"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."
A critical approach that interprets literature in terms of the unconscious desires and conflicts of the author and characters.
Sigmund Freud: The father of psychoanalysis who developed the theory of the unconscious mind, the psychosexual stages of development, and the tripartite structure of the psyche.
The unconscious mind: The part of the mind that contains thoughts, feelings, and memories that are not readily available to conscious awareness, but can influence behavior and personality.
The id, ego, and superego: The three parts of the psyche that Freud believed interacted to determine behavior and personality. The id is the primal, instinctual part; the ego is the rational, conscious part; and the superego is the internalized moral and ethical standards.
Psychosexual stages of development: The five stages of childhood development according to Freud, each associated with a different part of the body and with different conflicts that must be resolved for successful maturation.
Repression and the return of the repressed: The idea that unconscious desires and memories are often suppressed but can return in disguised form through dreams, slip of the tongue, or symptoms of psychopathology.
Oedipus complex: The psychoanalytic theory of the child's unconscious desire for the exclusive love of the parent of the opposite sex and the wish to eliminate the parent of the same sex.
Dreams and interpretation: Dreams are understood as the disguised fulfillment of a repressed wish; psychoanalytic interpretation of dreams is a method of uncovering unconscious conflicts that find expression in the dream.
Transference and countertransference: The patient's unconscious redirection of feelings and attitudes from past relationships onto the therapist, and the therapist's counter-reaction to these feelings.
Feminist psychoanalytic theory: A critical and revisionist approach that focuses on the gendered nature of psychoanalytic theory and practice, and the ways in which it has been used to oppress and marginalize women.
Postmodern psychoanalytic theory: A theoretical approach that questions the idea of a stable, coherent self and instead emphasizes the fragmented, decentered, and contingent nature of subjectivity.
Freudian theory: This is the original form of psychoanalytic theory developed by Sigmund Freud. It emphasizes the power of the unconscious mind, the influence of childhood experiences, and the role of repression, Oedipus complex, and libido in human behavior.
Jungian theory: This type of psychoanalytic theory was developed by Carl Jung. It focuses on the universal archetypes and the collective unconscious that are shared by all human beings. It also highlights the importance of dreams, active imagination, and individuation in personal development.
Lacanian theory: This psychoanalytic theory was developed by Jacques Lacan. It emphasizes the importance of language and symbolic systems in shaping human identity and behavior. It also highlights the role of the Other, the mirror stage, and the unconscious desire for wholeness and completion.
Object relations theory: This psychoanalytic theory was developed by Melanie Klein and others. It emphasizes the importance of relationships and the internalization of others in the development of the self. It also highlights the role of splitting, projection, and introjection in interpersonal dynamics.
Self psychology: This psychoanalytic theory was developed by Heinz Kohut. It emphasizes the importance of empathy, mirroring, and idealization in the formation of self-esteem and identity. It also highlights the role of selfobjects in satisfying developmental needs and resolving narcissistic wounds.
Feminist psychoanalysis: This psychoanalytic theory was developed by a group of feminist psychoanalysts. It emphasizes the patriarchal bias in psychoanalytic theory and practice and seeks to correct it through a focus on gender, power, and social context. It also highlights the role of the mother-daughter relationship, the construction of femininity, and the potential for empowerment and transformation.
Post-colonial psychoanalysis: This psychoanalytic theory was developed by a group of post-colonial scholars. It emphasizes the importance of cultural identity and historical legacy in shaping subjectivity and experience. It also highlights the role of colonial trauma, hybridity, and resistance in the psychosocial dynamics of colonization and decolonization.
Queer psychoanalysis: This psychoanalytic theory was developed by a group of queer theorists and clinicians. It emphasizes the social construction of sexuality and gender and the potential for fluidity and subversion. It also highlights the role of homophobia, transphobia, and heteronormativity in the development of identity and the structure of desire.
"Psychoanalytic reading has been practiced since the early development of psychoanalysis itself."
"Psychoanalytic reading... has developed into a heterogeneous interpretive tradition."
"Psychoanalytic literary criticism does not constitute a unified field."
"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."
"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."
"...the tradition of psychoanalysis begun by Sigmund Freud."
"The goal of psychoanalytic literary criticism is to uncover the unconscious desires, conflicts, and motivations of characters and authors within a literary work."
"...fundamentally entwined with the psyche."
"Yes, an artist escapes many of the outward manifestations and end results of neurosis by finding in the act of creating his or her art..."
"Psychoanalytic literary criticism believes that literature is fundamentally entwined with the psyche."
"No, psychoanalytic literary criticism does not constitute a unified field, as there are multiple interpretations and approaches within this tradition."
"Psychoanalytic literary criticism sees the act of creating art as a pathway back to sanity and wholeness."
"Psychoanalytic literary criticism is influenced by the tradition of psychoanalysis begun by Sigmund Freud."
"Psychoanalytic literary criticism characterizes artists, including authors, as neurotic."
"No, psychoanalytic literary criticism also views characters within a literary work as subjects for analysis."
"Psychoanalytic literary criticism has been categorized as a heterogeneous interpretive tradition."
"The goal of psychoanalytic literary criticism is to uncover the unconscious desires, conflicts, and motivations of characters and authors within a literary work."