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In Our Time

Psychoanalysis and Literature

Nov 9, 2000
Melvyn Bragg discusses the role of Freudian analysis in literature with guests. They explore the relationship between psychoanalysis and literature, questioning if psychoanalysis can be reclassified as literature itself. The conversation delves into the impact of Freud's work on contemporary literary thinking and the emotional essence conveyed through literary masterpieces.
42:08

Episode guests

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Quick takeaways

  • Freud's psychoanalysis is intertwined with literature, sparking debates on its scientific basis and relevance.
  • Psychoanalysis, viewed as poetry by some, continues to impact literature and offer therapeutic insights.

Deep dives

Freud's Influence in Literature

Freud's impact on literature is explored, with critics, like Harold Bloom, debating Freud's relevance. The discussion delves into the intertwining of psychoanalysis with literary works, analyzing Freud's ideas through the lens of famous literary works such as Sophocles' Oedipus Rex and Shakespeare's Hamlet. The relationship between psychoanalysis and literature is scrutinized, with emphasis on how Freud's concepts like the unconscious and childhood influence literary themes and character development.

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