Adam Bornstein TA: Gemma Richardson MIT 2200 28 November 2011 Why So Psyche-ous?

: A Freudian Reading of The Dark Knight Abstract: In a second year media course we studied various theororists as they pertained to symbols and meaning in modern messages. For a final essay we were asked to write a short essay that not only explained a particular theory but also applied it to a new work as we analyzed a modern piece of our choosing. Bellow I compare the characters of Christopher Nolans The Dark Knight to the Id, Ego, and Superego of Freuds theory of psychoanalysis. According to Freudian psychoanalysis, the human thought and action are influenced by the conscious and unconscious relation of the psyche, which is made up of three parts: the id, ego, and superego. Dreams also play a part in their relationship, often using substitutions to allude to certain suppressed emotions. In fact, to properly psychoanalyze a text, one must treat it as the dream of the author (Freud, 1985, p.33). That being said, analysis of Christopher Nolans 2008 film, The Dark Knight, reveals a strong allusion to the three components of the psyche, which is made possible by using specific characters and elements of the popular Batman story to symbolize them. While symbolizing Batman as the superego, the Joker as the id, and, Gotham City as the ego, he not only exemplifies how they work and affect each other, but also demonstrates how the psyche is in constant conflict. By definition, [t]he id is the most primitive part of our being. It is impersonal, subject to natural law (Freud, 1984, p.362); it is the dark inaccessible part of our personality a chaos filled with energy reaching from the instincts, but it has no organization, produces only a striving to bring about the satisfaction of the instinctual

Bornstein 2 needs subject to the observance of the pleasure principle (Freud, 1973, p.106). This is the Joker personified. The id originates and consumes the unconscious similar to the Jokers rise through the ranks of the mob ring that make up Gothams underbelly. He is the most primitive being in Gotham, uncatchable by the police, subject only to Batmans natural law. A self proclaimed an agent of chaos he describes his violent actions as nothing personal and unplanned. Quickly becoming aggressive he only acts on emotion avoiding pain and seeking pleasure. Like the child that Freud analyzes in Beyond the Pleasure Principle, the Joker has the tendency to re-enact unfavourable memories taking on an active role in the repetition. On multiple occasions he re-enacts the memory of being given facial lacerations on either side of his mouth by his father by doing repeating the same act on helpless victims. The knife he uses allows him savour all of the little emotions [Because] in their last moments people show you who they really are (Nolan). Actively finding pleasure in seeing his raw instinctual emotion mirrored on his victim, he avenges his pain forcing them into his previous passive role. Rounding out his id persona is Batman. He represents the superego, the counterpart that reinforces Jokers position as the id. The Joker is given a few opportunities to kill Batman, but he does not. This is clearly displayed in the scene where Joker says to Batman, I dont wanna kill you. What would I do without you? You complete me (Nolan). The Joker explains that this is because Batman is too much fun for him to toy with, and also the vigilante is too self-righteous to murder him. Still wanting his desire to harm Batman met, regardless of the claims of culture, he instead creates violent destruction threatens to stop only when Batman is captured. Knowing that even though the ego is in loose alliance with the superego, they are still subject the reality

Bornstein 3 principle and obligated to meet the safety convention of society regardless if that means having to turn on the superego (Storey, 2009, p.93). The ego develops from the id in order to inflict external cultural influences that have been observed in society on it (Freud, 1984, p.363). As the ego, Gotham serve[s] three masters, being the external world, the libido of the id, and the severity of the superego (Freud, 1984, 397). The external world of Gotham is their only continuously supported master. Representing the common sense and reason of the psyche, Gotham knows that crime needs to be suppressed. When threatened by mobs and acts of extreme violence the reality principle is what helps them realize that crime in Gotham is beyond the polices ability to control. At this point they are at the mercy of their second master, the superego. They put their faith and support into Batmans acts of vigilance to clean up the streets even though he relies on unlawful tactics. This proves to be successful until the Joker rises to power and begins introducing anarchy and chaos at such a rate that neither the police nor Batman can eliminate it. Now, the reality driven ego obligated to achieve resolution realizes that they will have to obey the strong libido of the id and meet the Jokers demands in order to end the conflict. They do this by obeying the Jokers requests and protesting that Batman come forward and reveal his secret identity. Eventually they realize the reality that the Joker will not give them peace and they will need the help of the superego to help reality conquer his pleasure principle. Like the superego, Batman is not only an ally of the ego and on the opposite side of the spectrum from the Joker but their negotiator. Unknown to the ego, he is rooted in the id (Storey, 2009, p.93). As a child he had a petrifying experience with bats, making them his worst fear. Much like the child with the yoyo or the Joker with his smile,

Bornstein 4 Batman chose to relive his experience from an active role. He came into being when Gotham needed him to suppress the violent id tendencies; he created his persona using countless bat symbols to constantly remind himself of that horrible experience in order to feed off of his fear. He then avenges that fear by using the bat symbol to scare others in a controlling fashion. Unlike the id however, he uses it for good. Batman strategically plans out and follows through to beat down the bad and fight for justice. By imprisoning criminals he is literally repressing them, keeping them in prison away form the consciousness of Gotham (Freud, 1985, p.133). He is not only fair but also the moral compass of the psyche, supporting Harvey Dent and urging the ego to trust in him and the law instead of Batmans violent vigilance. As the intermediary superego, Batman suppresses the tendencies and instinctual actions of the id represented by the Joker while encouraging the egoistical Gotham society to put their faith in what is right. The three elements together make up the psyche that is the site of perpetual conflict as scene throughout the film (Storey, 2009, p.93). From the Jokers first appearance in the opening scene Gotham is in discord. He battles with Batman for the entire film even getting Gotham to rebuke him. The characteristics of the Joker make him undoubtedly the id, from which the influence of the external world is imparted through the reason of the egoistical Gotham city. Batman is able to sort the imbalance acting as the moral compass of the superego. Through this psychoanalytical reading this has been made clear, which was only possible by treating Nolans work as a dream; a dream that could have only been had in the dark night.

Bornstein 5 Works Cited Freud, S. (1973). New Introductory Lecture on Psychoanalysis. Harmondsworth: Pelican. Freud, S. (1984). On Metapsychology: The Theory of Psychoanalysis. Harmondsworth: Pelican. Freud, S. (1985). Art and Literature. Harmondsworth: Pelican. Nolan, C. (Director). (2008). The Dark Knight [Motion Picture]. United States: Warner Brothers. Storey, J. (2009). Cultural Theory and Popular Culture. Essex, England: Pearson Longman.