A comparative Study of the Mind-body Relationship in the Theories of Stanislavski, Meyerhold, and Suzuki, based on Cartesian Dualism and Merleau-Ponty’s Embodiment Philosophy

Shahreza, Mehdi; Hamed Saghaeian, Mehdi; Bakhtiarian, Maryam

doi:10.22059/jfadram.2026.413032.616223

A comparative Study of the Mind-body Relationship in the Theories of Stanislavski, Meyerhold, and Suzuki, based on Cartesian Dualism and Merleau-Ponty’s Embodiment Philosophy

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Mehdi Shahreza ¹

Mehdi Hamed Saghaeian ²

Maryam Bakhtiarian ³

¹ Ph.D. Candidateof Philosophy of Art, Department of Philosophy, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran,Iran.

² Associate Professor, Department of Directing and Acting, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran.

³ Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran,Iran.

10.22059/jfadram.2026.413032.616223

Abstract

This study undertakes a comparative examination of the positions ascribed to "mind" and "body" within three prominent theories of acting: Konstantin Stanislavski's system, Vsevolod Meyerhold's biomechanical method, and Tadashi Suzuki's method. The central hypothesis of this article posits that analyzing these acting methodologies through two distinct philosophical frameworks—namely, Cartesian dualism and Maurice Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology of embodiment—reveals the fundamental differences in the type of mind-body relationship inherent in these acting theories. This research is designed with the precise aim of understanding the ratio of mind to body in each of the three aforementioned systems, as well as explaining how philosophical foundations influence practical acting methods.The article concludes that Stanislavski emphasizes the harmonization of mind and body (with priority given to the mind), Meyerhold emphasizes the engineering of the body (as the source and manifestation of meaning), and Suzuki emphasizes the awakening of the "perceptible body" (where mind and body become one in lived experience). A proper understanding of these distinctions can assist contemporary actors and directors in making informed choices and consciously synthesizing elements from each system, helping them adopt an approach suited to their theatrical needs.

Keywords

Stanislavski

Meyerhold

Suzuki

Descartes

Merleau-Ponty

Mind-Body Relationship

Subjects