Psychoanalytic Approaches to Character Analysis in English Fiction

Abstract

Psychoanalytic literary criticism provides valuable insights into the psychological dimensions of fictional characters by applying concepts developed in psychoanalytic theory. This paper explores the use of psychoanalytic approaches in the analysis of English fiction, focusing on unconscious motivation, repression, desire, identity, dreams, and internal conflict. It discusses the contributions of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Jacques Lacan to literary interpretation and demonstrates how psychoanalytic criticism enriches the understanding of character development. The study concludes that psychoanalytic analysis remains an influential method for examining the emotional and psychological complexity of literary characters.