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Psychoanalytic Criticism In Poetry

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To know the meaning of the poems, we have to recognize the author´s imagery and usage of images. To visualize an image author uses various poetic devices. After reading a few poems of same author we are able to already recognize his style of writing and using specific devices. Thomas regarded the use of his imagery as the maybe most important part of his writing. That is why understanding of his poetry requires the understanding of his imagery. His imagery mostly contains word play, fractured syntax and personal symbolism that could be essential for our psychoanalysis. In his poetry, he is using a mixture of various techniques. To name the most important of them we could say surrealistic, imagistic and metaphysical techniques. Over and above …show more content…

It argues that literary texts, like dreams, express the secret unconscious desires and anxieties of the author, that a literary work is a manifestation of the author 's own neuroses. One may psychoanalyze a particular character within a literary work, but it is usually assumed that all such characters are projections of the author 's psyche.“ (Delahoyde). Psychoanalytic criticism in literature deals with psyche that is basically human personality that consist of id, ego and superego. Id operates as instinctive and primitive element of mind, it refers to instincts and is unconscious part of our psyche (personality). The Ego refers to I, the realistic part of mind and Superego as something above , integrates learned morals and social rules in human mind, it is a conscious part. (McLEOD) Psyche functions as expression of individual, the thoughts and ideas of a mind of writer. This approach surfaced during the era of romantic writing as it is connected with expressions, individuality and inner dialogues. To discover the hidden meaning in the poem so reader can interpret it properly , he is able to unveil the nature of poet itself through his poetry. This assumption is based on idea, that a literary work is connected with author´s mental and emotional traits. (ABRAMS,1997,p.247) Reader distinguishes three possible methods of critical …show more content…

The text is interpreted after analysis of mind of an author, unlike other types of criticisms that are concerned basicaly with text itself. This combining of literary and psychological aspect brings a unique approach. Psychoanalysis is „a discipline founded on a procedure for the investigation of mental processes that are otherwise inaccessible because they are unconcious“. (GEORGE, 2011) Freud believes that society reaches its unconscious aspect by the means of art, means of creative process. Psychoanalytical approach seeks for what is hidden behind words and reveals author personality and mind. (GEORGE,

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