I had a strange dream last night. My God! What did you dream? Were there fish involved?
Or umbrellas, trees, hammers? If so, you were, in actuality, dreaming about sex.
That is, at least, what Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, would say.
Greetings all friends—and foes—of the phallus. My name’s Guy, and welcome to It’s History.
Our task in this episode is a thorough psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud. Time for him to have a taste
of his own medicine!
Sigismund Schlomo Freud was born in 1856 in Freiberg, then still part of the Austro-Hungarian
Empire. Young Sigismund soon decided to call himself Sigmund. He was a very diligent pupil,
and wanted to study. Inspired by Charles Darwin, he chose medicine. Research into evolution
was of particular interest to him. In 1873, he commenced his studies at the University
of Vienna. But Chemistry and Zoology weren’t enough for this keen student. No, he began
to attend lectures on philosophy and mathematics. In his parents’ view, these were mediocre
pursuits: their boy was to do something practical, a proper profession!
A scholarship allowed Freud to make it to a zoological research centre in Trieste. He
was completely over the moon, as a leader in the field of evolution was in residence.
Freud dedicated himself passionately to his research, which he pursued on eel testicles.
Each to his own, you might say… Back at the University of Vienna, Freud began to research
the nervous system of fish. And he explored the foundations of academic psychology.
Freud passed his exams and was awarded a doctorate in 1881. In 1885, he set off on a study trip
to Paris. There, the neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot treated patients suffering from hysteria—to
great public effect. The whole thing was highly inspirational to Freud, who resolved to busy
himself with hypnosis and suggestion, a process where one person guides the thoughts of another.
Along with a colleague, he developed talking therapy, a precursor to psychoanalysis.
In Vienna, Freud began work as a private lecturer in neuropathology, and established
himself as a doctor at the same time. In 1891, he moved into the now famous flat at Berggasse 19,
before succumbing to bowel cancer in 1922. Hardly surprising, perhaps, given that he
smoked 20 cigars a day. Just two years before, he was made a fully-fledged professor, but
he died in 1939 in his mid 60s in spite of numerous operations, having fled to London
to avoid Nazi persecution.
You’ll surely know the famous picture of Freud with the strapline, “What’s on a
man’s mind”. Freud’s face consists almost entirely of a naked woman. Freud didn’t
really construct a complete theory of sexuality; it was more that large parts of his psychoanalytic
method revolved around sexuality. He wanted to understand how the human psyche functioned.
To that end, he interpreted the dreams of his patients, which he then used to develop
a model. Accordingly, he named the three instances of the human psyche: the id, the ego, and
the superego.
The id stands for instincts or urges, like sex. It also stands for needs and feelings
like envy or love. The ego searches for rational solutions to psychological and social conflicts.
It is a sort of broker between the impulsive id and the superego, which represents internalised and
habitual actions, roles and the general worldview. Many of our actions result from the conflict
between the instinctive urges of the id and the strong, morally astute superego. Between
the two is the ego that tries to bring the two other opposing elements of the psyche
into harmony.
From this tension between the id and the superego, says Freud, come our instincts. One of these
instincts is the ego, or the instinct for self preservation. And, of course, the instinct
for sex, which Freud labels libido. Nowadays, we use this term to describe lust and desire,
but to Freud, it was a matter of general life force.
A problem arises here. As the instinct for sex is located within the id, it is more or
less incalculable. And it stands in opposition to the instinct for self preservation. Freud
believes that we will do anything to satisfy lust— a paradigm that is, of course, completely
incompatible with civilised society. For this reason, Freud says sexuality can be dangerous;
it must be restrained and kept under control. Freud developed not only a model for the adult
psyche, but also one for infants. Contrary to the trend in thinking at the time, Freud
didn’t think that children were completely asexual. Quite the opposite: mature, adult
sexuality comes from the immature sexual state of the child. From this assumption, Freud
surmises that all people start off bisexual, but that social norms dictate that we opt
either for homosexuality or heterosexuality on reaching adulthood.
So, childhood sexuality. You have probably already heard of the oral and anal phase,
and likewise of the Oedipus complex. This is enormously important for the development
of adult sexuality. Freud envisaged it thus: during the phallic phase, the child plays
either with their penis, or their clitoris. The child desires the parent of the opposite
sex: boys goes for mothers, girls for fathers. The parent of the same sex, therefore, is
seen as a rival. This notion is what Freud calls the Oedipus conflict, and it is highly
important for the psyche to overcome this conflict. This happens when the child identifies
with the parent of the same sex, and adopts the sexual role that society prescribes. If
this doesn't happen, the Oedipus complex is the result. A fully grown adult is, in this
situation, not able to detach themself from the parent in question, and this can lead
to catastrophic consequences. Examples are failure to adopt a sexual role, to identify
with the opposite sex, or to engage in loving relationships. So I hope, dear viewers, that
you have managed to overcome your Oedipus conflict!
Women, according to Freud, are mutilated men, if you want to put it crudely. Girls exhibit
penis envy, and the clitoris is only a paltry replacement; the penis, therefore, is the
superior sex organ. Incidentally, Freud sees no instance of pure masculinity or femininity.
These constructs, as we understand them, are the product of socialisation and the institutionalisation
of sexual roles.
Freud has often been criticised for being phallocentric; there might be some truth in
this. And for Freud, sexuality is involved in all relationships, even if they are not
intrinsically sexual.
Whether you agree with Freud’s analysis or not, there’s no denying that any talk
of sexuality these days relies on Freudian concepts. Penis envy, the pleasure principle
and libido are just a few. Freud emphasises the role of childhood sexuality, from which
adult conceptions of the self develop. And women must come to terms with the fact that
they are, according to Freud, merely mutilated men.
Discover more on Freud’s ideas about female sexuality, along with more up-to-date findings
on female pleasure and desire, in our video right here.
What do you think? How much currency do Freud’s theories hold today?
Leave your answers and comments the section below, and don’t forget to subscribe to
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