Deciphering the Female Psyche: Fragmentation and the Allied Phenomena in Select Literature

Abstract

This research examines the possibilities of studying English literature written by female authors in close association with emerging studies in psychology. The study attempts to discern the ‘female psyche’ through a critique of gynocentric literatures. In doing so, some of the queries that would be addressed in this research include: Can inquiries on the female psychic process contribute to the understanding of ‘female identity’ and ‘female self’? Are ‘female self’ and the psychic process evolutionary in nature? This study undertakes a gynocentric analysis of the select novels by contemporary English novelists. The novels selected for this study are The Golden Notebook (1962) by Lessing, The Edible Woman (1969) by Atwood, The Binding Vine (1993) by Deshpande, The Household Guide to Dying (2008) by Adelaide, Maya’s Notebook (2013) by Allende, and Americanah (2013) by Adichie. Taking into account the “androcentric bias” of the prevalent psychoanalytical theories, this research probes in detail, into the condition of ‘female psychic fragmentation’ through an in depth analysis and interpretation of the select novels. The study further aims to explore the eventual formation of the ‘self’ or ‘identity’ in woman. The methodologies used for examining these novels include textual analysis, ethnographic analysis, and discourse analysis. The study leads to major observations that the ‘intrapsychic conflict’ within the ‘psychic structures’ in a woman may lead to a state of ‘fragmentation.’ The failure to resolve the ‘intra-psychic conflict’ as could be seen from this study, could lead to the condition of ‘psychic-split.’ This condition could germinate certain pathological imbalances such as ‘dissociation,’ ‘eating disorders,’ and ‘anxiety disorders.’ As could be interpreted from this research, it is found that ‘fragmentation’ and allied psychic phenomena plays an important role in the ‘female psyche.’