Psychoanalytic Criticism, Jungian Criticism(1930s-present)

Psychoanalytic Criticism splits into the theories of psychology of Sigmund Freud and post-Freudian psychoanalytic theorists. The Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud’s theories are directly and indirectly concerned with the nature of the unconscious mind, with these views commencing a whole new criticizing take on literature. This theorist is divided into many parts, mainly those of Freud and Jung. A segment of Psychoanalytic Criticism is that of the unconscious, the desires, and the defenses. This implementation holds Freud’s belief that our unconscious was influenced by childhood events. In the novel Frankenstein, the severe actions of death on loved ones of Victor Frankenstein from the monster are his defenses towards a childhood where his father had abandoned him without clothing or a name. Another fraction to this theorist is the Id, Ego, Superego stage. In literature, id is irrational, instinctual, unconscious fears and wishes that is the source of psychosexual desires. Id can also be the location of the drives, that in the novel, Shelley gives to Victor and the Monster. Victor innately wanted knowledge and the monster wanted compassion and companionship. The ego involves rational, logical, walking part that regulates its desires from id. The monsters actions towards Victor are great examples. Oedipus complex involves children’s need for their parents and conflict that arises as children mature and realize that their mother has stopped making them their absolute focus. Freud argues that both boys and girls wish to possess their mother but see that their father is the one getting the attention making them feel a murderous rage against their father. Boys want their mother and eventually want to be like their father in possessing a woman like their mother. Girls shift their desires from mother to wanting to obtain someone like their father. Oedipal complex is also the penis envy stage that can be used to interpret thematic elements in a story. Freud believes that males have the advantage due to girls never being able to posses a penis and is given a determined duty to find fulfillment in relationship to a male in her adult life to make up for the lack of masculinity. Shelley sets up her characters to fit this mold, especially Victor’s cousin Elizabeth, who had been destined to marry Victor since a young age. Elizabeth, in letters would confess to Victor, “I have prevented his encountering the inconveniences and perhaps dangers of such a long journey, yet how often have I regretted not being able to perform it myself!”(Shelley. 50) as a reminder that she wishes to be near him. The monster’s observations yet too reflect the oedipal complex stage through his observations of human life making himself believe that in order to be happy he would need a female to accompany him.
In order to fulfill a superb criticism one must question the book with the issues over this criticism. How do the operations of repression structure or inform the work? By blocking out certain threatening thoughts the work further develops. Mary Shelley may used the thoughts that a child was to be sent from God not created. Are there any oedipal dynamics at work here? Yes, Victor is obsessed with his mother and falls in love with Elizabeth whom resembles her. How can characters' behavior, narrative events, and/or images be explained in terms of psychoanalytic concepts of any kind? The Monster’s behavior is due to psychoanalytic concepts of id and ego. The images of the monster can be the feelings of guilt that Shelley felt when losing her infant. What does the work suggest about the psychological being of its author? This particular work is probable frustration of the author felt when trying to become a mother.
Carl Jung’s view takes on what he calls the collective unconscious of the human race. In literary analysis, a Jungian critic would look for archetypes, being the shadow, the animus, and the spirit, the anima being beneath the shadow taking the feminine side of the male self, animus corresponds to the masculine side of the female. With this understanding, the analyst would seek connections to the archetypes, mirroring of the characters to archetypal figures, the symbolism of imagery, the way the protagonist reflects the hero of myth and if the hero boards a journey in physical or spiritual sense, and the trials or ordeals the protagonist faces. With Jung’s views the dark side we possess is referred to as the shadow. Jung claims that we own characteristics that we don’t like about ourselves and stay with us like a shadow following his owner. This reflects the life of Shelley, when she writes with a masculine side. Her life was tormented, she experienced the death of her mother at an early age. The creation is seen to be Victor’s evil shadow, the same way in which Victor represents to be the monster’s shadow. Both seek each other and wish to terminate the other, but separate they hold only some characteristics of mankind. Together, representing one person they represent what it means to be human in having what makes them joyful, compassionate, empathetic, hateful, and also loving towards humanity. As symbol of humans also fear the unknown, fear mortality and despise abandonment.

links:
http://www.answers.com/topic/frankenstein-novel-4
http://web.olivet.edu/english/rbelcher/lit310/310PSY.htm
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/722/04