The Id, Ego, and Super-Ego – A Comparative Study

of Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights

Honghui Yang*
School of Foreign Studies, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China

Article Information
Abstract:
Suggested Citation: Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights are regarded as seminal works
Yang, H. (2023). The Id, Ego, andfrom the Victorian era, having received extensive scholarly interest.
Super-Ego – A Comparative Study Written by Jane Austen, who is widely recognized as one of the
of Pride and Prejudice and greatest English writers, Pride and Prejudice has remained popular
Wuthering Heights. European among readers since its first publication. Scholars have analyzed the
Journal of Theoretical and Applied
novel from multiple angles, including feminist, Marxist, and
Sciences, 1(2), 79-83. psychological perspectives, further cementing its status as a
DOI: 10.59324/ejtas.2023.1(2).08
significant work of literature. On the contrary, Emily Bronte’s
* Corresponding author:
Wuthering Heights did not enjoy the same level of recognition during
Honghui Yang
its initial release and only gained widespread acclaim until the 20th
e-mail: [email protected]
century. As time passed, the novel’s reputation has grown to be on
par with that of Pride and Prejudice. However, the comparison between
the two novels is neglected by scholars. This essay aims to fill that gap by examining the two heroines,
Elizabeth and Catherine, using Sigmund Freud’s id, ego, and superego framework.

Keywords: Id, Ego, Superego, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights.

Introduction also an inevitable approach to demonstrating

characters in the novel: “As they develop their
Both Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights are romantic bond, the novel’s lovers, Elizabeth
seminal works of the Victorian period, which Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, move from one
have garnered significant critical acclaim and psychological position to another” (Almond,
scholarly attention. Pride and Prejudice is written 1989). On the contrary, Wuthering Heights by
by Jane Austen, who is widely regarded as one of Emily Bronte did not receive widespread
the greatest writers in English literature. Since its recognition from the academic community upon
publication, the feminism in the novel is astutely its initial publication in 1847. It was not until the
noticed by scholars, for example, Sultana reveals 20th century that scholars began to increasingly
“women were always considered inferior to men, recognize and appreciate its literary values. The
and the perception of the categorical inferiority existent analyses of Wuthering Heights vary from
of women by men is as old as recorded time” romanticism (Nussbaum, 1996), feminism
(Sultana, 2012). Awan and Ambreen turn (Stoneman, 1992), and gothic studies (Rena-
concern to Marxism. They demonstrate Dozie, 2010) to postcolonial criticism (Tsao,
Marxism’s impact: “Society and even people’s 2014). Over time, Wuthering Heights is considered
attitude are shaped by wealth, class and marriage, to be on par with Pride and Prejudice in terms of
the chief concerns of Marxism” (Awan & reputation. However, the two novels are rarely
Ambreen, 2018). The psychological analysis is put together to compare by scholars. The only
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The license permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, on the condition that users give exact credit to the original author(s)
and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if they made any changes.
few articles comparing the two novels include Like Catherine, Elizabeth also has her id. Deep
What kind of love is in Pride and Prejudice and in her heart, there is a desire for love, which is
Wuthering Heights (Hernández, 2004), Realism in motivated by sexual drives. When Mr. Darcy
Pride and Prejudice, Hard times and Wuthering Heights shows up at the ball, almost everyone is attracted
(Sartori, n.d.), and Dreading He Knew Not What: by him, including Elizabeth. “He was tall,
Masculinities, Structural Spaces, Law and the Gothic in handsome, and noble-looking. Within five
The Castle of Otranto, Pride and Prejudice, and minutes of his arrival, almost everyone knew he
Wuthering Heights (Morse, 2013), but few of them had an income of ten thousand a year” (Austen,
compare the two novels from psychological 2011). It was Darcy’s arrogant attitude that
aspects. This essay aims to analyze two heroines, lowers his image in Elizabeth’s mind, causing
Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice and Catherine in Elizabeth to hide her inner id. In fact, her
Wuthering Heights, with the id, ego and super- younger sister Lydia is the embodiment of
ego principle. Sigmund Freud partitioned mental Elizabeth’s id, who is fond of fantasy, and eager
life into three agencies, id, ego and superego. A for love. Lydia prioritizes the “pleasure
confluence of the three psychological factors principle” above all else, disregarding her
impacts both Catherine and Elizabeth, but their family’s honor, moral codes, and age restrictions
interaction produces disparate outcomes for in pursuit of her love. “Lydia has eloped with
each character. one of his officers—Wickham!” (Austen, 2011).
She is driven to satisfy her instincts and pleasure,
even if it means going against societal norms.
“Id” Exists in Catherine and Although Elizabeth treats Lydia’s elopement as
Elizabeth a family stain, it is undeniable that she also has a
yearning for love inside her, only to be
The id is “the oldest and most primitive psychic constrained by the superego.
agency, representing the biological foundations
of personality. It is the reservoir of basic
instinctual drives, particularly sexual (libidinal) “Super-Ego” Exists in Catherine and
drives, which motivate the organism to seek
pleasure” (Lapsley, 2011). Both Elizabeth and
Elizabeth
Catherine are driven by such instincts. Little The id can be suppressed by the superego, the
Catherine is “a wild, wicked slip” (Bronte, 2008). moral and ethical part of the psyche, which is
“Her spirits were always at high-water mark, her concerned with right and wrong and strives to
tongue always going singing, laughing, and uphold societal and cultural norms and values
plaguing everybody who would not do the same” (Freud, 1967). The id is buried deeply by the two
(Bronte, 2008). She and Heathcliff, as rebels of female protagonists because of cultivation.
the Manorial life, spend their childhood together When Catherine accidentally wandered into the
in the solitude of the wilderness, far from neighboring Thrushcross Grange, she is
civilized society and close to nature. In this transported to a world of exquisite beauty that
special environment, Catherine finds her id, the contrasted sharply with the wild moors of
essence of her true self, which is full of the wild, Wuthering Heights. “we saw ah! it was beautiful
primitive instincts of human nature. She is like a a splendid place......” (Bronte, 2008). If Wuthering
newborn baby, ignorant of values and morality. Heights represents primitive nature, then
She finds her id is the same as Heathcliff, Thrushcross Grange is a symbol of civilized
“because he (Heathcliff) ’s more myself than I society, where Catherine’s super-ego and moral
am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and principles are awakened for the first time. As she
mine are the same” (Bronte, 2008). Actually, her peers out of the window, she beholds a world
love for Heathcliff implies her pursuit of the id, brimming with material comforts and the
which is stimulated by her basic instinctual trappings of a refined society. It is a place where
drives. social standing and material possessions hold
immense allure for her. Katherine’s five-week

80

www.ejtas.com EJTAS 2023 | Volume 1 | Number 2

stay at Thrushcross Grange has a transformative express her true feelings. This misunderstanding
effect on her, which drives her to become a lady leads to Bentley misinterpreting her intentions
with a dignified and elegant demeanor. Catherine and eventually separating her and Bentley. The
sees in Linton, the young master of Thrushcross superego triumphs over the id, but the story
Grange, a model of gentleness and wealth, and remained imperfect. Only when it achieves a
begins to regard him as a point of reference to state of balance between the id and superego can
gauge her own behavior and her wild nature. So, the story culminate in a truly harmonious
when Lindon is coming to visit, she even tries to resolution.
get rid of Heathcliff, the symbol of her own id.
“Isabella and Edgar Linton talked of calling this
afternoon…… As it rains, I hardly expect them; “Ego” Exists in Catherine and
but they may come, and if they do, you run the Elizabeth
risk of being scolded for no good” (Bronte,
2008). In this way, Linton embodies the Except for the id and superego, another agency
superego in Catherine’s psychological makeup, named “ego” exists in individuals’ personalities.
guiding her toward socially acceptable behavior. The ego is the rational and conscious part of the
She even acknowledges this kind of admiration psyche, which mediates between the id and the
as love: “I love the ground under his feet, and superego. It seeks to satisfy the desires of the id
the air over his head, and everything he touches, in a way that is socially acceptable and in line
and every word he says. I love all his looks, and with the individual’s values and goals. As Liang
all his actions, and him entirely and altogether” stated: “The “id” chases after pleasure, and the
(Bronte, 2008). “super-ego” is in pursuit of the “perfect”, but
the function of the “ego” is to satisfy the desire
For Elizabeth, her instinctual pursuit of blind
of the “id” and the requirement of the “super-
love is suppressed by the superego. When she ego” in accordance with reality principle” (Liang,
hears Darcy’s judgment on her: “She is tolerable,
2011). When the ego effectively fulfills its role, it
but not handsome enough to tempt me” can establish a harmonious balance between the
(Austen, 2001), she perceives Darcy’s arrogance,
id and superego, but if it fails to do so, the two
so her id is instantly hidden from her and may be locked in perpetual conflict.
suppressed under superego, as her wounded
pride causes her to feel shame, which in turn Catherine, the symbol of the ego, tries to
causes her indifference to Darcy: “Elizabeth reconcile the conflict between Heathcliff and
remained with no very cordial feelings toward Linton, which represents the struggle between
him” (Austen, 2001). Elizabeth’s love is ego and superego but results in failure. The
restrained by her superego and disguised by her encounter with Linton leads Catherine to adopt
defensive prejudice. Actually, Jane, who is Thrushcross Grange’s indoctrination. In order
incapable of expressing love for Mr. Bentley, is to conform to societal expectations and maintain
the embodiment of Elizabeth’s superego. “she her status, Catherin suppresses her primal
(Jane) had begun to entertain for him from the instincts and desires that are inherent in her id,
first, and was in a way to be very much in so she perceives Heathcliff, a rebellious youth, as
love……it was not likely to be discovered by the a degrading prospect for marriage. “It would
world in general, since Jane united, with great degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall
strength of feeling, a composure of temper and never know how I love him……and Linton’s is
a uniform cheerfulness of manner” (Austen, as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or
2001). She follows the principle of goodness, frost from fire” (Bronte, 2008). She strives to
forcing herself to behave in a way that was constantly repress her id and appeal to her
perfectly in line with what society required of superego, she cannot separate herself from
women at the time, haughtily suppressing her Heathcliff, who is an essential part of her being.
love for Mr. Bentley. However, her repressed When she is going to give up Heathcliff and
and intense love makes it difficult for her to accept Linton’s marriage proposal, a sound in

81

www.ejtas.com EJTAS 2023 | Volume 1 | Number 2

her heart tells her it is a wrong choice. “‘HERE! Her inner conflicts between her desires and
and HERE!......in whichever place the soul lives. moral conscience intensify, leading to a period of
In my soul and in my heart, I’m convinced I’m inner turmoil, and finally leads to her re-
wrong!’” The betrayal of her id causes evaluation of him. As Freud said, “The ego is
Heathcliff’s leave and takes away her source of driven by the id, and is constrained by the super-
joy, “I cannot say why I felt so wildly wretched” ego, and is excluded by the reality, for struggling
(Bronte, 2008). What’s worse, she finds that for the economic task that is not completed, so
since her chance encounters with Linton at the that it can guide all kinds of power and influence
age of twelve, she seems to have been torn into to achieve harmony” (Freud, 2001). In the midst
two different pieces and the distance from the of her time with Darcy, Elizabeth gradually
wilderness and Wuthering Heights made her lose abandons her prejudices and finally accepts
herself: “supposing at twelve years old I had Darcy’s proposal of marriage.
been wrenched from the Heights, and every early
association, and my all in all, as Heathcliff was at
that time, and been converted at a stroke into Conclusion
Mrs. Linton, the lady of Thrushcross Grange,
In conclusion, both Elizabeth and Catherine
and the wife of a stranger: an exile, and outcast,
embody the three psychological states of id, ego,
thenceforth, from what had been my world. You
and superego. During Catherine’s childhood, she
may fancy a glimpse of the abyss where I
and Heathcliff, who represented her primal
grovelled!……Oh, I’m burning! I wish I were
impulses, or id, were inseparable. They were
out of doors! I wish I were a girl again, half
each other’s closest and sole companions,
savage and hardy, and free; and laughing at
frequently engaging in unbridled play and
injuries, not maddening under them! (Bronte,
running wildly across the wilderness. The two of
2008)
them were so connected that they seemed to
The return of Heathcliff triggers a climactic become one, with Catherine feeling as though
conflict within Catherine’s psyche between her Heathcliff was a part of her. However, when she
id and superego, leading to a fragmentation of met Lindon at Thrushcross Grange, her
her personality and descent into madness, superego awakened, and she developed a sense
causing her immense suffering and bringing her of reason and social morality. Despite her ego’s
to the brink of a complete breakdown. attempts to reconcile the conflicting forces of
On the contrary, Elizabeth takes advantage of her id and superego, it fails. She is thus torn
her ego perfectly to coordinate her primal desires between her ego and superego, and the different
and rational consciousness. Although she longs sizes of “Catherine Earnshaw”, “Catherine
for perfect love, she keeps her sanity. When Mr. Heathcliff” and “Catherine Linton” (Bronte 8)
Darcy shows up at the ball, almost everyone, that she writes on her bedroom windowsill are a
including Elizabeth, is attracted by him. manifestation of this ambivalence, leading her
However, Elizabeth is not completely blinded by death in the end.
Darcy’s perfect image, instead, she judges him In contrast, Elizabeth is adept at utilizing her ego
from the perspective of a bystander: “I know to effectively manage and balance her instinctual
him as well as I ever wish to…… I find him very impulses and rational awareness. Initially, she
disagreeable” (Austen, 2001). Although Darcy harbored an attraction to Darcy despite his
has caught Elizabeth’s attention, his haughty demeanor, which deterred her from
condescending demeanor and Wickham’s engaging with him. Subsequent to his proposal,
unfavorable depiction of him deepen her initial her psyche underwent a profound conflict
prejudice against him. Elizabeth’s psyche between her instinctual desires and her moral
reaches a point where her superego overpowers values. In the end, her ego helped her achieve a
her id. However, after Darcy’s confession of state of balance between her id and superego,
love, Elizabeth’s primal desires are reignited, leading her to reevaluate Darcy and reconcile her
leading her to confront her feelings for Darcy. internal strife.

82

www.ejtas.com EJTAS 2023 | Volume 1 | Number 2

References Morse, S.E. (2013). Dreading He Knew Not What:
Masculinities, Structural Spaces, Law and the Gothic in
Almond, R. (1989). Psychological change in Jane The Castle of Otranto, Pride and Prejudice, and
Austen's Pride and prejudice. The Psychoanalytic Wuthering Heights. Pitzer Senior Theses. Paper 58.
Study of the Child, 44(1), 307-324. Retrieved from:
https://doi.org/10.1080/00797308.1989.11822 http://scholarship.claremont.edu/pitzer_theses
655 /58
Awan, A.G. & Nasir, A.A. (2018). Matrimonial Nussbaum, M.C. (1996). Wuthering Heights:
issues and Marxist approach in “Pride and The Romantic Ascent. Philosophy and Literature,
Prejudice” by Jane Austin. Global Journal of 20(2), 362-382.
Management, Social Sciences and Humanities, 4(3), https://doi.org/10.1353/phl.1996.0076
651-676.
Rena-Dozier, E. (2010). Gothic criticisms:
Brontë, E. (2008). Wuthering heights. San wuthering heights and nineteenth-century
Francisco: Ignatius Press. literary history. Elh, 77(3), 757-775.
Freud, S. (1924). Neurosis and psychosis. In. https://doi.org/10.1353/elh.2010.0000
Austen, J. (Ed.). Pride and prejudice. Peterborough: Sartori, L. (2010). Realism in Pride and
Broadview Press. Prejudice, Hard Times and Wuthering Heights.
Freud, S. (1967). Encyclopedia of Philosophy, vol. 3 Education, 5, 45-59.
In P. Edwards (Ed.). New York: Collier Stoneman, P. (1992). Feminist criticism of
Macmillan. Wuthering Heights. Critical Survey, 4(2), 147-153.
Hernández, P.S. (2004). What kind of love is at Sultana, K.Z.S. (2012). Feminism in Jane
work in Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Journal of Social
Heights? Journal of English Studies, 4, 185-196. Sciences, 1(2), 523-536.
https://doi.org/10.18172/jes.95 https://doi.org/10.36347/sjahss.2017.v05i08.0
Lapsley, D.K. & Stey, P.C. (2011). Id, ego, and 01
superego. In V.S. Ramachandran (Ed.), Tsao, T. (2014). Postcolonial life and death: a
Encyclopedia of Human Behavior (2nd Ed.). process-based comparison of emily bronte's
Amsterdam: Elsevier. wuthering Heights and ayu utami's saman.
Liang, Y. (2011). The Id, Ego and Super-Ego in Comparative Literature, 66(1), 95-112.
Pride and Prejudice. International Education Studies, https://doi.org/10.1215/00104124-2414950
4(2), 177-181.
https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v4n2p177

83

www.ejtas.com EJTAS 2023 | Volume 1 | Number 2