In Sigmund Freud’s seminal essay “The Uncanny,” he delves into the enigmatic concept of the uncanny and its profound impact on human psychology and literature. Freud’s exploration revolves around the uncanny as a state of simultaneous familiarity and unfamiliarity, which engenders a sense of discomfort and unease within individuals.
The Uncanny | Summary
The essay by Sigmund Freud is divided into three sections. The essay progresses from an introductory overview of the uncanny to a detailed exploration of its manifestations and underlying psychological mechanisms. By analyzing the uncanny, Freud aims to uncover deeper insights into the human psyche and its relationship with art.
Within each section, Freud provides a comprehensive analysis of the theme at hand. He draws on psychoanalytic concepts, case studies, literary examples, and his own observations to support his arguments. Freud’s writing style is characterized by a precise and analytical approach, employing intricate vocabulary and theoretical frameworks to elucidate his points.
Throughout the essay, Freud demonstrates a logical progression from one argument to the next, showing the interconnectedness of the various themes. He links the fear of death to the presence of doubles, highlighting how the uncanny emerges from the disruption of identity boundaries. He also connects the uncanny to the workings of the unconscious, emphasizing how repressed desires can resurface and contribute to the uncanny experience.
Towards the end of the essay, Freud concludes his exploration of the uncanny by summarizing the key points made and reflecting on the broader implications of his findings. He offers insights into the psychological and artistic significance of the uncanny and its impact on human experience.
The principal argument of this essay revolves around the uncanny’s association with the fear of death. He posits that the uncanny emerges when the familiar becomes infused with the realization of mortality and the unknown aspects of existence. This unsettling encounter with the uncanny stems from the primal fear of confronting one’s own mortality and the mysteries of what lies beyond life.
Freud also explores the concept of the double or doppelgänger as a manifestation of the uncanny. The presence of a doppelgänger, a replica of oneself, disrupts the distinction between self and other. This blurring of identity engenders a feeling of eeriness and unease. The uncanny nature of the double arises from its ability to evoke anxieties related to identity dissolution and the disintegration of the self.
Furthermore, he delves into the connection between the uncanny and the unconscious mind. He argues that the uncanny emerges when repressed desires and forbidden elements of the psyche resurface and manifest in unsettling ways. These resurgences can occur in dreams, fantasies, or irrational beliefs, unleashing the uncanny experience. The uncanny thus becomes a conduit for exploring the hidden depths of the unconscious.
The Uncanny, Section 1 | Analysis
In the opening section of Freud’s essay, he provides a succinct overview of his hypothesis, which centers on the existence of a distinct psychological phenomenon known as the “uncanny.” Freud posits that this uncanny feeling is characterized by a sense of unease and discomfort, differentiating it from conventional fear. It arises when something once familiar reemerges unexpectedly and imposes itself upon us in an unwelcome manner.
Implicitly assuming the reader’s familiarity with key psychoanalytic concepts, Freud’s initial exposition can be initially daunting for novices to his work. Nevertheless, this section offers valuable insights into Freud’s assumptions and methodological approach, particularly regarding the application of psychoanalysis to cultural and artistic phenomena.
It is important to note that “The Uncanny” was published later in Freud’s career, in 1919, when the foundational principles of psychoanalysis were already well-established. At this juncture, Freud felt confident in expanding the purview of psychoanalysis to encompass cultural and anthropological inquiries.
As a psychoanalyst, Freud holds a profound interest in art due to its intrinsic connection to fantasy, the instinctual, and the irrational. He contends that art serves as a medium through which our unconscious manifests itself in the form of images, symbols, and signs. While in other works Freud emphasizes the personal expression of an artist’s wishes or repressed memories, in the essay, he treats art, particularly literature, as a collective and universal repository for humanity’s fears and suppressed memories.
This perspective on art aligns with Freud’s utilization of language and linguistics as a means to elucidate shared cultural beliefs. Freud contends that seemingly innocuous phrases often harbor meanings and connections between ideas or emotions that once resided in our minds but now lie dormant—latent and yet undeniably present. Here, a linguistic analysis unveils the intricate interplay between the word “unheimlich,” meaning uncanny, and its antithesis, “heimlich,” denoting familiarity, relatedness to the home, and simultaneously, secrecy and danger. German speakers employ these words instinctively, without pondering their connection, as they intuitively grasp the emotional resonance and interconnectedness between them.
His linguistic investigation doubles as a survey of nineteenth-century German literary works, encompassing renowned authors such as J.W. Goethe and Friedrich Schiller, as well as lesser-known figures like Jeremias Gotthelf, Berthold Auerbach, Karl Gutzkow, and Johann Pestalozzi.
The essay exhibits Freud’s characteristic argumentative style, wherein he subtly intertwines broader cultural and psychological arguments within the study of an extreme or isolated case. While traditional aesthetics have predominantly focused on the positive effects engendered by art, such as beauty and grandeur, Freud diverges by centering his inquiry on horror, discomfort, and anxiety. By scrutinizing a phenomenon situated at the fringes of artistic acceptability or aesthetics, often associated with genres struggling for recognition, like horror, Freud aims to shed light on a fundamental aspect of the symbiotic relationship between art and our psychic lives.
This rhetorical strategy mirrors Freud’s psychoanalytic writings, which frequently blur the demarcation between “neurotic” cases and the human condition at large, as well as the line between health and illness. Freud adeptly veils whether his observations exclusively pertain to the “morbidly anxious” or “neurotic” individuals, or if they encompass psychic processes experienced universally by all human beings. In a similar vein, Freud coyly claims immunity to the uncanny while relying on his own experiences as evidential support.
In essence, Freud’s opening section concisely introduces the central hypothesis while weaving together themes of cultural analysis, linguistics, literature, and psychoanalysis. It sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the uncanny and its profound implications for artistic and human experience.
The Uncanny, Section 2 | Analysis
In the second section of Freud’s essay, he embarks on a comprehensive exploration of the uncanny, drawing upon various examples and phenomena to construct his theory. Freud deftly dissects the uncanny experiences and effects that have long captured the imagination of readers and viewers, resonating with their innate fears and anxieties. He astutely observes that these motifs, such as the helplessness in dreams, the animation of inanimate objects, encounters with doubles, and the return of the dead, continue to captivate audiences within the horror genre.
Freud demonstrates his mastery of psychoanalysis by weaving together elements from existing theories while offering his unique insights. While borrowing Jentsch’s concept of the uncanny and embracing Schelling’s notion of the return of the hidden, Freud goes beyond these perspectives to delve into the depths of his own psychoanalytic practice. He reveals that the roots of the uncanny lie in the recesses of our memories, desires, and fears—traces from infancy or earlier stages of human existence that have been repressed or overcome.
Central to Freud’s argument is the uncanny’s peculiar feeling of familiarity, which distinguishes it from mere fear. This sensation, he posits, is a form of recollection, a stirring of memories that were once thought irretrievable. For instance, the animation of dolls triggers a reminiscence of our childhood belief in their lifelike qualities, when we possessed the conviction that we could exert control over the animate spirits inhabiting the world. Similarly, the fear of losing one’s eyes harkens back to the childhood dread of castration, a universal experience among male children when confronted with their burgeoning sexuality. Freud unveils how the uncanny represents the recollection of our time in the womb, manifesting as the terrifying prospect of being buried alive.
Moreover, Freud skillfully interweaves the development of humanity with the psychological development of children. He illuminates the striking parallels between the beliefs held by children, neurotics, and “primitive man,” notably the narcissistic belief in the omnipotence of one’s thoughts. By drawing these connections, he indicates that the uncanny, while predominantly associated with neurotics, is, in fact, an intrinsic aspect of human consciousness.
As Freud’s argument unfolds, readers may initially find his conclusions challenging to accept. However, it is worth noting that his analysis of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s “The Sand-Man” has been widely regarded as definitive. Freud perceptively dissects the intricate interplay between the story’s familial dynamics and the unsettling Olympia episode, elucidating how Nathaniel’s narcissistic love for a character devoid of personality encapsulates the traumatic experiences of his past. He suggests that Hoffmann may have been driven by personal experiences to craft a chilling tale or to intentionally employ the uncanny as a narrative device.
Freud expertly combines his psychoanalytic expertise with literary analysis, skillfully navigating the realm of the uncanny. He offers a rich tapestry of insights, unveiling the hidden layers of our psychic lives and shedding light on the intricate interplay between repressed memories, childhood fears, and the universal allure of the uncanny. Freud’s profound observations not only deepen our understanding of the uncanny phenomenon but also emphasize the enduring relevance of his psychoanalytic approach in exploring the complex depths of human experience.
The Uncanny, Section 3 | Analysis
In the third section of Freud’s essay, he delves into the exploration of the creative employment of the uncanny by authors and the implications it holds for artistic expression. Freud acknowledges that the uncanny, with its ability to evoke profound emotions and tap into the depths of the human psyche, has a significant role in literature and art.
Freud proposes that the primary source of the uncanny in literature is the presence of repressed desires and fears within the reader’s own unconscious. He argues that works of fiction serve as powerful stimuli that awaken these latent emotions, thereby eliciting a response that is both unsettling and captivating. By unraveling the underlying psychological mechanisms at play, Freud provides valuable insights into the intricate dynamics between the artist, the work, and the audience. He highlights the motif of the “double,” where characters encounter their doppelgängers or encounter mirrored versions of themselves. The concept of the double triggers an unsettling sensation, as it challenges the stability of identity and blurs the boundaries between the self and the other.
Freud also explores the role of repetition in creating an uncanny effect. He argues that repetition, particularly in the form of recurrent themes, symbols, or patterns, intensifies the sense of the uncanny. The repetition of certain elements evokes a feeling of familiarity while simultaneously breeding unease and ambiguity. Additionally, he emphasizes the significance of the “omnipotence of thoughts” in generating the uncanny. He suggests that the ability of thoughts and fantasies to influence reality, blurring the line between imagination and actuality, contributes to the uncanny experience.
He also illustrates the interplay between the conscious and unconscious aspects of the creative process. He suggests that artists, often unconsciously, tap into their own repressed emotions and desires, infusing their works with an uncanny quality. This notion sheds light on the profound connection between the artist’s personal experiences and the universality of the uncanny in artistic expression.
Freud’s analysis underscores the transformative potential of art. He argues that literature, through its evocation of the uncanny, provides a means for individuals to confront their deepest fears and desires in a controlled and symbolic manner. In this way, the uncanny becomes a vehicle for catharsis and self-discovery, allowing individuals to grapple with their innermost conflicts and anxieties.
By unraveling the enigmatic nature of the uncanny, Freud deepens our understanding of the profound impact of art on the human experience. “The Uncanny” stands as a testament to Freud’s pioneering exploration of the subconscious and its profound influence on our understanding of literature and human psychology.
