Since the Electra complex remains an unproven and often controversial theory, it cant be diagnosed. Shoaib believed that these two girls were possessed of an acute dire to replace and imitate their mothers by first idealizing the father-figures, and then by replacing the wish for their own fathers with one to emulate their mothers by possessing an ideal father and having a child. The power of passionate love is illustrated in the play through Romeos love for Rosaline and Juliet, which let him to make certain decisions, The reader comes to develop new insights into the world around us, portraying a theme that things are not always as they seem. The reader realises that beliefs and values may change when we are exposed to insightful and challenging material, both in life and in reading Hamlet. Childhood experiences may lay the groundwork for how we experience adult relationships and how we bond with people. Immaturity can spread throughout things and people creating problems for the present and future. He falls victim to sycophants, while submitting to falsehood and deceit and re jecting the faithful and true. People develop maturity, but the amount of immaturity makes the process go backwards. In William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, many of the characters make rash choices because passion interferes with their capability to reason and this not only affects the individual but also others around them. During my research for Domestic Abuse in Othello, I looked into the common signs of emotional abuse, and Lear exhibits quite a few of them. This was my first experience with King Lear and all I had heard was that Lear was horribly abused by his two evil daughters. Bjorklund, B. R., & Bee, H. L. (2000). 1913;1:1-40. Freud, S. (1909). The Electra complex is a psychoanalytic term used to describe a girl's sense of competition with her mother for the affection of her father. With the goal of compassion being accomplished, he spiralled in a growing hatred of the female population. Kafkalide believed that his patients fixations could be traced back to the mother and their desire to return to the womb. King Lear by William Shakespeare 210,010 ratings, 3.91 average rating, 6,235 reviews King Lear Quotes Showing 1-30 of 197 "When we are born, we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools." William Shakespeare, King Lear tags: cry , fools , newborn , stage 661 likes Like "Nothing will come of nothing: speak again." 1-4). Likewise, it may be an oversimplification to call the Electra complex a female version on Freuds original Oedipus complex. Even Goneril and Regan see the writing on the wall. The reader completes their examination of the Hamlet tragedy, and we agree that Hamlet is a significant text, as it encourages us to think again about our values and. 11, pp. Its not uncommon for people suffering from dementia to slip more quickly. It is about political authority as much as it is about family dynamics. The oxymoron divulges a contradictory issue arising internally in Romeo. Please follow the links below for more on the Electra Complex and how Hamlet and Electra relate to each other. [citation needed], The psychodynamic nature of the daughtermother relationship in the Electra complex derives from penis envy, caused by the mother, who also caused the girl's castration; however, upon re-aligning her sexual attraction to her father (heterosexuality), the girl represses the hostile female competition, for fear of losing the love of her mother. The deterioration in Hamlet's character and good spirit shows us that while acts such as revenge may entail negativity and danger, there may be benefits to individual people that we do not see. Shoaib, M. (2014). I didnt feel that way though. But sometimes, those feelings of possession and desire toward the father figure dont fade with development. Did William Shakespeare have a favorite personal play? Because of their similarity, the Electra complex is exposed to much of the criticism that the Oedipus complex has faced, including a lack of empirical evidence and an apparent inapplicability to single parent or same-sex parent households. The predictions of the theory are not substantiated by experiment. This internalization of "Mother" develops the super-ego as the girl establishes a discrete sexual identity (ego). and was coined, in fact, by Carl Jung, and not Freud. The Electra Complex, first introduced by Carl Jung, is the female counterpart to the Oedipal Complex. These two types of loves have their share of differences but surprisingly they have their similarities as well. [9]:150, According to psychoanalytic literary criticism, fiction affords people the opportunity to identify with the protagonists of fantastic stories depicting what might be if they could act upon their desires. Read our, A Comparison of Freud and Erikson's Theories of Development. 2022;19(10):5922. doi:10.3390/ijerph19105922. In the theory of psychosexual development, the primal id the instinctive component of personality that is present at birth compels a child to possess her father and compete with her mother. Overview of the Electra Complex in Psychology. (1924). The journey of adulthood (4th ed.). He was getting up in years. cosmopolitan region controlled thru Electra's dad, King Agamemnon, and her mom, Queen Clytemnestra. Young Children, 55 (5), 70-77. Let me know in the comments down below. It is not listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. In addition, some authors who were conversant in Freud and Jung's work, such as Sylvia Plath, made intentional use of the Electra complex symbol. The Complex Family Dynamics of King Lear Modern Shakespeare TW: emotional abuse, violence, dementia As I was watching the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's recent stream of King Lear, I was confronted with a feeling I didn't expect: empathy for Goneril. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Which brings us to our final evidence of abuse, the cruelty and insults. When a girl's initial sexual attachment to her mother ends upon discovering that shethe daughterhas no penis, she then transfers her libidinal desire (sexual attachment) to her father and increases sexual competition with her mother. [21][22] The Electra complex is not widely accepted among modern mental health professionals and is not listed in current versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.[23]. Regan is as ruthless as Goneril and as aggressive in all the same ways. Electra, by Sophocles). It is almost ubiquitous in Shakespeare's comedies: However, in none of these plays is there any hint of sexual relationship with or fixation upon the father from the daughter characters. In classical psychoanalytic theory, the child's identification with the same-sex parent is the successful resolution of the Electra complex and of the Oedipus complex; his and her key psychological experience to developing a mature sexual role and identity. However, if youre concerned about the level of attachment you or your child might feel toward a parent, talking with a therapist can help. Theres a reason parents are not supposed to have favorites or claim favorites. I would love to hear what you think. Her husband was her substitute father, psychosexually apparent when she addresses him (the husband) as the "vampire father" haunting her since his death. The characters in King Lear are members of the royal court. Freud described the feminine Oedipus attitude complex as a daughter's longing for her father and competition with her mother. He has given away everything, so he really has nothing to hold over them. He proclaims it so frequently that it has become common knowledge at court. By Kendra Cherry, MSEd There is nothing he can leverage for control except guiltand insults. What was the role of women in Shakespeare's time? During this stage, a female child supposedly pushes away from her mother and becomes jealous of and displays possessive affection toward her father. What Shakespeare plays use supernatural references? It involves a girl, aged between 3 and 6, becoming subconsciously sexually attached to her father and. The domination of the superego allows the child, in Freuds view, to accept their gender roles, develop an understanding of their sexuality, and form a sense of morality. In the play, Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, Prince Hamlet of Denmark, interactions with two women throughout the interplay. Similarly, a young girl may insist on going into the bathroom with her father. The Electra complex was a psychoanalytic term used to depict a young lady's feeling of rivalry with her mom for the adoration of her dad. Passion may seem beneficial, but ultimately leads to destruction, and it doesn't matter whether it is love or hate both can make an individual reckless and blind. I imagine it would create some feelings of anger and resentment. As I was watching the Stratford Shakespeare Festivals recent stream of King Lear, I was confronted with a feeling I didnt expect: empathy for Goneril. The paper has been criticized both for the fact that Hans father (himself a pro-Freudian psychoanalyst) did most of the psychoanalysis on Hans. Freud felt Jungs Electra complex theory created an unnecessary separation. His mental decline takes some of the responsibility off of him for his own actions. Carl Jung proposed that the Electra complex involves three different phases: attraction to ones mother, attraction to ones father; and, finally, resolution. Lear becomes so enraged that he runs off into the storm. Often, in aid to promoting social conformity, the myth, story, stage play, or film presents a story meant to frighten people from acting upon their desires. Just because he isnt fully responsible for their behavior now, doesnt mean he wasnt fully responsible for the years of hurt. 2) . Carl Jung introduced the term in an article in 1913, although Sigmund Freud stated in 1920 that he did not consider the term to be useful. Accessed 9 July 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Sigmund Freud introduced the term Oedipus complex in his book The Interpretation of Dreams in 1889, which he described in his psychoanalytic theory of sexual drive. Erikson, E. H. In Freuds original Oedipus complex theory, both male and female children with a parental fixation fell under the same classification. Feminism & Psychology, 6 (2), 260-276. eNotes Editorial, 30 Nov. 2010, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/which-shakespearean-plays-through-which-223971. What's the Psychology Behind Mommy Issues? However, if you suspect that you or your child might be feeling emotions that creep into the realm of desire or possessiveness for a parent, talking to a therapist may be a good idea. Log in here. While Freud did address the female experience in his Oedipus complex theory, Jung felt Freuds original theory was too heavily oriented towards explaining behavior in males. Shakespeare's "King Lear" and the Concept of the Lear Complex. (2000). There was much conflict inside the family - Electra's sis . Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book.". Year 4 Raffles Academy English Literature Higher Curriculum, Freud believed these slips are not accidents or coincidences but rather are indications of subconscious feelings or thoughts that accidentally emerge in casual day-to-day conversation. (Videback 49) Lear commits Freudian slips when he describes his daughters, Goneril and Reagan, whom he perceives as maternal figures in highly sexualized language, making reference to erogenous zones. All About Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), How Childhood Trauma May Affect Adult Relationships. This thesis will be proven by the analysis of Romeo, Tybalt, Mercutio, actions that are driven by passionate love or hate and how it has affected the other characters of the play. Shakespeares utilization of these oxymorons reveal that Romeos love indeed comes from an enemy family of his. Like the Oedipal complex, the Electra complex arises between the oral and phallic stages of Freud's psychosexual development (between ages three and six). King Lear is one of the most complex plays written by William Shakespeare, with its many characters, disguises, and surprising outcomes. Electra complex isnt a Freudian term, however. Horney countered Freuds penis envy by introducing the concept of womb envy, which suggest that males develop envy toward their mothers and other women for their inability to produce life (Vanacore, 2020). In William Shakespeares King Lear, the development of Lear is indicated in three stages: the entrance of uncontrolled enthusiasm into Lears mind as a problematic power; the storm as an image of a problematic power, which relates to the conflict within Lear; and furthermore the rebirth of Lear through self-revelation. However, newer theories have emerged to explain attachment between children and parents without components of sexuality or an overbearing focus on gender. How youre raised and in particular, the amount of love and support youre given can impact how you develop into an adult. From Romeo and Juliets fast evolving relationship to the hate between the two families, and the lack of thought in different characters is recurrent throughout the story. Freud believed this was due to unresolved internal conflict during the phallic phase. Rush calls this the Freudian Coverup (1996). Alternatively, she may display hostility if she does not get what she wants from the father figure. First, let's define the Electra Complex. Here, Freud recounts a young boy whose freedom to move in the world to take walks and play in the street becomes tangled in the complexities of love and desire (1909). The Role of Jocasta, the Mother of Oedipus. Its painful for us to watch. Electra, the daughter of the king Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, sought to avenge her fathers murder by persuading her brother Orestes to help her kill her mother Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus. Shakespeare examines many universal themes and ideals . According to Freudian theory, an important part of the developmental process is learning to identify with the same-sex parent. . Regan: Tis the infirmity of his age: yet he hath ever but slenderly known himself. (2018). Freud referred to a daughter's tendency to compete with her mother for possession of her father as the feminine Oedipus attitude or the negative Oedipus complex. & Trans. Last medically reviewed on January 7, 2022, Feeling love for your parents is natural, but according to Freud's theory, it may be a sign of Oedipus complex if those feelings stray into. Though many children experience feelings that may match the Electra complex theory description, its not an accepted theory or condition in modern psychotherapy. In doing this, Shoaib argues that they are representations of the phallic and post-Oedipal stages in Freuds psychosexual development. Electra is driven by her need to avenge her father's murder by her mother and her mother's new husband, her uncle. Kent even gets banished when he tries to intervene. 2023 Psych Central, a Healthline Media Company. London, England: The Hogarth Press. [16], Portrayals of Electra in Ancient Greece did not generally present her devotion to her father as sexually motivated; however, since the early twentieth century, adaptations of the Electra story have often presented the character as exhibiting incestuous desires. The Electra complex develops during the phallic stage of psychosexual development. Cornell University Press; 2005. Historical Context of King Lear. Resolving the Electra complex ultimately leads to identification with the same-sex parent. Strachey J, et al. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Shakespeares novel Macbeth demonstrates the many ways in which love can factor into a play. It gives the audience more sympathy for a clearly ailing man. Child-parent psychotherapy (CPP) may help improve attachment between caregiver and child and work through trauma or other mental health issues. Electra complex definition, a daughter's unconscious sexual desire directed toward her father, usually originating in childhood: designation based on the Greek myth of Electra and Agamemnon. In the period in which King Lear was writtenfrom 1604 to 1607King James VI, King of Scotland and England, was trying to persuade English Parliament to approve the union of the two countries into one nation. The textual history of King Lear is complicated, from its first printing to how it is edited today.The play first appeared in 1608 as a quarto titled True Chronicle Historie of the life and death of King Lear (Q1). As a result, Rush says, Freud formulated the Oedipus Complex as a way of painting his patients stories as imaginary, saying that womens accounts of sexual assault by their parents came from unresolved Oedipal complexes; and, subsequently, fantasies of having sex with their fathers. The Electra complex is a largely debunked theory that describes a female child experiencing specific feelings toward the parent of the opposite sex her father including: desire possessiveness. His youngest daughter, Cordelia, refuses. Like the Oedipal Complex, the Electra Complex involves a sexual desire for one parent and a jealous rage of the other. Freud fundamentally believed that both girls and boys experienced psychosexual development in the same phases. Instead, Horney argued that female psychiatric disturbances had its origins in the male-dominated culture that had produced Freudian theory. The daughter possesses an unconscious desire to replace her mother as her father's sexual partner, thus leading to a rivalry between the daughter and mother. The Shakespearean notion of love is inevitably connected to larger ideas of power and morality, though the existence of each concept may also potentially cause the demise of. Goneril: The best and soundest of his time hath been but rash; then must we look to receive from his age, not alone imperfections of long-engraffed condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness that infirm and choleric years bring with them. The case of little Hans the boy that Freuds account centers around has been criticized both for its validity and for its role in being the only major piece of evidence that Freud presented as justification for the Oedipus complex. They should know better. Childhood Trauma and Codependency: Is There a Link? It is associated with a period of development during which a girl has increasing love for. Lear first shows his anger with Cordelia. This raises the question over loves true meaning and whether what Orsino feels is truly love, or something else entirely. But he doesnt stop there; he wishes one of the worst things you could wish on a woman at the time on his oldest daughter: barrenness. His rage is intense enough that those around him are shocked. Erikson, E. H. (1950). The Electra Complex, first proposed by Carl Jung, is the female equivalent of the Oedipus complex. Again, penis envy is purely theoretical and has little to no empirical support by the wider scientific community. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, "On the prognostic significance of the mental content in manic-depressive psychosis", "Arca Shares New Song "Electra Rex": Listen", "Oedipus omplex in Children: What Parents Need to Know", Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Electra_complex&oldid=1158295313, Phrases and idioms derived from Greek mythology, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, This page was last edited on 3 June 2023, at 05:10. He had three daughters (same as me). ACEs have been linked to many other conditions, including: According to Jungs theory, an Electra complex left unresolved in childhood may persist into adulthood. All rights reserved. Khan, M., & Haider, K. (2015, November). Hamlet feels that he should avenge his father's murder by his new "father," his uncle (and possibly his mother as well). freud.org.uk/education/resources/what-is-psychoanalysis-part-3-the-oedipus-complex/, library.manipaldubai.com/DL/The_Interpretation_Of_Dreams.pdf, books.google.com/books?id=ahLbDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false, link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-319-28099-8_1410-1, sas.upenn.edu/~cavitch/pdf-library/Freud_Dissolution.pdf, journalpsyche.org/tag/stages-of-psychosexual-development/, link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-319-28099-8_1365-1. There is very little scientific evidence for the reality of the Electra complex. It is framed in psychoanalytic theory, and has been used to address issues of female development. Identifying your type of attachment style may help in strengthening your bonds and becoming more secure in your relationships. Freud developed the underlying ideas of the Electra complex, although he did not term it as such. Goneril: You see how full of changes his age is; the observation we have made of it hath not been little: he always loved our sister most; and with what poor judgement he hath now cast her off too grossly. His abusive nature made me feel sympathy, especially for Goneril. Goneril and Regan show no care for his physical or mental health and forbid anyone to go after him. Cixous portrays Dora's alleged hysteria as a reasonable reaction to her father's misbehavior, with Freud hired to cover it up.[26]. HOWEVER, there is a turning point in the play, and I think it is when it becomes abundantly clear that Lear is in a state of mental decline. His first negative experience is with Gertrude, his heartless whore of a mother. They are the ones that have their full mental faculties. Therefore, there are currently no formal treatments for Electra complex. According to Freud, during female psychosexual development, a young girl is initially attached to her mother. I found his reaction to be completely outrageous. Rush believed that, at first, Freud drew a causal connection between sexual abuse and the neurosis of his female patients, who often reported sexual abuse (Rush, 1996). Bowlby, J. Unsuccessful resolution of the Electra Complex can also lead to what Freud calls neurosis, which is a class of chronic mental disorders involving chronic distress. Psychotherapy's formal beginnings are difficult to pinpoint, though human beings have been talking to one another as mental health support for. It could not have been easy to deal with that abuse for so many years and stay a doting daughter. Carl Jung is credited with expanding the Oedipus complex theory in 1913, splitting the complex between boys and girls. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. When there is no one left, he turns his anger on the world and then on himself. He repeatedly attempts to appeal to Lears formerly good judgement, as does the King of France. Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by mental health professionals. The Theory of Psychoanalysis. He also portrays the idea of lovers making sacrifices in order to be together, even if it means forsaking things that are valuable to their existence, including their lives. Fathering in America: Whats a Dad Supposed to Do? Electra Complex in Shakespeares Twelfth Night. It was tantamount to the Oedipus complex. What Is The Electra Complex? Romeo and Juliet, the story where two forbidden lovers take their own lives for the sake of love. Why should shakespeare playsnot be taught in High Schools? (1929). This is often used as a tactic for emotional abusers because it keeps the abused off balance. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Breaking the Illusion of Being: Shakespeare and the Performance of Self, Broken English and Broken Irish: Nation, Language, and the Optic of Power in Shakespeare's Histories, Errors and Labors: Feminism and Early Shakespearean Comedy, Fearful Simile: Stealing the Breech in Shakespeare's Chronicle Plays, Food for Words: Hotspur and the Discourse of Honor, Knowing aforehand: Audience Preparation and the Comedies of Shakespeare, Losing the Map: Topographical Understanding in the Henriad, Marxist Criticism: Cultural Materialism, and the History of the Subject, Mixed Verse and Prose in Shakespearean Comedy, Mixing Memory and Desire: Notes for a Psychodynamic Exploration of Shakespeare, Peter Quince's Ballad: Shakespeare, Psychoanalysis, History, Psychoanalytic Interpretations of Shakespeare's Works, Rethinking Gender and Genre in the History Play, Ritual and Ceremony in Shakespeare's Plays, Saints Alive! Welsh singer Marina and The Diamonds released her sophomore album Electra Heart in 2012, with themes revolving around the Electra complex. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. As it relates to Freud's definition of the Oedipal Complex, it is defined as: the psychoanalytic theory that a female's psychosexual development involves a sexual attachment to her father, and is analogous to a boy's attachment to his mother that forms the basis of the Oedipus complex. (2020). On the genesis of the castration complex in women (pp. The Electra complex occurs in the thirdphallic stage (ages 36)of five psychosexual development stages: the oral, the anal, the phallic, the latent, and the genitalin which the source of libido pleasure is in a different erogenous zone of the infant's body.
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