The Interpretation of Psychology on Writing Victorian Literature

Sigmund Freud, who was often referred to as the “father of modern psychology,” and was recognized by many as the father of psychoanalysis, revolutionized the understanding of the human mind. According to his theory, individuals are driven by an unconscious need to satisfy their wants for pleasure. The foundation of contemporary psychoanalysis was laid by Jung through the use of archetypes as universal symbols and themes that reside in the collective unconscious and Freud in The Interpretation of Dreams (1990) and Civilization and Its Discontents (1930). The concepts of conflicts, the unconscious mind, dreams as symbolic expressions, and conflicts between the id, ego, and superego resonate intensely with the writers seeking to explore the psychological depths of their characters and that writing is not only a creative means, but one that is based on science. In exploring the Victorian novels of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, we are able to find specific Freudian concepts in relation to the texts, with a particular attention to the exploration of the main characters of the novels as they relate to psychoanalysis.