Dysfunctional Father-Child Relationships in Wuthering Heights and Sons and Lovers: A Psychoanalytical Study

Abstract

Human psychology as well as human relationship is the central element of both human life and literature. Since the father-child relationship is a fundamental aspect of human life, this study is going to explore this dynamic in two different texts from two distinct eras: Wuthering Heights from the 19^th century and Sons and Lovers from the 20^th century. Psychological upbringing of a child is, profoundly, influenced by the environment that comprises of family atmosphere in the house, cultural context, and, other relationships. Considering the factors, the first focus of this paper will be on assessing the psychology of the fathers and sons in Wuthering Heights, by applying the concepts of ‘unconscious’ (the unconscious is the area of the mind that contains memories, desires, thoughts, and sensations that are not conscious but yet have an impact on the behavior) and ‘defense’ (selective perception, selective memory, denial, avoidance, displacement, and projection), and its impact on their relationship. Next concentration will be on to explore the mother controlled father-child relationship in Sons and Lovers. For this, Freud’s theory of Oedipus Complex will be applied to analyze William’s and Paul’s relationship with Mr. Morel. Additionally, the impact of industrial society on worker’s mind and relationship will be highlighted to explore Mr. Morel as a father figure. As the conditions of the two novels are different, a comparative study will be conducted between the mother-dominated father-child relation in Sons and Lovers and father-child bond in Wuthering Heights, which lacks the presence of the mother. As a healthy relationship between father-child is essential for the ideal psychological growth of a child, the outcome of this study will give some valuable suggestions in this regard for our real- life situations.