Το αμφίβολο φύλο

by Luc Brisson

En Grece ancienne et a Rome jusqu'a la fin de la Republique, les etres humains et les animaux qui passaient pour etre pourvus des deux sexes etaient impitoyablement elimines, comme des monstres, comme des signes funestes envoyes aux hommes par les dieux pour annoncer la destruction de l'espece humaine. Expulsee de la realite ou maintenue en marge, la bisexualite, entendue comme possession des deux organes sexuels, joua pourtant un role important dans le mythe, qu'il s'agisse de bisexualite simultanee, ou de bisexualite successive. La bisexualite simultanee caracterise des etres qui sont des archetypes, des etres primordiaux. Dans la mesure ou c'est d'eux que derivent les dieux, les hommes et les animaux qui, pourvus d'un seul sexe, masculin ou feminin, constituent notre monde, ces archetypes doivent etre pourvus simultanement des deux sexes, car ils se trouvent en-deca de cette "sexion". En l'etre humain, le souvenir de cet etat primordial suscite une nostalgie qui s'exprime avec une profonde emotion dans le mythe qu'Aristophane raconte dans le Banquet de Platon. Chaque couple, heterosexuel ou homosexuel, aux moments les plus intenses de ses unions intermittentes, desire realiser une impossible fusion permanente qui le ramenerait a cet etat anterieur ou l'etre humain etait double. La bisexualite successive revet une signification tres differente. Sont affectes successivement des deux sexes, des mediateurs et essentiellement des devins, tel Tiresias. Le fait qu'il ait ete d'abord un homme, puis une femme avant de redevenir un homme lui permet d'etablir un rapport entre le monde des hommes et celui des femmes. Tout se passe donc comme si un etre qui transcende les oppositions (hommes / dieux ne / mort) autour desquelles s'articule la realite devait symboliser cette transcendance dans l'opposition la plus importante pour l'etre l'opposition entre l'homme et la femme. Luc Brisson est directeur de recherches au C.N.R.S. Il a publie de nombreux travaux consacres a la philosophie et la religion grecques.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Queer, Ancient History, Classics

210 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Paul Groos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brisson takes a distinctly structuralist look at queer characters of many types in ancient times, both in myth and in history. The structuralist is at his best when they can make clear pairs of opposites, dichotomies, which in this book are of course made along gender lines. This brings a lot of insights and other associations to double sexuality that are interesting and well reasoned, such as the link between a primordial state of indifferentation, the separation into two sexes and the ability to divine the will of the gods and the future.
Brisson takes a lot of liberty to freely associate and give his thoughts at length about tangents that hardly seem to be connected to the main theme of the book. I would have liked a more extensive review of the Kaineus/Kainis myth, the stories of Leucippus and the one about Iphis and some ideas about the Sithon/Spiroithes story, which is now only mentioned.
Brisson seems to assume things that can’t be proven from existing sources, such as the very shaky association between Kainis and the Phoenix. Besides he takes a sweeping look at every available source from the space of almost two millennia and from the entire Mediterranean and beyond. Of course, since the number of sources is very limited, he works with whatever’s available, but to draw very general conclusions about all of antiquity from so very diverse sources, seems a bit rash.
While a good collection of sources and ideas and while showing some great reasoning in very understandable language, Brisson goes off the rails a couple of time, speculating, cherry picking or simply giving unproveable opinions as facts. I did learn a lot from the book, so certainly not a waste of time.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was, as another reviewer said, a structuralist approach to Greek and Roman myths and beliefs having to do with dual-sexed beings (whether primordial gods, mythological figures, or animals). Some of Brisson's claims could have used more in-text (rather than end-note [which I detest, compared to footnotes]) support, but overall it was easy to read and presented the evidence in a straightforward manner.

The author tries very hard to lay out evidence without coming down strong on any particular argument. The fact that he avoids much discussion of any real people (sticking with myth) was surprising to me, based on title alone, and his ambivalence on that issue left me ambivalent.

Sounds about right.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well laid out; a bit dated (structuralist) approach. A good introduction to classical sources for intersexed and transsexed narratives along with differing sorts of responses (some positive, some negative) depending on the context. Well researched and a relatively easy read. The translation is quite approachable and doesn't "feel" clunky or forced the way a translation sometimes can. Solid volume, well worth reading if you've an interest in ancient mythology, ancient approaches to sexual difference or gender, structuralist literary criticism, or the ways that Grecco-Roman society changed as it became more multicultural.

[Lindsey Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this for my thesis on hermaphrodites in mythology. Parts of it were really interesting, but there were other sections included that didn't seem to belong at all. Maybe some information was lost during the translation of this book from French to English???

[Drianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good gathering of sources. I wish it did not use the term "hermaphrodite" when meaning "intersex person." Also, I would wish for more copious references to modern scholarship. And less... French-ness, especially towards the end.