The Turning Wheel – A Theory for Reading : Ideology, Psychoanalysis, and Henry V

Abstract

When we read any text, it is often difficult to extract a sense of universality. “Truth” is frequently elusive as it is always caught up in the biases of our own gaze. Critics enjoy claiming what they “discover” in a text, arguing over which discovery has more credence. Seemingly “objective” notions informed by extensive research such as accuracy to the author’s intent, historical significance, or grounding in a certain theory are all attributed to a good discovery, yet I would argue any textual discovery is already informed by ideology. Ideology is a “spontaneous” force bred within us which “distorts our view” of reality. Naturally, we see what ideology wants us to see: come to the Caribbean. When we put on the glasses, we see a critique of that ideology, or what the billboard really means: marry and reproduce. However, this critique is working under another set of ideological assumptions. It may be opposed to the assumptions the billboard is working under, but the glasses are working under ideological assumptions all the same. They Live presents a similar theory as the rabbit-duck. One may see a duck without the glasses, and a rabbit with, or vice versa. Yet, it appears as if no one can exist in a state of viewing both the rabbit and the duck at the same time. There is no way to be in an intermedial state between glasses on and glasses off. No matter how self-aware we may pretend to be, we are always working under a set of ideological assumptions in some way.