorofFrenchatKing'sCollege,London.
Hisprincipalresearchinterestsareintwentieth-centuryliteratureandpost-warliteraryandcriticaltheory;inparticular:GeorgesBataille,thejournalTelQuel(1960-1982),thelegacyofFrenchtheoryandthethoughtofGillesDeleuze.
Hehaspublishedanumberofbooks,includingTheTimeofTheory:AHistoryofTelQuel(Oxford:ClarendonPress,1995),TheCut:ReadingBataille'sHistoiredel'oeil(Oxford:BritishAcademy/OUP,1999),andAfterBataille:Sacrifice,Exposure,Community(Oxford:Legenda,forthcoming2007).
PATRICKffRENCHwww.
parrhesiajournal.
org40NOTES1.
JacquesDerrida,PoliticsofFriendshiptrans.
GeorgeCollins(London:Verso,1997),viii;hereafterreferredtoasPF.
2.
Canthenotionof'conjuncture'survivethedisjunctionandtheopeningupperformedherebytheconceptoffriendshipWhatwouldbeatstakeisaconfrontationofthesituatedcharacterofBataille'sinterventionsinandoncommunityinthe1930s(urgencyofthestruggleagainstfascism,disengagementofNietzschefromNaziideology,proximitytothe'non-conformist'tendencywhichwilllaternotbeforeigntocollaboration,hostilitytotheunionoftheleft,tensionsbetweenthe'mystical'interestsofBatailleandthesociologyofCaillois,Leiris…),aconfrontationofthishistoricalembededdnesswiththewithdrawalfromimmediacyandfrom(en)closurewhichisadistinctivetraitofBataille'sthought.
Thishistoricalmoment,moreover,isnotadefinitiveorigin:awidergenealogystill,proposedbyDerrida,wouldsituateallofthesetextsanddialoguesas'countersignaturestotheeventsigned"Nietzsche"'(PF47).
SeeThePoliticsofFriendship,Chapters2&3.
3.
Itisinstructivetopayattentiontothechronologyandthetopography,sotospeak,ofBataille'swritinginthisperiod.
Thetextsthemselvesarenotwrittenintheorderinwhichtheywerepublished(althoughinitselfthisisnothingoutoftheordinary),andareintertwinedandinterleavedwitheachotherincomplexways.
Guilty,forexample,waswrittenbetweenSeptember1939andSummer1943,whileInnerExperience,whichitselfincludestextsanteriorto1939publishedindiversejournals,waswrittenforthemostpartbetweenWinter1941andSummer1942butpublishedpriortoGuilty,in1943.
IntheorderinwhichtheywerewrittenInnerExperienceinterruptsGuiltyafteritssecondchapter,'TheDistressofthePresent'['LesMalheursdutempsprésent'].
LaterpartsofGuilty,moreover,weretakenfromthemanuscriptfromwhichMadameEdwardaderived,thelattertextbeingwritten,asBataillerevealed,almostintandemwithInnerExperience.
ThefirsttwochaptersofGuilty:'Friendship'and'TheDistressofthePresent'derivefromajournalkeptbyBataillefromSeptember1939toJune1941.
'Friendship'beginsinSeptember1939toendinMarch1940.
Thesecondchapterisdividedintotwoparts:'TheExodus'['L'Exode']and'Solitude'['LaSolitude']-thetitleofthefirstsectionreferring,itwouldseem,tothemassexodusoftheFrenchpeopleawayfromtheGermaninvader.
Itbeginsshortlyaftertheonsetofthe'batailleduNord'-theGermaninvasionofHollandandBelgium,followingcloselytheGermaninvasionofFrance,theentryoftheGermanarmyintoParisonthe4thofJuneandthesigningofthearmisticeandtheendofhostilities(betweenVichyFranceandGermany)onthe22ndJune.
Thisflightisalso,toanextent,Bataille'sown.
TheperiodseeshimmovefromStGermain-en-Laye(fromthehousewherehisloverColettePeignot-Laure-died)toRiom-ès-Montagnes,followingDeniseRollin(andherhusband)withwhomhehadbeenlivingafterColette'sdeath,backtoParisandthen,whentheinvasiontakesplace,backviaacircuitousroute,totheAuvergne,tofinallymovebacktoParisinAugust1940,wherehewillwritetheshortertext'Solitude'.
4.
Cf.
Derrida:'Thosewholoveonlyincuttingtiesaretheuncompromisingfriendsofsolitarysingularity.
Theyinviteyoutoenterintoacommunityofsocialdisaggregation,whichisnotnecessarilyasecretsociety,aconjuration,theoccultsharingofesotericorcrypto-poeticknowledge'(PF35).
Theobliquereferencetothe'secretsociety'AcéphalewithwhichBataillewasinvolvedin1936-8suggeststheimportantlegacyofthismoment,andtheimportanceofthequestionofthesecret,itstensionwiththeheadlessnesswhichinformsthetextualmaterialisms,Derrida'sincluded,ofthe1960sandafter.
Cf.
alsoJean-JosephGoux,'NumismatiquesI&II',TelQuel,36,37,1969.
5.
ThejournalwhichfeaturesinthenotesforGuiltyrelatesachanceencounterwithtwooldfriends,RaymondQueneauandTheodoreFraenkel,bothmobilised,asBataillenotes,markingtheinterruptionoftheeventintohismeditativetext.
Queneau'sjournal,initsaccountofthesameencounter,recallsthatneitherFraenkelnorBataillehaveanythingmeaningfultosayaboutthewar(RaymondQueneau,Journaux1914-1965Paris:Gallimard,1996,395).
LaterQueneaurecalledthatBataillewas'verysceptical,wantingnothingtodowithpolitics'['Trèssceptique,Bataille.
[…]ilneveutplusavoirrienàvoiraveclapolitique]',422.
6.
GeorgesBataille,LecoupableinuvresComplètesV(Paris:Gallimard,1973),246.
Alltranslationsaremyownunlessotherwiseindicated.
7.
Ibid.
,247.
8.
Ibid.
,251.
9.
Ibid.
10.
Thequestionofdeathisadifficultone.
Sincethewriterisalreadywithinthetomb,actual,physicaldeathis'merely'eitheradelayedconfirmationofsomethingthatisalreadythecase,oranexemplarymanifestationofthedeathofthewriter.
Aswiththequestionofsacrifice,itcanbeaskedofBataille'sworkifhemakesadistinctionbetweenthe'structure'ofdeathorof'entombment'anditsspectacle,inotherwords:isphysicaldeathnecessary11.
Bataille,LeCoupable,251-2.
Fragmentsofthetextof'Friendship'weretobepublishedinthereviewMesuresinApril1940,underthepseudonymDianus(seeabove).
Bataillerefersinafootnotetohisanxietyaboutthepossibilityofthepublicationof'Friendship'inhislifetime.
Atthestartof1940,havingdeliveredthemanuscriptof'Friendship'toMesures,heknewthattheywereinthestationatAbbeville.
ThistownwasheavilybombardedduringthebatailleduNord,but,contrarytotheauthor'sexpectations,theissueofMesureswasleftintact.
Chancedeliversthefragmentsof'Friendship'toitsreaders,beyondanycommunityoffriends,despitetheauthor'shope,perhaps,thatwarwouldintervenetopostponeorannulthisdelivery.
Thefriendshipof'Friendship'isonebeyondthepresentcommunity,beyondtheforceofwarandnationalconflict,FRIENDSHIP,ASSYMETRY,SACRIFICEwww.
parrhesiajournal.
org41anticipatory-thatis,opentochance,torisk.
Batailleaddsthefollowingnotetothephrasecitedhere:'IhadinfacttogivesomefragmentsofthistexttothejournalMesuresatthebeginningof1940(underthepseudonymDianus).
HavingreturnedfromtheexodusIknewthatthecopiesofMesureswereinthestationatAbbevilleduringthebattleoftheNorthand,sincethistownhadbeenheavilybombarded,Ithoughtthatthechanceoftheirbeingpublishedwouldbepostponedforalongtime.
ButMesureswasintact.
['JedevaisenfaitdonnerdesfragmentsdecetexteàlarevueMesuresaudébutde1940(souslepeusdonymedeDianus).
Auretourdel'exode,jesusquelesexemplairesdeMesuressetrouvaientengared'AbbevillependantlabatailleduNordet,commecettevilleavaitététrèsbombardée,jepensaisquetoutechancedepublicationétaitéloignéepourlongtemps.
MaislenumériodeMesuresétaitintact'(252)].
12.
Or,inPoliticsofFriendship,the'perhaps'.
13.
Bataille,LeCoupable,261.
14.
Ibid.
,260.
15.
Ibid.
,262.
16.
Ibid.
,284.
17.
Thefinaltext,alsotitled'L'Amitié'wasoriginallyatextpublishedinMauriceNadeau'sreviewLettresnouvellesontheeventofBataille'sdeathin1962.
18.
Bataille'spublishedcorrespondancelacksanyletterssentbyhimtoMauriceBlanchot,butfeaturesaselectionofletterssentbyBlanchottohim.
Thisasymmetryisbydesign(Blanchot's).
Inletterstootherfriendsandcolleagues(DionysMascolo)Bataille,inthelastyearsofhislifeandpermanentlysuffering,referstothenecessityofhiscorrespondancewithBlanchot[GeorgesBataille,Choixdelettres(Paris:Gallimard,1997),576].
Herefersalso,however,tohis'indestructiblefriendship'(527)withMichelLeiris,andusestheword'amitié'inthesamesenseincorrespondancewithothers(Mascolo,forexample).
FurtheranalysisandargumentmightsuggestacertainmonopolisationofBataille,andofhisfriendship,byBlanchotandbyblanchotisme,ifsuchathingcanbeidentified.
'L'Amitié'isnot,inthiscontext,anexclusiverelation;indeeditwouldseemtoresistanyrestrictionwithincontext.
19.
EvenintheorganisationofitschaptersBlanchot'sFriendshipseemstoincorporateagesturetowardsBataille.
Thebookmovesthroughthefollowinggrandthemes:ArtandPrehistory,theMuseum,theEncylopdia,Anthropology,MarxismandCommunism,War,Literature,Death,Transgression,toendwithessaysonSartreandCamus,Kafka,andFriendship.
Broadlyspeaking,thisreproducestheintellectualtrajectoryofBataille,fromtheearlyperiodofAréthuseandDocuments(prehistory,Art,theMuseum)tothepoliticisedtimeofLacritiquesociale(Communism)throughWar,toLiterature(thetimeofLalittératureetlemal-whichincludesanessayonKafkaandengagesspecificallyindebatewithSartre).
'Friendship'ispositionedastheepilogueandthesummationofthevolume.
Friendship,moreover,collectsarticlespublishedforthemostpartintheNouvellerevuefranaiseoverthetwodecadesleadinguptoitspublication.
Althoughtheearliestarticle,'LeMusée,l'ArtetleTemps',waspublishedinCritique,thereviewfoundedbyBataillewithwhichBlanchotwascloselyinvolved,in1950-1,asareviewofMalraux'sLemuséeimaginairethecollection,itstitle,epigraphsandepilogueseemstosuggestthateveninwritingoutsideBataille'scommunityBlanchotwritestoandwithBataille.
20.
Blanchot,MauriceL'Amitié(Paris:Gallimard,1971),10;herafterreferredtoasA.
21.
Cf.
Jacques-AlainMiller'sconceptofextimacy,takenfromLacan,elaboratedinJacques-AlainMiller,'Extimacy'inMarkBracher(ed.
),LacanandtheHumanSciences(NewYork:NewYorkUniversityPress,1994),74-87.
22.
AsaparentheticalnoteorechoonecouldrecallherethephysicalimpressionofimmensedistancefeltbythenarratorofEdgarAllanPoe'sshortstory'TheFactsintheCaseofM.
Valdemar,whenhehearsM.
Valdemarspeakthewords'Iamdead'.
23.
ThisfiguremakesitsfirstappearanceinBataille'swritinginStoryoftheEye,whereaflashoflightningsuddenlyilluminatestheurinestainedsheethungfromthewindowofthe'chateauhanté/maisondesanté'.
SeePatrickffrench,TheCut:ReadingBataille'sHistoiredel'il(Oxford:OxfordUP,1999).
ThefigurewillbeusedbyMichelFoucaultinhisobituaryarticleonBataille,'Préfaceàlatransgression'(publishedinthe1962obituaryissueofCritique:transgressionis'somethinglikelightninginthenight,which,fromthedepthsoftime,givesadenseanddarkbeingtowhatitdenies,illuminatesitfromtheinsideandthroughout,neverthelessowestoititsbrightclarity,itslaceratinganderectsingularity,losesitselfinthisspacewhichitsignswithitssovereigntyandisatlastsilenthavinggivenanametodarkness.
'['Quelquechosepeut-êtrecommel'éclairdanslanuit,qui,dufonddutemps,donneunêtredenseetnoiràcequ'ellenie,l'illuminedel'intérieuretdefondencomble,luidoitpourtantsaviveclarté,sasingularitédechiranteetdressée,seperddanscetespacequ'ellesignedesasouverainetéetsetaitenfinayantdonnéunnomàl'obscur'];Foucault,Michel(1963),'Préfaceàlatransgression'inCritique(Aug-Sept1963),755-6.
Foucault'sthinkingandwritingherebearcertainsimilaritieswiththoseofBlanchot.
PATRICKffRENCHwww.
parrhesiajournal.
org4224.
Anotherasymmetricalseriescouldbesuggestedhere,whichwouldreadBataille'sLascauxwithBlanchot's'Lanaissancedel'art'andDuras'sLesmainsnégatives.
Cf.
MargueriteDuras,'Lesmainsnégatives'inLeNavireNightetautrestextes(Paris:Galimard,1979),whichtakesitstitlefromthehandprintsfoundinprehistoriccavesorSouthernEurope.
25.
ThedensityofBlanchot'spas(Lepasau-delà)issomewhatlostinEnglish.
26.
Bataille,Georges(1971)MadameEdwardainuvresComplètesIII(Paris:Gallimard),21.
27.
Bataille,Lecoupable,261.
28.
'Lemanqueasaplace':aconcernwiththeplaceoflackandthe'lackinitsplace'informsDerrida'sdiscussionofLacan's,'SeminaronthePurloinedLetter'(inEcrits)in'Lefacteurdelavérité'.
SeeJaquesDerridaLaCartePostale:deSocrateàFreudetau-delà(Paris:Flammarion,1980),448-470.
Iflackhasitsplaceandisinitsplacethenthesymboliceconomyheldsolidbythe(empty)significationofthephallusisnotthreatenedbydifférance.
AnanalysisoftherelationsbetweentheeconomyofmeaningandtheeconomyofgenderinBatailleisoverdue.
29.
Bataille,LeCoupable,278.
30.
Bataille,MadameEdwarda,11.
31.
Ibid,.
11.
32.
SeeJaneGallop,Intersections:AReadingofSadewithBataille,Blanchot,Klossowski(LincolnandLondon:UniversityofNebraskaPress,1981.
GallopreadstheintertextualresonancesbetweenthesethreewritersaroundtheirreadingsofSade.
Cf.
alsoDerrida,writingontheexclusionofthefeminineinthe'great'discoursesonfriendship:'Thisdoubleexclusionofthefeminineinthisphilosophicalparadigmwouldthenconferonfriendshiptheessentialandessentialysublimefigureofvirilehomosexuality'(PF279).
33.
JacquesDerrida,'"EatingWell",ortheCalculationoftheSubject'inPoints:Interviews1974-1994,279;translationbyPeterConnorandAvitallRonellof"Ilfautbienmanger"oulecalculdusujet'inPointsdesuspension(Paris:Galilée,1992).
34.
Ibid.
,280.
35.
'TheUnsacrificeable'inYaleFrenchStudies79(1991):LiteratureandtheEthicalQuestion;translationbyRichardLivingston,21.
36.
ElementsofDerrida'sexplorationoftherhetoricand'structure'ofsacrificemaybefoundinthefinalpartof'L'oreilledeHeidegger:Philopolémologie(GeschlechtIV)'whichisincludedasasupplementtotheFrencheditionofPolitiquesdel'amitié,andinashorttextonthetheoryoftheatreofDanielMesguich,'LeSacrifice'inLaMétaphoreI(Editionsdeladifférence)andonlineat:http://www.
hydra.
umn.
edu/derrida/sac.
html.
Derrida'sunpublishedseminarof1987-88,on'EatingtheOther:RhetoricsofCannibalism'alsoboreuponthis
1Theotherfriendship,whichinterruptsthefriendshipof'brothers'isextendedtoanyother,andanticipatesthedeathofthefriend;itisafriendshipbeyondthegrave.
Thefriendspeakstothefriendalreadyfrombeyondthegrave,ifthefriendspeakstothefriendatall,andthefriendrespondsinasituationofsurvivalandofmourning,ifresponsethereis.
Therearetwopolitics(atleast)offriendship:thatofthebrothers,ofman,ontheonehand,andontheotherfriendshipasarupturewithanykindofreciprocityorbond.
Theotherfriendshipruinsreciprocalexchange;itisnotoftheorderofdialogueorofinterlocution:friendshipofthiskindissynonymouswithasymmetry.
InthefinalpagesofDerrida'sbook,thisfriendshipwithoutbondandbeyondthebondfindsanexemplarintherelation(orthenon-relation)ofMauriceBlanchotandGeorgesBataille,andparticularlyinthetextthatBlanchotdedicatedtoGeorgesBataille:Friendship[L'Amitié](PF293).
Thefriendshipwhichinterruptsthebondismoreovertobelinked,Derridasuggests,tothe'communitywithoutcommunity'(48)namedbyBataille,andonwhichBlanchotwillwriteinTheUnknowableCommunity[Lacommunautéinavouable],inresponsetoJean-LucNancy'sTheInoperativeCommunity[Lacommunautédésuvrée].
PoliticsofFriendshipthusaddresses,obliquely,acommunityoffriendswhoselinkswitheachothertakethewrittenformofaseriesofruptureswithcommunity,aseriesofasymmetricalinterventionsandresponses.
Friendship,inthissense,existsintheresponseortheechothatonetextgivestoanother,wherethisresponserespondswithoutanswering,andwheretheechoisalreadyanothervoice;communityisinscribedinorratheracrossadisjunctivenetworkoftexts.
Inthiscontext,canitbesaidthatthetextaddressesorisaddressedtotheotherHowdotheseconditionsaffectthemodeofaddressandthecharacterofcriticalthoughtThereciprocityofnon-reciprocity,orinotherwords,thewayinwhichthesetextsrespondtoorechoeachotherbynotrespondingtoorechoingeachother,hasimportantconsequencesintermsofwhatdoesnotreturninBlanchot'sfriendshipwithBataille,andintermsofwhatisnotaddressedinBataille'swork.
Agenealogyoftextsthusconstitutesthisseriesofinterruptionsoffriendship,leadingbacktotheencounterbetweenBatailleandBlanchotintheearly1940sandtotheinterplayoftheirwritings,whichoftenreferto'conversations';thisistakenupagaininthe1980swiththe'exchange'betweenNancyandBlanchotoncommunity(inwhichBlanchot'smodeofrespondingtoNancyistowrite,partly,onMargueriteDuras'Maladiedelamortandonthe'communitywithoutcommunity'ofMay1968).
ButthefirstpartofTheUnknowableCommunityatleastisconcernedwiththetheoreticallegacyofBataille'sexperimentswithcommunityofthepre-warperiod,the'secret'societyAcéphale,theCollègedeSociologie,whosecontextsaretheprecisepoliticalconjuncturesofthe1930s.
BlanchotandNancy'sengagementswithBatailletend,toanextent,todisengagehimfromtheseconjunctures.
2Blanchot'sFriendshipalso,whileitsvariousarticlescanbesituatedasasymmetricalresponsestospecificmomentsinBataille'swriting,disengagesthesemomentsfromtheirimmediateconjunctures.
Thisdis-engagementorde-scriptionis,however,inherenttothemodeoffriendshipenvisagedbybothBlanchotandBataille.
Theirfriendship,otherwisetheircommunication,isonewhichFRIENDSHIP,ASSYMETRY,SACRIFICEwww.
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org33withdrawsfrompresenceandfromimmediacyindifferingways.
Inbothwithdrawingfromimmediacy,BlanchotandBataille'stexts(Friendshipand'Friendship')seemtogesturetowardseachother,oneithersideofthelimitofBataille'sdeath,textsontwosidesofatomb,toformanasymmetricalreciprocity.
Bataille,'Friendship''Friendship'isthetitleofthefirstsectionofthebookGuilty[LeCoupable],whichBataillebegantowriteonthe5thSeptember1939,twodaysafterthedeclarationofwar.
Guilty,thesecondvolumeofBataille'sSummaatheologica[Lasommeathéologique]wouldoriginallyhavebeentitledL'Amitié[Friendship],butfortheinterventionofRaymondQueneau,Bataille'seditoratGallimard.
'Friendship'isalsothetitleofacollectionoffragmentspublishedseparatelyinJeanPaulhan'sreviewMesuresinApril1940,underthepseudonymDianus.
Theyre-appearinGuilty.
'Friendship'isthustextuallypluralandcomplex.
ForBataille,moreover,theword'Friendship'iswritteninatimeofwarorimminentwar.
3Bataillewritesitunderthethreatofwar,intheperiodofthe'drledeguerre'fromSeptember1939toMarch1940.
Themanuscriptsfromwhichthis,andthetextsofthepublishedworksGuiltyandInnerExperiencederivereadaspartjournals,partdrafts.
TheyarepunctuatedbythesoundofsirensandthemovementsoftheFrencharmy.
Toreadthepublishedworkswiththefragmentaryjournalsfromwhichtheyderive(movingbetweenthetextandthenotesoftheuvresComplètes)istorecogniseadifficulttensionbetweenwhatwemighttermcompletion[achèvement]-thecompleteandcoherentbookpublished,inthecaseofGuilty,fouryearslater-andawritingofincompletion[inachèvement],morecloselytiedtothe'presenttime',tothewarandtoBataille'sactivitiesduringit,outsidethetimeofwriting,yetstrangelyalsowithdrawingfromthismomentthroughtheveryattentiontoit.
TwotemporalitiesofreadingBataillesuggestthemselveshere,twochronologies:thechronologyofthepublicationofbooksandthereadingoffinishedworks(workswhichnonethelessannouncetheirincompletionasaprinciple),andontheotherhandthedailychronologyofwriting,closetotheeventyetinthatproximityannouncingawithdrawal.
'Friendship',inthisinstance,isproximatetotheevent.
Thetermitself,inoneofitsinstances,designatesarelationtotheotherinthetimeofwar,arelationnotofidentificationwith'lapatrie',orofsupportforthepoliticalcauseofFranceagainstGermany,butofcomplicitywiththevictim(ofdestruction,offlight)insacrificeandtragedy;complicityalsowiththeexecutioner.
Iffriendshipdesignatesapoliticalrelation,itisnotoftheorderofpolitics,strictlyspeaking(wherethisdenotescivicorconsensualrelationsanddiscourses).
Ifinthewritingof'Friendship'Batailleengageswiththepolitical,itisnotinthesamespiritas,forexample,hisinvolvementwiththepre-warstreet-actiongroupsofMassesorContre-attaque(whosetextualmodeisthetract),norinthespiritofanalysiswhichinformedthewritingsonfascism('ThePsychologicalStructureofFascism','TheProblemoftheState'),norinthespiritofpublicaddresswhichdistinguishthelecturesfortheCollègedeSociologie('TheSacredConjuration').
Inthissense,BataillewithdrawsfrompoliticsfromGuiltyonwards.
However,thiswithdrawalofwritingfromapublicmodeofaddressstrangelyopensupthedimensioninwhichtheaddresseeexists;previouslydistinguishedbythegroup,the'secretsociety'4ortheCollege,Bataille'swithdrawnorabandonedwritingaddressesthefriend.
'Friendship'thusnamesarelationtotheeventandtotheotherwhichisnotoftheorderofinterventioninpoliticaldebate.
5InBataille'spoliticsoffriendshipthewriterisradicallyseparatedfromthecommunity,particularlyfromthecommunityofthenationatwar.
Hewillnotthereforespeakofwar,althoughthisisnotthesignofapacifism:Iwillnotspeakofwarbutofmysticexperience.
Iamnotindifferenttothewar.
Iwouldwillinglygivemyblood,myexhaustion,and,what'smore,thosemomentsofsavagerywhichwereachwhenarounddeath…ButhowcouldIforaninstantforgetmyignorance,andthatIamlostinsomedarkcellarcorridor…Thisworld,aplanetandthestarrysky,areformenothingbutatomb…PATRICKffRENCHwww.
parrhesiajournal.
org34Jeneparleraipasdeguerre,maisd'expériencemystique.
Jenesuispasindifférentàlaguerre.
Jedonneraisvolontiersmonsang,mesfatigues,quiplusest,cesmomentsdesauvagerieauxquelsnousaccédonsauvoisinagedelamort.
.
.
Maiscomment-oublierai-jeuninstantmonignoranceetquejesuisperdudansuncouloirdecaveCemonde,uneplanèteetlecielétoilénesontpourmoiqu'unetombe.
.
.
6Beyondtheimmediacyofwaranditsviolencethereisamoregeneralabandonmentwhichsotospeakinstallsthewriteralreadywithinthegrave.
Fromthisviewpoint,theillusionofcommunalrelationsisannihilated:Asortofhallucinatorydarknessmakesmeslowlylosemyhead,leadingmyentirebeingtobendtowardstheimpossible.
TowardsIdon'tknowwhatwarm,flourishing,mortalexplosion…bywhichIescapefromtheillusionofsolidrelationsbetweenmyselfandtheworld.
Unesorted'obscuritéhallucinantemefaitlentementperdrelatête,mecommuniqueunetorsiondetoutl'êtretenduversl'impossible.
Versonnesaitquelleexplosionchaude,fleurie,mortelle.
.
.
paroù'j'échappeal'illusionderapportssolidesentrelemondeetmoi.
7Ifapoliticsoffriendshipisadumbratedhere,itisononehandthroughawithdrawalfrompoliticsbutontheotherhandacorrespondingattentiontothe'political'relationofcomplicitywiththeotherwhichisbroughtoutinthistimeofwar,butnotonlybythis.
Thisfriendship,orthiscommunity,isfoundedontheruinsofcommunity,ofaconsensualworld.
Furthermore,asofteninBataille'swork,thepossibilityofcommunityorofarelationtotheotherisconsideredbearinginmindthefactthathewrites.
Itisinandthroughwritingthatthepossibilityoffriendshipsurvivestheabandonmentofthepresent:'ThesenoteslinkmelikeAriadne'sthreadtomyfellowhumanbeingsandtherestseemsvaintome…'['Cesnotesmelientcommeunfild'Arianeàmessemblablesetlerestemeparaitvain'].
8Suchawritingcannotbetheobjectofspokencommunication,betweenfriends:'ButIcouldn'treadthemtoanyofmyfriends.
WhenceIfeellikeI'mwritingfrominsideatomb.
'['Jenepourraiscependantlesfairelireàaucundemesamis.
Parlà,j'ail'impressiond'ecrireàl'intérieurdelatombe'].
9Thefriendshipdesignatedbythetitleisthusnotthatofacommunityoflivingreaders,friendsofthelivingauthor,whomightbeinvolvedinacommunityofspeechorinsomethinglikeadialogue.
Itisnotdirectedtoaclosedsetofreaderswithinanintellectualcommunity,secretgrouporcollege,buttoreaderstocome,readerswhowillarriveafterthedeathofthewriter.
10Thewritingof'Friendship'isthusdistinctinthemodeofitsaddressfromBataille'spre-warwritingswhichweremoreoftenthannotdestinedforspokendeliverytoanassembledcommunity,ortothespecificdiscursivecommunityofaperiodical.
Weshouldthinkofthesetextsaswritingsofwithdrawalfromdiurnal,discursivecommunication,projectedbeyondtheruinofthepresentcommunitytoacommunityofreaderstocome,writtenfrombeyondthegraveorfromwithinitandholdingwithinthemtheanticipateddeathofthefriendwhowrites.
Anypublicationbeforetheeventofthedeathofthewriter,whichthiswritingholdswithinitandanticipates,willthusbeacompromise,afailure:'Iwouldlikethesenotestobepublishedaftermydeath,butit'spossiblethatIwilllivelongenoughforthemtobepublishedinmylifetime.
Thisideamakesmesuffer.
'['jevoudraisqu'onpublie[cesnotes]quandjeseraimort,maisilsepeutquejeviveassezlongtemps,quelapublicationaitlieudemonvivant.
Jesouffreàcetidée'].
11Thewritingoffriendship,beyondpolitics,engageswiththepoliticalspaceofDerrida'stocome,thespaceofthatanticipatedmourningwhichconstitutesfriendshipinhisaccountofit.
Anticipation,theDerrideantocome,12findtheirequivalentinBataille'sexperienceofincompletion-aprinciplewhichinformstheformofhiswriting,hisrelationtothepolitical,andhisexperienceofwarandofloss,andwhichinformsandisproximatealsotoBlanchot'snotionofdésuvrementandDerrida'sthematicsofthedisjucture(disjonction)ofthepresent:'FromthevertiginousslopewhichI'mclimbingup,Inowpercievetruthfoundedonincompletion'['Delapentevertigineusequejegravis,j'aperoismaintenantlavéritéfondéesurl'inachèvement.
.
.
'].
13AgainstHegel'shypothetical'edifice'ofhumanknowledge,basedonthepostulationofitscompletionorclosure,BatailleposesNietzsche'sloveofan'ignoranceinrelationtothefuture',14andthisjoyfulignorance,forBataille,findsitselfmostexplicitlyrealisedandrevealedinthetimeofwar:'WartimeFRIENDSHIP,ASSYMETRY,SACRIFICEwww.
parrhesiajournal.
org35revealstheincompletionofhistorytothepointthatitisshockingtodieafewdaysbeforetheend'['Untempsdeguerrerévèlel'inachèvementdel'histoireaupointqu'ilestchoquantdemourirquelquesjoursavantlafin.
.
.
'].
15Nietzsche's(affirmationof)ignoranceinrelationtothefuture,or,indifferentterms,theincompletionofhistory,parallelsthelatter'saffirmationoffriendshipnotastheloveofthenextman(Nebenmesch)butofthe'mostdistant'.
Bataillewrites:'Thedestinyofmenhadmetwithpity,moralityandthemostdivergentattitudes:anguishoroftenenoughevenhorror;ithadhardlybeenmetwithfriendship.
UntilNietzsche…'['Ladestinéedeshommesavaitrencontrélapitié,lamoraleetlesattitudeslesplusopposées:l'angoisseoumêmeassezsouventl'horreur:ellen'avaitguèrerencontrél'amitié.
Jusqu'àNietzsche.
.
.
'].
16ThefriendshipwhichBatailledesignateswiththetitleofthistextisthusintimatelytiedtothetimeofwarandtheuncertaintywithregardtothefuturewhichitimposes.
Theaffirmationofincompletion,whichwarreveals,parallelstheprojectionofthefriendbeyondthepresent,outsidethepresentcommunityoffriendstowhomanydirectspokencommunicationwouldbedestined.
Blanchot,FriendshipBataille's'Friendship'elaboratesfriendshipasanintimaterelationwiththefriendfrombeyondthegrave.
Itelaboratesthisinacontextofimminentbombardmentandinvasion,ofathreattocontinuedexistence.
OntheothersideofthetombBlanchot'sFriendshipisbotharesponsetoandanechoofthisthreatandthisvoicefromthetomb.
17ItdevelopsitsresponseanditsechonotasacommentaryonBataille,norasthesecondvoiceinadialogue,butthroughitsattentiontoacommunityofothertexts.
Itrepeatswithoutrepeating,citeswithoutcitingandechoesinadifferentvoiceBataille'salreadymultipletitle'Friendship',andincludeswithinitselfatextalsotitled'Friendship'writtenasaformofobituary,subsequenttoBataille'sdeathin196218(inwhich,however,Batailleisbarelynamed).
Outsidethistextwhichisspecificallyintendedasawritingofsurvivalandmourning,thebookFriendshipinscribesitsasymmetricalrelationtoBatailleinanumberofways.
19Thefirstarticle,'TheBirthofArt'['Naissancedel'art'],considersBataille'sbookLaPeinturepréhistorique:Lascauxoulanaissancedel'art(Skira,1955),ontheprehistoriccavepaintingsofLascaux.
HereBlanchotannounceshisownconcernwithdistantbeginnings,proximityanddistance,appearanceandpresence.
HereadsBataille'sLascaux,forexample,asintroducingusinto'aspaceofintimateknowledge'['unespaced'intimeconnaissance'].
20Thisintimacyisproblematised,however,bythefinalwordsoftheparagraph,inwhichBlanchotcommentsonthepowerofart,'whichisnearuseverywhereandallthemoresoforvanishingfromus'['quipartoutnousestproche,d'autantplusqu'ilnouséchappe'(A10)].
Themostintimateisalsothemostdistant.
21Immediacy,intimacy,areinterruptedandwithdrawntoaninfinitedistance.
OurexperienceofLascaux,asreadbyBlanchot,parallelsBataille'swithdrawalofhisfriendship,andofhiswriting,fromthenear-at-hand,andtheircommunication'frominsidethetomb'.
22Thechoicetobeginwithanaccountofthedistantbirthofartwhichveilsitselfanticipatesthemourningofthefriend,Bataille,andthesentimentofproximityinterruptedbyinfinitedistancewhichhisdeathimposes.
Furtherintotheessay,BlanchotnotesthatthesentimentinspiredbyLascaux,andbyLascauxisthatoftheproximity,thecloseness,ofthisdistantbirthofart.
Buthethendeflectsthis'proximity'towardsthetermpresence,andmoreprecisely,appearance.
ThepaintingsofLascauxareclosetousintheirspectralappearanceonthewallsofthecave.
ThisappearanceofLascauxismoreover,instantaneousandfragile,onthepointofbeingeffaced.
Itisanappearance'madevisiblebytheinstantaneousruptureofthenight'['renduesvisible(s)parl'ouvertureinstantanéedelanuit'(A16)].
Thefigurationoftheinstantaneousilluminationofthenightmust(cannotnot)introducethespectralapparitionofBataille.
23AssuchthepresenceofBatailleinthisarticle,throughareadingofLascauxasPATRICKffRENCHwww.
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org36ananticipatedmourningofBataille,createsa'strangefeelingofpresence'['étrangesentimentdeprésence'(A16)]orimposes'beingasnon-presence'['l'êtrecommenon-présence'(A18)].
Blanchot'stextisscannedbyaconstantgestureofinterruption-proximitywithoutproximity,distancewithoutdistance:proximitywithdistance,presenceofnon-presence.
Itsuggestsaversionoffriendship,theversionoffriendshiptowhichthebookisdedicated,asintimacyinterruptedbyinfinitedistance.
24AfurtherseriesofdisjunctiveechoesandrelationsofrelayareperformedinBlanchot'sessayonLouisRenédesForêt'snovelLeBavard,wherethethemeofsilenceandthewithdrawalfromspeechispredominant.
Herethesequestionsareenmeshedwiththoseofspeaking,responding,writingandwritingon.
Blanchotrecalls,attheopeningofthisarticle,aconversationwithBatailleafewdaysbeforehisdeath:Iamnotgoingtodothe'workofthecritic'here.
Iwouldevenhavegivenup,inamoveIdon'thavetoexplain,onanyaccountingwhichmightappeartobeacommentary,ifIhadnotrecalledafewwordsthatwerespokentomealittlebeforehisdeathbyGeorgesBatailleonLebavard;thistaleappearedtohimasoneofthemostdevastatingeverwritten;hefeltittobeclosetohimlikeatruthwhichslidesawayandwhichpullsyouwithit.
Thiswasoneofthelastbooksheread,and,sincehealmostlackedanydesiretowrite,knowinghowmuchItoowasaffectedbythetale,heaskedmeifonedayImightnothaveoccasiontospeakofit.
Ikeptsilent.
Imusttrytorespondtothissilencewhichiscommontobothofusnow,butwhichonlyIremember,byofferingsomethinglikeacontinuationofthesewordsbetweenus.
Jeneferaipasici"uvredecritique".
J'auraismêmerenoncé,parunmouvementsurlequeljen'aipasàexpliquer,àtouteparolequipuisseparatredecommentaire,sijenemerappelaisquelquesmotsquimefurentdits,peudetempsavantsamort,parGeorgesBataillesurLebavard:cerécitluiparaissaitl'undesplusbouleversantsquiaientétéécrits;illesentaitprochedesoi,commeestprocheunevéritéquiglisseetvousentrinedansleglissement;ceftpeut-êtrel'unedesesdernierslectures;maiscommelui-mêmen'avaitpresqueplusledésird'écrire,ilmedemanda,sachantcombiencerécitmetouchait,moiaussi,s'ilnem'arriveraitpasunjourd'enparler.
Jegardailesilence.
Cesilencequinousestcommunaujourd'hui,maisdontjesuisseulàmesouvenir,jedoisessayerd'yrépondreendonnantcommeunesuiteàcetentretien.
(A137)Bataille'sproximitytoDesForêt'stextwasexperienced,accordingtoBlanchot,'likeatruththatslidesaway'.
Onceagainwehavetheincidenceofaproximityorapresencecontaminatedbyawithdrawal,aslippingaway.
BatailleeffectivelycommissionsBlanchottowrite,afterhisdeath,atextonDesForêts'Lebavard(orsoBlanchotsuggests),andBlanchot'sessayisaresponsetothatdemand,afterkeepingsilent.
However,hisresponseimmediatelyproblematisesitselfasa'textonLeBavard'.
Itisatthesametimeacontinuationofthe'entretien'withBataille,andaresponsetoasharedsilence;notonlythesilenceimposedbythedeathofBataille,butasilenceofwithdrawalanddiscretion,aresistanceto'speakingabout',tocommentary,whichBlanchotisneverthelessenjoinedtobetraybecauseoftheconversationwithBataille.
Blanchot'stextisentitled'VainSpeech'['Laparolevaine'],atitlewhichsuggests,coupledwiththeopeningparagraph,thattospeakabout-abook,afriend,isvain,treacherous.
Co-incidentallyitalsoaccuratelyevokesthecharacterofthenarrationofLeBavard.
Whatisdemandedisaresponsetothesilenceofdiscretion,proximityanddistance-tofriendship-thatdoesnotspeakofit,butspeakstoit.
Withdrawnfromthisappearanceofcommentary,andfromtheexplicitcommunityoftextsandfriendsitaddressesandisaddressedto,Blanchot'stextspeakstoBataille,establishesavaledictoryaddresstoafriendboundinafriendshipconceivedasradicallydifferentfromanybond-outsideanycommunityoffriendsoroftexts.
Blanchotreciprocates,responds,nottoBataille,buttoaprescriptiontowritefrombeyondthegrave,aboutastrange,thirdpresencewhichbindsbothofthemtoitwithoutbindingthemtoeachother.
Theprescriptionisnotcarriedout,however,insofarasBlanchotdoesnoteffectively'speakaboutLebavard'('enparler').
Notspeaking,notresponding(not-speaking,not-responding)isthemodeofhisresponse.
FRIENDSHIP,ASSYMETRY,SACRIFICEwww.
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org37WritingonEdmondJabès'BookofQuestions,BlanchotmightthusalsobewritingtoBataille:IhadpromisedtosaynothingaboutEdmondJabes'book,abouthisbooks(Ihavethesametendencytosilencewithregardtocertainaustere,evenwithdrawnworks,workswhichareneverthelessprematurelymadeclamourous,seizedbyastrangefameandthusreducedtoasignificancerelatedtotheirclass,grouporuse).
Therearethusworksthatareconfidedtoourdiscretion.
Wedothemwronginpointingtothem,ormorejustly,westealthemawayfromtheirspace,whichisthatofreserveandfriendship.
Dulivre,deslivresd'EdmondJabes,jem'étaispromisdeneriendire(mêmepenchantausilenceàl'égarddecertainsouvragesaustères,voireretirés,maisprématurémentébruités,saisiesparunebizarrerenomméeetainsiréduitesàunesignificationdeclasse,degroupeoud'usage).
Ilyaainsidesuvresquiseconfientànotrediscretion.
Nousleurfaisonstortenlesdésignant,ou,plusjustement,nouslesenlevonsàleurespacequiestceluidelaréserveetdel'amitié.
(A252;emphasisadded)Intextualterms,Blanchot'sfriendshipwithBataillegoesbywayoftheconversationwithBataillecontinuedbyBlanchot'spracticeof'notwriting'(not-writing)25onothertexts,ofwritingonfriendshipwithoutnamingBataille,orofechoing/citingBatailleinhisowntext.
Atallcosts,nocommentary.
Inthefinaltext,'Friendship',Blanchotresumesanddrawstogetherthecodedaccountsoffriendshipofferedinthebook,thistimeexplicitlyinrelationtoBataille,who,however,isnamedonlyonceinthefourpagearticle.
Blanchot'stextaddressesthefriendthroughanaccountoftheunrepresentable,andofremembrance.
Wemightqualify,betray,Blanchot'sdeliberationinthefollowingwords:thepresentcontainsatraumawhichcannotberepresentedorremembered.
Attemptstowitness,toattest,tocommunicateortomonumentalisethistrauma(thetrauma,thedisasteroffriendship)aredoomedtofailure,fortheexperiencewhichgaverisetoitwasnotonewhich,intheevent,wasrepresentedorcommunicated.
Friendshipisthedisaster,whichruinstheexchangeofdialogueandimposestheasymmetryofwritingoneithersideofthetomb.
IsoneasymmetrycancelledbyanotherIfBataille's'Friendship'iswrittenfromwithinatombtoafriendbeyondthegrave,doesBlanchot'sFriendship,whichwithdrawsfromintimacyandproximity,respondtoit,thusrestoringsymmetryParadoxically,itmayseemthatBlanchot'srenderingofBataille'svoiceobscuresadeeper,othercommunication,whichexceedstheresponsethatBlanchotgivesinnot(-)responding.
Anotherasymmetry,differentfromthatfashionedinBlanchot'sFriendship,maydisturbtheequilibriumofthisrelationeithersideoforfromwithinandwithoutthetomb.
Friendship/SacrificeFriendshipisopen,withdrawn,reserved.
Butitsreserveisnotoftheorderofclosureandofreticence;ratherofincompletion.
.
.
InBataille'swriting,however,thethematicsofincompletionareenmeshedwiththoseofexposure,withthewoundandwiththeerotic.
TheincompletionofhistoryoroftheHegelianprojectisfiguredinMadameEdwarda'scuntwhichisrenderedasawound,'laplaievive'.
26TheincompletiontowhichIamexposed,whichIexperience,intimeofwar,andthecomplicitywiththeotherthatemergesthenalsoqualifytheexperienceoferoticismandofsacrifice.
InBataille'swritinglubricitylaceratesliketheknifewhichopensthethroatofthesacrificialvictim.
Iftheotherfriendshipinterruptsorrupturesthebond,itisbecauseitisopen,exposedtothedeathofthefriend.
Or,putmorePATRICKffRENCHwww.
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org38simply,friendshipisanopennesstodeath,tothewoundthatthedeathoftheothercausesinme.
ItwouldbepossibletoshowhowthepoeticsoffriendshipandofcomplicityandguiltinBataille,whichechoandreprisethoseofthegift,ofexcessandexpenditureinBataille'swritingarefromthebeginningassociatedwithaspecificpoliticsofthebodyandofgender.
ConsiderthisaffirmationfromLeCoupable,forexample:'Inanyaccessiblereality,ineverybeing,wemustlookforthesacrificialplace,thewound.
Abeingisonlytouchedwhereitsuccumbs,awomanunderherdress,agodatthethroatofasacrificialanimal'['Entouteréalitéaccessible,enchaqueêtre,ilfautchercherlelieusacrificiel,lablessure.
Unêtren'esttouchéqu'aupointoùilsuccombe,unefemmesouslarobe,undieuàlagorgedel'animaldusacrifice'].
27Thispolitics,whichrunsthroughoutBataille'swriting,whileitmaybetestedatspecificmoments,isoneofsacrifice,evenwhilesacrificeinitsanthropologicalorpathologicalsensemightbeaspecificmomentofthegeneralisedpoliticsofsacrificewhichunderliehiswork.
Thebodypoliticsofsacrificeisonewhichprivilegesthewoundasadeterminingfigure.
Thegenderpoliticswhichbothproducesthisandisproducedbyitisonewhich,moreoftenthannot,construesfemininegenitalsexualityasopenness,exposure,wound,siteofsacrifice:thebodyasopenratherthanclosedbythetotemicphallus.
Itistheinverseofaphallocentrism,butproducesthesamesymboliceconomy,wherevaluesaresymbolicallyarrayednotaroundaprincipleofunityorofsymbolicpower,butaroundthelackintheplaceofsuchaprinciple.
28Suchanargumentwouldassociatethethematicsofdisjunction,withdrawalanddistancewhichcharacterisetheDerrideanandBlanchotianaccountsoffriendshipwithanaltogethermoreeroticandinanycasebodilyregister.
Iffriendship,inBataille'ssense,isasenseofcomplicityinexposure,thefriendship'frombeyondthegrave',whichin'Friendship'bindshimtothesufferingotherbeyondanypatrioticorfamilialbondisalsoacomplicitywiththeotheraroundthesacrificialsiteofthebody,thewoundorthecrack,lafente.
Thefriendisalsothesacrificialvictim,thevictimofviolenceorofwar,theonewhosedeathisprojected,theonewhoopensinhimselfasiteofsacrifice,awound,onthebasisofwhichalonecommunicationbecomespossible.
Bataillealsowrotethat'[t]hefriendshipofthesaintisaconfidencewhichknowsitselftobebetrayed.
Itisthefriendshipthatmanhasforhimself,knowingthathewilldie,thathecouldgetdrunkondying.
'['L'amitiédusaintestuneconfiancesesachanttrahie.
C'estl'amitiéquel'hommeapourlui-même,sachantqu'ilmourra,qu'ilpourras'enivrerdemourir.
']29Thefriendalsoseems,inthisaccount,tobetheotherman(thereaderofMadameEdwarda,ofStoryoftheEye)whoiscomplicitbeforetheexposed'wound'ofthefemalelover.
Friendshipasincompletion,orinanotherconfiguration'anintolerableexcessofbeing'['undépassementintolérabledel'être']30isalsostagedwhenMadameEdwardapartsherlegsinfrontofthenarratorandsays'See,IamGOD'['Tuvois-jesuisDIEU'].
31Howcanfriendshipbethoughthereoutsideascenewhichwouldfeatureacommunitygatheredaroundasacrificialdeath,orthefreneticcomplicityofvirilebrothersaroundthefemininewhichundoesthemintheveryexcessoftheirfervour32Derrida,wecanrecall,linksthewholemetaphysicsoftheSubjecttothethematicsofsacrifice,andimplicitlyproposesadeconstructiveinterruptionofthismythicalscenethroughacritiqueofHeideggerandLevinasas(still)endemicallyhumanistinthatthey'donotsacrificesacrifice'.
33Heimpliesthatthereisapoliticsofgenderinherenttothiseconomy,withhisproposalofthetermcarnophallogocentrism.
34Byimplication,Bataille'sthinkingoffriendshipwouldremainwithintheboundariesofacertainhumanism,ofacommunityofmenandofbrothers,aslongasthethematicsofsacrificeremaintenaciouslycentraltohisthought.
MightnotBlanchot'sdiscretionbeoverdeterminedbythissceneinitsveryblindnesstoitJean-LucNancy,inTheUnsacrificeable,locatesinBataille'sthoughtan'obsession'anda'fascination'withsacrifice,butalsoalessknown'slowdisplacementthatledBatailletodenouncethetheatreofsacrificeandconsequentlytorenounceitssuccessfulaccomplishment'.
35Thethinkingoffriendship,thegenealogyofafriendship'withoutbond',beyondthecommunityofmenorofbrothers,whichDerrida'countersigns',afterBlanchotandafterBataille,wouldneverthelessremainboundupwiththewholequestionofthesacrificeableandtheunsacrificeable,withthequestionoftowhatextentBatailleisabletothinkbeyondtheconceptuallimitsofsacrifice,andparticularlythepoliticsofgenderitsupposes.
AnotetothesecondchapterofPoliticsofFriendshipsuggestsDerrida'ssuspicionofthetenacityofafraternalfriendshipintheworkofBataille,FRIENDSHIP,ASSYMETRY,SACRIFICEwww.
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org39BlanchotandNancy:'ThereisstillperhapssomebrotherhoodinBataille,BlanchotandNancy,andIwonder,intheinnermostrecessofmyadmiringfriendship,ifitdoesnotdeservealittlelooseningup,andifitshouldstillguidethethinkingofthecommunity,beitacommunitywithoutcommunityorabrotherhoodwithoutbrotherhood'.
[…]Mustnottheinterruptionofthismythicalscenealso,bysomesupplementtothequestionconcerningwhattranspires'beforethelaw',atthemythicalmomentofthefather'smurder(fromFreudtoKafka)reachandaffectthefigureofthebrothers'(PF48).
36Wemightpostulatehereanimaginary,mythicalscenebehindthethematicsofsacrificeinBataillebutalsothoseoffriendshipinBatailleandBlanchot-themurderofthefatherorthesacrificeofthedyinggod-whichdeconstructivethoughtwouldattempttointerrupt.
Aslongasthismythicalsceneremaineduninterrupted,thatis,withoutcritique,tenaciouslyfundamentaltoBataille'sthinking,thethinkingoffriendshipwouldremainultimatelywithinthelimitsofthefraternal,afriendshippreciselywithbond(thebondofthesonsofthesacrificedGod).
Thefriendship'beyondbond'whichDerridaandbeforehimBlanchotclaimisBataille's,ishisonlytotheextentthatheisabletothinkbeyondsacrificeandtotheextentthatsacrificialstructureisshowntobeinterruptedinhisthought.
ThepoliticsoffriendshipwhoselegacyDerrida(withreservations)andBlanchotclaimfromBataillefunctionsonlyonthebasisofaneffacementofthe(primal)sceneofsacrifice,whichbearsfurthercriticalnalysis.
PatrickffrenchisProfessorofFrenchatKing'sCollege,London.
Hisprincipalresearchinterestsareintwentieth-centuryliteratureandpost-warliteraryandcriticaltheory;inparticular:GeorgesBataille,thejournalTelQuel(1960-1982),thelegacyofFrenchtheoryandthethoughtofGillesDeleuze.
Hehaspublishedanumberofbooks,includingTheTimeofTheory:AHistoryofTelQuel(Oxford:ClarendonPress,1995),TheCut:ReadingBataille'sHistoiredel'oeil(Oxford:BritishAcademy/OUP,1999),andAfterBataille:Sacrifice,Exposure,Community(Oxford:Legenda,forthcoming2007).
PATRICKffRENCHwww.
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org40NOTES1.
JacquesDerrida,PoliticsofFriendshiptrans.
GeorgeCollins(London:Verso,1997),viii;hereafterreferredtoasPF.
2.
Canthenotionof'conjuncture'survivethedisjunctionandtheopeningupperformedherebytheconceptoffriendshipWhatwouldbeatstakeisaconfrontationofthesituatedcharacterofBataille'sinterventionsinandoncommunityinthe1930s(urgencyofthestruggleagainstfascism,disengagementofNietzschefromNaziideology,proximitytothe'non-conformist'tendencywhichwilllaternotbeforeigntocollaboration,hostilitytotheunionoftheleft,tensionsbetweenthe'mystical'interestsofBatailleandthesociologyofCaillois,Leiris…),aconfrontationofthishistoricalembededdnesswiththewithdrawalfromimmediacyandfrom(en)closurewhichisadistinctivetraitofBataille'sthought.
Thishistoricalmoment,moreover,isnotadefinitiveorigin:awidergenealogystill,proposedbyDerrida,wouldsituateallofthesetextsanddialoguesas'countersignaturestotheeventsigned"Nietzsche"'(PF47).
SeeThePoliticsofFriendship,Chapters2&3.
3.
Itisinstructivetopayattentiontothechronologyandthetopography,sotospeak,ofBataille'swritinginthisperiod.
Thetextsthemselvesarenotwrittenintheorderinwhichtheywerepublished(althoughinitselfthisisnothingoutoftheordinary),andareintertwinedandinterleavedwitheachotherincomplexways.
Guilty,forexample,waswrittenbetweenSeptember1939andSummer1943,whileInnerExperience,whichitselfincludestextsanteriorto1939publishedindiversejournals,waswrittenforthemostpartbetweenWinter1941andSummer1942butpublishedpriortoGuilty,in1943.
IntheorderinwhichtheywerewrittenInnerExperienceinterruptsGuiltyafteritssecondchapter,'TheDistressofthePresent'['LesMalheursdutempsprésent'].
LaterpartsofGuilty,moreover,weretakenfromthemanuscriptfromwhichMadameEdwardaderived,thelattertextbeingwritten,asBataillerevealed,almostintandemwithInnerExperience.
ThefirsttwochaptersofGuilty:'Friendship'and'TheDistressofthePresent'derivefromajournalkeptbyBataillefromSeptember1939toJune1941.
'Friendship'beginsinSeptember1939toendinMarch1940.
Thesecondchapterisdividedintotwoparts:'TheExodus'['L'Exode']and'Solitude'['LaSolitude']-thetitleofthefirstsectionreferring,itwouldseem,tothemassexodusoftheFrenchpeopleawayfromtheGermaninvader.
Itbeginsshortlyaftertheonsetofthe'batailleduNord'-theGermaninvasionofHollandandBelgium,followingcloselytheGermaninvasionofFrance,theentryoftheGermanarmyintoParisonthe4thofJuneandthesigningofthearmisticeandtheendofhostilities(betweenVichyFranceandGermany)onthe22ndJune.
Thisflightisalso,toanextent,Bataille'sown.
TheperiodseeshimmovefromStGermain-en-Laye(fromthehousewherehisloverColettePeignot-Laure-died)toRiom-ès-Montagnes,followingDeniseRollin(andherhusband)withwhomhehadbeenlivingafterColette'sdeath,backtoParisandthen,whentheinvasiontakesplace,backviaacircuitousroute,totheAuvergne,tofinallymovebacktoParisinAugust1940,wherehewillwritetheshortertext'Solitude'.
4.
Cf.
Derrida:'Thosewholoveonlyincuttingtiesaretheuncompromisingfriendsofsolitarysingularity.
Theyinviteyoutoenterintoacommunityofsocialdisaggregation,whichisnotnecessarilyasecretsociety,aconjuration,theoccultsharingofesotericorcrypto-poeticknowledge'(PF35).
Theobliquereferencetothe'secretsociety'AcéphalewithwhichBataillewasinvolvedin1936-8suggeststheimportantlegacyofthismoment,andtheimportanceofthequestionofthesecret,itstensionwiththeheadlessnesswhichinformsthetextualmaterialisms,Derrida'sincluded,ofthe1960sandafter.
Cf.
alsoJean-JosephGoux,'NumismatiquesI&II',TelQuel,36,37,1969.
5.
ThejournalwhichfeaturesinthenotesforGuiltyrelatesachanceencounterwithtwooldfriends,RaymondQueneauandTheodoreFraenkel,bothmobilised,asBataillenotes,markingtheinterruptionoftheeventintohismeditativetext.
Queneau'sjournal,initsaccountofthesameencounter,recallsthatneitherFraenkelnorBataillehaveanythingmeaningfultosayaboutthewar(RaymondQueneau,Journaux1914-1965Paris:Gallimard,1996,395).
LaterQueneaurecalledthatBataillewas'verysceptical,wantingnothingtodowithpolitics'['Trèssceptique,Bataille.
[…]ilneveutplusavoirrienàvoiraveclapolitique]',422.
6.
GeorgesBataille,LecoupableinuvresComplètesV(Paris:Gallimard,1973),246.
Alltranslationsaremyownunlessotherwiseindicated.
7.
Ibid.
,247.
8.
Ibid.
,251.
9.
Ibid.
10.
Thequestionofdeathisadifficultone.
Sincethewriterisalreadywithinthetomb,actual,physicaldeathis'merely'eitheradelayedconfirmationofsomethingthatisalreadythecase,oranexemplarymanifestationofthedeathofthewriter.
Aswiththequestionofsacrifice,itcanbeaskedofBataille'sworkifhemakesadistinctionbetweenthe'structure'ofdeathorof'entombment'anditsspectacle,inotherwords:isphysicaldeathnecessary11.
Bataille,LeCoupable,251-2.
Fragmentsofthetextof'Friendship'weretobepublishedinthereviewMesuresinApril1940,underthepseudonymDianus(seeabove).
Bataillerefersinafootnotetohisanxietyaboutthepossibilityofthepublicationof'Friendship'inhislifetime.
Atthestartof1940,havingdeliveredthemanuscriptof'Friendship'toMesures,heknewthattheywereinthestationatAbbeville.
ThistownwasheavilybombardedduringthebatailleduNord,but,contrarytotheauthor'sexpectations,theissueofMesureswasleftintact.
Chancedeliversthefragmentsof'Friendship'toitsreaders,beyondanycommunityoffriends,despitetheauthor'shope,perhaps,thatwarwouldintervenetopostponeorannulthisdelivery.
Thefriendshipof'Friendship'isonebeyondthepresentcommunity,beyondtheforceofwarandnationalconflict,FRIENDSHIP,ASSYMETRY,SACRIFICEwww.
parrhesiajournal.
org41anticipatory-thatis,opentochance,torisk.
Batailleaddsthefollowingnotetothephrasecitedhere:'IhadinfacttogivesomefragmentsofthistexttothejournalMesuresatthebeginningof1940(underthepseudonymDianus).
HavingreturnedfromtheexodusIknewthatthecopiesofMesureswereinthestationatAbbevilleduringthebattleoftheNorthand,sincethistownhadbeenheavilybombarded,Ithoughtthatthechanceoftheirbeingpublishedwouldbepostponedforalongtime.
ButMesureswasintact.
['JedevaisenfaitdonnerdesfragmentsdecetexteàlarevueMesuresaudébutde1940(souslepeusdonymedeDianus).
Auretourdel'exode,jesusquelesexemplairesdeMesuressetrouvaientengared'AbbevillependantlabatailleduNordet,commecettevilleavaitététrèsbombardée,jepensaisquetoutechancedepublicationétaitéloignéepourlongtemps.
MaislenumériodeMesuresétaitintact'(252)].
12.
Or,inPoliticsofFriendship,the'perhaps'.
13.
Bataille,LeCoupable,261.
14.
Ibid.
,260.
15.
Ibid.
,262.
16.
Ibid.
,284.
17.
Thefinaltext,alsotitled'L'Amitié'wasoriginallyatextpublishedinMauriceNadeau'sreviewLettresnouvellesontheeventofBataille'sdeathin1962.
18.
Bataille'spublishedcorrespondancelacksanyletterssentbyhimtoMauriceBlanchot,butfeaturesaselectionofletterssentbyBlanchottohim.
Thisasymmetryisbydesign(Blanchot's).
Inletterstootherfriendsandcolleagues(DionysMascolo)Bataille,inthelastyearsofhislifeandpermanentlysuffering,referstothenecessityofhiscorrespondancewithBlanchot[GeorgesBataille,Choixdelettres(Paris:Gallimard,1997),576].
Herefersalso,however,tohis'indestructiblefriendship'(527)withMichelLeiris,andusestheword'amitié'inthesamesenseincorrespondancewithothers(Mascolo,forexample).
FurtheranalysisandargumentmightsuggestacertainmonopolisationofBataille,andofhisfriendship,byBlanchotandbyblanchotisme,ifsuchathingcanbeidentified.
'L'Amitié'isnot,inthiscontext,anexclusiverelation;indeeditwouldseemtoresistanyrestrictionwithincontext.
19.
EvenintheorganisationofitschaptersBlanchot'sFriendshipseemstoincorporateagesturetowardsBataille.
Thebookmovesthroughthefollowinggrandthemes:ArtandPrehistory,theMuseum,theEncylopdia,Anthropology,MarxismandCommunism,War,Literature,Death,Transgression,toendwithessaysonSartreandCamus,Kafka,andFriendship.
Broadlyspeaking,thisreproducestheintellectualtrajectoryofBataille,fromtheearlyperiodofAréthuseandDocuments(prehistory,Art,theMuseum)tothepoliticisedtimeofLacritiquesociale(Communism)throughWar,toLiterature(thetimeofLalittératureetlemal-whichincludesanessayonKafkaandengagesspecificallyindebatewithSartre).
'Friendship'ispositionedastheepilogueandthesummationofthevolume.
Friendship,moreover,collectsarticlespublishedforthemostpartintheNouvellerevuefranaiseoverthetwodecadesleadinguptoitspublication.
Althoughtheearliestarticle,'LeMusée,l'ArtetleTemps',waspublishedinCritique,thereviewfoundedbyBataillewithwhichBlanchotwascloselyinvolved,in1950-1,asareviewofMalraux'sLemuséeimaginairethecollection,itstitle,epigraphsandepilogueseemstosuggestthateveninwritingoutsideBataille'scommunityBlanchotwritestoandwithBataille.
20.
Blanchot,MauriceL'Amitié(Paris:Gallimard,1971),10;herafterreferredtoasA.
21.
Cf.
Jacques-AlainMiller'sconceptofextimacy,takenfromLacan,elaboratedinJacques-AlainMiller,'Extimacy'inMarkBracher(ed.
),LacanandtheHumanSciences(NewYork:NewYorkUniversityPress,1994),74-87.
22.
AsaparentheticalnoteorechoonecouldrecallherethephysicalimpressionofimmensedistancefeltbythenarratorofEdgarAllanPoe'sshortstory'TheFactsintheCaseofM.
Valdemar,whenhehearsM.
Valdemarspeakthewords'Iamdead'.
23.
ThisfiguremakesitsfirstappearanceinBataille'swritinginStoryoftheEye,whereaflashoflightningsuddenlyilluminatestheurinestainedsheethungfromthewindowofthe'chateauhanté/maisondesanté'.
SeePatrickffrench,TheCut:ReadingBataille'sHistoiredel'il(Oxford:OxfordUP,1999).
ThefigurewillbeusedbyMichelFoucaultinhisobituaryarticleonBataille,'Préfaceàlatransgression'(publishedinthe1962obituaryissueofCritique:transgressionis'somethinglikelightninginthenight,which,fromthedepthsoftime,givesadenseanddarkbeingtowhatitdenies,illuminatesitfromtheinsideandthroughout,neverthelessowestoititsbrightclarity,itslaceratinganderectsingularity,losesitselfinthisspacewhichitsignswithitssovereigntyandisatlastsilenthavinggivenanametodarkness.
'['Quelquechosepeut-êtrecommel'éclairdanslanuit,qui,dufonddutemps,donneunêtredenseetnoiràcequ'ellenie,l'illuminedel'intérieuretdefondencomble,luidoitpourtantsaviveclarté,sasingularitédechiranteetdressée,seperddanscetespacequ'ellesignedesasouverainetéetsetaitenfinayantdonnéunnomàl'obscur'];Foucault,Michel(1963),'Préfaceàlatransgression'inCritique(Aug-Sept1963),755-6.
Foucault'sthinkingandwritingherebearcertainsimilaritieswiththoseofBlanchot.
PATRICKffRENCHwww.
parrhesiajournal.
org4224.
Anotherasymmetricalseriescouldbesuggestedhere,whichwouldreadBataille'sLascauxwithBlanchot's'Lanaissancedel'art'andDuras'sLesmainsnégatives.
Cf.
MargueriteDuras,'Lesmainsnégatives'inLeNavireNightetautrestextes(Paris:Galimard,1979),whichtakesitstitlefromthehandprintsfoundinprehistoriccavesorSouthernEurope.
25.
ThedensityofBlanchot'spas(Lepasau-delà)issomewhatlostinEnglish.
26.
Bataille,Georges(1971)MadameEdwardainuvresComplètesIII(Paris:Gallimard),21.
27.
Bataille,Lecoupable,261.
28.
'Lemanqueasaplace':aconcernwiththeplaceoflackandthe'lackinitsplace'informsDerrida'sdiscussionofLacan's,'SeminaronthePurloinedLetter'(inEcrits)in'Lefacteurdelavérité'.
SeeJaquesDerridaLaCartePostale:deSocrateàFreudetau-delà(Paris:Flammarion,1980),448-470.
Iflackhasitsplaceandisinitsplacethenthesymboliceconomyheldsolidbythe(empty)significationofthephallusisnotthreatenedbydifférance.
AnanalysisoftherelationsbetweentheeconomyofmeaningandtheeconomyofgenderinBatailleisoverdue.
29.
Bataille,LeCoupable,278.
30.
Bataille,MadameEdwarda,11.
31.
Ibid,.
11.
32.
SeeJaneGallop,Intersections:AReadingofSadewithBataille,Blanchot,Klossowski(LincolnandLondon:UniversityofNebraskaPress,1981.
GallopreadstheintertextualresonancesbetweenthesethreewritersaroundtheirreadingsofSade.
Cf.
alsoDerrida,writingontheexclusionofthefeminineinthe'great'discoursesonfriendship:'Thisdoubleexclusionofthefeminineinthisphilosophicalparadigmwouldthenconferonfriendshiptheessentialandessentialysublimefigureofvirilehomosexuality'(PF279).
33.
JacquesDerrida,'"EatingWell",ortheCalculationoftheSubject'inPoints:Interviews1974-1994,279;translationbyPeterConnorandAvitallRonellof"Ilfautbienmanger"oulecalculdusujet'inPointsdesuspension(Paris:Galilée,1992).
34.
Ibid.
,280.
35.
'TheUnsacrificeable'inYaleFrenchStudies79(1991):LiteratureandtheEthicalQuestion;translationbyRichardLivingston,21.
36.
ElementsofDerrida'sexplorationoftherhetoricand'structure'ofsacrificemaybefoundinthefinalpartof'L'oreilledeHeidegger:Philopolémologie(GeschlechtIV)'whichisincludedasasupplementtotheFrencheditionofPolitiquesdel'amitié,andinashorttextonthetheoryoftheatreofDanielMesguich,'LeSacrifice'inLaMétaphoreI(Editionsdeladifférence)andonlineat:http://www.
hydra.
umn.
edu/derrida/sac.
html.
Derrida'sunpublishedseminarof1987-88,on'EatingtheOther:RhetoricsofCannibalism'alsoboreuponthis
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