psychoanalysis and lit crit

[Mark Konecny]

Dear Seelangers,

Please let me preface my comments with a few words... I am not hostile to
psychoanalysis either as a methodology or as a tool for literary criticism,
given a few caveats. There is always a temptation to claim that a fictional
character is either capable of revealing a subconscious or is a mirror of
the psyche of the author- both of which are, at best, dubious assertions
given the nature of literature. A fictional character is a result of a
conscious intention to create a persona- any motivations, intentions,
dreams, symbology etc are the result of a decision by the author; therefore,
the fictional character does not, and cannot, have the experiences or
motivations other than those attributed to him/her. An author may reveal
certain facets of his/her own mind in writing, he is also able to imagine or
project any characteristic which is desired. While in the hands of a
sophisticated scholar, the tools of psychoanalysis may lend insight into the
craft of the writer, there are dangerous pitfalls awaiting the unwary
student. While this may lead some to claim a hostility to the methodology,
it may, in fact, be simply a matter of legitimate objections to the manner
in which it is applied. 
I think this is a fruitful matter for debate with many different points of
valid points of view. 

Mark Konecny
Institute of Modern Russian Culture

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