English Lit 101: Literary Criticism - Psychoanalytic Criticism Freud Unconscious Oedipus Complex IdEgoSuperego Defense Mechanisms Dream Symbolism Lacan Mirror Stage ImaginarySymbolicReal Desire

What It Is

Psychoanalytic criticism is a literary theory that applies the principles of psychoanalysis to the interpretation of literary texts. This theory, developed by Sigmund Freud and later expanded by Jacques Lacan, examines the unconscious motivations and desires of characters and authors. A canonical example of psychoanalytic criticism can be seen in Freud's analysis of the Oedipus complex in Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex." This matter is crucial for literary analysis as it helps readers understand the underlying psychological dynamics that shape character behavior and authorial intent.

Key Terms & Concepts

• Unconscious: The part of the mind that contains thoughts, feelings, and memories that are not accessible to conscious awareness. Example: In Shakespeare's "Hamlet," Hamlet's unconscious desire for revenge against his uncle drives his actions.
• Oedipus Complex: A psychological concept describing the desire of a child for the opposite-sex parent and a sense of rivalry with the same-sex parent. Example: In Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex," Oedipus's Oedipus complex leads him to unknowingly kill his father and marry his mother.
• Id, Ego, and Superego: The three components of the human psyche, according to Freud. The Id is the primitive, instinctual part of the mind, the Ego is the rational, logical part, and the Superego is the moral component. Example: In James Joyce's "Ulysses," Leopold Bloom's id, ego, and superego are in conflict as he navigates his day in Dublin.
• Defense Mechanisms: Techniques used by the mind to cope with stress, anxiety, or other uncomfortable emotions. Example: In T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," the protagonist uses repression as a defense mechanism to avoid confronting his feelings of inadequacy.
• Dream Symbolism: The use of symbols in dreams to represent unconscious thoughts and desires. Example: In Freud's "The Interpretation of Dreams," the dream of Irma's injection is analyzed to reveal the unconscious desires and conflicts of the dreamer.
• Mirror Stage: A concept developed by Lacan describing the formation of the self through the reflection of one's image in a mirror. Example: In Lacan's "The Mirror Stage," the child's sense of self is formed through the reflection of their image, leading to a sense of fragmentation and disunity.
• Imaginary, Symbolic, and Real: The three orders of reality, according to Lacan. The Imaginary is the realm of images and reflections, the Symbolic is the realm of language and social norms, and the Real is the unrepresentable, unsymbolizable aspect of reality. Example: In Lacan's "The Four Fundamental Concepts of Psychoanalysis," the imaginary, symbolic, and real are used to analyze the structure of the human psyche.
• Desire: A fundamental concept in psychoanalytic theory, describing the unattainable, unsatisfiable longing that drives human behavior. Example: In Lacan's "The Ethics of Psychoanalysis," desire is seen as the driving force behind human behavior, leading to a sense of lack and dissatisfaction.
• Repression: The process of pushing uncomfortable thoughts or memories into the unconscious mind. Example: In Freud's "The Interpretation of Dreams," repression is used to explain the forgetting of traumatic events.
• Sublimation: The process of redirecting unacceptable desires into more socially acceptable forms of expression. Example: In Freud's "Civilization and Its Discontents," sublimation is seen as a key mechanism for channeling human aggression into creative and productive outlets.
• Projection: The process of attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to someone else. Example: In Shakespeare's "Othello," Othello's projection of his own jealousy onto Iago leads to tragic consequences.
• Displacement: The process of redirecting emotions or desires away from their original object and onto a more acceptable substitute. Example: In Freud's "The Interpretation of Dreams," displacement is used to explain the transformation of repressed desires into more socially acceptable forms of expression.

Common Misunderstandings

• Misunderstanding: Psychoanalytic criticism is only concerned with the author's personal life and experiences.
• Correction: Psychoanalytic criticism examines the unconscious motivations and desires of characters and authors, but it is not solely focused on the author's personal life.
• Misunderstanding: Psychoanalytic criticism is a form of literary criticism that is only applicable to modernist or avant-garde literature.
• Correction: Psychoanalytic criticism can be applied to a wide range of literary texts, from ancient Greek tragedy to contemporary fiction.
• Misunderstanding: Psychoanalytic criticism is a form of literary criticism that is only concerned with the individual psyche and ignores the social and cultural context of the text.
• Correction: Psychoanalytic criticism takes into account the social and cultural context of the text, but it also examines the individual psyche and the unconscious motivations that shape human behavior.

Quick Application / Identification

1. Identify the defense mechanism used by the protagonist in the following excerpt from T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock": "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." What is the defense mechanism used by the protagonist? Answer: Repression. Reason: The protagonist is avoiding confronting his feelings of inadequacy by using repression as a defense mechanism.
2. Identify the psychoanalytic concept that is illustrated in the following excerpt from Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex": "Oedipus, you have killed your father and married your mother." What is the psychoanalytic concept illustrated in this excerpt? Answer: The Oedipus complex. Reason: The excerpt illustrates the Oedipus complex, in which Oedipus unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother.
3. Identify the psychoanalytic concept that is illustrated in the following excerpt from James Joyce's "Ulysses": "I am a servant of the Muses, a humble servant." What is the psychoanalytic concept illustrated in this excerpt? Answer: The struggle between the id, ego, and superego. Reason: The excerpt illustrates the struggle between the id, ego, and superego, as the protagonist navigates his day in Dublin.

Last?Minute Revision

• Freud's psychoanalytic theory was developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Lacan's psychoanalytic theory was developed in the mid-20th century.
• The Oedipus complex is a fundamental concept in psychoanalytic theory.
• Repression is a defense mechanism used by the mind to cope with stress, anxiety, or other uncomfortable emotions.
• Sublimation is the process of redirecting unacceptable desires into more socially acceptable forms of expression.
• Projection is the process of attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to someone else.
• Displacement is the process of redirecting emotions or desires away from their original object and onto a more acceptable substitute.
• The mirror stage is a concept developed by Lacan describing the formation of the self through the reflection of one's image in a mirror.
• The imaginary, symbolic, and real are the three orders of reality, according to Lacan.
• Desire is a fundamental concept in psychoanalytic theory, describing the unattainable, unsatisfiable longing that drives human behavior.
• Psychoanalytic criticism can be applied to a wide range of literary texts, from ancient Greek tragedy to contemporary fiction.