Literary Criticism: Psychoanalysis and Marxism Notes

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the historical trajectory of literary criticism, key psychoanalytic concepts, Marxist theoretical terms, and specific critical applications to 'A Rose for Emily' and the story of Aladdin.

Classical Theory and Criticism

A period of literary study spanning from the $5th$ Century B.C.E. to the $5th$ Century C.E.

Medieval Theory and Criticism

A period of literary study spanning from the $5th$ to the $15th$ Century.

Renaissance and Neoclassical Theory

A period of literary study spanning from the $16th$ to the $18th$ Century.

Romantic Theory and Criticism

A period of literary study spanning from the Late $18th$ to the Early $19th$ Century.

The Unconscious

The repository of distressing desires, experiences, or memories that remain hidden from voluntary recall.

Repression

The act of pushing unmanageable experiences out of the conscious mind; signs include self-destructive behavior, Disturbing dreams, and defensiveness.

Denial

A defense mechanism involving the belief that a disturbing event never occurred or a distressing situation does not exist.

Avoidance

A defense mechanism characterized by steering clear of persons, locations, or scenarios that might trigger repressed memories.

Displacement

Redirecting negative feelings from an original person toward another target to alleviate pain or anger without addressing the root cause.

Projection

Attributing one’s own unacknowledged problems to someone else and attacking them to prove one is free of those problems.

Low self-esteem

The belief that oneself is less worthy than others and not deserving of attention, love, or reward.

Insecure sense of self

The inability to sustain a personal identity, making an individual highly vulnerable to the influence of others.

Fear of abandonment

The vexing belief that an individual’s loved ones will desert them physically or care less about them.

Fear of intimacy

The feeling that emotional closeness will be damaging or destructive, leading to the maintenance of emotional distance.

Oedipal fixation

A dysfunctional emotional attachment to a parent of the opposite sex that is not outgrown, preventing maturity into adult relationships.

Thanatos (Death Drive)

An inborn compulsion towards oblivion or self-destruction; its 'death work' can color fears of abandonment or intimacy.

Eros (Life Drive)

An inborn life-affirming sexual drive that exists in opposition to Thanatos.

Id

The part of the tripartite psyche serving as a reservoir of forbidden, repressed desires oriented towards immediate gratification.

Superego

The part of the tripartite psyche serving as a repository of social values and taboos that induce guilt.

Ego

The conscious self that mediates between the desires of the id and the norms or values of the superego.

Phallus

In Lacanian psychoanalysis, the ultimate signifier of power, desire, and meaning.

Phallic Function

The law governing an individual's desire and limiting their jouissance.

Castration

The recognition of human limitation, specifically that one cannot have everything they want.

Jouissance

Sexual pleasure or 'pleasure in pain' that goes beyond the pleasure principle.

Masculine Position (All/Phallic)

A position of sexuation where all are subject to the phallic function, with the exception of the 'primal father' who imposed the law.

Feminine Position (Not-All/Other)

A position of sexuation where 'Not-All' is subject to the phallic function, with no 'primal mother' exception to anchor it.

$$il\,n'y\,a\,pas\,de\,rapport\,sexuel$$

Translation: 'No sexual relation'; refers to the lack of complement between sexes and the enigma of what it means to be a man to a woman or vice-versa.

One vs. Only

'One' is the starting point of a jouissance sequence, while 'Only' is the terminal point of singular choice or love.

Classism

The belief that an individual's value is dependent on social class and the assumption that the bourgeoisie is naturally superior to other classes.

Capitalism

An economic system defining everything in terms of monetary worth on the market, often critiqued for an inherent 'ethics of greed.'

Commodification

The subordination of persons and objects to their monetary worth.

Exchange value

A Marxist concept referring to how much an object or person can be exchanged for.

Sign-exchange value

The social status achieved through the possession or purchase of a specific object.

American Dream

The belief that hard work and resolve allow anyone to go from rags to riches, often used to conceal systemic inequalities.

Rugged Individualism

An idealized image of an individual striking out alone to achieve high-risk goals, valuing self-interest over community needs.

Biopower

In the context of 'Aladdin,' the genii represent this power, which is harnessed through a willingness to exploit their labor.