CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2009
| Author | Ivády, Rozália Eszter |
|---|---|
| Title | As Mad as the Potter in the Attic: Gendered Madness in the Harry Potter series by J.K.Rowling |
| Summary | In the thesis after a brief historical overview I intend to draw a parallel between modern models of mental illnesses and „madness” as described in the text of Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. I intend to take a double perspective: a static, descriptive one and a dynamic explanatory one. On the static or descriptive level I take the currently most widespread manual of mental illnesses the DSM-IV-TR to scan the book for possible mental illnesses, trying to identify gender-bound biases, tentatively a new female malady. There are two basic conclusions: the first one is that there is a radical change in the usual axes by which psychiatry currently defines mental illnesses (deviance, dysfunctionality, distress, danger). The axes are seriously cut down in the novels, finally only danger remains as a definitive criteria, and even that in a distorted form, conflated with a murky scale of good versus evil. This makes impossible recognizing for example that both Voldemort and Dumbldore can be read as psychopaths. The second conclusion, which consists in the disappearance of the distress factor can potentially weaken women’s position, as it this is along this axis typically female dominated mental illnesses – anxiety and depression – are defined, therefore some of the cases run the risk of being ignored. On the other hand the image of the dangerous hysterical woman is brought back to life. Building on a slightly modified version of Althusser’s theory of ISA (Ideological State Apparatus) I assume that children will not only accept but also appropriate this ideology, along with these two major changes in it. This interiorization as yet has the potential to bring blissful advantages or major dangers for future generations, yet most of these changes for now seem unfavourable to women. It is a task of a later study to find out if these conjectures are indeed right. In the second, dynamic approach I rely on the works of Freud, Lacan, Kristeva and Jung to trace the inner psychic path, the developmental arc of the heroes of the novels. Taking a gender perspective one finds that male characters are definitely overemphasized: problems with the Oedipal Complex are much more common (in fact the entire story of Harry is built around an extremely complicated one) than disturbances of the Electra complex, which are virtually non-existent. On a second level of analysis the text seems to reflect back on the theory, making it necessary to postulate a new complex not described by Freud’s original model. The postulated Dionysean Complex is the tension that arises between the Self and the Persona described by Jung, the acceptance of one’s past psychic heritage. If the two are irreconciliable, a split occurs, which is marked by a voluntary change of name (e.g. the Half-Blood Prince) or even in bodily appearance (in the case of Voldemort). |
| Supervisor | Howlett, Sophia |
| Department | Gender Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2009/ivady_rozalia.pdf |
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