Bulletin of Hispanic Studies

Spatializing Gender/Gendering Spaces in Terenci Moix's Sadístic, esperpèntic i àdhuc metafísic

Bulletin of Hispanic Studies (2007), 84, (3), 385–402.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3828/bhs.84.3.9
Language
English
Pages
18

Abstract

Sadístic, esperpèntic i àdhuc metafísic (1976) highlights three major spaces in Joan Manuel's upbringing: his body, bedroom (and, by extension, other spaces in Barcelona city), and the bodies of his lovers. While the narrator makes no direct connections between these spaces, the replication of spatial practices and representations within each of them establishes parallels in the protagonist's development. We see a view of the protagonist's developmental spaces as heterotopias, that is, 'other spaces' that explain or seek to justify the otherness of his sexuality or gender. While the effect of heterotopias, as Foucault suggests, is to solidify our illusions of reality by creating spaces where the ordinary is overturned, in Sadístic, a reverse process happens: by engaging in unusual and transgressive activities, the protagonist converts bodies and normal everyday spaces into heterotopias.

En Sadístic, esperpèntic i àdhuc metafísic (1976), se enfatizan tres espacios claves en el desarrollo de Joan Manuel: su cuerpo, el dormitorio (y, por extensión otros espacios de la ciudad de Barcelona), y los cuerpos de sus amantes. Aunque el narrador no establece conexiones directas entre estos espacios, la reproducción de prácticas y representaciones espaciales en cada uno de ellos crea paralelos en el desarrollo del protagonista. Se nos presenta una perspectiva heterotópica de los espacios en que se desarrolla el protagonista, es decir, espacios vistos como 'otro' que explican o intentan justificar la otredad de la sexualidad o género del protagonista. Aunque el efecto de las heterotopias, según Foucault, es reforzar la ilusión de realidad mediante la creación de espacios donde se invierte lo cuotidiano, en Sadístic presenciamos un proceso invertido: mediante la práctica de actividades inusuales y transgresoras, el protagonista convierte los cuerpos y sus espacios adyacentes en heterotopias

Access Token

FormatArticle

£25.00
ReferencesPDF

Agrest, Diana, 1996. 'The Return of the Repressed', in The Sex Of Architecture, eds. Diana Agrest, Patricia Conway and Leslie Weisman (New York: Harry N. Abrams), 49–68. The Return of the Repressed The Sex Of Architecture 49 68 Google Scholar

Barthes, Roland, 1993. 'Semiology and Urbanism', in Architecture Culture 1943–1968, ed. Joan Ockman (New York: Rizzoli), 413–18. Semiology and Urbanism Architecture Culture 1943–1968 413 18 Google Scholar

Bataille, Georges, 1992. Theory of Religion, trans. Robert Hurley (New York: Zone Books). Theory of Religion Google Scholar

Bergren, Ann, 1992. 'Architecture Gender Philosophy', in Strategies in Architectural Thinking, ed. John Whiteman, Jeffrey Kipnis and Richard Burdett (Cambridge, MA: MIT), 8–46. Architecture Gender Philosophy Strategies in Architectural Thinking 8 46 Google Scholar

Betsky, Aaron, 1995. Building Sex: Men, Women, Architecture, and the Construction of Sexuality (New York: William Morrow). Building Sex: Men, Women, Architecture, and the Construction of Sexuality Google Scholar

'Breeching Boys'. http://histclo.hispeed.com/style/skirted/dress/breech.html Google Scholar

Boyer, Christine M., 1996. 'Crimes in and of the City: The Femme Fatale as Urban Allegory', in The Sex Of Architecture, ed. Diana Agrest, Patricia Conway and Leslie Weisman (New York: Harry N. Abrams), 97–118. Crimes in and of the City: The Femme Fatale as Urban Allegory The Sex Of Architecture 97 118 Google Scholar

Butler, Judith, 1990. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity (New York: Routledge). Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity Google Scholar

Butler, Judith, 1993. Bodies That Matter (New York: Routledge). Bodies That Matter Google Scholar

Caillois, Roger, 1984. 'Mimicry and Legendary Psychastenia', October, 31: 59–74. Mimicry and Legendary Psychastenia October 31 59 74 Google Scholar

Colomina, Beatriz, 1992. 'The Split Wall: Domestic Voyeurism', in Sexuality and Space, ed. Beatriz Colomina (Princeton: Princeton Architectural Press), 73–128. The Split Wall: Domestic Voyeurism Sexuality and Space 73 128 Google Scholar

Deleuze, Gilles, and Félix Guattari, 1983. Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia (Minneapolis: U of Minnesota). Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia Google Scholar

Foucault, Michel, 1997a. 'Sexuality and Solitude', in Ethics: Subjectivity and Truth, ed. Paul Rabinow (New York: New Press), 175–84. Sexuality and Solitude Ethics: Subjectivity and Truth 175 84 Google Scholar

Foucault, Michel, 1997b. 'Technologies of the Self', in Ethics: Subjectivity and Truth, ed. Paul Rabinow (New York: New Press), 223–52. Technologies of the Self Ethics: Subjectivity and Truth 223 52 Google Scholar

Foucault, Michel, 1982. The Archeology of Knowledge and the Discourse on Language, trans. A. M. Sheridan Smith (New York: Pantheon). The Archeology of Knowledge and the Discourse on Language Google Scholar

Foucault, Michel, 1998. 'Different Spaces', in Aesthetics, Method, and Epistemology, ed. James D. Faubion (New York: New Press), 175–85. Different Spaces Aesthetics, Method, and Epistemology 175 85 Google Scholar

Friedman, Alice T., 1994. 'Just Not My Type: Gender, Convention, and the Uses of Uncertainty', in Ordering Space: Types in Architecture and Design, ed. Karen A. Franck and Lynda H. Schneekloth (New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold), 331–44. Just Not My Type: Gender, Convention, and the Uses of Uncertainty Ordering Space: Types in Architecture and Design 331 44 Google Scholar

Garber, Marjorie, 1992. Vested Interests: Cross-Dressing & Cultural Anxiety (New York: Routledge). Vested Interests: Cross-Dressing & Cultural Anxiety Google Scholar

Grosz, Elizabeth, 1995. Space, Time, and Perversion (New York: Routledge). Space, Time, and Perversion Google Scholar

Hughes, Arthur J., 2004. 'Demystification and Sacrificial Thinking: Violence in Terenci Moix's Món mascle', The Modern Language Review, 99 (4): 954–67. Demystification and Sacrificial Thinking: Violence in Terenci Moix's Món mascle The Modern Language Review 99 954 67 Google Scholar

Kipnis, Jeffrey, 1992. 'Forms of Irrationality', in Strategies in Architectural Thinking, ed. John Whiteman, Jeffrey Kipnis and Richard Burdett (Cambridge, MA: MIT), 149–65. Forms of Irrationality Strategies in Architectural Thinking 149 65 Google Scholar

Lacan, Jacques-Marie, 1978. Le Séminaire II (Paris: Editions du Seuil). Le Séminaire II Google Scholar

Lefebvre, Henri, 2001. The Production of Space, trans. Donald Nicholson-Smith (Malden, MA: Blackwell). The Production of Space Google Scholar

McAnulty, Robert, 1992. 'Body Troubles', in Strategies in Architectural Thinking, ed. John Whiteman, Jeffrey Kipnis and Richard Burdett (Cambridge, MA: MIT), 181–97. Body Troubles Strategies in Architectural Thinking 181 97 Google Scholar

Moix, Terenci, 1976. Sadístic, esperpèntic i àdhuc metafísic (Barcelona: Dopesa). Sadístic, esperpèntic i àdhuc metafísic Google Scholar

Plato, 1977. Timaeus and Critias, trans. Desmond Lee (New York: Viking Penguin). Timaeus and Critias Google Scholar

Rakatansky, Mark, 1992. 'Spatial Narratives', in Strategies in Architectural Thinking, ed. John Whiteman, Jeffrey Kipnis and Richard Burdett (Cambridge, MA: MIT), 198–221. Spatial Narratives Strategies in Architectural Thinking 198 221 Google Scholar

Wigley, Mark, 1992. 'Untitled: The Housing of Gender', Sexuality and Space, ed. Beatriz Colomina (Princeton: Princeton Architectural), 327–89. Untitled: The Housing of Gender Sexuality and Space 327 89 Google Scholar

If you have private access to this content, please log in with your username and password here

Details

Author details

Hughes, Arthur