In Jed Rubenfeld’s, The Interpretation of Murder, several of Freud’s theories are intertwined with the plot, shedding light on the various ways in which they can be interpreted and, importantly, criticized. Literarily, Rubenfeld uses the dramatized tension between Jung and Freud as a direct form of criticism. Among the most compelling, is the reading of the narrative as decentering Freud by putting him in allegorical situations that represent areas of conflict within his theory and potentially within his own life.

For instance, when the physicians first arrive in New York, they remark on how Freud did not permit anyone to analyze his dreams, while the others were. This establishes Freud’s position of dominance over the others and ascribing him as a figure of patriarchy. An almost totem and taboo like preconception is noted, fear and the foreshadow of betrayal.

Freud’s perception of how his theories will be integrated into society greatly influences the dynamic of tension among Freud’s collogues. This appears on page twelve when, “a debate ensued on whether Freud’s teachings dictated defiance of conventional sexual morality” (13). On the one hand, Freud believes that his ideas should be embraced into societies to help loosen confines around sexuality. However, the perceived resistance of the collogues is shown through Rubenfeld’s exclamation, “psychoanalysis demanded that a man be conscious of his true sexual desires, not that he succumb to them” (14). The parties have opposing views points to a major pitfall of which Freud was greatly fearful.

Humans and their repugnant desires....

          Carl Jung recognized an intimate dynamic between fathers and daughters calling it the Electra Complex, after the Greek mythological character Electra who displayed extreme devotion to her father. This complex highlights how a daughter during her sexual development wishes to eliminate her mother and becomes sexually attached to her father. This theory was discussed with Dora and since Nora is thought to be a pseudonym, it only seems appropriate to look at how the Electra Complex has manifested in The Interpretation of Murder.      
          In the psychoanalysis of Nora Acton by Dr. Younger, it is said that she wishes to sodomize her father. There is an apparent tension between Nora and her complicated family past and specifically her father. Once hysteria develops Nora resents the internal conflict of the Electra Complex and wishes to sodomize and rid of her father and his control. This emotional investigation into Nora's hysteria can lead to unusual patient/doctor relationships.
           As seen in Dora, the doctor can easily be transferred into the role of the patient’s father when such tensions enter the room; Younger had clearly struggled with these feelings towards Nora when quoting Hamlets, “To be or not to be” speech. However, he struggles with the fact that she has expressed the Electra Complex and continues to say it leads him to lose faith in love all together, “how can human beings be loved if we carry within us such repugnant desires?” (pg. 204) Freud has illuminated the psychological truths regarding human development and interactions however have they been proven wrong based on their inadequate representations or the fact that the truth that is illuminated is too rough to digest? Was America truly ready for what he had brought overseas?

                                        Modern Electra Complex in our beloved Miley Cyrus

The role of the death of the father

Note: I have a kindle version of the book so I don’t have page numbers. The passage I am discussing is at the end of chapter 6.

One quote that struck me is when Younger is discussing his relationship to his father and his father’s expectations. He discusses how his father did not think that pursuing studies in Shakespeare was beneficial and that father’s want their sons to do something substantial or real. Younger states, ““that is why fathers have to die: to make the world real for their sons.” This quote reminded me of Totem and Taboo. This Freudian text discussed the competitive nature between generations and spoke to human development as well as cultural/societal development. This passage certainly exemplifies the completion and resentment between fathers and sons, also serves another purpose. I believe this supports Freud’s ideas that this controversial desire is intrinsic within humans. We can see that the death of the father seems to serve a function of identity development. Rubenfeld almost implies that for and adult to truly be independent and understand the world the father must die. While as Freud’s focus in T & T was primary that of power and struggles that come with it, this quote almost has a positive undertone to it. To me this implies that the T&T power dynamic described by Freud indeed is an evolutionary trait as it can be seen to serve many social and developmental functions.

What makes this idea especially interesting for me is that Younger then compares this father-son relationship to transference, in many ways asking us to critique and the therapist- patient dynamic. The patient emotes onto the doctor and projects desires and wishes. Though these things my have substance, they are not real and just as a father must die for a son to enter reality, the patient therapist relationship must end for the person to enter the world as an autonomous being.  

I also believe Rubenfeld wants us to think about T&T through out the course of this book so that we can critically assess the power struggles that take place between the characters. By applying the T&T structure, we can see that Freud is the dominant father figure, with the rest either striving for his approval (or in Jung’s case) seeking to break free from him/ “kill him”. I believe also this why Hamlet remains a theme through out the book. Rubenfeld wants us to critically examine the relationships between psychotherapists using a psychoanalytic perspective. By identifying/ alluding to different power dynamics and family structures, Rubenfeld is inviting us to be critical of all characters, even Freud, and look at them both as scholars but also as people in conflict.