Paternal Function and Thirdness in Psychoanalysis and Legend: Has the Future Been Foretold?

Abstract

This paper examines the Akedah, the biblical narrative of the Binding of Isaac, and suggests that this story may be interpreted as inaugurating paternal function and thirdness. It marks the passage from the narcissistic father to the symbolic, dead father, and the institution of the Law that forbids all killings, opening up the succession of the generations. The author suggests that time is an essential element in establishing thirdness, creating a link between the here and now and the there and then in the après coup of the psychoanalytic process. The author also briefly reviews the psychoanalytic literature on thirdness and indicates this paper's contribution to it.

Legacies and Memorializations in the Intergenerational Transmission of Psychic Life: Psychoanalytic Notes on Some of the Ways in Which Sons Assume Their Father's Mantle

“…The psychoanalytic literature, at least from Freud's 1912Freud's -1913 text onwards, has variously, but not yet (in my opinion) sufficiently discussed these issues (e.g., Faimberg, 2013;Godelier & Hassoun, 1996;Lacan, 1964Lacan, -1980Lacan, , 1966Perelberg, 2013;Rosolato, 1969Rosolato, , 1987Stoloff, 2007). In a riff that retains its interest (perhaps more for its psychological than its anthropological insights) Freud suggested that the "primal" or totemic father is killed by the fraternal horde, which then proceeds to initiate "patriarchal civilization."…”

“…Penile mutilation is, so to speak, a fate better than castration or death, and Yiṣḥāq absolutely must escape both these possibilities in order to procreate and thus to fulfill his role as one of the three great patriarchs of the lineage. In a sense, Yiṣḥāq himself, in his entire being and by his binding (akedah) embodies his position in the unfolding of the patriarchal covenant (Perelberg, 2013). His triple reward for obediently acquiescing to his ritual killing is that Yiṣḥāq, whose name means "he who laughs" (but which can also denote one whose name is unspecified) will lead a comparatively uneventful life, be installed and revered as the second patriarch (without having to change his name), and will never have to leave his country.…”

Recovering the Father in Mind and Flesh: History, Triadic Functioning, and Developmental Implications

“…It is noteworthy, however, that the all‐powerful, tyrannical, and dominating narcissistic father , existing before the institution of the law forbidding killing and incest, is murdered in actuality . With his conversion into a totemic ancestor, the law of the dead, symbolic father is established (Perelberg ), whereas this dead father is more powerful than the real father (Perelberg ). By constituting the symbolic order and institution of law, the dead father prohibits all killing and thereby becomes the paternal function at the foundation of culture.…”

“…This factor is crucial to the child's ability to internalize the father's healthy presence, along with the paternal function itself. Mothers play a significant role in furthering the passage from the narcissistic to the symbolic father, and in this respect, they also help separate the child from the father to become daddy's “little girl” or “little man” (Diamond ; Perelberg ). However, we need not assume that the mother simply internalizes the father's paternal function; rather, the task of separating herself from the child may be carried out by the mother as a result of her own desire (Fiorini ).…”

The Missing Father Function in Psychoanalytic Theory and Technique: The Analyst’s Internal Couple and Maturing Intimacy

“…Indeed, females, including the mother herself, often carry the paternal function. For instance, single mothers can introduce the Law as a third element (Aisenstein ) since “there are multiple third dimensions that cannot be reduced to the empirical presence of the ‘father’” (Perelberg , p. 581). Fiorini () suggests using a nongendered term such as symbolic or third party function to denote the task of separating the child from the mother, thereby permitting entry into a symbolic universe.…”