THE TRACES OF WOMB ENVY IN THE PATRIARCHAL PANTHEON IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Authors : Banu Akçeşme

Pages : 275-290

Doi:10.54282/inijoss.1359022

View : 31 | Download : 76

Publication Date : 2023-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Myths provide insight both into the cultural aspects of human societies and the psychological motivations behind human actions, drives, urges, dreams and fantasies. Myths illustrate how the ancient people make sense of their existence, creation, the working of the earth, natural events and catastrophes. They also provide symbolic representations and projections of desired attainments, relations, bodies and institutions in human culture. In this sense, wishfulfillment can be considered one of the fundamental functions of myths. Important psychoanalysts such as Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung also extensively make use of myths to shed light on various aspects of cultural practices, human psyche and behavior. This paper intends to explore the traces of womb envy in Greek mythology since it is one of the fundamental feelings and desires that can be observed in the male psyche. The child-bearing capacity of women, along with the pre-oedipal mother-child relation, has always created anxiety and fear in male deities, which in fact reflect the real life experience. Gods’ desire to possess the ruling power can be seen as an attempt to overcome this fear and make up for their lack of reproductive capacity. This paper will examine the selected myths in a psychoanalytical framework with specific references to Melanie Klein’s and Karen Horney’s concepts of womb envy.
Keywords : Psychoanalysis, Womb Envy, Greek Mythology, Defense Mechanisms, Sublimation and compensation