Post on 31-Dec-2015
The Psychology of Jane Eyre
Non-Freudian explanations– Mainly relevant to first two chapters
Freudian explanations– Relevant to whole novel
Fight or Flight
Flight - Jane usually hides behind the curtain
Fight - when badly hit by John she fights. Adrenaline - Autonomic response Arousal reduced by either Fight or Flight.
Obedience to Authority
Milgram - Potentially lethal electric shocks to a stranger.
Servants do not support Jane. They are obedient to Mrs Reed.
Obedience to Authority
“Behavior that is unthinkable in an individual who is acting on her own may be executed without hesitation when carried out under orders.”
Milgram:
Touch Proximity: Victim received a shock only when the victims hand rested on a shock plate. The teacher had to force his hand on it. Required physical contact with the victim.
Classical Conditioning
The Red Room Jane’s uncle (Mrs Reed’s husband) died
here. ‘Ghost’ appears and Jane is frightened Red room elicits fear in Jane Women shut away in rooms
Labelling theory
Jane feels that she is labelled by Mrs Reed as:– useless– noxious
and not– brilliant– handsome– romping, etc
Modified Labeling Approach
SocietalConceptions of What it Means
To Have a Mental Illness
Labeling:Conceptions
BecomePersonallyRelevant
Labeled PersonsResponse Secrecy,
Withdrawal etc.
Negative ConsequencesSelf-esteem,
Networks
Vulnerability toChronicity
Not LabeledSocietal
ConceptionsNot Relevant
to Self
NoConsequences
Due to Labeling
Perceptual priming
In the red room Jane thinks of the dead coming back from
the grave when their dying wishes have not been carried out.
Then a moving light is seen as a ghost The grown-up Jane (writing) believes it was
most likely a lantern being carried across the lawn.
Priming
Why did half the class say plate and the other half say petal?
They were primed to do so There were two different sheets of
unscrambled words
Priming sheet 1 Unscramble the following
word:
F I N E K O P O N S K R O F P U C E C U S A R L T E P A
Answer:
K N I F ES P O O NF O R KC U PS A U C E RP L A T E
Priming sheet 2 Unscramble the following
word:
N Y P A S F E L A K T A L S D U B L O B S O M S L T E P A
Answer:
P A N S YL E A F S T A L K B U D B L O S S O M P E T A L
The Ego and Mechanisms of Defense (1936) Anna Freud Repression Displacement Denial Projection Reaction Formation Intellectualization Rationalization Undoing Sublimation Identification with the
Agressor
The Ego deals with Id, Superego, and Reality by:
1. Secondary process– Ideal, but especially for children not always
possible 2. Defense mechanisms
– Sometimes, the best anyone can do. But can be used maladaptively
3. Symptoms (neurotic)– Last resort, things are bad when you have to
use these
Three types of anxiety
Neurotic Anxiety– Fear of being overwhelmed by unacceptable Id
impulses [Ego vs. Id] Moral Anxiety
– Fear of being punished by the Superego [Ego vs. Superego]
Reality Anxiety– Fear of danger in the outside world [Ego vs.
Reality]
Repression
The most basic defense mechanism The use of anti-cathexis to keep a memory
or wish from becoming conscious Repression is a component of almost every
other defense mechanism– Most defense mechanism = repression + ….
Repression
Gateshead from family Lowood from an institution Thornfield from within a relationship Moor House from within Ferndean - release from repression
Vagina Dentata
Victorian morality tale but myth is found in many cultures
Sex with strange women is dangerous
Freud - vagina - men are reminded of castration / also seen as mouth.
Vagina Dentata
Rochester has had at least one mistress and is metaphorically bitten by losing her to another man.
Bertha wounds Mason and becomes a Vagina Dentata
Sexual repression - St John Rivers
Displacement
The second most basic defense mechanism Definition: The transfer of psychic energy
from a repressed object-cathexis to a more acceptable object
The “more acceptable” object will in some way be associated with (usually resembling) the original object
Seen in phobias
Displacement in Jane Eyre
Rooms - not connected by plot but by emotions
Emotions are displaced onto the rooms Red Room - Jane is locked into when a child Room next to Bertha’s - whilst left alone to
tend Mason Bertha’s room - Bertha is locked and
becomes(?) mad.
Displacement in Jane Eyre
For transgressing the limits of proper female behaviour
Jane is imprisoned by John Reed (via his mother)
Bertha is imprisoned by Rochester Emotions: Fear, Hysteria, Madness and
Claustrophobia.
Projection Attributing an unacceptable thought or feeling
or your own to someone else instead of yourself This involves repression, plus an additional
factor Ego senses something unacceptable from
somewhere, but convinces self it is external Changes neurotic anxiety into reality anxiety Seen in paranoia
Projection
Projection - Mrs Reed - Jane should be more sociable and childlike.
Is John Reed sociable and childlike? Why does Mrs Reed spoil her children? Part of the reason why Mrs Reed puts Jane
down. ‘If Jane is Bad then my children are good’
Undoing
Performing a ritualistic act to “undo” an unacceptable act or thought
Jane’s fugue or flight from Rochester after she nearly entered into a bigamous marriage.
Sublimation
Two definitions of sublimation– Displacement of an impulse to a completely
socially acceptable, socially approved outlet– A displacement which discharges all the psychic
energy bound up in the original impulse successfully
– Jane could have sublimated her desire for Rochester by becoming a missionary’s wife but instead finds spiritual meaning in human experience.
Sublimation
Perhaps Brontë is sublimating her wish to criticize Victorian attitudes to women by writing Jane Eyre. A more acceptable activity.
Although many men then believed that writing was an inappropriate activity for women!
Identification with the Aggressor
Anna Freud named this one as a defense mechanism
The basis of the resolution of the Oedipus Complex
Jane enters into a sadomasochistic relationship with Rochester.
Split Personality
Unable to face up to trauma so personality is split.
One personality can comment upon how the other has been affected by trauma.
Disassociation
Multiple Personality Disorder
Presence of two or more distinct identities, each with its own unique, and enduring way of relating to the world or self
At least two of these identities recurrently take control of the person’s behavior
An inability to recall important personal information to an extent that is more than ordinary forgetfulness
Causes
Childhood trauma – usually sexual abuse before age 5
Experts believe alter arises to protect person from overwhelming memories and protect secrets from outsiders
Case Study: Eve
Thigpen and Cleckley, 1953 Rooted from traumatic events witnessed
growing up in South during Depression Eve White – wife and mother; Eve Black –
party girl; Jane – mature intellectual Total of 22 personalities
Case Study: Sybil
True name – Shirley Mason Set the standard for MPD as a
syndrome rooted in child abuse 16 separate personalities all having
unique talents and characteristics, such as piano playing or having British accent; some were male
Dr. Wilbur – Freudian psychologist 1998 – several publications
exposed Sybil case as scam Dr. Herbert Spiegel - only multiple
personality in psychoanalytic setting; just extremely suggestible hysteric
To ensure the book deal, Sybil had to be multiple; Dr. Wilbur’s archives will be opened in 2005…
Split Personality
Jane is the good woman who participates in the Victorian patriarchal society without rocking the boat too much for most of the book.
Bertha is the bad woman locked in the attic. The attic is rather like the unconscious mind Rochester is suppressing a memory that
pains him.
Split Personality
Is Bertha Bad? By modern standards? Compared with Rochester? People who do not fit into society (or are bad)
are labelled mad. Brontë is using this split to criticise in a more
acceptable form the treatment of women. (Sublimation?)
Castration complex
Part of little boy’s psychosexual development.
As a punishment for loving mother, father threatens castration
Resolved by the boy identifying with father.
Castration complex
Early stage of Rochester’s life Naïve marriage to Bertha Expecting Victorian norms of behaviour Bertha could have been a mother substitution
for Rochester Bertha rebels Divorce not possible Locks her away
Castration complex
Rochester expecting his wife to be like his mum
Rochester expects Jane to be subservient too Sadomasochistic relationship between
Rochester and Jane Until Rochester is maimed in the fire He is castrated
Castration complex
Jane can enjoy a future marriage based on equanimity and mutual understanding and respect.
Brontë like Austen commented on the subservient role of women of their day.
Changing view of Bertha
Brontë could not directly attack these values so used Jane and Bertha to get the message across.
Message was too subtle for many Victorians Bertha seen as bad Modern age could see Bertha in new light Jean Rhys' novel ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’.