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Freudian (Psychoanalytic) Literary Criticism

Freudian (Psychoanalytic) Literary Criticism. Henry Harris Samantha Cannon Madeleine Black Maria Pecoraro. Definition. Psychological critics look at the psychological motivations of the characters or of the authors themselves

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Freudian (Psychoanalytic) Literary Criticism

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  1. Freudian (Psychoanalytic)Literary Criticism Henry Harris Samantha Cannon Madeleine Black Maria Pecoraro

  2. Definition • Psychological critics look at the psychological motivations of the characters or of the authors themselves • Critics also point out the sexual implications of symbols and imagery. • Focus on pinpointing characters id, superego, ego

  3. Questions Asked • Are the characters actions influenced by sexual desire (id)? • Are the symbols associated with sex? • Are the characters actionsinfluencedby the id, ego, or superego? • Are the symbols representing the author’s or characters’ sexual repressions? • Howdothe suppressed wants, needs, and memories force their way through symbolically in dreams and writing? • What exact text represents a symbolic expression of the author’s sublimated wants and needs? • What conclusions can be drawn about the work of the author based on the Freudian analysis of the text?

  4. Advantages • Helps to understand the deeper meaning of works of literature in reference to the Freudian concepts • Knowing something about a writer’s physiological make-up can give us insight into their work • Do certain symbols represent sexual implications? • Understand why characters act a certain way due to their id, ego, and superego • Understand the suppressed wants, needs, and memoriesthat mayforce their way through symbolically in dreams and writing • Text represents a symbolic expression of the author’s sublimated wants and needs • Conclusions can be drawn about the work of the author based on the Freudian analysis of the text

  5. Disadvantages • Neglecting to view the work of literature as a piece of art because its contains themes and symbols that could be interpreted as representing sex • Critics tend to see sex in everything, exaggerating the aspect of it • May misinterpret author’s message because of the symbols and themes that could represent sex

  6. Examples in Literature • D.H. Lawrence: Sons and Lovers (1913) http://www.online-literature.com/dh_lawrence/sons_lovers/ • Sophocles: Oedipus Rex (ca. 427 BC) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oedipus_the_King • William Shakespeare:Hamlet (ca. 1601) http://everything2.com/title/Oedipus+complex

  7. Examples in Real Life • Music • Candy Shop • LaffyTaffy • Love Game • Movies/Music Video • She Wolf • North By Northwest • Television

  8. Applying Information • In psychology class • How the ego, superego, and id dictate characters’ actions • In history class • Oedipus Complex • Newspaper • Imagery

  9. Sources Used • http://homepage.newschool.edu/~quigleyt/vcs/psychoanalysis-intro.pdf • http://www.thetravelpeach.com/europe-vacations/austria/sigmund-freud.jpg • http://backgrounds.mysitemyway.com/wp-content/Userfiles/Galleries/polka-dots-and-squares/polka-dots-and-squares-003697-medium-gold.jpg • http://backgrounds.mysitemyway.com/wp-content/Userfiles/Galleries/foliage-swirls/foliage-swirls-000181-ripe-apricot.jpg • http://www.online-literature.com/dh_lawrence/sons_lovers/ • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oedipus_the_King • http://everything2.com/title/Oedipus+complex • http://www.enotes.com/sons-lovers • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oedipus_the_King • http://absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/hamlet/summary/hamlet_summary.htm

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