Abstract

SINGER, Diana. The body in old age: use, abuse,misuse from soma to fantasy. Vínculo [online]. 2007, vol.4, n.4, pp. 48-57. ISSN 1806-2490.

The biological body is veiled. In the discourse its only manifestation happens through the erogenous body tied to experiences of pleasure and displeasure, the latter expressed often through pain. Its presence creates such a degree of disturbances in the psychic life as to bring forward contents deeply embedded in the unconscious. Thus, the unification of all pleasant experiences forming the ideal Ego occurs on a body register and this marks a qualitative change in the constitution of the subject. Though this body image is subjective and personal, it´s also part of socio-cultural representations that form the ideal of the Ego. The vicissitudes of this passage from one stage to the other, and the determinant factors of this transformation are the topics of this presentation. The body accompanies the vicissitudes of the vital project.

Keywords : Erogenous body; Ideal ego; Ideal of the ego; Horror ego; Phantoms of death.