Psychoanalytic literary criticism
Psychoanalytic literary criticism is literary criticism or literary theory that, in method, concept, or form, is influenced by the tradition of psychoanalysis begun by Sigmund Freud.
Psychoanalytic reading has been practiced since the early development of psychoanalysis itself, and has developed into a heterogeneous interpretive tradition. As Celine Surprenant writes, “Psychoanalytic literary criticism does not constitute a unified field. However, all variants endorse, at least to a certain degree, the idea that literature … is fundamentally entwined with the psyche.”
Psychoanalytic criticism views artists, including authors, as neurotic. However, an artist escapes many of the outward manifestations and end results of neurosis by finding in the act of creating his or her art a pathway back to sanity and wholeness.
Literary psychoanalysis uses Sigmund Freud’s theories to explore the unconscious motivations, conflicts, and desires of characters, authors, and readers within a text. It views literary works as a manifestation of the unconscious mind, similar to dreams, focusing on symbols, repression, and family dynamics (like the Oedipus complex) to uncover hidden meanings and psychological truths. Key concepts include the id, ego, and superego, as well as theories from Jacques Lacan.
How it works:
Unconscious motivations
: A psychoanalytic approach looks beyond the surface meaning of a text to understand the hidden, often unconscious, drives and desires that shape character actions and plot events.
: The theory examines how the basic instincts (id), the mediating self (ego), and internalized morals (superego) interact and conflict within characters and the narrative.
Symbolism and Dreams
: Texts are analyzed as if they were dreams, with symbols, events, and imagery interpreted as latent content revealing repressed fears, desires, and unresolved conflicts.
Childhood Experiences
: Early life experiences and family dynamics are considered important in shaping the characters’ adult personalities and motivations, according to this theory.
Authorial Psyche
: The approach can also focus on the author’s life and psychological makeup, believing that their personal experiences influence the creative process and the themes within the work.
Key Theorists:
Sigmund Freud
: The pioneer of psychoanalysis, he developed concepts like the Oedipus complex, dream interpretation, and the tripartite model of the psyche.
Jacques Lacan
: An influential follower of Freud, he expanded on these ideas with theories such as the mirror stage and the realms of the imaginary, symbolic, and real.
Applications in Literature:
Character analysis
: Deeply understanding a character’s actions by examining their underlying psychological landscape.
Thematic depth
: Revealing repressed themes and conflicts that contribute to the deeper meaning of a literary work.
Reader response
: Even considering the reader’s own psychological engagement with the text, such as their unconscious responses to symbols and themes.