Narcissism and Selfhood in Medieval French Literature: Wounds of Desire

I.          Narcissism and Selfhood in Context

1.         Introduction: Narcissus and the Wounded Self

            1.1 Selfhood and the Myth of Narcissus

            1.2 Selfhood and Wounding

            1.3 Overview of this Book

2.         Narcissus and Selfhood: The Lay of Narcissus

            2.1 The Image of the Self: Vision and Truth (Veoir and Voir)

            2.2 Wounding Images: Within and Without (Dedenz and Dehors)

            2.3 Seeing the Self: Je me plaing ("I lament myself")

            2.4 Postscript: The Impossibility of V(e)oir

II.        Selfhood and the Open Wound

3.         Narcissus and Mourning: Alain de Lille's Plaint of Nature

            3.1 Narcissus Mourned: The Wounding of Language

            3.2 Narcissus in Mourning: Nature as Wounded

            3.3 Mourning (Un)Done: The (Im)Possibility of Closure

4.         Narcissus and Melancholy: René d'Anjou's Book of the Love-Smitten Heart

            4.1 The Heart of Melancholy

            4.2 Melancholy at the Fountain

            4.3 Melancholy at the Mirror

III.       The Wounded Self as Witness

            5.1 The Wound and Knowledge (Navrez and Nel Savez)

            5.2 Blancheflor's Mirror: Agape and the Courtly Lady

            5.3 Perceval and the Grail: The Failure of Witnessing

            5.4 Blood on Snow: The Gaze of the Other

6.         Narcissus and Testimony: Guillaume de Machaut's Fountain of Love

            6.1 Vision and Speech (Mire and Dire): The Echo of Testimony

            6.2 The Testimony of Martyrdom

            6.3 Mute Witness: Testimony at the Fountain

            6.4 Echo's Response: The Joy of Narcosis

7.         Epilogue: Between Je me plaing and Iste ego sum