Psychoanalyzing Literary Characters and Literature
Table of Contents
In classical psychoanalysis, there are many more concepts than the ones discussed earlier. Different psychoanalytic theorists may disagree on aspects such as the formation of personalities and the treatment of dysfunctional behavior. Similarly, among psychoanalytic literary critics, there is disagreement about how psychoanalytic concepts should be applied to the study of literature. Some questions arise when using psychoanalysis to analyze literature: What role should an author's literary output play in psychoanalyzing their life? To what extent is it legitimate to psychoanalyze literary characters as if they were real people? Which psychoanalytic theorists provide the best insights when psychoanalyzing literary characters? What role do readers play in projecting their desires and conflicts onto the text they're reading? Psychoanalysis and reader-response theory, which will be covered in chapter 6, share similarities in focusing on the psychological experience of the reader. Additio…