Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
aaa
aaa
L u c i e n L v y- B ru h l
Lvy-Bruhls theory of the two types of mentality and their distinct functionality are interpreted by Eisenstein along the lines of
Freuds controversial model of the conscious and unconscious minds,
as well as Werners model that posits in the consciousness of an adult
Kulturmensch (civilised man) deep layers of another type of mentality, called physiognomic, holistic or concrete, which is characteristic
of children, schizophrenics, primitive barbarians and artists.
Lvy-Bruhls ideas were attacked in the 1930s by anthropologists
such as Franz Boas for their arbitrary interpretation of ethnographic
findings and by psychologists such as Frederick Bartlett for their
baseless psychological interpretation of the pre-logical. In the Soviet Union, his theory was denounced for its mysticism and psychoanalytical premises (Jung had appropriated the idea of participation
into his theory of the collective unconscious), but overt criticism did
not appear in print until the 1950s, following the downfall of Marrs
theories. Maxim Gorky, without mentioning Lvy-Bruhl by name,
began his address to the First Writers Congress in 1934 with the following critique: Primitive man has been depicted by the historians
of culture as a philosophising idealist and mystic, a creator of gods, a
seeker after the meaning of life (p. 27).
Eisenstein responded to the attacks against Lvy-Bruhl in his
address to the Conference of the Soviet Film Workers in January of
1935 with a reference to Western sources such as Olivier Leroy. Yet in
the second of Levy-Bruhls books, which came into his possession in
1937, Eisenstein marked only those passages and footnotes in Nikolskys introduction which referred to criticism of Lvy-Bruhls ideas.
At the time Eisenstein was preparing a public apology and response
to the attacks not only on Levy-Bruhls theories, but also on his own
working methods in relation to the demise of Bezhin Meadow (1935).
Critics saw the roots of the films disgrace in Eisensteins theoretical
pursuits, first and foremost in his studies of mythology inspired by
Nietzsche, archaic structures of thought inspired by Lvy-Bruhl and
inner monologue inspired by Joyce.
Oksana Bulgakowa
Lucien Lvy-Bruhl. The Primitive Mentality, 1923.
Sergei Eisenstein. Wie sag Ichs meinem Kinde?! (1946), 1997.
Maxim Gorky. Soviet Literature (1935), 1980.
Otto Rank. Art and Artists, 1932.