Sigmund Freud s Theory And Criticism - 1345 Words

Jess Rubinstein Intro to Theory and Criticism Spring 2015 Midterm Essays Freud and Literature At some point in life, everyone has heard the name Sigmund Freud. Sigmund Freud was born in 1856, and went on to become one of the most talked about theorists. He is known as the father of psychoanalysis and has left behind an everlasting legacy. There were two influential and sometimes controversial theories that Freud left behind. Sigmund Freud’s big legacy was his work with dreams and the unconscious. This work can relate to literature on a large scale. In our textbook, we learn that â€Å"dreams are brief, meagre and laconic in comparison with the range and wealth of the dream-thoughts. If a dream is written out it may perhaps fill half a page.†¦show more content†¦The Ego follows the reality principle. This means that our minds try to give into what the Id wants in a realistic and appropriate manner. It weighs the pros and cons of each desire before deciding whether to obtain gratification or abandon it. Lastly, there is the Superego. The Superego is the total opposite of the Id; it strives to suppress the Id’s desires. It opts for doing the right thing versus the wrong thing. To simplify, the Id is the bad devil on your shoulder. The Superego is the angel on your shoulder. The Ego is the one in the middle trying to make both the devil and the angel happy. In regards to dreams, the unconscious and the three stages of personalities; I find it completely fascinating and accurate. I know from personal experience that there really are three little thought processes that go into making the final decision. I also strongly believe that there are meanings behind my dreams (both conscious and unconscious). I like analyzing my dreams and seeing my unconscious thoughts fly into the open. Freud’s theories on dreams and the unconscious are influential today because they shed light on an individual and their thought processes. This is especially true in literature. When reading various novels, we get to analyze the character and their thoughts. This helps us to understand the text better, as well as gain more insight into the character’s mind. Freud’s three personalities’ can be seen in another one of his influential and very