2.2.3 The Superego 10

2.2.4 The Interaction between the Id, Ego and Superego 10

III. The Analysis of Heathcliff with Freudian Structural Theory 13

3.1 Heathcliff’s Id 13

3.2 Heathcliff’s Ego 15

3.3 Heathcliff’s Superego 18

IV. Conclusion 20

Bibliography 22

A Freudian Psychoanalytic Interpretation of Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights

I. Introduction

Selling very poorly and obtaining only a few mixed reviews, Wuthering Heights drew very little attention when first published in 1847. However, it is now one of the most widely acknowledged  novels in the world literature. This novel helped Emily Bronte gain world-wide reputation in literature field. In Wuthering Heights, Bronte depicts the relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine. It is a love story filled with   revenge.   Heathcliff,   the   main   character   in   Emily’s      novel —Wuthering Heights, was an unidentified child adopted and named by Mr. Shawn, who owned Wuthering Heights. Young Heathcliff experienced abandoning, adoption, love, humiliation and betrayal. All these experiences contribute to the formation of his multiple character. Many literary critics and readers hold different attitudes toward Heathcliff, one of the most controversial figure in the world literature history.

Freud, the Austrian psychiatrist, established psychoanalysis. He put forward the structural theory of the psyche, which includes id, ego and superego. Each of them plays a particular role in human beings respectively. This theory can help people to better understand the causes of the formation of human characters. Therefore, the thesis will focus on the analysis of Heathcliff’s multiple personalities with Freudian structural theory of psyche. This can help us understand Heathcliff’s character, which will contribute to the understanding of the whole story and the novel’s theme.

This paper consists of four parts. Part One makes a brief introduction of Wuthering Heights and its main character—Heathcliff, Freud and his structural theory of psyche. Part Two firstly introduces Freud’s theories and then focuses on structural theory of psyche, including id, ego and superego. Part Three analyzes Heathcliff’s id, ego and superego respectively, and states the significance of this study. Finally comes a brief conclusion of this thesis.

II. The Theory of Freudian Psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud, born on May 6, 1856 and died on September 23, 1939, founded the psychoanalytic school of psychiatry. As a Jewish-Austrian neurologist, Freud is very popular for his unconscious ideas and repressive defensive mechanisms. Through dialogue with patients to create psychoanalytic psychopathology in clinical practice, he is regarded as "technical analyst" and psychoanalyst. His redefinition of sexual desire as the primary motivation energy of human life, as well as his therapeutic techniques were also welcomed all over the world. The therapeutic techniques contain three parts. Except the use of free association, there is the interpretation of dreams as sources of insight into unconscious desires as well as the theory of transference in the therapeutic relationship. As a productive essayist, he drew attention to psychoanalysis to push forward the interpretation of history and cultural criticism. What’s more, he took the lead in researching cerebral palsy of neurological field.