The hero and his mothers in Seneca’s Hercules Furens
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Date
2013-06-30
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Wydawnictwo Poznańskiego Towarzystwa Przyjaciół Nauk
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Abstract
The article deals with an image of the heroic self in Seneca’s Hercules as well as with maternal images
(Alcmena, Juno and Megara), using psychoanalytic methodology involving identification of complementary
self-object relationships. Hercules’ self seems to be construed mainly in an omnipotent, narcissistic fashion,
whereas the three images of mothers reflect show the interaction between love and aggression in the play.
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The critics who wrote about Hercules Furens are either convinced that the main character is a
persecuted, tragic hero, or a self-centered narcissist. The approach taken in this paper corroborates
the latter interpretation, but does not focus entirely on Hercules, but also takes into consideration
relationships between his heroic self image and other figures, namely, maternal characters of Alcmena,
Juno and Megara.
Hercules’ grandiosity is revealed not only in his hubristic self-glorification, but also in his
fantasies about revenge and suicide, which have particular self-centered character. He is also presented
by Seneca as emotionally shallow and unable to reciprocate love. Alcmena functions in the
play as an ‘absent mother’, whose meaning is denied or repressed, which can be understood in relationship
to Hercules’ omnipotent self that is not dependent on anyone. Juno, on the other hand, is
very much present, but she is similar to ‘wicked stepmothers’of folktales. Her bond with Hercules
is based on aggression, fear and devaluation, which tend to be denied on Hercules’ part. Megara
is the most complex, realistic maternal figure, pictured by Seneca as the one who is able to love
and protect her children, even to the point of self-sacrifice. Thus she is one of the representatives
of hope that stems from human bonds (the other is Amphitryon).
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Keywords
Seneca, psychoanalysis, mother, Hercules
Citation
Symbolae Philologorum Posnaniensium, 2013, nr XXIII/1, s. 103-128.
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ISBN
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0302-7384