The Overreacher Unbound: A Literary Exploration of Voldemort’s Overreacher Persona Through Freudian Lens

Yıl 2024, Cilt: 10 Sayı: 1, 51 - 67, 24.09.2024

Bahieh Zetun

Öz

This paper aims to provide a psychoanalytic examination of Lord Voldemort's character as portrayed by J.K. Rowling in contemporary literature. With a detailed study of Voldemort's behaviour and character qualities within the narrative framework, the article hopes to place him within the conceptual boundaries of the 'Overreacher' archetype. The first section of this inquiry dives into the features that define the ‘Overreacher’ archetype, clarifying its overall attributes and expression in the literary sphere, while mainly focusing on famous characters such as Icarus and Doctor Faustus. Furthermore, the subsequent analysis digs deeper into Freudian analysis to place a framework for further psychological investigation, notably the Oedipus complex, Id, Ego, Superego, and the opposing forces of Thanatos and Eros. The study uses these psychoanalytic concepts to investigate the complicated motivations and actions connected with characters that exemplify the ‘Overreacher’ archetype through a possible examination of their early lives and motifs. After giving a thorough understanding of the characteristics of the archetype bearers, the attention moves to the main character, Lord Voldemort. The study of Voldemort's psychology entails evaluating his childhood, connections, motives, and actions through the lens of the Oedipus complex, as well as the interactions of the Ego, Superego, and Id. The research also looks at how Voldemort's Thanatos and Eros forces express his desire for power and immortality. Therefore, by combining these psychoanalytic principles, the paper hopes to shed light on Lord Voldemort's character, revealing the many layers of his personality and the driving reasons behind his unwavering desire for power. Finally, this psychoanalytic analysis not only increases the audience’s knowledge of Voldemort as a literary figure but also contributes to the larger conversation on the psychological components of modern writing and the inclusion of the ‘Overreacher’ Archetype.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Freudian Analysis, The Overreacher, Lord Voldemort, Pyschological Investigation

Kaynakça

• Bruegel, P. (1560). Landscape with the Fall of Icarus. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from Google Arts & Culture website: https://artsandculture.google.com/ story/landscape-with-the-fall-of-icarus/ewUxXpmuNdcLJg
• Freud, S. (1923e). The Infantile Genital Organization (An Interpolation into the Theory of Sexuality).
• Freud, S. (1991). Beyond the Pleasure Principle (J. Strachey, Trans.). NY: W.W Norton & Company. (Original work published 1920)
• Freud, S. (2004). The interpretation of dreams (2nd ed.). York University. Retrieved from https://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Freud/Dreams/dreams.pdf? (Original work published 1900)
• Freud, S. (2010). The ego and the id (J. Riviere, Trans.). Blacksburg, Pa.: Wilder Publications. Retrieved from https://ia801507.us.archive.org/7/items/in.ernet. dli.2015.218607/2015.218607.The-Ego.pdf (Original work published 1923)
• Friedman, N. (2019). J.K. Rowling’s Magical Impact. Retrieved from Scholastic. com website: https://www.scholastic.com/parents/family-life/parent-child/jkrowlings- magical-impact.html
• Hamilton, E. (2017). Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes (75th Anniversary Illustrated Edition). New York: Black Dog & Leventhal. (Original work published 1942)
• Kristeva, J. (1982). Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection. (L. S. Roudiez, Trans.). New York: Columbia University Press. Retrieved from https://archive. org/details/powersofhorrores00kris/page/n7/mode/2up (Original work published 1941)
• Lear, J. (2015). Freud (Second Edition). New York: Routledge. (Original work published 2005)
• Levin, H. (1952). The Overreacher: A Study of Christopher Marlowe. Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
• Marlowe, C. (2012). The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus. Start Publishing LLC. (Original work published 1604)
• Murray, H. A. (1955). American Icarus. In A. Burton & R. E. Harris (Eds.), Clinical Studies of Personality (pp. 615–641). New York: Harper & Bros.
• Nabe, A. F. (2022). A Psychoanalytic Exploration of Two Pivotal Characters in “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” (master’s Thesis). Karabuk University. Retrieved from http://acikerisim. karabuk.edu.tr:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/2027/10472108. pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
• Patel, A. (2013). Person of Issue: Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). The International Journal of Indian Psychology, 1, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.25215/0101.001
• Rowling, J. K. (2002). Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. New York: Scholastic.
• Rowling, J. K. (2004). Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. (Original work published 1998)
• Rowling, J. K. (2005). Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. New York: Scholastic.
• Sperber, M. A. (1969). ALBERT CAMUS: Camus’ The Fall: The Icarus Complex. American Imago, 26(3), 269–280. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/ stable/26302599?saml_data=eyJzYW1sVG9rZW4iOiJkNjVkOWFjOC1iNDBmLTQxODMtYTgwZi1iZDJlZWQxYjZkMmEiLCJpbnN0aXR1dGlvbklkcyI6WyIzNGY2OTcxYS1iYzhjLTRiMGQtODg2O C00MjAwZWQzNWUy- M2IiXX0&seq=13