Dostoevsky and Parricide: A Summary

* Dostoevsky and Parricide: A Summary *

I summarised our group’s discussion into bullet-points, so that it is much easier to skim-read and understand.

Main points from the essay:

Freud analysed Dostoevsky’s “The Brothers Karmazou” and categorised into 4 facets:

1) creative artists пÑ" least doubtful

2) neurotic пÑ" most readily assailable

3) moralist

4) sinner пÑ"

- pg 179 para2

Dostoevsky’s complex personality is presented as being 1) quantitative and 2) qualitative

Freud also suggests that: Dostoevsky is a bit neurotic, reason being of his epilepsy

пЂâ„- Epilepsy is a disease of the brain (alien disturbance)

пЂâ„- Epilepsy sufferers are neurotic (disturbance as an expression)

пЂâ„- One characteristic of a neurotic is parricide

OEDIPUS COMPLEX explanation:

- derives from the Greek myth of Oedipus, who unknowingly kills his father, Laius, and marries his mother, Jocasta

- the child feels sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex and desires the death of the parent of the same sex

- this complex appears from the age of 3-5.

A common misunderstanding of the Oedipus complex is "hatred for the father and love for the mother" in both sexes.

Freud explains that: the boy desires sexaul activity with the mother.

However, is expected to arouse the father’s anger

The child surmises that the most probable outcome is castration.

The father’s existence is translated to fear.

Doesn’t want to lose his masculinity thus gives up his sexual wishes

пÑ" Leads to thoughts about parricide to “put himself instead in his mother’s place and take over her role as object of his father’s love” (Impossible Task)

“Wants to be loved by this father as a woman”

- Freud also held that the unsuccessful resolution of the Oedipus complex could result in neurosis, pedophilia, and homosexuality

- Dostoevsky’s reason for his neurotics & epilepsy пÑ"ÑŸ derived from fear of castration.

- pg 191

Dostoevsky’s a gambler пÑ" lost a lot of money but during these times wrote his well-known works.

Freud says that: Dostoevsky’s gambling is a punishment, makes link with masturbation.

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