Psychological Criticism of Person - Essay Example

Psychological Criticism For centuries, the relationship between a person’s thinking in relation to his action has been ofgreat concern to psychologists. By definition, the study of psychology entails knowledge of human mind and its functions. In relation, psychological criticism in literature tends to analyze literary works from a psychological view. In addition, a person’s mental process takes place in his mind and reveals itself in form of codes and symbols. Thus, it becomes the easiest way of analyzing author’s writings in order to understand their subconscious and conscious intentions. Based on this critic some concept develops forming its branches. They include trauma, cognitive and psychoanalytic criticism. Therefore, in integrating literary works and psychological sphere, one is able to create a powerful aspect into literary criticism, which is scientific in nature. In relation to above, the base of this essay is to try to dissect two authors’ writings in a psychological perspective. For instance, Nathaniel’s ‘young good brown’ and Edgar’s ‘the tell-tale heart’ and ‘the cast of amontillado’. In relation to ‘Young Good Brown’ by Nathaniel, it clearly shows how brown’s actions had many motivating factors. Based on his psychology, brown sees himself creating more haste on his current evil purpose. His conscious mind affects him compelling him to attend the witch- communion in the forest. He tends to care less on effects that will arise from this communion. In addition, his instincts greatly enhance his actions. This is because he feels he is going to achieve something from the communion. Finally yet importantly, based on motivating factors, he had faith and this kept him going even if the forest was that scary with dark and dreary paths. Brown embarks on a scary and terrifying journey. The motive of this journey is to meet the witches and demons in the communion. Although his family lineage was Christians, brown decides to deviate from that and follow the evil way. In relation, this quest also involved the welcoming of a certain woman to the evil service during the communion. In addition, brown engages in the journey to go revive himself with the evil. On his way, he meets different people who also have the same interest as him. For instance, fifteen minutes after his departure, he comes across a man who scares him at first. Based on psychological analysis, although he gets scared, his goal does not change. This implies that his mind is not affected. In addition, he becomes more committed to attending the communion thus continues with his journey. In relation to self-discovery, brown is still afraid of what is to happen. For instance, he shouts ‘faith’ in a voice accompanied by desperation and agony. Furthermore, he ends up losing his humanity after a weird moment making him conclude that good does not exist on earth. Thus, this makes him welcome the devil and its spirits into his world. This effect on his psychological sphere greatly affects him changing his self-definition as well as destiny. Finally yet importantly on these events is the communion and the welcoming of the converts. In relation, brown becomes one of congregation and steps forth. He is not able to resist whatever is going on and even control his thoughts at this moment. His psychological reasoning clogs with the situation thus he is not able to think if what he is doing is right or wrong. Moreover, he is not able to speak. In relation to this, he has no opportunity to speak his mind. In addition, he feels confused so much that he cannot even listen to a psalm song in church following the next Sabbath. Thus in clear observation there was another person in him. In analyzing Edgar’s ideas in relation to his writing on ‘The Tell-Tale Heart,’ psychological perspective becomes a very crucial element. Based on this essay, the narrator has many motivating factor that makes him confess on murdering of the old man. These factors are in relation to his thinking thus making him confess the truth. For instance, he points out that he did not kill the old man because he had crossed his line or wronged him in any way, but rather for no reason at all. This implies that he was psychological disturbed by the existence of the old man and he did not know the reason why. In addition to above, the narrator clarifies himself to concerned audience and become self-conscious in relation to that murder. Moreover, he wants to prove a point that he is not a mad man. He tries to explain that he had been observing him and did not like the old folk’s eyes. Furthermore, his mind is clear that the old man’s eyes and nothing more only affect him. Therefore, he makes his mind to kill him in order to get rid of his annoying eyes forever. From above statements, the narrator is clueless on why he killed that old man not taking into consideration his annoying eyes. Thus, one can judge he may have also made his confession basing on psychological disturbances. He was never at rest with the situation. This is because killing the old man kept on haunting his mind and therefore he had to relieve through confession. Based on what speeds up his confession, one can understand that he felt haunted day and night with the incident. This had resulted into psychological trauma within him. In addition, he had no passion, peace, and objective in his life after killing the old man. He rushed into confession to relay out his ideology that he was not a crazy being but rather a normal person. Moreover, he felt body remorse for the old man and this had shaken him inwardly to confess. Finally yet importantly, the psychological trauma had destroyed him. For instance, he felt headaches and ringing in his ears. This made him want to speak continuously in order to get rid of the effects. Thus, generally rushing into confession was due to psychological problem within him. In relation to above, the narrator’s mind state in term of id, ego, and super ego becomes affected. ID entails a person’s instincts in relation to his actions. Thus, the narrator’s instinctual trend is not clear because he has no clear explanation on why he killed the old man. Thus, he is not sure if the instincts he followed were correct or not. In relation, EGO entails a person’s desire in relation to his super-ego. Thus based on the confession, the narrator’s desire was to kill the old man probably for no reason. Super-Ego on the other hand entails what stop a person from doing something influenced by his ID. From the confession, it is clear that the narrator had no Super-Ego since he just followed his desires to kill the old man. Thus, his psychological world becomes a mess. Finally, on psychological criticism, there is also a book on the ‘Cast of Amontillado’. This essay entails life history of Edgar and his experiences in life before his death. These experiences are of no doubt affected his psychological well-being. Furthermore, they may have been the contributors to his failures and therefore his death. The death of his mother and his first psychologically traumatized him. Moreover, the disowning by his uncle retarded his psyche affecting his mental view of life. Thus, he decides to become alcohol addict and a gambler as well while still in Baltimore. From the experiences, he could not make it no matter how hard he tried. This is because each day he experienced a setback rather than achievement. In conclusion, therefore psychological being remains an important part of a person. In relation, a person’s psychology once affected can lead to change in his actions as well as reasoning. In explanation, these changes reflect in Edgar and Nathaniel’s essays as discussed above. The characters’ lives do not remain the same all through their lifetime due to the experiences they encounter. Thus, psychological understanding requires much attention in influencing people’s attitudes and actions. Read More