Woman in Freud’s Psychoanalysis Theory
A. Background
Early 20th century is considered important in American development because of many alterations within American society influenced by modern thought. Twenties era (1920-1930) becomes significant in the history because in those years a number of intellectual movements emerged and affected the popular thinking of the times (Horton & Edwards, 1967: 331). Among the movements, there is Freudianism which impressed American society with its new perspective on sexuality and psychology. Freud’s theory comes up on the right times when American society was amazed and overwhelmed by the new way of life which was far away from the old tradition, including the flappers and hedonism as the result of post World War I (Horton & Edwards, 331).
Sigmund Freud has been interested to romantic literature in the earlier nineteenth since he was in high school and it seems that his interest contributes a lot in his theory which merely discuss about the importance of love and sexual origin acceptance in human relationships (Horton & Edwards, 332). Freud also divides human psyche into the conscious as the part related to the external world and the unconscious which is more of instinctual drives and repressed wishes (Storey, 2008: 91). This elaboration of his theory explains that sexual is the most important instinctual drives.
When we talk about sexuality and Freud’s idea of sexuality affections towards human’s psychology, we cannot put aside the existence of woman whom has been the object of sexuality for man. Even in getting the control over their body and sexual desires, women need to struggle to get their basic rights. That is why this paper is made to explain more about Freud’s opinion in seeing women and how his theory affects women movements.
B. Discussion
The social condition at the time Freudianism arrived among the society of America enables to be accepted, especially within the youth society, although they only take the surface of Freud’s idea about sexual looseness. As the previous generation considers sexual desire is taboo and should not be expressed publicly, Freud’s theory gives an excuse to them to do it in the other way. A group of American young intellectuals, Greenwich Village in New York, is interested in Freud’s psychology system and theory of sex to encounter their experience of World War I (Horton & Edwards, 351). Freudianism also influences the popular works of the era, like tabloid picture in the newspapers with cheap sensation, erotic movies, and technology of automobile flourishing as the spot of some youth to release their sexual fulfillment. The most influence of Freudianism can be seen from the literary theme at the time about sexual hedonism which relates to Freud’s new technique of seduction (Horton & Edwards, 352). It also increases the right of women to the same passionate experience of love as men.
Freud describes women as inferior to men, that women are instrumental in the development and advancement of psychoanalysis (taken from: psychology.about.com/od/sigmundfreud/p/freud_women.htm). He thinks women as inferior because he belongs to the generation of opposing women movements which are begun in the era of Twenties. Therefore, Freud finds a method of psychoanalysis which later reveals the hysteria symptom in woman, though at first he studies it in man but it does not work really. His first object of analysis is known as Anna O who experiences several symptoms of hysteria, such as hallucination, amnesia and partial paralysis (Horton & Edwards, 333). After doing some sort of interviews, Freud suggests that women hysteria comes from women experience of sexual abuse in childhood memory and it influences to the development of women’s sexual fantasies (taken from: psychology.about.com/od/sigmundfreud/p/freud_women.htm). So, it emphasizes that women also feel sexual desires like men do and this sexual desires can bring hysteria to women.
The case of women hysteria also can be seen in a movie entitled Black Swan (2010). This movie talks about a talented ballerina, Nina Sayers, who gets hysteria symptom because of self-oppression in pursuing her dream to get the main role in Swan Lake production. In the movie we can see the vulnerable side of woman when she gets oppression from the social condition (the firm rivalry among ballerinas and her mother’s unfinished obsession in ballet career) and also her hard impulsion to get her dream in playing the role as White Swan and Black Swan. In seeing through the character of Black Swan here Nina gets into the hysteria symptom, she has hallucination of someone trying to steal the role of Black Swan from her until she becomes obsessed to Black Swan, even she racks her own body unconsciously. The obsession is also the result of the era where women now are free to express themselves and tended to be more ambitious than the previous generation. The Black Swan characters itself are seducing and deceitful (taken from: www.imdb.com), while Nina character is fragile, innocent, and gentle, so it is quite hard for her to nail the role. In time she practices the role, she is seduced by her director in order to reveal her sexual appeal and this experience makes her curious about sexual fulfillment and even having sexual fantasy of her rival which I may refer it also as hysteria symptom.
In psychoanalysis, Freud also explains about the two parts of psyche that are the conscious and unconscious. Related to Black Swan movie, we can see the unconscious part of Nina when she gets hallucination of her having twin sister, for the unconscious is, “the dark, inaccessible part of our personality … a chaos, a cauldron full of excitations.” (Storey, 2008:92). So actually the dark ‘twin’ is naturally possessed by everyone and human nature is something in part introduced from outside, always open to change (Storey, 93). Nina also gets what Freud called as ‘repression’ which “lies simply in turning something away, and keeping it at a distance, from the conscious” (Storey, 93). This repression causes amnesia or removing all the things we cannot do or will not do, just like Nina who drowns to deep in inspiring the Black Swan characterization.
C. Conclusion
From the background and the discussion we can conclude that Freud’s psychoanalysis theory is more or less useful to identify the psychology of certain people. Psychoanalysis also shows that sexual desires are experienced by women too. Women actually cannot be separated from the discussion about psychology and sexuality because these two terms are remained important because women usually get oppression psychologically and sexually from men and other factors around them. Through psychoanalysis also hysteria symptom which is usually experienced by women is found. So after all, although at its first emergence, Freud’s theory gets a lot of criticism, but later it is very useful in the development of psychological.
American Thought
Woman in Freud’s Psychoanalysis Theory
by
Monica C. Ameliana – C1312013
(https://www.facebook.com/monica.ameliana)
References:
· Black Swan movie (2011)
· Cherry, K. Freud & Women: Freud’s Perspective on Women (psychology.about.com/od/sigmundfreud/p/freud_women.htm)
· Horton, R.W. & Edwards, H.W. (1967). Backgrounds of American Literary Thought. Appleton-Century-Crofts: New York
· Storey, J. (2008). Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, An Introduction: 5th Edition. Pearson-Longman: Sunderland
· www.imdb.com
Early 20th century is considered important in American development because of many alterations within American society influenced by modern thought. Twenties era (1920-1930) becomes significant in the history because in those years a number of intellectual movements emerged and affected the popular thinking of the times (Horton & Edwards, 1967: 331). Among the movements, there is Freudianism which impressed American society with its new perspective on sexuality and psychology. Freud’s theory comes up on the right times when American society was amazed and overwhelmed by the new way of life which was far away from the old tradition, including the flappers and hedonism as the result of post World War I (Horton & Edwards, 331).
Sigmund Freud has been interested to romantic literature in the earlier nineteenth since he was in high school and it seems that his interest contributes a lot in his theory which merely discuss about the importance of love and sexual origin acceptance in human relationships (Horton & Edwards, 332). Freud also divides human psyche into the conscious as the part related to the external world and the unconscious which is more of instinctual drives and repressed wishes (Storey, 2008: 91). This elaboration of his theory explains that sexual is the most important instinctual drives.
When we talk about sexuality and Freud’s idea of sexuality affections towards human’s psychology, we cannot put aside the existence of woman whom has been the object of sexuality for man. Even in getting the control over their body and sexual desires, women need to struggle to get their basic rights. That is why this paper is made to explain more about Freud’s opinion in seeing women and how his theory affects women movements.
B. Discussion
The social condition at the time Freudianism arrived among the society of America enables to be accepted, especially within the youth society, although they only take the surface of Freud’s idea about sexual looseness. As the previous generation considers sexual desire is taboo and should not be expressed publicly, Freud’s theory gives an excuse to them to do it in the other way. A group of American young intellectuals, Greenwich Village in New York, is interested in Freud’s psychology system and theory of sex to encounter their experience of World War I (Horton & Edwards, 351). Freudianism also influences the popular works of the era, like tabloid picture in the newspapers with cheap sensation, erotic movies, and technology of automobile flourishing as the spot of some youth to release their sexual fulfillment. The most influence of Freudianism can be seen from the literary theme at the time about sexual hedonism which relates to Freud’s new technique of seduction (Horton & Edwards, 352). It also increases the right of women to the same passionate experience of love as men.
Freud describes women as inferior to men, that women are instrumental in the development and advancement of psychoanalysis (taken from: psychology.about.com/od/sigmundfreud/p/freud_women.htm). He thinks women as inferior because he belongs to the generation of opposing women movements which are begun in the era of Twenties. Therefore, Freud finds a method of psychoanalysis which later reveals the hysteria symptom in woman, though at first he studies it in man but it does not work really. His first object of analysis is known as Anna O who experiences several symptoms of hysteria, such as hallucination, amnesia and partial paralysis (Horton & Edwards, 333). After doing some sort of interviews, Freud suggests that women hysteria comes from women experience of sexual abuse in childhood memory and it influences to the development of women’s sexual fantasies (taken from: psychology.about.com/od/sigmundfreud/p/freud_women.htm). So, it emphasizes that women also feel sexual desires like men do and this sexual desires can bring hysteria to women.
 | ||||
| image taken from www.popsugar.com |
The case of women hysteria also can be seen in a movie entitled Black Swan (2010). This movie talks about a talented ballerina, Nina Sayers, who gets hysteria symptom because of self-oppression in pursuing her dream to get the main role in Swan Lake production. In the movie we can see the vulnerable side of woman when she gets oppression from the social condition (the firm rivalry among ballerinas and her mother’s unfinished obsession in ballet career) and also her hard impulsion to get her dream in playing the role as White Swan and Black Swan. In seeing through the character of Black Swan here Nina gets into the hysteria symptom, she has hallucination of someone trying to steal the role of Black Swan from her until she becomes obsessed to Black Swan, even she racks her own body unconsciously. The obsession is also the result of the era where women now are free to express themselves and tended to be more ambitious than the previous generation. The Black Swan characters itself are seducing and deceitful (taken from: www.imdb.com), while Nina character is fragile, innocent, and gentle, so it is quite hard for her to nail the role. In time she practices the role, she is seduced by her director in order to reveal her sexual appeal and this experience makes her curious about sexual fulfillment and even having sexual fantasy of her rival which I may refer it also as hysteria symptom.
In psychoanalysis, Freud also explains about the two parts of psyche that are the conscious and unconscious. Related to Black Swan movie, we can see the unconscious part of Nina when she gets hallucination of her having twin sister, for the unconscious is, “the dark, inaccessible part of our personality … a chaos, a cauldron full of excitations.” (Storey, 2008:92). So actually the dark ‘twin’ is naturally possessed by everyone and human nature is something in part introduced from outside, always open to change (Storey, 93). Nina also gets what Freud called as ‘repression’ which “lies simply in turning something away, and keeping it at a distance, from the conscious” (Storey, 93). This repression causes amnesia or removing all the things we cannot do or will not do, just like Nina who drowns to deep in inspiring the Black Swan characterization.
C. Conclusion
From the background and the discussion we can conclude that Freud’s psychoanalysis theory is more or less useful to identify the psychology of certain people. Psychoanalysis also shows that sexual desires are experienced by women too. Women actually cannot be separated from the discussion about psychology and sexuality because these two terms are remained important because women usually get oppression psychologically and sexually from men and other factors around them. Through psychoanalysis also hysteria symptom which is usually experienced by women is found. So after all, although at its first emergence, Freud’s theory gets a lot of criticism, but later it is very useful in the development of psychological.
American Thought
Woman in Freud’s Psychoanalysis Theory
by
Monica C. Ameliana – C1312013
(https://www.facebook.com/monica.ameliana)
References:
· Black Swan movie (2011)
· Cherry, K. Freud & Women: Freud’s Perspective on Women (psychology.about.com/od/sigmundfreud/p/freud_women.htm)
· Horton, R.W. & Edwards, H.W. (1967). Backgrounds of American Literary Thought. Appleton-Century-Crofts: New York
· Storey, J. (2008). Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, An Introduction: 5th Edition. Pearson-Longman: Sunderland
· www.imdb.com
![Katy Perry's Dark Horse: Promotes New Religion [?]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQhbrZXrnYwyFfpqQmk5OlyZmIthKKLRlwvrg95esVymcEhF7lwHRZXBdApyyxGXEVmISFkZum9w2Hud05QaNQuJwRyHZ_jU9kjK1GDxnKJhXqknt0PBCNrN_EYiktl2obFEBWNPyHEbj/s72-c/IlluminatiWatcherDotCom-Katy-Perry-Dark-Horse-Illuminati-Eye-Horus.png){kind=small}
0 comments: