Rejecting the Shadow
The Psychological Conflict of the Complex Persona in Don Paterson's The Ferryman's Arms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31973/km99d930Keywords:
Complexes, Don Paterson, complex persona, shadow, The Ferryman's ArmsAbstract
The complexity of the human psyche has been the focus of literature and psychology fields for many decades. The complicated situation that the modern man is living in comes as a direct consequence of the constant pressure that is imposed by societal standards. People might feel obligated to present a perfect image of themselves, while they brutally suppress their feelings and desires. These scenes could cause a severe conflict between the polished persona the individual presents and the unconscious aspect of the psyche, usually known as the shadow. Accordingly, this paper examines how the complex persona in Paterson's poem ‘‘The Ferryman's Arms’’ confronts the shadow. It illustrates the disastrous repercussions of denying the shadow, which stuck the modern man in a constant state of anxiety and apprehension. Besides, the current paper adopts Jungian psychology, specifically focusing on the persona and the shadow, to highlight the reality of being in a state of rejection, where people frequently find themselves trapped in a vicious circle of conflicts and agony.
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