Richard Wollheim author of ‘Freud’ was one of the most distinguished
and productive philosophers of his generation. He made a significant
contribution to the post war flourishing of British philosophy and as
his career continued his work grew steadily more individual, rich and
expressive (The Times 2003). For Wollheim psychoanalysis was crucial
to his personal outlook and played a fundamental role in defining his
outlook on art. This was reflected in his standing as an honorary
member of the San Francisco Psychoanalytical Institute and honorary
affiliate of the British Psychoanalytical Society. In addition to this
in 1991 Wollheim was awarded for his distinguished services to
psychoanalysis by the International Society for Psychoanalysis. It is
these personal and political affiliations which shaped the highly
uncritical nature of the text.
‘Freud’ published in 1971 was written during an era when
psychoanalysis became an influential method for understanding modern
literature and culture. Psychoanalytical theory had been particularly
effective in the area of literary and film criticism, its reading
techniques widely disseminated, even when they were not always
labelled psychoanalytical. Richard Wollheim points out that
psychologist Sigmund Freud’s writings on art usually focussed on the
psychology of critics, rather than on analyses of particular paintings
or stories (Thurschwell 2000). However, Wollheim adopting an
uncritical stance failed to acknowledge the strong reactions
psychoanalysis had provoked particularly within the feminist movement
during the nineteen seventies. The criticism aimed essentially towards
Freud’s analytic practice and his theories of sexuality.
Wollheim states in the outset that the text will take the form of an
exposition rather than an interpretation or evaluation of Freud’s
work. It does seem plausible to suggest that the text in fact can be
described as a biography (Wollheim 1971) as it provides a detailed
version of the ‘life of a mind at work, and the story of a long and
intricate process of discovery’ (Wollheim 1971). It is at this point
Wollheim sets himself two aims in the writing of the study. Firstly,
to bring out what Freud actually said and secondly, to show the
Freud and Frankenstein Psychologist Sigmund Freud once said that “the mind is like an iceberg, it floats with one-seventh of its bulk above water” (Sigmund Freud). This simple sentence summarizes one of the greatest contributions ever made to psychology--Freud’s theory of the primal id, the reasonable ego, and the moral superego. According to this theory, the majority of the factors that impact a human’s decisions making are subconscious and that the three parts of the psyche work together in order to create a rational and socially acceptable decision. But what if the parts are unchecked and a person is allowed to function based solely on the primal desires without any moral compass?
Sigmund Freud is one of the most influential psychologists and had a very significant impact in psychoanalysis techniques. Not only was Freud considered the father of psychoanalytic theory, but he also developed the first comprehensive theory of personality (Burger, 2012).
The paper below will fully illustrates the purpose of reality, how personality and reality relate to each other. The paper further discusses the core tenets of the named theory, how this theory was drawn and why this theory is important across the world.
Who was Sigmund Freud? He is most commonly known as the father of psychoanalysis. His work sparked a chain of thinkers who can still be found today. The modern views on the brain and its workings can be traced back to Freud. How did he achieve such an accredited title and reputation? What influenced him? These questions can be answered through a look at Freud's childhood, adult life, and death.
The relationship between Frankenstein and his monster can be used as a metaphorical map to understanding Sigmund Freud's conception of the "super-ego," or in other words, the human sense of guilt and conscience. Frankenstein's sense of guilt develops around the violent, aggressive way he creates his monster. The monster causes the ripples of guilt to grow by causing him to fear losing his love ones, losing his source of protection, and punishment for his sins. After it is fully developed, Frankenstein's guilt and the monster's overshadowing presence serves as guides for understanding how the super-ego works to punish a soul through a constantly aggressive, nagging feeling of anxiety. Viewing Frankenstein through Freudian lenses as well is George V. Griffith a professor of English and Philosophy at Chadron College in Nebraska, he points out in his critical evaluation of the novel that "Victor and the monster are the same person" (3).
Sigmund Freud, the preeminent, 19th century, European neurologist and psychologist, designed a theory he labelled “psychoanalysis,” a theory which would transcend all borders and integrate itself deeply into many facets of society. In fact, an American named Kate Chopin, wrote a book entitled The Awakening, which was published at the turn of the 19th century, in which this theory played an integral role in expressing the complexity, relevance, and growth of the main character. The express importance of the main character displaying a Freudian psych is pertinent even in the modern time because it allows us to view the application of his theories around the time of their conception, trace their evolution and see the changes throughout the years. By possessing these comparisons, one could then gain insight as to how society and the individual has developed and progressed.
The aim of this essay is to clarify the basic principles of Freud’s theories and to raise the main issues.
Sigmund Freud first theorized the psychosexual theory after studying a patients mental health. The theory states that a human develops from underlying unconscious motives in order to achieve sensual satisfaction.
Sigmund Freud and Erik Erikson are two theorists that “believed the major determinants of personality are not conscious…[and] are the result of conflict through the various stages of development” (Cloninger 2013). Both theorists described different stages a person goes through during development. Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development were greatly influenced by Freud’s psychosexual stages of development. “Erikson’s theory builds on that of Freud, presuming hat biology provides the motivation of personality through the psychosexual stages that Freud outlined. However biological sexual energy is not the only consideration.” (Cloninger 2013). Rather than focusing on a person’s libido, also known as the person’s sexual-psychic energy, as the driving force behind personality, Erikson described how social influences could have an affect on a person’s personality.
According to psychologist, Sigmund Freud, there are three main parts that make up a human’s personality: the id, ego, and superego. In the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, the narrator of the story, Chief Bromden, represents each of these traits. In the beginning, Bromden only thinks of himself as any other crazy man, who no one pays attention to, but throughout the story Bromden develops mentally through all three stages of Freud’s personality analysis, maybe not in Freud’s preferred order, but he still represents them all.
Sigmund Freud created strong theories in science and medicine that are still studied today. Freud was a neurologist who proposed many distinctive theories in psychiatry, all based upon the method of psychoanalysis. Some of his key concepts include the ego/superego/id, free association, trauma/fantasy, dream interpretation, and jokes and the unconscious. “Freud remained a determinist throughout his life, believing that all vital phenomena, including psychological phenomena like thoughts, feelings and phantasies, are rigidly determined by the principle of cause and effect” (Storr, 1989, p. 2). Through the discussion of those central concepts, Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis becomes clear as to how he construed human character.
As she becomes more entrenched in her work, her mind is filled with madness and perplexity. To express the confusion she is experiencing, she describes her mind as “a badly organized file,” (Piercy 8) and “a switchboard where lines crackle,” (Piercy 9-10). Being a secretary involves so many tasks, making it hard to have a clear mind. Like the secretary, the speaker in Philip Levine’s “What Work Is” understands the confusion that comes with a workload. When it begins to rain, the speaker says the rain is “falling like mist into your hair, blurring your vision,” (Levine 9). This suggests that like the secretarial job, being a male in the workforce was demanding as well. The speaker from “The Secretary Chant” cannot control the dehumanization she is experiencing, like the speaker from “What Work Is” cannot control things becoming
Developmental psychology is an area of research dedicated to the understanding of child-development. Throughout history many theories have been used to attempt to explain the complex process. Two of those theorists, Freud and Erikson, were instrumental in creating a foundation for child-psychology to build on. From a Freudian perspective, human development is centered on psychosexual theory. Psychosexual theory indicates that maturation of the sex drives underlies stages of personality development. Alternatively, Erikson is considered a neo-freudian scholar who developed psychosocial theory. In Erikson models there are eight major conflicts that occur during the course of an individual’s life.
Freud’s psychosexual theory and Erikson’s psychosocial theory are two very renowned developmental concepts. Erikson was persuaded by Freud’s ideas but he elaborated on the theory differently.
Sigmund Freud, probably the most famous psychologist and most controversial of the twentieth century, has helped shaped how we consider our views of the world. His theories bring forth a new kind of thinking to the psychology world and show why we think them. It’s a way many don’t think but may put forth the reasoning to it. There are many though that think Freud was just another crazy psychologist that was on drugs. Though his many proofs behind his major theories such as: the conscious and unconscious mind, the Id, Ego, and Superego, psychosexual theory, and others as well, can prove why it wasn’t just a drug trip Freud was on.