On the Contradiction and Unity of Western Marxism and Psychoanalysis

李京霖

【Abstract】Psychoanalytic criticism represented by Freud mainly studies the inner world of human through literary works， however， western Marxism places more weight on the study of its external relationships， that is the relationship between human and human or human and society. On the surface these two theories are mutually contradictory， but in fact western Marxism has boldly absorbed and developed the advance of Psychoanalysis when criticizing its limitations. Although their specific views in understanding of human nature and literature are different from each other， they still have something in common on criticizing that modern society deny human nature and emphasizing that art has the special function of liberating people， revolting against society， and saving human nature.

【Key words】western Marxism； Psychoanalysis； human nature； literature

【摘要】以弗洛伊德为代表的精神分析批评侧重于研究人的内心精神世界，而西方马克思主义文论批评观则跟更多的研究的是作品的内容，作品与其外部的关系，即人与人或者社会的关系。从表面上看二者是相互矛盾的，然而实际上西方马克思主义者在批判精神分析批评的局限性的同时，又大胆的对精神分析批评进行了吸收和借鉴。虽然两者在对人性的理解和对文学的态度上具体主张不尽相同，但是二者在批判现代社会否定人性，强调艺术具有反抗社会、拯救人性、解放人类等特殊职能上是基本一致的。

【关键词】西方马克思主义文论 精神分析批评 人性 文学

I. Introduction

In 1900， the publishing of Sigmund Freuds Die Traumdeutung marked the birth of psychoanalysis. As one of the greatest and longest western schools of literary criticism in the twentieth century， psychoanalytic criticism is a critical mode which applied psychoanalysis into the study of literature and art. Psychoanalysis reached its peak in 1920s and 1930s， but later it was attacked by the British and American New Criticism， and then it did not revitalize until it is reformed by other theorists like Lacan and Holland after 1960s. It is generally believed that the birth of western Marxism is marked by the publishing of Lukacs History and Class Consciousness in 1923. Western Marxists make efforts to study literary theory with their understanding of Marxism. They advocate that literary works should be studied within the socio-historical and cultural background， fight against separating literature from society and history， pay attention to observing the ideological nature of literature from the relationship between the economic base and superstructure， and attach great importance to the social function of literature. However， in fact they can also be united together for western Marxism has boldly absorbed and developed the advance of Psychoanalysis when criticizing its limitations.

II. On Human Nature

The main concern of psychoanalysis is the inner world of human， namely the abstract man. Psychoanalysis is closely related to Freud， for he has created a unique and vast theoretical system. This system has its own object of study and research method， and its unique concept and argument mode as well. The most significant propositions are unconsciousness and the structure of personality.

Unconsciousness is the core concept of Freuds theory. In Freuds view， the main object traditional psychoanalysis studies is humans consciousness， however， psychoanalysis believes that consciousness is just a very small part of humans whole psychic process.On the basis of emphasizing unconsciousness， Freud moves forward to establish the theory of personality structure. The structure of personality is consisted of three levels. The bottom level is “id” which is the sum of a persons all kinds of instincts from birth. The second level of personality structure is “ego” whose task is to play a regulatory role between “id” and reality. The highest level of personality structure is “superego” which represents the moral demands.

If psychoanalysis is the study of “abstract man”， then we may consider that what western Marxism studies is the “realistic man”. First of all， “realistic man” that Marxism studies emphasizes the “individual”. Secondly， “realistic man” as living beings is always associated with a particular natural environment. Since the nature around people is the product of peoples productive activities， then labor plays an essential role human existence. Therefore， if we want to understand human nature we should start from the productive activities. What is more， “realistic man” locates in certain social relationships， because labor never takes place abstractly and it is based on the communication of individual.

III. On Literature and Art

Freuds literary view is an important part of the theoretical system of his psychoanalysis. Freud who always has a keen interest in literature and art uses psychoanalysis to study literary phenomenon. He takes this kind of study as illustration to support his psychoanalysis. Freud believes that writers and artists are men with unusually intense sexual instincts. He thinks that artists are men who are driven to move forward by their extremely arrogant instinctual needs， and at the same time， they are men with introvert personalities.

Western Marxism lays particular emphasis on the analysis of literary works from the perspective of the relation between human and society. First is knowing people and discussing the world， that is the analysis of a literary work should combine with the consideration of the time reflected in it and background of the author； Second is the emphasis on overall grasp， that is to take the whole work and writer into account； third is the evaluation of authenticity and typicality， that is the analysis of those works with permanent artistic charm； fourth is the combination of elaboration and judgment. Clearly， western Marxists view of literature and art is different from Freuds psychoanalysis of literary and artistic concept， and even fundamentally opposed. Marxism holds that “social being determines social consciousness”， and social life is “the only source of literature and art”； on the contrary， Freud left literature and art in isolation and holds that the literature and art come from the inherent unconscious “desire” of literary writers and artists， and the “illusion” produced by this kinds of “desire”. Marxist holds that the literature is the grasp and reproduction of social life in accordance with aesthetic rules， which embodies the peoples understanding of social life， emotions and aspirations； on the contrary， Freud attributes the theme of literature and art completely to “Oedipus complex”， that is， the performance of a persons sexual desire and its satisfaction.

IV. Conclusion

Although the specific views of western Marxism and psychoanalysis are different from each other in understanding of human nature， literature and the relationship between human and society， they still have something in common on criticizing that modern society deny human nature and emphasizing that art has the special function of liberating people， revolting against society， and saving human nature. On the surface these two theories are mutually contradictory， but in fact western Marxism has boldly absorbed and developed the advance of Psychoanalysis when criticizing its limitations.

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