The de Lauretis article was pretty confusing, but i noticed one thing that she points out, that i do not think was a main part of her argument, that i found interesting. The fact that certain themes, most themes even, in myths and flok tales are universally shared temporally and internationally, and even most modern literature echoes the tales of old.
Literature, like the desire that de Lauretis mentions at the end of this chapter, is a mystery. Literature, even art, need not be analyzed and broken down by myriad different theories, it can be appreciated for its inherent rich human value. So much of art, literature, and music is universal and touches us in a sublime fashion; that is what art and literature is for, the conveyance of emotion and experience, and there is no reason to break them into pieces to try and read our own agendas into them.
That is a bit of a Romantic view of literature, i know, but i am discovering that i view literature from a romantic perspective.