PSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACH

By: Fiona, Sonny, and Caroline

Psychoanalytic Approach

Psychoanalysis attempts to understand the workings and source of unconscious desires, needs, anxieties, and behavior of the

writer. Texts contain these unconscious feelings, desires or aggressions. Psychological is usually concerned with beyond

the world, real world, the author’s life, and the audience.

Freudian Approach

Psychoanalytic approach can also be called “Freudian” originated from Sigmund Freud who developed a language that described, a model that explained and a theory that

encompassed human psychology. Sigmund Freud: was an Austrian Psychoanalyst created the theory of a Freudian

approach of criticism. His theories are directly and indirectly concerned with the nature of the unconscious mind.

Freudian analysis looks for hidden causes behind irrational behavior. The text is interpreted as a dream; dream work

involves condensation and displacement.

Jungian Approach

The Jungian Approach assumes that there is a collection of symbols, images, characters and motifs. Based from the

works of philosopher Carl Jung, he evokes the same response in basically all people using archetypes. According to Carl Jung, man kind possesses a “collective unconscious.”

Archetypes: Water – creation, birth-death-resurrection, purification, fertility,

growth Garden – paradise (Eden), innocence, fertility Desert – spiritual emptiness, death, hopelessness Red – blood, sacrifice, passion, disorder

Questions a psychoanalytic may ask:

Does the author reveal any fears anxieties or desires? How do these unconscious desires relate to the inner

experiences of the author? In what way would a reader reveal his/her own

obsessions or neuroses? Are any conflicts revealed mentally or physically?

Pros and Cons: It can be a useful tool for

understanding most work. Knowing about a writers

psychological make up can give readers insight into his work.

Provides a universalistic approach to literature and identifies reasoning to why literature may survive.

It works well with highly symbolic pieces of literature.

Can neglect to view the literature as a piece of art.

Critics sometimes attempt to diagnose long dead authors based on their works.

Approach on the poem using psychological

criticism: “Memorial Day for the War Dead” by

Yehuda Amichai This poem reveals a sense of remorse and grief for the deaths of the war, yet inside the author is longing for completion, or a search for happiness. This “memorial day” brings back the memories that went unspoken, but were never truly forgotten. The author hides his sorrow underneath the language of this poem. The author is lost in thought, recalling past events that caused him pain. Unconscious desires reveal his yearning to be with his son again after his death in the war.

Works Cited:

“1993 Hypertext Database: Psychoanalytic Criticism.” Contemporary Critical Theory. 3 October

1997. Web. 4 December 2011. Laga, Barry. “Freudian Psychoanalysis.” PSYCHE. Web. 4

December 2011. Murfin, Ross and Ray, M. Supryia. “Critical Approaches.”

virtuaLit. 1998. Bedford. Web. 4 December 2011. “Psychoanalytic Criticism.” Approaches to reading and

interpretation. Web. 4 December 2011.