Psychology of the Unconscious: A Study of the Transformations and Symbolisms of the Libido. A Contribution to the History of the Evolution of ThoughtJung, C. G. (Carl Gustav)
Philosophy
Psychology of the Unconscious: A Study of the Transformations and Symbolisms of the Libido. A Contribution to the History of the Evolution of Thought
Jung, C. G. (Carl Gustav)
Libido (Psychology); Mother and child; Psychoanalysis; Subconsciousness; Symbolism (Psychology)
Miss Miller was under the influence of a deep erotic impression, as we
have seen. Because of the sum-total of the feelings aroused by this, it
does not seem that this impression was more than dimly realized, for the
dream had to contain a powerful repetition. From analytic experience,
one knows that the early dreams which patients bring for analysis are
none the less of especial interest, because of the fact that they bring
out criticisms and valuations of the physician’s personality, which
previously, would have been asked for directly in vain. They enrich the
conscious impression which the patient had of his physician, and often
concerning very important points. They are naturally erotic observations
which the unconscious was forced to make, just because of the quite
universal undervaluation and uncertain judgment of the relatively weak
erotic impression. In the drastic and hyperbolic manner of expression of
the dream, the impression often appears in almost unintelligible form on
account of the immeasurable dimension of the symbol. A further
peculiarity which seems to rest upon the historic strata of the
unconscious, is this—that an erotic impression, to which conscious
acknowledgment is denied, usurps an earlier and discarded transference
and expresses itself in that. Therefore, it frequently happens, for
example, that among young girls at the time of their first love,
remarkable difficulties develop in the capacity for erotic expression,
which may be reduced analytically to disturbances through a regressive
attempt at resuscitation of the father image, or the “Father-Imago.”[65]
Indeed, one might presume something similar in Miss Miller’s case, for
the idea of the masculine creative deity is a derivation, analytically
and historically psychologic, of the “Father-Imago,”[66] and aims, above
all, to replace the discarded infantile father transference in such a
way that for the individual the passing from the narrow circle of the
family into the wider circle of human society may be simpler or made
easier.
In the light of this reflection, we can see, in the poem and its
“Praeludium,” the religious, poetically formed product of an
introversion depending upon the surrogate of the “Father-Imago.” In
spite of the incomplete apperception of the effectual impression,
essential component parts of this are included in the idea of
compensation, as marks, so to speak, of its origin. (Pfister has coined
for this the striking expression, “Law of the Return of the Complex.”)
The effectual impression was that of the officer singing in the night
watch, “When the morning stars sang together.” The idea of this opened a
new world to the girl. (Creation.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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