Cervantes's "La Galatea": Feminine Spaces, Subjects, and Communities Author(s): Rosalie Hernndez-Pecoraro Reviewed work(s): Source: Pacific

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Cervantes'sLa Galatea: FeminineSpaces, Subjects,and Communities RosalieHemrnindez-Pecoraro

ofIllinois, Urbana-Champaign University

Cervantes structures muchoftheacFollowing pastoralconvention, amoenus aroundthefigures ofmale loversand their tionin his locus sufof Yet La Galatea also contains idealized desire. a for conobjects fering characters who seem to relate on levelsthat offemale siderablenumber and sometimes standapartfrom disrupttheoverriding pastoralideolCharacters such as Galatea and ogy ofmalebondingthrough suffering. and attempt Gelasia openlydeclaretheir aversionto male objectification to be understood like Teolindaand Rosaura, Others, beyondits limits. the rules of deaggressively pursue theirlovers,clearlytransgressing mure offemale characters. Evenmore behavior usuallyexpected pastoral is theway in whichall relevant to a feminist ofCervantes's text reading femalecharacters, of theirattitudes towardslove and men, regardless an and to form autonomous inclusive manage typeofpastoralcommudistinct from in thegroupofmale theidentificatory modelpresent nity, lovers.In thispaperI wantto emphasizehow La Galatea goes beyondits theways in which it includesrepresentapastoralprecursors through tionsof feminine a space in whichfemalecharacters, desireand offers their and indiscriminately sharethese differences, notwithstanding freely desiresas a community. It will notbe possibleto argue thata feminine orsubject in La Galatea. I proNevertheless, perspective position prevails of feminine desireand community not be pose thatthe particularities in ourreading arebymalecharacters) ofthisCervantine (as they ignored text. The way in whichfemalecharacters enactan alternative discursive to thepsychicconstitution of the positioncan be examinedin relation male selfand community. The constitution ofthepastoralmale subject, his community, and its poeticpractice can be understoodthrough the Freudianconceptsof anaclisis (male narcissism), group identification, and sublimation.1 Fromthe pastoralmale lover's perspective, the beloved servesas a mirror which to an reflect idealized upon imageofthe selfwhich,althoughfalse, loveran illugives theanaclitic(narcissistic) sion ofpost-Oedipal fullness ofselfand meaning. Forthepastoralcom"Love" and its embodiment in idealized othersfunctions as a munity, "leader" whichpermits and limitsindividualnargroupidentification cissismamong lovers.Male pastoralcharacters come together through 15

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RosalieHerndndez-Pecoraro

betowards"Love" and their their identical attitudes virtually sharing The male pastoral in a processofself-same identification. loved others community's emphasison poetryas the superiormode of expression desiresthat libidinal as a way ofsublimating be interpreted can,in turn, can neverbe realized withinthe pastoralworld. Poetryreplacesthe lover's most basic (and debased) sexual desires,producingin turn thepoeticprocess. cultural achievements through "higher" should Ifwe followthismasculinepastorallogic,femalecharacters these(masculine)proor frustrate, eitherconfirm supportor disrupt, de Montemayor's such as Jorge cesses as theyare foundin texts Diana women Within the pastorallocusamoenus, and Cervantes'sLa Galatea. sources and as abstracted as mirrors, canonlyserveas constructed objects, oflovers.But for themaleloverand hiscommunity ofpoeticinspiration Wheredoes standas subjects? wheredo thefemalepastoralcharacters as idealized objectsend and theirsubjectivity theirfunction (ifat all) thesubverofloverscontrol begin?And how does themale community levels of thetext?The thatappear in different elements sive feminine one way ofapproaching I contend, will offer, answersto thesequestions La Galatea. and specifically ofpastoraltexts, a feminist interpretation of thedynamics in exploring ofpsychoanalysis Giventheusefulness of a brief in pastoral and identification texts, malesubjectivity summary offeminine Freudand Lacan's concepts subjectivity providesa starting in pastoraltexts. presence pointfora discussionoffeminine is based on theway in whichbothsexes Freud'sversionofsexuality first thelack ofthephallusin their come to understand objectofdesire, is lackingthe Whenthemale childrealizesthathis mother themother. and as is father his with (who perceived non-lacking) penis,he identifies The like his mother. and thuslacking, fearsbeing castrated, thereafter Its absenceis identichildassociatesthepeniswithpowerand fullness. or fied with the reverse,weakness and lack. Secondarynarcissism, forthe fearof castration by offering anaclisis,constantly compensates that assurehimofhisposofhimself idealizedversions themale subject In turn, and complete. notlacking ofbeingperfect, sessionofthephallus, as lackherself to understand child comes female the to Freud, according not does like her castrated mother, a as She, as being. ing, non-phallic, loses all hope of havingone and acpossess thepenis and eventually as a castrated being.Freudthusconcludes:"The receptsher "nature" betweenher[woman]and theboy, difference sultis an essential namely, an operation as an established fact, already thatshe acceptscastration its of the dreads the whereas being performed" possibility boy performed,

Cervantes's La Galatea

17

("The PassingoftheOedipus-Complex" 181).Thisacceptanceof "lack" Freudiananalysis, theessential element thatdeterbywomanis,within minesthedifferent ways in whichmenand womenrelateto each other, and thewayinwhichthey approach"love."Whilemenlove anaclitically, love themselves in theidealized and specularother, most meaning they womenwill love narcissistically, as love ob"plainlyseekingthemselves Works XIV:88).2Although narcissism could be perceived jects"(Freud, as a liberating for women(they "love" themselves), Freudmainposition tainsthat womenlove themselves notforthemselves, but for whatthey forthemen thatdesirethem.If men choose objectsthatconrepresent firm own phallicstatus, their women striveto be thephallus thatmen desire.ElizabethGrosz summarizes Freud'spositionas follows: the inrecognizing her tomake her woman, castration, attempts Here whole take onthe of of role strives desire. She (the other's) body object toaffirm her as desirable for the as a phallus for the other, position other. aim isstructurally The different from ofthe that His quite boy. asthe of desire isconfirmed, while asthe her position subject position ofdesire isaffirmed. This isthe and between object difference being the a non-symmetrical a subject between phallus, hierarchy having 'has'the hasthe of andanobject 'is' (who desire) (who phallus, object the the desired (127-8) phallus, object). Within thisdefinition offemale narcissism womanadoptsstrategies that define heras a desirableobject.3 Her self-worth is dependent on hersuccess in attaining and holdingon to male subjects who imagineheras a confirmation of theirown phallicstatus,not as a unique and specific elaborates thisconcept offemale narcissism being.Lacan further byaddof the"masquerade"through whichwoman pretends ing thefunction tobe full, and intheprocess deniesherself thechance non-lacking, phallic, ofdeveloping herown specific feminine subjectivity: Paradoxical asthis formulation I would inorder seem, might saythat tobethe woman will anessential femiofher phallus..,. reject part allits attributes Itisfor she what notably ninity, through masquerade. isnot that sheexpects tobedesired as well as loved. ("The Meaning ofthe Phallus" 84)" in return forhermask,expectsto acquireaccess to thephallus Woman, (as a signifier of fullness) thatshe perceivesmen to possess. Yet "fullness" is a rewardthatcan neverbe exchangedsince man himself, in is also constituted reality, by lack;he, likewoman,has lost the fullness in theimaginary and onlytries to compensate fanexperienced through Ifmanacquiresthe"illusion"of tasyand the"power"ofsymbolization. fullness from his anacliticrelationship withan idealized other, thenar-

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RosalieHemrdndez-Pecoraro

cissistic womancan onlyend up disappointed at thelackofsatisfaction due to heraffirmation as object. Even thoughtheseconcepts to explainwoman'sposition in relatry tionto themechanisms ofidealization whichmalesubjects conthrough stitute their own imaginedselves,they touchupon themultiple hardly and contradictory herself withinthe ways in whichwoman manifests or whatFreudcalled the"eternally Symbolic; mysterious, inexplicable, and strange nature" ofwoman,"which tomen("Conthusseemshostile" tothePsychology ofLove" 76).Womanand her"mysterious" tributions nature as a subject, arecategorized that, by Lacan as "not-all," meaning woman is not fully If man as symbolizedwithintheSymbolic order.5 the of his lack subject through symbolizing power language, compensates woman is neverable to fullyarticulate her desirein language. Thus, there is a partofwomanthatremains outsideoflanguageand ofnarcissisticidentifications, it,outsideofthe"phallicfuncor,as Lacan defines tion"and linkedto a ouissance realm: outsideoftheSymbolic
it ofthings, ifsheisexcluded Itnonetheless remains that bythe nature towhat the isprecisely that notall,shehas,inrelation phallic inbeing .... function designates ofpuisanc,a supplementaryoutksanw ofthe isa is,ifthe bodywhich expresThere souisae... a/uissana sionbe allowed, ebtrondthephallus.... [in exist tothis 'her'which doesnot isa rJanaeproper toher, There There isahusarnaproper andwhich the nothing. signifies Symbolic] that she to herand ofwhich sheherself except mayknownothing, itofcourse Sheknows it-that shedoesknow. much experiences when toallofthem. Itdoesnothappen ithappens. ("Godandthe Jouissanmce ofTheWoman" 144-5)

in contains as object, evenwhenshe assumesa passiveposition Woman, lies what not hera potential to experience (if beyondsymbolexpress) The factthatwoman enjoysa ization,beyondthe phallus, ouissance. that satisfaction is notphallicorprocessed languagemeansthat through she mustbe repressedby the male subjectgiven his dependenceon and autonomous notas an independent womanas objectand as mirror, ofwomanthatdo not"support any elements being.Therefore, desiring to as thesame" and are a threat ofhisself-representations therepetition which of that of man's a become unconscious, part phallicsubjectivity E. Lorraine exin language(Lorraine cannotbe represented 76). Tamsin plains: which ofrepresentation, this would that economy upset Anything
is relegated to as having thesameself, themasculine subject repeats

Cervantes's La Galatea the unconscious. Inthis a stable, is socially identity way functioning formed andmaintained the constant of chaotic exdespite onslaught that it. that doesnot that cannot be fit, perience besieges Anything ordered ofanalogy, andidentity rules resemblance, bythe Symbolic isordered isdismissed. accord[i.e. narcissism] anaclitic Experience torepetitions of identifications that the self asself-identiing support cal.Woman comes tobeassociated with the the fusion unconscious, ofinfancy, andthe flux ofexperience chaotic that heself experiences hasmastered this of the same. (76) through logic

19

In herstatus as unconscious, womanenablestheexistence ofthemasculine subjectin so faras her inconsistencies, her/ouissance, remainhidmanto establish his own self-identity 'free'ofthoseeleden,permitting ments whichexpose thefallibility ofthesubject, ofhisconstitutive lack. ofdreamsand slips ofthetonguereveals, But,as Freud'sinterpretation cannotfully containwhat has been repressed. Woman's symbolization "nature" as a return oftherepressed, as a symptom of keepsreemerging man'strue nature. Thus,womanand herrepressed nature serve lacking as boththefoundation for andthethreat to male subjectivity.

II
I moveon to a detailedreadingofLa Galatea Before and itseruptions offeminine in the form of a female itis important specificity community, to pointout how thenarrative borrowsfrom techniquethatCervantes theByzantine tradition of an indepenopens the door forthecreation dentand flourishing female in La Galatea. Knownforitsuse community ofmultiple lineswhichintersect and come together withthemain story frame ofaction, theByzantine structure was imitated from bypastoralists de Montemayor on. Heliodorus's Hitoar Etidpica, whichwould Jorge lateron be one of themainsourcesof inspiration forthePersiles, plays an important rolein theway in whichSpanishpastoralism, and espethepastoraltradition. Whilein Galatea,reformulates ciallyCervantes's most pastoral textsintercalated tales are told in an orderlymanner, Cervantes chooses to take thisnarrative to its limits, continustrategy the tales' out their allyinterrupting progression, spreading development thetext. Avalle-Arce has explained,"A Or,as JuanBautista throughout semejanza de Montemayor, el antiguo artificio de las historias intercaladas le sirvea Cervantes solarpodtico, para creartodoun sistema the "pulso de la aunque con mayorvariedad y rigor,"highlighting periodicidadtan apresurado" and the "injertostan disimiles" which Cervantes indulgesin (233).

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RosalieHerndndez-Pecoraro

relate talesoflove, numerous female characters ManyofLa Galateds weretold Whilein theDiana thesestories malecounterparts. as do their their and succinct Cervantes choosesto interrupt in an orderly manner, the text.For throughout continuity, spreadingout theirdevelopment to his friend Timbrio and love example,Silerio'saccountof his loyalty for Nisida first appearsin BookII and is notresolveduntilBookV.Likeand told in wise, manyof thewomen's talesare dispersedthroughout accountsthatexpand intoboththepast and complicated increasingly has argued,there as PilarF. Cafiadas-Greenwood In addition, present. betweentheways in whichmale and distinct differences are substantial toldundertherhetoristories and female developand aresubsequently amorosa"(51). For exor "conversaci6n of the"discreteo" cal strategy betweenthesyssees a markeddifference ample,Cafiadas-Greenwood to feminine are toldin contrast tematic tales, way in whichmale stories "historias que se complican..., se alargano acortan... , apareceny a la vez" (55).Mostimpory entreteniendo desaparecen..., distrayendo the out distinct Cafiadas-Greenwood through strategies points tantly, actoftellarecreated in thediscursive identities whichmaleand female tellsimilarstories If male characters in La Galatea. ing one's lifestory and likenesses commondiscursive to establish and strive bestrategies discursive varied tweenthem,femalecharacters positionsthat adopt femalecharacof other traits are opposed to thepersonality frequently ters:
estar Mientras discurso preocupados queloshombres parecen pastoril. de la - sea en el culto al idealextremo de la perfecci6n conel tema su admiraci6n de expresar belleza,sea en la manera y su perfecta idealde los de la definici6n emoci6n-,las pastoras (que sonobjeto

sino de manera sushistorias nos6lorelatan Lasmujeres diferente, enel demanera secodifica desu"discreteo" queelobjeto diferente

deestrategias medio seexpresan afectos sentimientos, por ypasiones) conel paradigma de coincidir ret6ricas lejos queestin ypersonales deperfecci6n. (55) while other discreetand esquiva, For example, Galatea is extremely thus their love interests. Cafiadas-Greenwood womenfocuson pursuing use discourseto structure concludesthateven ifbothsexes extensively and variedstrategies characters female their identities, employmultiple to achievethisgoal:
de los e intensidad serla siguiente: La conclusi6n la variedad parece afectivos por los poetas expresados ordenadamente sentimientos femeninos.Asi como hay un compendio de virtudes en la constade una de la esencia femenina DISCRECION, el centro

en los modelos un correspondiente tiene sicol6gicos pastores,

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21

de propiedades. La complejidad de personalidades multiplicidad femeninas a su vezse refleja en la ingeniosidad de susdiscursos. Mientras masculinos soncasiuniformemente que los personajes de suexpresi6n enperfecto receptivos, preocupados porel efecto y lasfiguras son justo equilibrio, femeninas yaplican mismultifac~ticas, el "discreteo" a su manera la variedad diferente, paraexpresar, y delossentimientos. genuina (58) comprensi6n in the development of male and femaleindiBeyondthisdifference I would is also an important identities, argue thatthere vidual discrepin thetext established thetelling of ancyin howgroupdentityis through theintercalated tales.Whereasby theend ofLa Galatea themale characters have all beenjoinedundertherubric of"enamorados," female characters neverattempt to achievethesame degreeofdiscursive orpsychoIt is therefore intensilogicalhomogeneity. myopinionthatCervantes's fiedand somewhatchaoticuse of the Byzantine narrative structure of intercalated talesin his pastoraltextis pivotalto the representation of women,since it allows a textualspace where femalecommunity can exist.Regardlessof theirdifferent attitudes towardslove legitimately and socialpropriety, female characters in La Galatea listento each other, theways in whichthey have each chosento existwithin fully accepting thepastoral is thusinclusive ofvariedperspecspace.Theircommunity tives,muchunlikethesamenessofperspective foundamong themale lovers. and esquiva Galatea,a mufer establishes her desireto remain discreta untouched Confronted with by love in her first appearancein thetext. Elicio'spleas,Galatea assureshimthatheracknowledgment ofhis sufwould lowerhervalue as an individual: "En menosme tendria fering yo si en mis le tuviese"(206; bk. 1). As Alban Forcionehas pointedout, Galatea "muestra la firmeza de una mujerque percibeclaramente que hay posibilidadesde degradaci6nen toda obedienciaalas reglasy la ret6rica del cortejo masculinos"(1016). que adoptan sus interlocutores Galatea'sdiscrecidn, herdesiretonotbe objectified, Nevertheless, is used their own self-worth by herloversas a way ofstructuring as loyal and virtuous lovers: "la afirmaci6n de independencia de Galatea es forzadamente dentro interpretada de una mitologia porsus admiradores de amatoriatradicional y su ret6rica (Forcione1017). correspondiente" to be recognized Thus,Galatea's attempt as an independent and desirfailsas she remains thefully ingsubject idealized objectofElicio utterly and Erastro's chastedesire.Her failure to be acknowledgedas a subject is sealed whenin Book V it is announcedthatGalatea's father, Aurelio, is goingto marry herto a foreigner and she ultimately is forced to seek Elicio's help in orderto blockherfather's wishes.By Book VI, Galatea

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ofElicio'sobjectifying herinitial defiance gaze unwillingly relinquishes all themale loversin thetext and, withher requestforhelp,presents their individualand colwitha perfect occasionto proveand improve and loyal lovers. as sacrificial self-identities lective narcissistic withmen, inherrelations Giventheinherent dangerofobjectification withotherwomen. of communion the importance Galatea establishes ofthetext, character she setsa toneearlyon in the female As thecentral ofother thecompany text shepherdesses. by seekingoutand preferring eventhough itis clearthat withElicioand Erastro encounter In herfirst rather would she she does notdespise their spend timewith company Florisa: herfriend nideladeErastro Yoteprometo, Elicio,quenoporhuirdetucompafifa mi intenci6n he vuelto porque queti imaginas queIlevaba, delcamino demi encompaiifa delasPalmas, la siesta enelarroyo espasar hoy concertamos desde meaguarda, Florisa, porque ayer amiga queallA bk. allinuestros lasdosdeapacentar 1) (205-6; ganados. hoy Galatea moves on Althoughher storyis mockedby her admirers, comoaquella recebida "de la cual fuecon alegrerostro and finds Florisa, que era su amiga verdadera y con quien Galatea sus pensamientos thisencounter comunicaba" on,thetwowillconstantly (208;bk.1). From meetup withotherwomen,unconditionally acceptingnew members even if intotheirinnercirclewithwhom theywill sharetheirstories, and Galatea that of standard the same conform to not do they discrectdin male counterparts. withtheir own relations Florisachose fortheir comofthefemale nature ofthetolerant One example, amongmany, is theway in whichGalateaand Florisaacceptand in La Ga/atea munity a supportTeolinda'sdesperatesearchforher lover.Teolinda,initially her and assumes a love with in falls Artidoro, shepherd, esquiva, mujer positionas objectof desire,as a phallus forher lover.Yet,hopefulof self-imforArtidoro's becominga subjectbeyondherstatusas mirror afraid Atfirst, ofherlover. inan aggressive embarks pursuit age,Teolinda ofhow "los ociosos ojos y lenguasparleras"might damage herreputawith"recato, aremaintained with Artidoro hermanyconversations tion, imof Artidoro's aware bk. honestidad" Nonetheless, secreto 2). (240; y valued had she the Teolinda reputation endangers pendingdeparture, The risk herlove toArtidoro. confess and decidesto publicly so highly and publicembarrassment: thatofprivate oflosingherloveroverrides licencia Yasi, ojos quelossuyos quemis despuds dieron amorosamente demostrar nidejaron laslenguas noestuvieron memirasen, quedas bien losojoshabian entonces lo quehasta conpalabras porsefias

La Galatea Cervantes's claramente con hallhndome sola con Artidoro, manifestado... sefiales deunencendido medescubri6 elverdadero amor y ycomedimiento, hacer dela honesto amor entonces tenla; queme y, aunque yoquisiera retirada como se temfa, ymelindrosa, que41 yaos hedicho, porque noquise partiese, por parecerme ytambidn nidespedirle; desdefiarle enelprincipio delosamores quelossinsabores quesedanysienten soncausa dequeabandonen la comenzada losque empresa ydejen ensussucesos noson tal muy experimentados. Yporestoledirespuesta enresoluci6n, concertados enque41 quedando ddrsela, cualyodsabA a su aidea, se fuese conalguna honrosa dias, yque,deallia pocos meenviase mediania a mis bk. a pedir 2; (240-1; padres. poresposa mine) emphasis

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Teolindamanipulates her love and arranging thesituation, confessing for hermatrimony. Above all she does notseemtowanttoengagein the usual pastoral In other ofdemurelove and itspoeticexpression. pattern herpastorallover's desireforan abstracted and words,she disregards idealized lady;she ceases to be theobjectherthepastoralloverwould she wantsa fully realizedmarriage Instead, and,I would argue, expect. fullrecognition from and contact relawitha husband;notan idealistic withthetypical distant tionship poetloverfoundin traditional pastoral texts. In Cervantes'spastoralspace, feminine is an issue that reputation cannotbe elided and thatconditions each of thefemalecharacters' behavior. thesignificance ofTeolinda'smeetings withArtidoro Therefore, and herpublicaffirmation ofherdesireshouldnotbe takenlightly. Her assertiveness goes beyondthe limitsof properbehaviorin La Galatea, and Cervantes whenLeonarda, Teolinda's playswiththistransgression identical first meetsup withArtidoro. In a case ofmistaken idensister, Leonarda chastises Teolinda for Artidoro's audaciousness: tity, "apenas de la suerte podia formar palabrapara responderle, peroal finrespondi merecia, que su atrevimiento y cual a mi me pareci6que estabadesvos, a quien con tantalibertad os hablara" hermana, obligada a responder revealedby Artidoro's ac(243; bk. 2). Teolinda'swillingcompliance, tionsand words,are interpreted by Leonarda as a violationof proper feminine behavior. Her activedesirenot onlytransgresses Cervantes's more"realistic" ofpastoralsociety, butalso theideals of representation abstractedBeauty and discretionexpounded by pastoral ideology. Teolindaoversteps herboundaries as theobjectofArtidoro's desireand from herlife. pays foritwithhis disappearance In contrast to Galatea,Teolindachooses to deal withher statusas different manner. WhileGalatearesists her objectofdesirein a radically lovers'advances,Teolindaaggressively assumes herroleas object(and

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RosalieHerndndez-Pecoraro

while canbe arguedthat ofherlover'sdesire. Ittherefore subject) hopeful withher as a subjectby notcomplying Galatea seeks to be recognized as a subject seekstobe recognized lovers'advances,Teolinda bywholly 'love' (bybeing,as bestshe can, a phallus forher Artidoro's accepting there areweddingsin in marriage. lover)andseeking Although equality in thelastsceneof themarriages (for example, pastoraltexts performed as theDiana or Daranioand Silveria'sweddingin La Galatea), marriage Mara fully realizedsocial institution is not a partof pastoralsociety. riage unionsdo not easily fitintoan ideologyof love whichis strucaroundtheabsenceofthebelovedother. Thus,I would arguethat tured toArtidoro ofherownengagement inTeolinda's arrangement impetuous bedistanced to thestandard she seeksan alternative pastoralrelations as subject herself tweenmenand women,and perhapsa way to affirm this is a goal that Unfortunately, beyond her lover's objectification. Teolindaneverachievesgiven thather lover immediately disappears from herlifeas soon as she openlydeclaresherlove. Galatea'sand Teolinda's between In spiteofthedifference approaches from Galateaand Florisaneveronceretreat their to affirming identities, Teolindais welcomed Teolinda.Fromtheirfirst encounter, supporting forheractions.Even thoughGalatea and and neverjudged negatively love or wish to become involvedwith Florisahave neverexperienced disnew friend's withtheir own suitors, fully identify they any oftheir abandoned herself finds that Teolinda now and appointment desperation by herlover: laspalabras la enamorada Contantas pastora acompafiaba lgrimas
de aceroquiende ellas no se coraz6n que decfa, que bientuviera dhndole de consolarla, razones porconsejo que pudieron y eficaces

decondici6n eran Galatea doliera. piadosa, quenaturalmente yFlorisa, lasmisblandas con nimenos lassuyas, detener nopudieron dejaron, bk. diasensucompafifa 2) algunos ... (249; queseestuviese

ofaffairs sad state Teolinda's Facedwith ("la cual iba tantriste ypensativa que era maravilla"[250;bk. 2]), Galatea and Florisatryto consoleand Artidoro her(250;bk. 2). Theyeven help herin hersearchfor entertain tell herfamwho could of Teolinda's her from villagers by hiding aldea evolvTeolinda's bk. found be she can where 3). (379-80; Throughout ily loyal,notonlysupportcompletely ingtale,Galateaand Florisaremain her to come back and let themknow how her ing herbut also urging she does return has been resolved.Eventually, Artidoro searchfor only and deceit, themhow,in anothercase of mistaken to inform identity causintomarrying Artidoro her, has fooled Leonarda(Teolinda's sister) coningTeolindato lose all hope.7Even whenfacedwiththeincredibly

La Galatea Cervantes's

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volutedoutcomeof Teolinda'sstory, Galatea and Florisa do not offer ormockhersituation and insteadtry toconsoletheir friend: anycriticism mostrarse "yaunque [las lenguasde] GalateayFlorisaquisieron expertas en consolarla, fuede poco efecto su trabajo"(619;bk. 6). As y elocuentes faras thetext tellsus,Teolinda stayswithGalateaand Florisato liveout hersorrow. Butunlikethemale community whichexpectsall itsmembersto be constant and suffering loversand to hold Love as their common idol, Galatea and Florisaneveronce ask Teolindato change her ways. TheyacceptTeolinda'sdesireand even advocate her searchfor her lover.In a markeddifference from the male community, the three womenaccepteach other'sposition male their desire, sharing vis-a-vis without therequirements ofhomogeneity orself-same idenexperiences tification. Another exampleof theways in whichGalatea and Florisaare acto the formation of multiplesubjectpositions ceptingand contribute within their female is thecase ofRosaura.A woman in love community witha manwho had made love promises butis now engagedtobe marRosaura followsher loverGrisaldoto Galatea's vilriedwithanother, him to rectify his error and vow to marry her instead. lage and forces Rosauraloved Grisaldoshe refused to confess it,actInitially, although demureobjectfor herlover.Whenshe findsoutabout ingas a perfectly his possibleengagement withanother, Rosaura pretendsto be in love withArtandro, an Aragoneseman.She is, as Freudwould explain,actto be theobjectof multiple men's woman,flattered ingas a narcissistic them. confused desire, Grisaldo, hopingtoaccessphallicpowerthrough and angeredby Rosaura's behavior, becomesengaged to Leopersia at his father's insistence. Once Grisaldois engaged,Rosaura's own father decidestogiveherhand toArtandro. oflosingGrisaldo Rosaura,afraid and unwilling to complywithher father's decisiondecides to openly pursue Grisaldo and call upon his word and honor.When Galatea, and Teolindafirst come intocontact withRosaura,she has fled Florisa, herfather's house and they witness herdetermined pleas forGrisaldo's loyaltyand his promise of marriage:"Considera, Grisaldo, que en nobleza no te debo nada, y que en riqueza no te soy desigual,y que te de la fe.Ctimpleme, aventajoen la bondad del animo y en la firmeza la que me diste,si te preciasde caballeroy no te despreciasde sefior, cristiano" (386; bk. 4). WhenfacedwithGrisaldo'srecriminations (she had manytimesrefused his hand,triedto makehimjealous by flirting withArtandro, and had toldhimto marry Leopersiawhenhe informed herofhis father's and triesto commit suiplans),Rosaurais devastated cide inhis presence. shockedbythespectacle, Grisaldo, acceptsherpro-

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her marriage. to thisemotional and exWitnesses posal and promises plicitly manipulative episode,Galatea,Florisa,and Teolindacome out oftheir hidingtohelpRosauraand Grisaldo.Grisaldoleaves toarrange withGalatea,Florisa, themarriage withtheir and Rosaurais left fathers, and Teolindato waitfor his news. is a typical tale of theway in whichlove, Rosaura'sstory Although and falsepridecan sometimes deceit, go hand in hand,Galatea'sunderdifferences. ofRosaurais remarkable and acceptance giventheir standing in costume ofall,as a city First Rosaurahas assumeda pastoral dweller, tofollow Galatea'snativepastoral order Grisaldoand standsapartfrom world.Also, she has dealt withlove as a game to be played through and falseindifference, abilitiesthatGalatea does not seem to trickery their shepursuesherloverand aggressively manipulates possess.Finally, encounter in orderto achieveher goal, to be an ideal phallus forher to herright IfGalatea optsto defend and regainGrisaldo'sfavor. lover, Rosaura her lovers'desires, and singularity by ignoring independence as the herself to achievethesame recognition by constructing attempts Rosaura lovers. Whenthis ofmultiple backfires, strategy object preferred herlove and withGrisaldo herstature seekstoregain byopenlyoffering even contraof thedistinct, thesame in return. Regardless demanding as positions waysin whichGalateaand Rosauradeal withtheir dictory, with objectsof desire,Galatea accepts Rosaura and her relationship Rosauraintoherhomeuntil tobring and offers Grisaldo enthusiastically, behaviorofbothlovthenotso discreet Grisaldo'sreturn, disregarding ers:
tan andanlasobras No mis,nomis,seiores, verdaderas, que,adonde es Lo que resta comedimientos. losdemasiados nohande tener lugar fin estos a dichoso al Cieloque traiga y yque enlarga pricipios, rogar Yen lo quedices, amores. vuestros saludable Grisaldo, que paz goc~is la merced Rosaura que en ello nos vengaa nuestra aldea,es tanta telo suplicamos. bk.4) mismas (392; haces, que nosotras Galatea's acceptance of the situation is so sincere thatRosaura responds, "no sentir6mucho la ausencia de Grisaldo estando en vuestra compa~ia"

marriage the satisfaction of her desire as a lover, object, and hopeful subject,she findsin Galatea an unconditional acceptance thatdisregards all differencesin their approach towards specificityand subjectivity. as the problematic object Regardless of Rosaura's individual trajectory of Grisaldo's desire, she finds in Galatea and her companions a place of belonging and solace. This statementcannot be made of pastoral male communities which depend on the identical behavior of theirmembers lovers and poets in order to prosper. as suffering

(392; bk. 4). If Rosaura had foundin Grisaldo's renewedproposal of

La Galatea Cervantes's

27

Gelasia's extreme Nisida's rationalapproach to Similarly, esquivez, ofherfate in love,and Leonarda'scrulove,Blanca'shumbleacceptance of feminine eltyand deceitare all acceptedas partof the multiplicity behavior female and nevercriticized ormocked bythetext's community, or her Galatea fellow female I would Thus, by argue that companions. one oftheways in whichLa Galatea questionstraditional pastoralparathatexistsin stark digmsis thespace it allows fora female community contrast to itsmasculinecounterpart. The male pastoralcommunity is structured on theassumption thatall community members are virtuous loversand poets.Thisidentification is further the through strengthened common idolization ofLove and Beauty, ofwomanas an withthefigure idealized objectas its representative or itscommonideal. Thus,within thepastoral masculine alternative or idenforms ofidentity community tification are notallowed. The desamorado, thelustful savage, or theunchastelover/poet do notbelongand either have to be transformed or eliminated for thecommunity to survive. is the rule of the Homogeneity are rejected and despised. groupand all deviations Tothecontrary, female characters and form a tightly coexist La Galateds knitcommunity thatseems notto need a mutualidentification among itsmembers based on theconcept ofthesame.As argued, Galatea,Florisa, Rosauraand all thewomenwithwhichtheycome in contact Teolinda, have little in common.Galatea and Florisashare theiraversionto the to affirm their trapsofidylliclove and strive by rejecting individuality theshepherds' advances.In contrast, characters likeRosauraand Teolinda asserttheir desireto be recognized withina love relationship and agseek out their lovers. all come in Nonetheless, gressively they together what appears to be a leaderlesscommunity, whichdoes not possess a fixed forself-identification. Neither norHonor Love, Beauty, prototype is abstracted in orderto serveas a commonideal.8 whatseemsto unitethesefemale characters is their common Instead, desireto gain recognition as subjectsand theirwillingness to tell and listen to each others' tales.Ifmuchoftheactivity in themasculinecomis centered around the poeticreconceptualization of theirstomunity tendto be muchmoreprosaic,interested not ries,womenin La Galatea in theremovedand lyrical of their but in the representation suffering, immediate sharing of theiractions and theirmotivationsthrough Bothgroupsconstruct storytelling. subjectivity through language.NevI would arguethatthenotableabsenceoflyrical interludes in ertheless, thedevelopment ofthefemale characters' stories their lackof highlights witha highly aesthetic reformulation oftheir preoccupation experiences. Femalecharacters allow others to telltheir notexpectstories, particular

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RosalieHerndndez-Pecoraro

all their themes talesto sharecommon and conventions ingorrequiring or to be partofone homogeneous practice. community TamsinLorraine's I would proposethat Invoking conceptof fusion, in La Galatea female standsas an exampleofthepossibility community wheresubject ofa community relations arebased on allowingtheother thestatus ofsubject, orletting thatother setitsownboundaries ofmeanCervantes's female "fusion"through achieves thesusing. community of the self-same identifications and "oscillation of pension perspectives that finallyends in mergingboth [subjects]withoutlosing either" to be identical of and always accepting 97). Never expecting (Lorraine each other's ofmean(orchosenboundaries subject particular positions is an important to theprefemale contrast community ing),La Galatea's vailingpastoralideologyof male anacliticlove and group identification. to male a feminine as a viablealternative community By proposing La Galateapermitsan expression of feminine group identification, thatis notrepressed by pastoralideologyand thatis otherto fouissance textestablishes the Withthis, Cervantes's its symbolic representations. to tradiofan unrepressed feminine thatis other specificity possibility ofselfand community. inLa Galatea conventions Whereas tional pastoral of feminine desire are ignoredand/or reindividualmanifestations and thenarrative voice,thefemalecompressedbythemale characters thrives and dissimilar as an independent by entity, unrepressed munity, its masculinecounterpart. Althoughin severaloccasionsmale characon havingthewomen communal ters invadethisfemale space and insist Galatea and her femalecompanions always manage to rejoin them, is I proposethatifthere and feelings. variedstories groupto sharetheir feminine existence is self-sufficient in facta place wherea potentially offeminine friendexistence itis intheunrestrained inLa Galatea, present The heterogeneous and nonconformist relations. shipand itscommunal canbe therefore ofLa Galateasfeminine character interpreted community thepastoral structure totherealmoffemiwithin as an opening symbolic oftheways in whichthemale lover's objecninefouissance. Regardless in or participate areunabletounderstand their belovedothers, they tify for The potential sucha transgresoffemale thefluidity grouprelations. will and Cervantes within siveelement ideologyis considerable pastoral is completely wherepastoralism further explorethemin Don Quixrote, of feminine and refashioned destabilized presence by theunrestrained who are fully characters desiring subjects.

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Notes
1. For Freud's discussionon male subjectivity and narcissism see "On Narcissism: An Introduction." Standard vol. XIV. New (Trans.and Ed. by JamesStrachey. Edition, York:Norton,1961). For Freud's ideas on community and group identity see "Group Psychologyand theAnalysisof the Ego." SE, vol. XVIII. For Freud's developmentof theconceptofsublimation see "Civilizationand its Discontents." SE, vol. XXI. 2. The difference betweenanaclisis (male narcissism)and narcissismin women is establishedby Freudin thesecond chapterof "Narcissism:An Introduction," 82-91. 3. ElizabethGrosz describesFreud and Lacan's conceptoffeminine narcissismas follows:"[The woman]retains herpositionas theobjectoftheother'sdesireonlythrough artifice, Illusion,travesty, appearance,or dissimulation. make-up,theveil,become the techniquesshe reliesupon to both cover over and make visibleher 'essential assets.' theother, ofbecominga love-object forhim. Theyare hermeansofseducingor enticing While concealingher'deficiency' by thesemeans,she also securesa mode ofaccess to the phallic" (132). The basic ironyof this attemptby women is double: not only are theirefforts to be seen as 'special', as a subject,among all theobjectsnot realized but also access to thephallicis never attainedgiven thereal lack at thecore of thelover. 4. TamsinE. Lorraine explainswoman's positionas follows:"She can onlyparodya power thatis reallynothersto wield. The selfthatshe lost withtheloss offusion[inthe mirror stage] can be maintainedonly passively by her finding subjectsto whom she can be an other. Insteadofactivelyrepeatingtheselfshe formed in fusionin a layering ofidentifications she will takeon theposiaccordingto therulesoftheSymbolicorder, tionof the sex thatlacks... she will findher identity others'wholeness by mirroring back to them, themdefineherbybeing thelack,thehole,thattheir'wholeness' letting fills"(68). 5. For a detailed discussionof thisconceptsee Lacan's "God and theJouissance of The Woman.A Love Letter," 137-161. 6. J.Laplanche and J.B. Pontalisexplain theexistence ofsymptoms as follows:"Reitalso has a permanent pressed materialnotonlyescapes destruction, tendencyto rethe emergeintoconsciousness.It does so by more or less devious routes,and through ofsecondaryformations -'derivations oftheunconscious'-which are unintermediary or lesser degree." (The Language Trans.by recognizable to a greater ofPsychoanalysis, Donald Nicholson-Smith, New York:Norton,1973:398) 7. Leonarda had fallenin love withGalercio,Artidoro's identicalbrother, but since Galerciodoes notlove hershe decides tosubstitute one brother withtheotherand fool Artidoro intomarrying herby pretending to be Teolinda(618; bk. 6). 8. In theDiana I cannotfindthesame typeof diverseyetunitedfeminine commuforexample,Selvagia, Felismenaand Belisa share nity. Althoughformuch of thetext, thespace withFelicia's nymphs, thetwo groups neverare conceivedas one unit.The threeshepherdessesare lovers while thenymphsexistunder Felicia's tutelageas followers ofthechastegoddess Diana. Even thoughthetwo groupstreat each otherwith itis made clear thatFelicia's world is separate greatadmirationand much sympathy, and thatthenymphswill neverfully understandor sharetheotherwomen characters' experiences.

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WorksCited
en la de La Galatea." Cafiadas-Greenwood,Pilar E "Las mujeres Cerwntes semrntica andthe Pastoral. Cleveland:PennStateU., 1986.51-61. Ed.byFrancisco and MariaTeresa Cervantes, Miguelde. La Galatea. L6pez Estrada Madrid:Citedra,1995. L6pez Garcia-Berdoy. de Filologria Alban."Cervantes: Una pastoral NuevaRevista Forcione, aut6ntica." no. 2 (1988):1011-1043. XXXVI, Hispdnica Works Freud. Standard ediFreud, Sigmund.The CompletePsychological of Sigmund tion.Ed. and trans. 24 vols.London:Hogarth, 1953-74. James Strachey. . "Contributions tothePsychology ofLove:ASpecial Choice TypeofObject Made byMen (1910)."Sexuality andthe Ed. by PhilipRieff. Psychology ofLove. New York: 1963. Macmillan, and the (1924)." Sexuality Psy. "The Passingof theOedipus-Complex Ed. byPhilipRieff. New York: 1963. Macmillan, chology ofLove. Lacan:Afeminist Grosz,Elizabeth. Jacques Sydney:Allen& Unwin, introduction. 1990. "God and theJouissance ofThe Woman. A Love Letter." Feminine Lacan,Jacques. Trans. Rose.Ed. byJuliet Mitchell and Jacqueline Rose. byJacqueline Sexuality. New York: 1985. Norton, Trans.byJacqueline Sexuality. . "TheMeaningofthePhallus."Feminine Rose.Ed. byJuliet Mitchell andJacqueline Rose.New York: 1985. Norton, TamsinE. Gender, and theProduction Lorraine, Identity, ofMeaning.Boulder: 1990. Westview,