SHAME, REMORSE AND ATONEMENT: AN ANALYSIS OF THE SCARLET LETTER IN THE LIGHT OF GHAZALIAN NAFS E LAWWAMA AND FREUDIAN SUPEREGO

Abstract

This study seeks to explore the working of Ghazalian nafs e lawwama and Freudian superego in The Scarlet Letter. The psychoanalytical interpretation explicitly deals with the remarkable impact of nafs e lawwama / superego on the central characters of the novel when they bypass the ethical constraints, experience guilt-ridden conscience and finally recompense it. The findings of the study reveal that Ghazalian nafs-e-lawwama and Freudian superego impose restraints on the instantaneous gratification of pleasures of id / nafs-e-ammara and rebukes ego / aq’l for its disregard of conscience.  The theoretical framework encompassing Ghazali and Freud provides an exhilarating prospect to explore into characters’ minds in order to search for a psychological understanding of their behaviour, thus enhancing our in-depth cognizance of Literature.