Mimesis and violence: R. Girard’s criticism of S. Freud's and F. Nietzsche's conceptions

The article analyses the mimetic theory of French philosopher R. Girard in the context of his polemics with the conceptions of S. Freud and F. Nietzsche. The main split-up with the psychoanalysis is the interpretation of the Oedipus complex. Girard criticizes the idea of ressentiment in the Nietzschean philosophy, arguing the necessity of understanding the victimhood from the perspective of a victim. Debates with the both conceptions are significant for Girard, mainly for his in-depth interpretation of the phenomenon of violence.