Peter Szendy - “The Readee, or: Reading in the Subjunctive Mood”

Peter Szendy - “The Readee, or: Reading in the Subjunctive Mood”

by Peter Szendy

Humanities, Social Sciences & Thought Literature & Writing DSLiterature: history and criticismDSALiterary theory
🎙 Peter Szendy 👥 55K 📅 June 18, 2026 ⏱ 50 min 👁 414 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-08-16
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

readeeanagnostreadingsubjunctiveliterature

Summary

In this lecture, Peter Szendy introduces the concept of the ‘readee’—the one who receives a reading—as a counterpart to the reader. He traces the term’s historical usage, from William Hickling Prescott’s 1827 biography to Florence Nightingale’s nursing notes, and highlights the role of anagnosts (slave readers) in antiquity and lectores in Cuban cigar factories. Szendy argues that reading silently involves a split between the self as anagnost and as readee, creating a temporal gap that drives reading forward. He analyzes Calvino’s novel ‘If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler’ to illustrate this dynamic, and examines paintings by Andrea del Sarto and Manet to show how viewers oscillate between reader and readee. The lecture also explores futuristic visions of reading from Cyrano de Bergerac and Octave Uzanne, and Paul Valéry’s anxieties about speed reading and loss of vocality. Szendy proposes that Valéry’s character Lust may be a pun on the subjunctive form ’lût’ (read), suggesting a hidden addressee. He concludes that the readee is a fundamental agency in reading, embodying its futurity and ensuring that there is always another readee to come.

181 words

Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The lecture offers a novel conceptual framework by introducing the ‘readee’ as a distinct role in reading, supported by historical and literary evidence. Szendy’s argument is coherent and well-developed, using examples from literature, art, and history to illustrate his points. He builds a compelling case for the readee’s structural importance, though some may find the argument more suggestive than definitive. The discussion of Valéry’s ‘My Faust’ and the subjunctive ’lût’ is particularly insightful, adding depth to the analysis.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

Szendy demonstrates scholarly rigor by citing specific sources, including Prescott’s biography, Nightingale’s notes, Rabelais, Calvino, and Valéry. He also references paintings and historical practices, grounding his argument in concrete examples. The title accurately reflects the content, focusing on the readee and the subjunctive mood. The lecture is well-structured and the sources are appropriately used, though some references are from secondary sources or translations.

156 words

Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, focusing on the concept of the 'readee' and the subjunctive mood in reading.

Quality & Reliability

8/10

Szendy, a respected philosopher, provides a well-structured argument supported by historical and literary references. The lecture is scholarly, with citations from primary sources, though it is an opinion piece rather than empirical research.

Key Moments

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

Cited Sources

Concurring Sources

  • Powers of Reading by Peter Szendy — Book by the speaker that elaborates on the concept of the readee.

Contribution & Novelties

The lecture introduces the concept of the ‘readee’ as a distinct agency in reading, arguing that reading always involves a split between the self as reader and as listener. This framework offers a new perspective on the temporality of reading and its futurity. Szendy’s analysis of Valéry’s ‘My Faust’ and the subjunctive ’lût’ provides a fresh interpretation of the character Lust.

Pour aller plus loin :

98 words

Radar Profile

The radar profile shows high scores in information quantity, quality, and reliability, with a slightly lower technical level, reflecting the lecture's philosophical nature. The balanced scores suggest a well-rounded and credible presentation.

Reliability 8/10