Cronenberg’s Spider: A Psychoanalytic Perspective

Abstract

This article examines Spider (Cronenberg, 2002) structurally and thematically with a psychoanalytic perspective. It briefly discusses the psychosexual and psychic configuration of the protagonist, Dennis Cleg, and his fantasy. In the analysis, Cleg’s childhood memories are examined by focusing on Sigmund Freud’s concepts of the Oedipus complex, family romance complex, and fantasy formation. After Cleg witnesses the primal scene between his parents, his repressed sexual desires for his mother reactivate and he begins to see his mother as an object choice. He creates a fantasy where his mother is replaced by a prostitute figure, Yvonne. Thus he can express his sexual desires while preserving the innocent image of his mother. However, this split perception causes him to misinterpret reality, and repress the truth of his mother’s murder because of psychosis and hallucinations. When he realizes that Yvonne is, in fact, his mother, he gets into a melancholic state and this situation contributes to psychosis and hallucinations. The film demonstrates how serious psychological disorders can be exacerbated by trauma, repression, and erroneous fantasy construction.

Keywords

• Primal Scene
• Oedipus Complex
• Fantasy Formation
• Sigmund Freud

Psikanalitik Bir Bakışla Cronenberg’in Spider Filmi

Abstract

Bu makale, Spider (Cronenberg, 2002) filmini psikanalitik bir bakış açısıyla yapısal ve tematik olarak incelemektedir. Kahraman Dennis Cleg ve fantezisinin psikoseksüel ve psişik yapılandırmasını kısaca tartışır. Analizde Cleg’in çocukluk anıları, Sigmund Freud’un Oedipus kompleksi, aile romantizmi ve fantezi oluşumu kavramlarına odaklanılarak incelenmiştir. Cleg, ebeveynleri arasındaki ilkel sahneye tanık olduktan sonra, annesine karşı bastırılmış cinsel arzuları yeniden harekete geçer ve annesini bir nesne seçimi olarak görmeye başlar. Annesinin yerini bir fahişe figürü olan Yvonne'un aldığı bir fantezi yaratır. Böylece annesinin masum imajını korurken cinsel arzularını ifade edebilir. Ancak bu bölünmüş algı, onun gerçeği yanlış yorumlamasına ve psikoz ve halüsinasyonlar nedeniyle annesinin cinayeti gerçekliğini bastırmasına neden olur. Yvonne'un aslında annesi olduğunu anladığında, melankolik bir duruma girer ve bu durum psikoza ve halüsinasyonlara katkıda bulunur. Film, travma, bastırma ve hatalı fantezi inşasının ciddi psikolojik rahatsızlıkları nasıl daha da kötüleştirebileceğini göstermektedir.

Keywords

• Oidipus Kompleksi
• Fantezi Oluşumu
• İlksel Sahne
• Sigmund Freud

References

1. Beard, W. (2006). The artist as monster: The cinema of David Cronenberg. University of Toronto Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3138/j.ctt1mkbdc3.
2. Cronenberg, D. (Director). (2002). Spider [Film]. Alliance Atlantis Communications.
3. Freud, S. (1917). Mourning and melancholia. In J. Strachey (Ed.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 14, pp. 237-258). Hogarth Press.
4. Freud, S. (1924). Neurosis and psychosis. In J. Strachey (Ed.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud, (Vol. 19, pp. 147-154). Hogarth Press.
5. Freud, S. (1925). Some psychical consequences of the anatomical distinction between the sexes. In J. Strachey (Trans. & Ed.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud, (Vol. 19, pp. 253-259). Hogarth Press.
6. Freud, S. (1957a). A special type of choice of object made by men. In J. Strachey (Ed.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud, (Vol. 11, pp. 165-175). Hogarth Press.
7. Freud, S. (1957b). Family romances. In J. Strachey (Ed.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud, (Vol.9, pp. 237-241). Hogarth Press.
8. Freud, S. (1961). The dissolution of the Oedipus complex. In J. Strachey (Ed.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud, (Vol.19, pp. 171-180): The Ego and the Id and Other Works. Hogarth Press.

9. Freud, S. (1977). Fetishism. In J. Strachey (Ed.), On sexuality: The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud, (Vol.21, pp. 149-157). Hogarth Press. Laplanche, J., & Pontalis, J. B. (1968). Fantasy and the origins of sexuality. The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 49(1). https://www.proquest.com/openview/5d5831e42ed48f43fe366148057054c5/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1818729.
10. Laplanche, J. (1999). Transference: Its provocation by the analyst. In Essays on otherness (pp. 222–225). Routledge.
11. Lebeau, V. (2001). Psychoanalysis and cinema: The play of shadow. Wallflower Press.
12. Phipps, K. (2003, March 12). David Cronenberg. AV Club. https://www.avclub.com/david-cronenberg-1798208259. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
13. Porton, R. (1999). The film director as philosopher: An interview with David Cronenberg. Cineaste, 24(4), 4-9.
14. Sklar, J., & Sabbadini, A. (2008). David Cronenberg’s Spider: Between confusion and fragmentation. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 89(2), 427-432. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-8315.2008.00025.x.