Echo and Narcissus is a Greek myth that Jacques Derrida discuses in an interview that is posted on youtube. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya46wfeWqJk). I'll relate the myth to the best of my ability and then discuss why I think it brings up an interesting point.
Echo is the fairest of the nymphs. She was also a great story teller and anyone who heard her talk would stop and listen for a while. Zeus' wandering lust has settled on one of her female companions. When Hera came to discover which nymph she was immediately distracted by Echo's amusing stories, thus giving the other nymphs time to escape. Hera never being satisfied unless her rage was spent turned on poor Echo. Echo is cursed by the Hera to only be able to repeat the final syllables of other's and never again have the first word.
Narcissus is a young mortal man that is so beautiful to behold that all the young maidens instantly fell in love with him. Narcissus of course would have nothing to do with these maidens and scorned them one and all. He was wandering deep in the forest one day and becomes separated one day from his companions. Echo sees Narcissus and falls in love with him as do all, but has no ability to start a conversation. Her chance to speak comes when he calls out "Is anyone here?" She calls back "Here, here." using the same words but filling them with her rapture for the young man. She is hidden by the the trees from Narcissus' sight so he must continue to call out. "Come" called out Narcissus.. This was exactly the word that Echo needed. "Come" she replied and stepped out so Narcissus could see her. He rejected her as he did all of the women who would love him. "I will die before I give you power over me." All Echo could say in return was "I give you power over me." Narcissus continues on his way leaving the scorned Echo trailing in his wake. Eventually Narcissus stops to drink from a clear pool of water. He views his reflection in the water and immediately falls in love with himself unable to leave his own reflection. Echo can only sit and watch as her beloved pines away and dies beside the pool. She goes and hides herself away in a cave and that is where you can find her today still repeating the last words of the people that she comes into contact with.
Jacques Derrida uses this myth to help explain how the same words can be used to convey very different meanings. He states in the interview that "And what's extraordinary in this scene, which I've studied in my seminars, is the moment when Echo traps Narcissus in a certain way."
Echo is the fairest of the nymphs. She was also a great story teller and anyone who heard her talk would stop and listen for a while. Zeus' wandering lust has settled on one of her female companions. When Hera came to discover which nymph she was immediately distracted by Echo's amusing stories, thus giving the other nymphs time to escape. Hera never being satisfied unless her rage was spent turned on poor Echo. Echo is cursed by the Hera to only be able to repeat the final syllables of other's and never again have the first word.
Narcissus is a young mortal man that is so beautiful to behold that all the young maidens instantly fell in love with him. Narcissus of course would have nothing to do with these maidens and scorned them one and all. He was wandering deep in the forest one day and becomes separated one day from his companions. Echo sees Narcissus and falls in love with him as do all, but has no ability to start a conversation. Her chance to speak comes when he calls out "Is anyone here?" She calls back "Here, here." using the same words but filling them with her rapture for the young man. She is hidden by the the trees from Narcissus' sight so he must continue to call out. "Come" called out Narcissus.. This was exactly the word that Echo needed. "Come" she replied and stepped out so Narcissus could see her. He rejected her as he did all of the women who would love him. "I will die before I give you power over me." All Echo could say in return was "I give you power over me." Narcissus continues on his way leaving the scorned Echo trailing in his wake. Eventually Narcissus stops to drink from a clear pool of water. He views his reflection in the water and immediately falls in love with himself unable to leave his own reflection. Echo can only sit and watch as her beloved pines away and dies beside the pool. She goes and hides herself away in a cave and that is where you can find her today still repeating the last words of the people that she comes into contact with.
Jacques Derrida uses this myth to help explain how the same words can be used to convey very different meanings. He states in the interview that "And what's extraordinary in this scene, which I've studied in my seminars, is the moment when Echo traps Narcissus in a certain way."
When Echo traps Narcissus.
Wait, where does this occur in the myth? Narcissus snares Echo with his beauty, his own reflection snares him, but Echo trapping Narcissus. I think that Echo traps Narcissus by using the same exact words but changing their meaning. When repeating Narcissus' word she owns them even though they are only a repetition. She puts her own meaning into the same words that Narcissus spoke first with a meaning that was his. I think that this is a very beautiful story at that point. For Echo hold Narcisuss by her tone and infection alone shows us the extreame power that the spoken word can have.
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