The Freudian Triangle

A detailed Summary of The Freudian Triangle


During the late nineteenth century, Sigmund Freud, the father of

psychoanalysis, developed the concept that the basis of the human psyche is three

functional parts- the id, ego, and superego. Oscar Wilde's The Portrait of Dorian

Gray molds the main characters Dorian, Lord Henry, and Basil to fit this notion.

Lord Henry and Basil are a "delightful contrast" in their relationship and each

influence Dorian in a Freudian manner (page 17). The id is the infant and acts

solely on instinct and follows pleasure. The ego is an adult id in the sense that it

wants to seek out pleasure, but because of the innate desire of self-preservation, it

pressures the id into committing the sin. The superego is the conscience of the trio

and does not believe in fulfilling needs, but rather in sustaining the good and

morally right. In the Freudian triangle


believe that Lord Henry is, "much better than you pretend to be" (74). Even after

Throughout the novel, Lord Henry strives to influence and corrupt Dorian.

values. This hedonism ultimately is the cause of his own ruin.



Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 610
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

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