Summary
This book argues that the desire for male offspring is driven not only by reproduction but by a father's need to avenge wrongs done by his own father. This manifests as a deeply buried, unconscious complex against the father, which pervades men's minds and can fuel extraordinary actions, from religious fervor to radical reforms. The intensity of this unconscious feeling can lead to revolutionary societal and political changes, as seen in the lives of figures like Amenhotep and Mohammed.
The book explores how this unconscious drive can be sublimated into various forms of action, including attempts to overthrow paternal authority in religious and political realms. It suggests that such tendencies, when not manifesting as overt mental derangement, can be a symptom of certain psychoneuroses. The work also posits that a reformer's passionate drive for change can be fed by the very repressed feelings they seek to eradicate, such as incestuous complexes related to familial inheritance customs.
Key concepts
- Unconscious complex against the father — A deeply buried psychological antagonism men possess towards their fathers.
- Desire for male children — The motivation for having sons, extending beyond reproduction to a means of avenging paternal wrongs.
- Sublimation — The psychological process of redirecting unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable actions.
- Psychoneurosis — A mental disorder characterized by distress but not delusions or hallucinations.
- Incest-complex — Repressed psychological desires related to incestuous relationships.
From the book
This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works . Public domain Public domain false false← The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis Volume II → 3855772 The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis — Volume II THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHO-ANALYSIS DIRECTED BY SIGM. FREUD OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE INTERNATIONAL PSYCHO-ANALYTICAL ASSOCIATION EDITED BY ERNEST JONES PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF DOUGLAS BRYAN, J. C. FLÜGEL (LONDON) A. A. BRILL, H. W. FRINK, C. P. OBERNDORF (NEW YORK) VOLUME II 1921 THE INTERNATIONAL PSYCHO-ANALYTICAL PRESS LONDON • VIENNA • NEW YORK CONTENTS OF VOLUME II COMMUNICATIONS COLLECTIVE REVIEWS BOOK REVIEWS NOTES REPORTS OF…
Popular questions readers ask
- How would you explain the principle of "rigid determinism in all psychic processes" and the "parental complex" to someone unfamiliar with psychoanalysis, using the application to historical figures like Mohammed or Amenhotep IV?
- Berkeley-Hill argues that "nothing shadowy or mysterious" exists in Mohammed's records, making him suitable for psychoanalysis. What unique challenges or ethical considerations might arise when applying psychoanalytic methods, typically designed for living patients, to historical figures whose inner lives are only accessible through secondary sources?
- If a "prodigious 'parental complex'" can be identified in figures like Mohammed through historical analysis, how might this Freudian perspective reshape our understanding of not only individual historical figures but also the broader cultural or religious movements they initiated?
- The text suggests that Freud's "rigid determinism" *led* to the psychoanalysis of historical personalities. Can you articulate the chain of reasoning that connects a belief in psychic determinism to the justification for applying it to figures from the distant past?
- Considering the overall title "Psycho (Film) by Alfred Hitchcock" which frames this excerpt, how might the ideas presented in "The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis" — particularly the discussion of historical psychoanalysis and complexes — serve as a foundational or thematic backdrop for understanding Hitchcock's film?