Critical Essay | Critical Essay by Louis Fraiberg

Critical Essay by Louis Fraiberg

In Wilson's scheme …, psychoanalysis is a part of the historical method; its value in his criticism, presumably, lies not in what it is itself but in the contribution it can make to an understanding of the larger view.

The chief formulation of this portion of his theory occurs in "Philoctetes: The Wound and the Bow," an exposition of the idea that artistic ability is necessarily related to illness. (p. 162)

The fatal defect of this theory is that it does not explain what connection there is, if any, between artistic talent and emotional maladjustment. Wilson merely asserts in several places that such a connection exists. Other than his own word for it we have only the Philoctetes story, but this remains unconvincing for the excellent reason that analogy is not proof. (p. 163)

[Wilson] does not rely on psychoanalysis—nor for that matter on sociology—for his criticism. Both have their...
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