Tragic Drama and the Family: Psychoanalytic Studies from Aeschylus to Beckett

Abstract

One of the most important characteristics of tragic drama-as of psychoanalysis- is the focus on the family. Dr. Bennett Simon here provides a psychoanalytic reading of Aeschylus' Oresteia, Euripedes' Medea, Shakespeare's King Lear and Macbeth, O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night, and Beckett's Endgame, six plays from ancient to modern times which involve a particular form of intrafamily warfare: the killing of children or of the possibility of children. A clinician-scholar-a good doctor at once of healing and of learning-richly continues the generous conversation begun in Freud between the ancient genre of tragedy and the modern generations of psychoanalysis. openness of Bennett Simon's love of his material is the reward of his capacity for responding to the suffering that produces it.-Stanley Cavell A towering achievement of applied psychoanalysis.-Donald M. Kaplan, International Journal of Psycho-Analysis I strongly recommend the book for study by students in the area of literature and psychoanalysis, and for browsing by anyone interested in psychoanalysis and the humanites. Simon enlightens, excites, and invites us to think about important matters; there is no higher praise.-Arnold M. Cooper, Psychoanalytic Quarterly The book demands attention and constant interaction with Simon's challenging ideas...A valuable contribution to the continuing dialogue between the dramatists and the psychoanalysts.-Nancy M. Tischler, Comparative Drama A learned and insightful exploration of some important constituents of tragic drama.-Lillian Feder, Contemporary Psychology