Psychoanalytical theory

Literary psychoanalytic theory is an approach that applies concepts and principles from psychoanalysis to the analysis and interpretation of literature. It explore characters' psychological motivations, unconscious desires, and emotional conflicts. It seeks to uncover hidden meanings and symbolic representations of the human mind in literary works, enhancing our understanding of human nature. 

Looking at texts through a psychoanalytic lens encourages us to think closely about characters' personalities, as well as our own as readers! What have the characters repressed? This approach might be useful when looking at the work of Yukio Mishima in his novel, "Sailor...Sea": here we might usefully consider the repression of taboo sexual desires; or the obsession with death; or symbolism of golden objects.

• How does the formation of a character's identity in a studied text relate to psychoanalytic concepts, and how does examining it through this lens enhance our understanding?

• In what ways can psychoanalytical analysis assist in comprehending the author's intentions behind a specific text?