Psychoanalysis of Romeo and 

Juliet

Summary of Freud’s theory: -

Freud claimed the personality of a human  is  complex and isn’t made up of a single
component. In  ‘Ego and the id’, Freud hypothesised the human mind is a sum of three
parts (which may be equal or unequal.) The three parts being the ego, the id, and the
superego. These three components work together (often not in harmony) to create
complex human behaviour. Each of these three elements of the personality emerges at
different points in life. Freud also stated that the human mind can be divided into the
conscious and the unconscious. The three elements of the mind reside in either the
conscious or unconscious part of our minds/psyche. 

The id makes up the primal component of the personality and requires all the primal
urges to be fulfilled, whether it be thirst, hunger or sexual desire.  It is driven by the
pleasure principle. The Id primarily resides within the unconscious part of the brain. 

The  ego is a part of the personality which deals with reality.  Often times, the desires
of the id may cross boundaries and maybe unquenchable. It’s the job of the ego to keep
the id in check and make sure its desires are satisfied in a realistic way. The ego works
on the reality principle: ego is a part of the conscious mind.

The superego is the part of the mind which develops last. It is influenced by the
outside world. (Mainly parents and society.)  The superego is responsible for morality
and judgment. The superego can often be described as the more mature part of the
brain which behaves like a rulebook and often guides the ego away from the desires of
the id.  The superego is responsible for a civilized behaviour of the human. The
superego transcends both the conscious and the unconscious.

The interaction between these three components is often chaotic. Considering the
different aspects that these elements deal with, there is a high probability of conflict
arising. The superego can be an enemy to the id, and ego might act as a mediator.
According to Freud, the key to a healthy personality is striking a perfect balance
between these three components of the personality.
Psychoanalysis of ‘Romeo and Juliet’
With Freud’s theory as a map, let’s perform a psychoanalysis of the story of Romeo and
Juliet. In the beginning, it is observed that Romeo switches from loving Rosaline to
loving Juliet without hesitation at first glance. This instance of instant infatuation or a
strong attraction towards a female can be on account of the id. The id is responsible
for sexual desire and is primal in nature. This is an incident of ‘Love at first sight’ can
be evidence of the id being superior/having a major stake in the mind of Romeo. It is
further seen that Romeo acts on basic instincts and approaches Juliet without thinking
about the consequences of a Montague family member interacting with a Capulet. (“O
Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name, / Or,
if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, / And I’ll no longer be a Capulet” ) The lack of
societal awareness or consequential thinking in Romeo can be a result of an
underdeveloped superego. The relationship of Romeo and Juliet at its infancy seems to
be driven by sexual instinct highlighting the weak ego and superego of both the
individuals. 

An assumption can be made that Romeo’s id is that he’s in love with the concept of
being in love. A trace of sexual desire can also be assumed. 
It is to be noted that Romeo’s love for Rosaline seemed like a childish one as compared
to his love for Juliet. When it comes to Juliet, Romeo’s love is strengthened and his
poetic ability is also improved. It can be observed as the id being denied love or
satisfaction for its primal desires with Rosaline and hence it shifts towards Juliet. The
denial that came before makes the desire to acquire Juliet much more intense.
Responding to this demand of the id, ego gives in and suggests Romeo to court for
marriage to secure the relationship with Juliet. Here, we can observe the ego
obeying the demands of the id in a much more realistic way. It can also be
observed as the superego justifying the desires of the id and suggesting marriage
in order to fit in the desires of id with society.

Through a different lens, it can be observed that Romeo’s denial of a duel with Tybalt
(Romeo’s brother in law) can be a result of the actions of the superego. A lack of desire
to duel and incite violence depicts that the id might not be the strongest after all. But
the conflict that inspires Romeo to assault and kill Tybalt suggests otherwise. Romeo’s
killing of Tybalt was a pure act of revenge. Revenge can be described as the intense
desire of the Id which the ego cannot help but suffice. The guilt and shame that
follows are a result of the superego.

If the superego somehow satisfied the libidinal energy that arose between the two
(Romeo and Juliet), the story would end in a not-so-tragic way. 
From these instances, we can draw a few conclusions. Romeo’s id is fuelled by sexual
desire. Romeo has been denied love (by Rosaline) once and cannot afford to go through
that phase again. Both Romeo and Juliet are driven by sexual instinct (libido). Romeo’s
ego is his endless and relentless approach to marry and ‘acquire’ Juliet at any cost.