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Essay On Sigmund Freud's Structural Theory Of Personality

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Sigmund Freud’s Structural Theory of Personality explains the relationship between behaviour and the three components of the mind: the Id, Ego and Superego. The Id represents the instincts with which one is born. The Id does not involve realistic thinking or the use of logic since one would do anything to have immediate satisfaction of his/her wants, needs or passions, such as stealing to satiate desires. However, the Ego is the use of logic and rational thinking that has been gained from observation of the outside world to influence behaviour. It is the part of the mind that assists in delaying or using an alternative mean to satisfy the Id’s demands in order to avoid the negative repercussions of society. Conversely, the Superego develops …show more content…

This complexity of personality can be identified in several characters in both the 1817 novel “Frankenstein” by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and the 1994 film by Kenneth Branagh, inspired by the book. In these artistic creations, Frankenstein’s Id component of the mind controls his actions owing to the fact that he becomes blinded with his passion to create life. This ultimately leads to his demise as he neglects his family and friends and abandons his health. Frankenstein also embodies the Ego and Superego because he refuses to create a mate for the creature as he thought of the consequences. Analogous to Frankenstein, the created being’s conduct is also based on its instincts since its Id controls and channels all of the creature’s energy to get revenge on Frankenstein. On the other hand, Walton is able to regulate the Id, Ego and Superego. This is apparent when Walton returns to England after recognizing that the discovery of the North Pole and glory accompanied with this are worth less than the lives of his crew members. Although the narrative and the 1994 film, “Frankenstein” were produced in different eras, they both depict the complexity of the personality, Freud’s theory, and how an individual should reconcile every aspect in order to have a

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