The Four Discourses – Lacan
Jacques Lacan introduced the Four Discourses in his Seminar XVII (The Other Side of Psychoanalysis, 1969–70). He created them as a way of understanding how language, power, and desire organise human relationships. Each discourse shows a different structure of communication, authority, and unconscious truth.
Importance of the Four Discourses
They explain how power and knowledge are transmitted in society.
They reveal the hidden logic behind relationships: teacher–student, analyst–patient, boss–employee, lover–beloved.
They show how our speech is not neutral—it carries unconscious desires and social structures.
The Discourses
Each discourse is arranged around four positions:
- Agent (the one who speaks/acts)
- Other (the one addressed)
- Truth (what motivates the agent, hidden below)
- Production (the effect created in the Other)
Symbols Lacan used:
- S1 – Master signifier (authority word or command, like “Because I said so!”)
- S2 – Knowledge (organised system of signifiers, structured knowledge)
- $ – The divided subject (the speaker, split between conscious and unconscious)
- a – Object petit a (the object-cause of desire, what is always missing but pursued)
1. The Discourse of the Master
- Structure: S1 → S2 / $ → a
- Agent: The Master Signifier (S1)
- Other: Knowledge (S2)
- Truth: The divided subject ($)
- Production: Object of desire (a)
Explanation:
The Master gives orders without needing to explain. “Do this!” The Other (S2) is forced to put that into action, generating organised knowledge. The hidden truth is that the Master is also divided ($), needing the Other to legitimise their authority.
Example: A boss says, “Finish this report today.” The worker must use their knowledge to complete it. The boss appears powerful, but actually depends on the worker’s labour and knowledge.
2. The Discourse of the University
- Structure: S2 → a / S1 → $
- Agent: Knowledge (S2)
- Other: Object of desire (a)
- Truth: Master Signifier (S1)
- Production: The divided subject ($)
Explanation:
Knowledge speaks as if neutral and objective, but it hides a Master’s authority. The subject is shaped and even alienated by the institutional production of knowledge.
Example: A professor says, “Science proves this.” It looks objective (S2), but in truth, there is an authority (S1) behind it. Students become divided subjects ($), struggling to find their place within the system.
3. The Discourse of the Hysteric
- Structure: $ → S1 / a → S2
- Agent: The divided subject ($)
- Other: The Master Signifier (S1)
- Truth: Object of desire (a)
- Production: Knowledge (S2)
Explanation:
The hysteric challenges authority, demanding answers: “Who am I to you?” “What do you want from me?” This questioning produces new knowledge (S2). But the hysteric is driven by the hidden object of desire (a), seeking recognition.
Example: A teenager constantly asks their parents, “Why should I obey you? What gives you the right?” This rebellion forces the parent (S1) to justify their authority and generates new understandings (S2).
4. The Discourse of the Analyst
- Structure: a → $ / S2 → S1
- Agent: Object of desire (a)
- Other: The divided subject ($)
- Truth: Knowledge (S2)
- Production: A new Master Signifier (S1)
Explanation:
Here the analyst takes the position of object a, the cause of the patient’s desire. The analyst does not impose authority or knowledge but instead makes space for the subject to speak. This allows the patient to confront their divided nature ($) and produce new signifiers (S1).
Example: In analysis, the psychoanalyst listens silently, sometimes asking a sharp question. The patient speaks, discovers contradictions, and eventually creates new meaning for their life.
Everyday Life Applications
- At work: The Master discourse rules in strict top-down management.
- At school: The University discourse dominates, where knowledge legitimises itself.
- In love/friendship: The Hysteric discourse often appears, one partner demanding answers about desire.
- In therapy: The Analyst discourse guides the subject toward new self-understanding.
Final Thoughts
Lacan’s Four Discourses are not just abstract theory—they help us see how speech is structured by power, desire, and the unconscious. In daily life, we often shift between these discourses without realising it. Understanding them gives us a new lens on relationships, authority, and even our own inner conflicts.