Comparative Analysis of Psycho-Sexual and Personality Disorders in Mourning Becomes Electra and Buried Child

Abstract

The psycho-sexual and personality problems depicted in two classic contemporary and postmodern American plays—"Mourning Becomes Electra" by Eugene O'Neill and "Buried Child" by Sam Shepard—are thoroughly compared in this study. This research attempts to investigate the manifestation and significance of psychosexual and personality disorders, such as fixation of abnormalities, dependency during psychosexual development, passivity, relationship problems, maladaptive thought patterns, borderline personality disorders, and avoidant personality disorders, within the context of their respective narratives by exploring the complex psyches of the characters in these dramatic works.The intricacies of the characters' identities and the effects of disorders on the lives of modern and postmodern people are revealed through the application of psychoanalytic and psychosocial frameworks, such as Sigmund Freud's psychosexual development stages, Heinz Kohut's self-psychology, Erik Erikson's psychosocial development theory, and other pertinent theories. Psychosexual and personality disorders have been extensively highlighted and represented in modern and postmodern literature, comparatively limited attention has been given to their treatment, therapeutic intervention, and possible psychological resolution. Psychosexual and personality problems have affected mental health, positive relationships, social connections, job growth, academic achievement, self-esteem, and identity in both contemporary and postmodern society. It's critical to understand that people of many ethnic and religious backgrounds can be impacted by these problems. This study uses a comparative approach to show the thematic similarities and differences in how psycho-sexual and personality disorders are portrayed in literature."The Buried Child" explores the effects of repressed trauma, the breakdown of familial relationships, and the quest for self-identification, "Mourning Becomes Electra" provides a nuanced examination of Freudian ideas, such as the Oedipus and Electra complexes.