Psychoanalytic criticism examines literature through the theories of Sigmund Freud regarding the unconscious mind. The document discusses three key aspects of psychoanalytic criticism: 1) Creativity and neurosis - Some critics argue that creativity stems from neuroses in the unconscious mind. Edmund Wilson discusses this in relation to the works of Sophocles, André Gide, and John Jay Chapman focusing on their interest in the tale of Philoctetes. 2) Author psychology - Examining an author's psychology can provide insight into their works and vice versa. Wilson argues Sophocles wrote Philoctetes because he identified with the mad character. 3) Psycho-biography - Literary critics may psychoanalyze

1. Essay Psychoanalytic Criticism
Psychoanalytic Criticism
Introduction
The psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud spent much of his life exploring the workings of the
unconscious. Freud's work has influenced society in ways which we take for granted. When we
speak of Freudian slips or look for hidden causes behind irrational behavior, we are using aspects of
Freudian analysis. Many literary critics have also adopted Freud's various theories and methods. In
order to define Freudian literary criticism, we will examine how various critics approach Freud's
work. We will pay special attention to issues of creativity , author psychology , and
psycho–biography .
Creativity and neurosis
Many of us may be familiar with the notion that creativity is intertwined with...show more content...
Elaborating on this opinion, some critics have wondered to what extent the creative process springs
only from those thoughts in the unconscious which result from neurosis. The critic Edmund Wilson
has addressed this question in his book The Wound and the Bow. Wilson discusses creativity and
neurosis in terms of the playwright Sophocles, and the writers Andr Gide and John Jay Chapman,
and the attention paid by all three to the tale of the Greek warrior Philoctetes. The tale is about the
nobility of those who suffer on the outskirts of society, and about a society which at the same time
needs and rejects these outcasts. Wilson proposes "the idea that genius and disease, like strength and
mutilation, may be inextricably bound up together" (289). Wilson notes that these three writers who
have shown interest in the noble and suffering Philoctetes themselves all suffered from a type of
neurosis (289, 293).
Author psychology
As Wilson's comments suggest, the question of creativity can lead us to focus on the psychology of
the author. Such a focus might suggest that a text helps to explain the life and concerns of an author
and vice versa. For example, Edmund Wilson argues that Sophocles wrote the play Philoctetes
because he identified with the character. Both Sophocles and Philoctetes experienced madness,
Wilson
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