Comparing Freud's Civilization And Its Discontents
In Civilization and Its Discontents, by Sigmund Freud, Freud offers his personal views on humanity’s ideas of religion and morality. The Book of J, translated from the Hebrew by David Rosenberg, features characters who do not necessarily seem to be comparable to Freud’s thinking, as they exhibit behaviors unique to their time or story. Though Civilizations and Its Discontents and The Book of J are two contrasting texts in time, Freud’s thinking helps a reader to understand The Book of J to a greater extent. As demonstrated by Rebecca and Jacob in Chapter 60 of The Book of J, morality or, in Freud’s terms, the superego, can be ignored in order to grasp the most ‘precious’ aspect of religion, a blessing. The characters in the Book of J do not
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inking, demonstrates that though people “feel guilty when he has done something which he knows to be ‘bad’” (Freud, 84), some, like Jacob, can decide to ignore his or her superego, or conscience, and give into …show more content…
Freud’s thinking helps decipher the motivation behind why Jacob ultimately takes the blessing from his brother Esau, even through dishonest means. Freud explains “religion restricts play of choice and adaptation, since it imposes equally on everyone its own path” (36) and suggests religion is a constraint that pronounces to humans there is only the one way of acquiring happiness or avoiding suffering. Since the characters in this story have grown up being ‘restricted’ in this religious system, it is not surprising Rebecca and Jacob felt it imperative that Jacob receive the father’s blessing, as it also ensures Yahweh’s protection. In Isaac’s blessing to Jacob of “God grant you sky’s water, earth’s milk—an overflow of grain, flowing wine” (103), Jacob receives a relief for his infantile psychological need of “the longing for the father” (Freud, 20). According to Freud, Jacob desires both his father’s protection as well as a greater protection in Yahweh. It seems to be so important to Rebecca and Jacob that Jacob receive the blessing that they would reject their superego or sense of guilt from lying to Isaac. At this point, Freud’s thinking in Civilization and Its Discontents cannot explain how or why Jacob and Rebecca were able to surpass their own consciences. However, Freud does help the understanding of
inking, demonstrates that though people “feel guilty when he has done something which he knows to be ‘bad’” (Freud, 84), some, like Jacob, can decide to ignore his or her superego, or conscience, and give into …show more content…
Freud’s thinking helps decipher the motivation behind why Jacob ultimately takes the blessing from his brother Esau, even through dishonest means. Freud explains “religion restricts play of choice and adaptation, since it imposes equally on everyone its own path” (36) and suggests religion is a constraint that pronounces to humans there is only the one way of acquiring happiness or avoiding suffering. Since the characters in this story have grown up being ‘restricted’ in this religious system, it is not surprising Rebecca and Jacob felt it imperative that Jacob receive the father’s blessing, as it also ensures Yahweh’s protection. In Isaac’s blessing to Jacob of “God grant you sky’s water, earth’s milk—an overflow of grain, flowing wine” (103), Jacob receives a relief for his infantile psychological need of “the longing for the father” (Freud, 20). According to Freud, Jacob desires both his father’s protection as well as a greater protection in Yahweh. It seems to be so important to Rebecca and Jacob that Jacob receive the blessing that they would reject their superego or sense of guilt from lying to Isaac. At this point, Freud’s thinking in Civilization and Its Discontents cannot explain how or why Jacob and Rebecca were able to surpass their own consciences. However, Freud does help the understanding of