Shakespeare, Marx, and Rene Girard + Weekly Roundup
Shakespeare, Marx, and Rene Girard + Weekly Roundup
Mimetic desire vs social structures
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Shakespeare, Marx, and Rene Girard
At the heart of René Girard's philosophy is his theory of mimetic desire. Girard argued that human desires are not intrinsic, but rather derived from imitation of the desires of others. We don't actually desire objects themselves, but model our wants on those of people around us - whether consciously or unconsciously. This mimetic desire leads to conflict, as we come to rival those we imitate for the same objects of desire. For Girard, this mimetic rivalry and its potential for violence is hard-wired into the fabric of human social existence. Rather than desires originating authentically within individuals, they spread contagiously through society in an escalating cycle of imitation and rivalry that can only be defused through the unifying act of scapegoating an arbitrary victim.
Shakespeare was a Girardian?
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular Shakespeare plays and see how mimetic desire plays out.
"Julius Caesar" vividly portrays mimetic desire in the political arena. Cassius’s envy of Caesar is not just personal ambition but a desire inflamed by the power Caesar holds. He says, "Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world / Like a Colossus, and we petty men / Walk under his huge legs and peep about" (Act 1, Scene 2). Cassius’s words reveal his acute awareness of Caesar’s influence, sparking a desire for equality or superiority.
In "Othello", Iago uses the mechanism of mimetic desire to manipulate Othello by implying that Cassio and Desdemona share a mutual attraction. Iago subtly plants the seed of jealousy by saying, “Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio” (Act 3, Scene 3). His insinuations lead Othello to a destructive jealousy that spirals out of control, illustrating how mimetic desire can be weaponized.
Why Karl Marx Would Disagree
For Karl Marx, Girard's theory of mimetic desire represents an overly pessimistic and ahistorical view of human nature and motivation. Marx would likely argue that Girard fails to account for the material and economic conditions that fundamentally shape human consciousness and desires.
For Marx, desires do not simply arise from aimless imitation but are rooted in the concrete conditions and relations of production that humans are engaged in.