COL49 Group Read - Echo and Narcissus

[David Morris]

Echo and Narcissus

Echo is forever, attempting to connect to her object of love. But she is
cursed, gagged, able only to repeat the last words spoken by her lover.
And Narcissus cannot see her as she speaks, captured himself with his own
image.  And hearing only his own words of praise, he is locked in a sensory
chamber, away from all troubles, LIFE, forever.

At one level, Oedipa is Echo, and Metz is Narcissus.  But it should be
noted that BOTH of the participants are bound, restrained, locked away from
the world *LIFE* that continues around and despite them. They are in a
contract for mutual destruction. So the Echo Court playground is full of
co-dependents.

But it might be noted that Echo is essentially providing Narcissus a
continuous flow of heroin.  She could stop speaking to him, removing the
chain of herself from Narcissus.

Not sure where this is going.

David Morris