Discuss the importance of the 'mirror' in psychoanalytic terms with reference to Lacan's theory of the mirror stage and Angela Carter's short story 'Flesh and the Mirror'.

Jacques Lacan draws mainly on the work of Freud and Saussure (and even Levi Strauss and Derrida) although his main influence has been by Freud. In light of structuralist and post-structuralist theories, Lacan re-reads Freud turning psychoanalysis from an essentially humanist idea or premise into a post-structuralist one. Lacan rejected Freud's goal of strengthening the ego as it can never take the place of the id. The ego, according to Lacan, is only an illusion, …

…part of the search for the Phallus, when realising you cannot replace the lack, but know you are aware of the cycle of trying; 'The most difficult performance in the world is acting naturally, isn't it? Everything else is artful.' Bibliography Carter, Angela (1974) Fireworks, London: Virago Rivkin, Julie and Ryan, Michael eds (2001) Literary Theory: An Anthology. Revised Edition, Great Britain: Blackwell Publishers 1998 Wright, Elizabeth (1998) Psychoanalytic Criticism: A Reappraisal. Second Edition, Great Britain: Polity Press