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Theatrical Nationalism: Exposing the “Obscene Superego” of the System

2009; Volume: 23; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1353/dtc.2009.0004

2165-2686

Steve Wilmer,

Shakespeare, Adaptation, and Literary Criticism

Spring 2009 77 Theatrical Nationalism: Exposing the “Obscene Superego” of the System Steve Wilmer Nationalism has been an important facet of theatrical expression since the Greeks. The earliest extant Greek play, The Persians by Aeschylus, reveals the ingenious tactics of the Greeks in defeating the Persians in the battle of Salamis, and much of Greek tragedy emphasizes the superiority of theAthenian city-state to other polities. Cultural nationalism flourished particularly in the nineteenth century, following the American and French revolutions, the partition of Poland, and the Napoleonic invasion of much of Europe. Nationalist movements developed in the many nations of Europe, in some cases calling for independence from a foreign oppressor. Theatre was recognized as a useful means for formulating and solidifying notions of national identity. National theatres, especially in countries that were not yet nation-states, were established to further the aims of nationalists. In the twentyfirst century, national theatres continue to play an important role in conserving national cultures, especially in Europe, and cultural nationalism remains a recurrent motif. I will discuss some of the earlier features of nationalism in the theatre and show how they have been retained in theatrical expression today, especially in the National Theatre of Scotland. I will also demonstrate how certain theatre artists, such as Christoph Schlingensief inAustria and Janez Janša in Slovenia, who employ a mode of “subversive affirmation,” have turned the tables on cultural nationalism at local, national, and transnational levels, ironizing it and rendering it obscene. According to Inke Arns and Sylvia Sasse, Subversive affirmation is an artistic/political tactic that allows artists/activists to take part in certain social, political, or economic discourses and to affirm, appropriate, or consume them while simultaneously undermining them. It is characterised precisely by the fact that with affirmation there simultaneously occurs a distancing from, or revelation of, what is being affirmed. Steve Wilmer isAssociate Professor of Drama at Trinity College Dublin and author of Theatre, Society and the Nation: Staging American Identities (2002) and (with Pirkko Koski) The Dynamic World of Finnish Theatre (2006). Other publications include (with Anna McMullan) Reflections on Beckett: A Centennial Celebration (2009); National Theatres in a Changing Europe (2008); Writing and Rewriting National Theatre Histories (2004); (with John Dillon) Rebel Women: Staging Ancient Greek Drama Today (2005). He is also a playwright, a member of the executive committee of the International Federation for Theatre Research, a convenor of the National Identities/National Cultures research group of the American Society for Theatre Research, and former Director of the Samuel Beckett Centre at Trinity College Dublin. 78 Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism In subversive affirmation there is always a surplus which destabilises affirmation and turns it into its opposite.1 Nations and nation-states are somewhat arbitrary constructions that result from wars, invasions, and other historical events. The geographical and cultural contours of these entities have changed over time but have been legitimated through nationalist discourse in the theatre, emphasizing their homogeneity and distinctiveness and disguising their disharmonies. One of the main proponents of cultural nationalism was Johann von Herder, who rejected the dominance of French culture in Germanspeaking lands and urged his compatriots to acknowledge the German poets of the past. He developed a theory of the organic growth of the nation, its language and Volksgeist (national spirit), as distinct and unique, placing his faith in cultural rather than political unity. He encouraged research into German folklore, myths, legends, and local history and argued that German culture would never come into its own unless it was based solely on traditional popular German culture. To this end he encouraged Germans to make a “complete critical study of the chronicles and legends of the Middle Ages.”2 As a result of his endeavors, Herder fostered a new respect for the German folk traditions and so promoted a notion of national cultural unity.At the same time, he encouraged other nations to do the same, arguing that each nation was organic and distinct and needed to develop its own national spirit. Cultural nationalists in many countries in Europe read his works avidly and adopted his methods and attitudes. Nationalists essentialized national characteristics, legitimized its boundaries, and emphasized the borders between...