www. google.

com

THE LITERARY
THEORIES

PREPARED BY:
Ms. Rochelle B. Montalban
Looking at the images, what do you think do the images depict?
 PART 1: PSYCHOANALYSIS/
PSYCHOANALYTIC CRITICISM
Nature of Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is defined as a set of psychological theories and therapeutic
methods which have their origin in the work and theories of Sigmund Freud. The
primary assumption of psychoanalysis is the belief that all people possess
unconscious thoughts, feelings, desires, and memories.

Basic Assumptions:
Psychoanalytic psychologists see psychological problems as rooted in the
unconscious mind.
Manifest symptoms are caused by latent (hidden) disturbances.
Typical causes include unresolved issues during development or repressed
trauma.
 PART 1: PSYCHOANALYSIS/
PSYCHOANALYTIC CRITICISM
Basic Assumptions:
Freud believed that people could be cured by making conscious their
unconscious thoughts and motivations, thus gaining insight.
Treatment focuses on bringing the repressed conflict to consciousness, where
the client can deal with it.

PSYCHOANALYTIC PRINCIPLES
The goal of psychoanalysis is to help us resolve our psychological problems,
often called disorders or dysfunctions.
 PART 1: PSYCHOANALYSIS/
PSYCHOANALYTIC CRITICISM
How can we understand the unconscious mind?
Remember, psychoanalysis is a therapy as well as a theory. Psychoanalysis is commonly
used to treat depression and anxiety disorders. Psychoanalysis in its classic form is a
lengthy process often involving 2 to 5 sessions per week for several years.

The Existence of the Unconscious

Human beings are motivated, even driven, by

desires, fears, needs and conflicts of which they are
unaware --- that is unconscious.
 PART 1: PSYCHOANALYSIS/
PSYCHOANALYTIC CRITICISM
How can we understand the unconscious mind?
 QUESTION #1

What is meant by Oedipus Complex?

What is meant by Electra Complex?

How do you think these

affect a person's
concept of desire,
adoration and
attraction towards
opposite gender?
 In sum, here is a
quick look on the
differences between
the two
After we understood the principles of psychoanalysis, now let
us talk about the defenses, anxiety and core issues
 PART 1: PSYCHOANALYSIS/
PSYCHOANALYTIC CRITICISM
Differentiate the concepts
of Id, Ego and Superego
 Our unconscious desires not to recognize or change our
destructive behaviors --- because we have formed our identities
around them and because we are afraid of what we will find if we
examine them too closely --- are served by our defenses.
Defenses are the process by which the contents of our
unconscious are kept in the unconscious. In other words, they are
the process by which we keep the repressed repressed in order to
avoid knowing what we feel we can't handle knowing.
What are cosidered as DEFENSES?
Defenses include: selective perception, selective memory, denial,
avoidance, displacement, projecting and regression.
Many psychological experiences can function as defenses, even
when not formally defined as such. For example, fear of intimacy ---
fear of emotional involvement with another human being ---
often an effective defense against learning about our own
psychological wounds because it keeps us at an emotional distance
in relationships most likely to bring those wounds to the surface:
relationships with lovers, spouses, offspring, and best friends.
Of course, sometimes our defenses momentarily breakdown,
and this is when we experience anxiety, the disturbing, often
overwhelming, feeling that something is wrong or that we are in
danger. Anxiety can be an important experience because it can
reveal our core issues, those deeply rooted, psychological problems
that are the source of our self-destructive behavior.

Now, let's find out what are examples of defense mechanisms and
talk about core issues and their relationship to anxiety.
Examples of DEFENSES
 What are core issues?
Fear of Intimacy - the chronic and overpowering feeling that
emotional closeness will seriously hurt or destroy us and that we
can remain emotionally safe only by remaining at an emotional
distance from others at all times.
What is intimacy?
Intimacy refers to the ability to
genuinely share your true self with
another person and relates to the
experience of closeness and connection.
Some define different types of intimacy,
including:
Intellectual: The ability to share your
thoughts and ideas with another
Emotional: The ability to share your
innermost feelings with another
 Fear of Intimacy
Some define different types of intimacy, including:

Sexual: The ability to share yourself

sexually
Experiential: The ability to share
experiences with another
Spiritual intimacy: The ability to share
your beliefs beyond your self, in a
higher power, or individual connection
to others and the world
 Fear of Abandonment
Those who are afraid of abandonment
worry that their partner will leave them. This
fear often results from the experience of a
parent or other important adult figure
abandoning the person emotionally or
physically as a young child.
A fear of abandonment is a complex
phenomenon that can stem from a variety of
developmental experiences, including loss or
trauma.
This fear has been studied from a variety
of perspectives.
Theories behind why fear of abandonment occurs include interruptions in the normal
development of certain cognitive and emotional capacities, challenges with past
relationships, and other problematic social and life experiences.
 Although it is not an official phobia, the fear of abandonment is arguably one of the
most common and most damaging fears of all. People with the fear of abandonment
may tend to display behaviors and thought patterns that affect their relationships.

Ultimately, maladaptive coping with this

fear can result in the abandonment they
dread becoming a reality. Consequently, this
fear can be devastating. Understanding fear
of abandonment is the first step toward
resolving it.

Why It Happens
Our behaviors and actions in current relationships are all thought to be the result of
old fears and learned concepts that take place in childhood. There are many theories
that attempt to understand the fear of abandonment.

(https://www.facebook.com/verywell, 2019)
 Fear of Betrayal

The nagging feeling that our

friends and loved ones can't be
trusted, for example, can't be
trusted not to lie to us, not to
laugh at us behind our backs, or
in the case of romantic partners,
not to cheat on us by dating
others.

Theories behind why fear of abandonment occurs include interruptions in the normal
development of certain cognitive and emotional capacities, challenges with past
relationships, and other problematic social and life experiences.
 Low self-esteem
Low self-esteem is when someone lacks confidence about who they are and what they can do.
They often feel incompetent, unloved, or inadequate. People who struggle with low self-esteem are
consistently afraid about making mistakes or letting other people down. A major factor of low self-
esteem, however, comes from your own mental state. Your inner voice, or the thoughts in your
head, can be constantly telling you that you are not good enough or worth anything, even if there is
evidence to the contrary. Negative thinking in general is linked to low self-worth and low self-
esteem.
 Insecure or unstable sense of self
Unstable sense of identity means that you don't have a good sense of who you are
as a person. Some examples of an unstable sense of identity include:
Feeling like you don't know yourself
Having a very unstable sense of who you are and how you feel about yourself
Feeling "empty" much of the time
Identity disturbance is sometimes called
identity diffusion. This refers to difficulties
determining who you are in relation to other
people. Sometimes you simply feel non-existent.
Others even say that they are almost like a
"chameleon" in terms of identity; they change
who they are depending on their circumstances
and what they think others want from them.
 Oedipal Fixation (or oedipal complex)
Freud first proposed the concept of the Oedipal complex in his 1899 book The
Interpretation of Dreams, although he did not formally begin using the term Oedipus complex
until the year 1910.
Did you know?

In psychoanalytic theory, the Oedipus complex refers to the child's desire

for sexual involvement with the opposite sex parent, particularly a boy's
erotic attention to his mother. This desire is kept out of conscious awareness
through repression, but Freud believed that it still had an influence over a
child's behavior and played a role in development.
Freud suggested that the Oedipus complex played an important role in the phallic stage of psychosexual
development.1 He also believed that successful completion of this stage involved identifying with the same-
sex parent which ultimately would lead to developing a mature sexual identity. According to Freud, the boy
wishes to possess his mother and replace his father, who the child views as a rival for the mother's affections.
 PART 2: MARXISM/ MARXIST
CRITICISM
How can we understand the Marxust Theory?
 PART 2: MARXISM/ MARXIST
CRITICISM
How can we understand the Marxust Theory?
The following are elements of Marx's theories on how class conflict would play out in a
capitalist system.
Capitalist society is made up of two classes—the bourgeoisie, or business owners,
who control the means of production, and the proletariat, or workers, whose labor
transforms raw commodities into valuable economic goods.
Ordinary laborers, who do not own the means of production, such as factories,
buildings, and materials, have little power in the capitalist economic system.
Workers are also readily replaceable in periods of high unemployment, further
devaluing their perceived worth.
To maximize profits, business owners have an incentive to get the most work out of
their laborers while paying them the lowest possible wages. This creates an unfair
imbalance between owners and the laborers whose work they exploit for their own
gain.
 PART 2: MARXISM/ MARXIST
CRITICISM
How can we understand the Marxust Theory?
The following are elements of Marx's theories on how class conflict would play out in a
capitalist system.
Because workers have little personal stake in the process of production, Marx
believed they would become alienated from it (as well as from their own humanity)
and resentful toward the business owner.
The bourgeoisie also employ social institutions, including government, media,
academia, organized religion, and banking and financial systems, as tools and
weapons against the proletariat with the goal of maintaining their position of power
and privilege.
Ultimately, the inherent inequalities and exploitative economic relations between
these two classes will lead to a revolution in which the working class rebels against
the bourgeoisie, seizes control of the means of production, and abolishes
capitalism. Source: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/marxism.asp
PART 2: MARXISM/ MARXIST
CRITICISM
 QUESTION #1

What is the main ideology of Marxist Criticism?

 QUESTION #2

How should we inject Marxism in literature?

 PART 3: ARCHETYPAL CRITICISM

Supplementary Source| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wywUQc-4Opk

By definition
An archetype is an idea, symbol, pattern, or character-type, in a story. It’s any story
element that appears again and again in stories from cultures around the world and
symbolizes something universal in the human experience.

According to Michael Delahoyde, Archetypal criticism is defined as follows:

Archetypal theory and criticism, although often used synonymously with Myth theory and crticism, has
a distinct history and process. The term “archetype” can be traced to Plato (arche, “original”; typos,
“form”), but the concept gained currency in twentieth-century literary theory and criticism through
the work of the Swiss founder of analytical psychology, C. G. Jung (1875-1961).

Archetypal criticism argues that archetypes determine the form and function of literary works, that a
text's meaning is shaped by cultural and psychological myths.

Archetypal criticism gets its impetus from psychologist Carl Jung, who postulated that humankind has
a "collective unconscious," a kind of universal psyche, which is manifested in dreams and myths and
which harbors themes and images that we all inherit. Literature, therefore, imitates not the world but
rather the "total dream of humankind."
 Examples of ARCHETYPES
HERO
Hero stories have certain elements in common – heroes generally start out in ordinary circumstances, are
“called to adventure,” and in the end must confront their darkest fear in a conflict that deeply transforms the
hero.

TRICKSTER
Tricksters break the ordinary rules of society and even nature. They are often
androgynous (having both male and female attributes), and they love to play
tricks on those around them. They may also laugh at things others find terrifying,
such as death or isolation. Tricksters are believed to symbolize the chaotic and
complex realities of the world that are beyond the understanding of the human
mind. Tricksters can be evil, or they can be good.

ANTI-HERO
An anti-hero has many of the attributes of a Hero but is not a traditional “good guy.”
 Types of ARCHETYPES

a. Character archetypes
The most common and important kind of archetypes. Most popular characters have a
universal archetype such as Hero, Anti-Hero, or Trickster (see the previous section).

b. Situational archetypes
Situations that appear in multiple stories. Examples might include lost love, returning
from the dead, or orphans destined for greatness.

c. Symbolic archetypes
Symbols that appear repeatedly in human cultures. For example, trees are an
archetypal symbol of nature (even in cultures that live in relatively tree-less areas). Fire
is also an archetypal symbol, representing destruction but also ingenuity and creativity.
 www. google.com

12 Archetypal Characters to Use in Your Writing of Archetypes

 12 Archetypal Characters to Use in Your Writing of Archetypes

Here are the 12 common character archetypes, as well as examples of archetype in famous works
of literature and film.
1. The Lover
- The romantic lead who’s guided by the heart.

Strengths: humanism, passion, conviction

Weaknesses: naivete, irrationality
Lover Archetype Examples: Romeo and Juliet (Romeo and Juliet), Noah Calhoun (The Notebook),
Scarlett O’Hara (Gone With the Wind), Belle (Beauty and the Beast)

2. The Hero
- The protagonist who rises to meet a challenge and saves the day.

Strengths: courage, perseverance, honor

Weaknesses: overconfidence, hubris
Hero Archetype Examples: Achilles (The Iliad), Luke Skywalker (Star Wars), Wonder Woman
(Wonder Woman), Harry Potter (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone)
 12 Archetypal Characters to Use in Your Writing of Archetypes

3. The Magician
- A powerful figure who has harnessed the ways of the universe to achieve key goals.

Strengths: omniscience, omnipotence, discipline

Weaknesses: corruptibility, arrogance
Magician Archetype Examples: Prospero (The Tempest), Gandalf (The Lord of the Rings),
Morpheus (The Matrix), Darth Vader (Star Wars)

4. The Outlaw
- The rebel who won’t abide by society’s demands.

Strengths: independent thinking, virtue, owes no favors

Weaknesses: self-involved, potentially criminal
Outlaw Archetype Examples: Han Solo (Star Wars), Dean Moriarty (On the Road), Humbert
Humbert (Lolita), Batman (The Dark Knight)
 12 Archetypal Characters to Use in Your Writing of Archetypes

5. The Explorer
- A character naturally driven to push the boundaries of the status quo and explore the unknown.

Strengths: curious, driven, motivated by self-improvement

Weaknesses: restless, unreliable, never satisfied
Explorer Archetype Examples: Odysseus (The Odyssey), Sal Paradise (On the Road), Huckleberry
Finn (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn), Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes)

6. The Sage
- A wise figure with knowledge for those who inquire. The mother figure or mentor is often based on
this archetype.

Strengths: wisdom, experience, insight

Weaknesses: cautious, hesitant to actually join the action
Famous sages: Athena (The Odyssey), Obi-Wan Kenobi (Star Wars), Hannibal Lecter (The Silence
of the Lambs), The Oracle (The Matrix)
 12 Archetypal Characters to Use in Your Writing of Archetypes

7. The Innocent
- A morally pure character, often a child, whose only intentions are good.

Strengths: morality, kindness, sincerity

Weaknesses: vulnerable, naive, rarely skilled
Innocent Archetype Examples: Tiny Tim (A Christmas Carol), Lennie Small (Of Mice and Men), Cio-
Cio-san (Madame Butterfly), Buddy the Elf (Elf)

8. The Creator
- A motivated visionary who creates art or structures during the narrative.

Strengths: creativity, willpower, conviction

Weaknesses: self-involvement, single-mindedness, lack of practical skills
Creator Archetype Examples: Zeus (The Iliad), Dr. Emmett Brown (Back to the Future), Dr. Moreau
(The Island of Dr. Moreau), Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein)
 12 Archetypal Characters to Use in Your Writing of Archetypes

9. The Ruler
- A character with legal or emotional power over others.

Strengths: omnipotence, status, resources

Weaknesses: aloofness, disliked by others, out of touch
Ruler Archetype Examples: Creon (Oedipus Rex), King Lear (King Lear), Aunt Sally (The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn), Tony Soprano (The Sopranos)

10. The Caregiver

- A character who continually supports others and makes sacrifices on their behalf.

Strengths: honorable, selfless, loyal

Weaknesses: lacking personal ambition or leadership
Caregiver Archetype Examples: Dolly Oblonsky (Anna Karenina), Calpurnia (To Kill a
Mockingbird), Samwell Tarly (The Game of Thrones series), Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins)
 12 Archetypal Characters to Use in Your Writing of Archetypes

11. The Everyman

- A relatable character who feels recognizable from daily life.

Strengths: grounded, salt-of-the-earth, relatable

Weaknesses: lacking special powers, often unprepared for what’s to come
Everyman Archetype Examples: Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit), Leopold Bloom (Ulysses), Leslie
Knope (Parks & Recreation), Winston Smith (1984)

12. The Jester

- A funny character or trickster who provides comic relief, but may also speak important truths.

Strengths: funny, disarming, insightful

Weaknesses: can be obnoxious and superficial
Jester Archetype Examples: Sir John Falstaff (Henry V), King Lear’s Fool (King Lear), Frank and
Estelle Costanza (Seinfeld), R2D2 and C-3PO (Star Wars)

These 12 archetypes, each with highly identifiable traits, populate our books, poetry, films, and
theatrical productions.
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-101-the-12-literary-archetypes#joseph-campbell-and-character-archetypes
 In addition to articulating the concept of “the hero’s journey,” academic Joseph Campbell
helped popularize the idea of character archetypes in literature.

Author of the seminal work The Hero With a Thousand Faces (1949), Campbell applied the
ideas of thinkers like Sir James George Frazer and Carl Jung, combining them with his own to
distill eight character archetypes found throughout the hero’s journey:

1. Hero
2. Mentor
3. Ally
4. Herald
5. Trickster
6. Shapeshifter
7. Guardian
8. Shadow
 QUESTION #1

Differentiate Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung's concept of psyche.

PAGE 24
PAGE 23

VS
Sigmund Freud's Carl Jung's

Psyche
Psyche

VS
 QUESTION #2

Explain concisely and comprehensively the basic tenets of Archetypal criticism.