DU Journal, Humanities and Social Sciences
May 2015 Vol 8 (5(1)) 66-76
http://dujournals.eu.pn/Special-issues/
Criticism of Freud defense mechanisms in Rahi Moayeri poems
Aylar Sadaat Moghani1, Ayub Koshan1,*
1
Department of Persian Language and Literature, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University,
Tabriz, Iran
*Corresponding Author: Ayub Koshan
Received: 14 April 2015, Accepted: 13 May 2015, Available online: 20 May 2015
Abstract
Psychology is a science that analyzes different causes of human behavior and thoughts. It is
obvious that identification of spirit of creator of a literary work plays an important role in
analysis of his or her works. Freud, the famous psychoanalyst of twentieth century believes
that everybody who has affected by art knows that art as the origin of pleasure and relieving
has no limit. Since literature is a branch of art, it will be origin of spiritual pleasures and in
this regard, it has unbreakable connection with art and psychology. In this article, poetical
divan of Rahi Moayeri has been investigated according to Freud defense mechanisms. More
than any defense mechanism, he has considered sublimation and by imitation of the great
literary and religious men he has followed wordily and eternal auspiciousness or in Freud
opinion, he has paid attention to the life and death innateness.
Key words: psychology, Rahi, Freud, anxiety, defense mechanism
1-Introduction
Literature is a branch of art and the fourth rank of art based on division of the Aristotle fine
arts adopted from Poetics. The positive effect of art and its subcategory, literature on the
human soul can be investigated only by psychology. Certainly, literature deals with human
emotions and feelings and causes to dynamicity of mankind so, investigation on the poets and
writers works from psychology perspective can guide those who seek to discover the reasons
for creation and mysteries of literary works. Undoubtedly, poetry and literature are
psychology of the poet and writer and express their talent, emotion, eagerness and imagery
inspired by poetry.
DU Journal, Humanities and Social Sciences
May 2015 Vol 8 (5(1)) 66-76
http://dujournals.eu.pn/Special-issues/
For understanding this issue it is necessary to identify the relationship between literature and
psychology. Literature is mirror of spiritual pains and pleasures and inner emotions
expression is one of the reasons for creation of literature. It is obvious that identification of
inner feelings and emotions is duty of psychology hence literature and psychology have a
close relationship with each other. Sigmund Freud is one of the first psychotherapists that
found this relationship and tried to analyze the great literary works from psychology
perspective.
As a founder of psychotherapy he was pioneer of innovation of new techniques in
psychotherapy and his efforts led to proposition of the comprehensive personality and
psychotherapy theories. Of course, his influence in psychology is significant but we should
accept that he has exaggerated in some cases and he was in mistakes. However, he was the
first person that used terms including Oedipus conflict and Electra conflict and etc and
analyzed literary masterpieces from analytical perspective. According to importance of
criticism in identification of literary works and also the importance of psychological criticism
in investigating the spiritual effective states on creation of a literary work and also my
interest in psychology it was decided to write a new and different article on the classic and
common styles of criticism. Therefore, I was attracted by Freud psychological viewpoints
that influenced psychotherapy and I decided to analyze divan of Rahi Moayeri from
psychology perspective since he knew poetry as cure of his pains.
In criticism of divan of Rahi Moayeri his biography was significant since environmental
factors and behavioral representations of a person should be considered in psychological
criticism. According to Freud, human is an intricate person, so judgment on human
personality is difficult.
2- Research question
What are the outstanding defense mechanisms of Freud psychology in divan of Rahi
Mayaeri?
DU Journal, Humanities and Social Sciences
May 2015 Vol 8 (5(1)) 66-76
http://dujournals.eu.pn/Special-issues/
Discussion
2-1- Investigation on the Rahi poems based on defense mechanisms of Freud psychology
2-1-1- Defense mechanisms
Defense mechanisms are unconscious and involuntarily ways that ego uses them to reduce
anxiety and cope with negative emotions by deflection or denial of reality and temporarily
preserves balance and integration of personality until finding a real solution. “Sigmund
Freud, funder of psychotherapy proposed defense actions in 1894. He believed in some
defense mechanisms, but he emphasized regression. The first comprehensive and regular
study on defense mechanisms was introduced by Anna Freud in 1936 in the book “Ego and
defense mechanisms”(Pourafkari, 1994:371).
Defense mechanisms features are as follows: “1-They are unconscious and the person is not
aware of their activities in elimination of anxiety. 2-They are capable of compatibility and
cause to better conformation of the person with unpleasant events. 3-They are considered as
kind of self deceitfulness, since they change the person perception of the situations. 4-Their
usage depicts the personality incompatibility”(Ahmadvand, 2003: 27).
In his opinions, Freud proposed several defense mechanisms. He believed that a person might
use some defense mechanisms concurrently and rarely does he use only one of them.
2-1-2- Denial mechanism
Denial is meant denial of an anxious reality, behavior, action or agent and rejection of the
events. “It was assumed that it is a simple and low level defense mechanism that is used
mostly with children and the adults use it less”(Schultz, 2000:87).For example, imagine a
mother that has denied death of his son after killing in war and she sets his plate on the table
or wash his clothes; or the abdicated who denies his abdication. This mechanism is seen in
the poems of Rahi:
If the poor became Korah he is still greed
The inferior life does not know the way of sportsmanship
The value of the friends becomes obvious when they left us
Nobody knows the price of speech (Moayeri: 81)
DU Journal, Humanities and Social Sciences
May 2015 Vol 8 (5(1)) 66-76
http://dujournals.eu.pn/Special-issues/
Rahi Moayeri denies generosity and kindness of life and also humans’ gratitude. He believes
that humans find each other value when they leave each other.
What is existence? It is distress dream
It is deceiving and mirage
The palm tree of kindness was dried
Where is breeze and droplets of clouds (Moayeri:193)
In these couplets, he denies existence, kindness and pleasure.
2-1-3- Regression mechanism
Regression is a mechanism emerges when the inner needs are not met and “it causes the
person to return to behavioral patterns of before growth, the period of pleasing without failure
and anxiety from bitter events”(Schultz, 2000:67). This period is pleasing without pain and
sorrow. In this mechanism problem solving with adult style is replaced by childish way. For
example, consider an adult that holds a doll at the time of oppression and failure or a 25 year
man who wants to return to his parental home when he suffers from financial problems.
Examples of Rahi Moayeri poems:
You and the tulip faced men pick up flowers from pleasure tree
My garment tears up as blossom by your hand
I and kindness are eager in your desire
You and the kind men lose attachment (Moayeri:56).
The rhymes of this poem denote the past sweet memories. He remembers his old times.
Her hair twisting has lost
My bed is full of flower and I smell her yet (ibid:77).
Smelling the friend in the bed denotes return to pleasing period of the past.
DU Journal, Humanities and Social Sciences
May 2015 Vol 8 (5(1)) 66-76
http://dujournals.eu.pn/Special-issues/
2-1-4- Displacement mechanism
Displacement is transformation of anxious feelings, emotions and impulses of a person or
threatening or unavailable object to the trustable and safer person or object. “If a subject that
meets the id impulses is unavailable might displace the person”(Schultz, 2000:78). In other
words, displacement is transfer of mental feeling and emotional state from one person or an
object to other person or object that is less threatening. For example, when an angry
employee who cannot shout on his boss returns home he shouts on his wife.
The result of your life was familiar speech
When you left me I left the world (ibid:72)
In this couplet, the poet avoids the people and world by leaving his beloved so he
compensates disloyalty of his beloved with unkindness with the people.
Who am I? The person has left the people in the world
As a mountain standing alone (ibid:130)
Rahi Moayeri has displaced his beloved unkindness with leaving the people.
Be disloyal to be released from the people
The blossom encounters with many damages and the thorn is safe
The person who has chosen dishonestly as life
He is safe from the people oppression (Moayeri:190)
In this poem, the poet has chosen dishonesty for releasing from the people oppression so that
he displaces the people inferiority with wickedness.
2-1-5- Rationalization
Rationalization is using of rational inferences for justification of unjustifiable behaviors,
conducts and feelings or cognition rearrangement of the personal perceptions. This
mechanism is reinterpretation of our behaviors to be represented rational. “In order to
represent a threatening behavior or conduct justifiable we ensure ourselves that there is a
rational justification”(Schultz, 2000: 68). After misconduct the person represents his conduct
rational and correct for getting rid of anxiety and sin by justification. For example, the person
DU Journal, Humanities and Social Sciences
May 2015 Vol 8 (5(1)) 66-76
http://dujournals.eu.pn/Special-issues/
who has fired justifies himself as this: since I was not flatter I was fired while he had fired
because of weakness and inefficiency.
In literature, the poets express unreal and poetical events in literary language with using
conceit. Rahi Moayeri visualizes his pains and sorrows with artistic language:
If I hear others stories and meet others
The result will regret on what you see and hear (Moayeri:56)
Rahi Moayeri recounts meeting his beloved as reason for tolerating what he sees and hears
and writes that if the person has no hope for meeting his friend his life will be regretful.
O, pain unless you became accompanier of Rahi
The heart is enemy and that is charming idol (Moayeri:141)
In this couplet Rahi explains hostility of his heart and beloved as reason for taking refugee on
pain and sorrow.
2-1-6- Repression mechanism
In Freud personality theory repression is the main defense mechanism and other
mechanisms are secondary. Repression is meant prevention of unpleasant thoughts,
memories, desires and experiences in conscious. “Repression is involuntarily transfer of some
threatening thoughts and memories from conscious”(Schultz, 2000:86). In this mechanism
stressful memoires are repressed selectively in unconscious. Repression differs from denial,
in repression, the person never denies something. “Repression means controlling of the
instincts by the aim of suppressive supervision not from the nature but from the
person”(Freud, 2003:136). For example, a child who was punished in childhood never wants
to remember that memory and observe punishment of the children.
Rahi why you are groaning?
Pass away and shorten your story (Moayeri: 54)
Shortening of story and passing away because of pain is a kind of suppression of feelings
instead of expression of them.
Be kind and loyal or leave Rahi
DU Journal, Humanities and Social Sciences
May 2015 Vol 8 (5(1)) 66-76
http://dujournals.eu.pn/Special-issues/
I am impatient because of waiting for you (Moayeri:72)
This couplet depicts suppression of the beloved kindness and love.
I am eager to wine so I am hopeful
Who fills the cup reminds me there (Moayeri:86)
In spite of eager to drinking wine, the poet suppresses his desire and demands others to drink
instead of him to prevent his desire to be abduction.
Why you try to cure me why your talk about cure
Since the enemy heart is my cure because of your pain (Moayeri: 55)
O, Rahi we are disappointed about the people
Nobody is honest in this quest (Moayeri:228)
2-1-7- Projection mechanism
Projection is a mechanism that the person assigns his unpleasant desires, thoughts,
unconscious, false interpretations and defects to others and satisfies himself. In such
conditions, sexual impulses, aggressiveness and other unacceptable impulses are seen so that
others pose them not that person. “This mechanism is empowers in adulthood and it is seen
rarely in children”(Schultz, 2000:87). For example, when a person says I do not dislike him
he dislikes me”. This impulse emerges less threatening. Rahi uses this mechanism to calm
down for getting rid of the spiritual unpleasant state and thoughts.
Our share is pain and trouble
What is the sin of life? Since this is our fate (Moayeri:122)
I get angry when I see the people malevolent
I am groaning about any ups and downs (ibid:166)
Fate removed me from you
As a flower was picked up from the stem (ibid:118)
I never feel enjoyment and pleasure by drinking wine
DU Journal, Humanities and Social Sciences
May 2015 Vol 8 (5(1)) 66-76
http://dujournals.eu.pn/Special-issues/
Wine is pleasing with warmth hug of the friend (ibid: 98)
2-1-8- Sublimation mechanism
Sublimation mechanism is created when the impulses of id are changed without
replacement and instinctive energy is deflected to be expressed; the ways that are acceptable
and adorable. Freud believed that people try to shape their unpleasant and illegal sexual
desires and aggressive behaviors so that the society accepts them. “At first glance, it is
possible to say that sublimation is a fate that culture imposes us”(Freud, 2004:60). Indeed,
sublimation is a kind of compromise as displacement that does not meet our needs.
Freud believed that most of the artists have created their literary and artistic masterpiece with
sublimation of conflicts and repressed desires. For example, an aggressive person controls his
desires with sublimation and do martial arts. In the Rahi Moayeri poems since he speaks
about sublimation of the soul and emphasizes humanity the signs of sublimation are seen in
his poems:
Oh, sweet dream show your beautiful face
Since beautiful face offers you good temper (Moayeri:66)
Good temper and character is preferred to beautiful face and this is an example of his spiritual
sublimation.
I was sublimated by humility
I am as a still shadow
I have no malfeasance in my nature
I am as morning enlightening (Moayeri:118)
In these poems, Rahi invites the reader to humanly traits including humility and good nature
depicting spiritual sublimation of the poet.
O, the cedar committed to liberty does not do coquetry
I am a liberal that I was separated from the world (Moayeri:178).
As it is seen separation of the poet from the world represents his soul sublimation and
perfection.
DU Journal, Humanities and Social Sciences
May 2015 Vol 8 (5(1)) 66-76
http://dujournals.eu.pn/Special-issues/
2-1-9- Identification mechanism
Identification mechanism is imitation of thoughts, behaviors, tastes, and good features of
others, accommodation with others unconsciously leading to feeling of valuation or
identification with famous and outstanding people. “In identification process, matching
means projection of ego on others that unrealistic identification is seen in the
person”(Mansur, 1990:50). For example, a girl student asks her mother to buy her shoes as
her classmate shoes while she rejects imitation of her friend.
In the poems of Rahi Moayeri, identification with Imams, great Iranian and world literary
men are seen indicating his imitation of the great men behavior and conducts.
You were liberal and lived liberal
Lost your life to establish obedience
Died but your name is alive
Sacrificing yourself for the sake of people was your quest (Moayeri:423)
Sincerity of Moayeri to Pushkin is due to his sincerity to Saadi Shirazi at first and then due to
his humanly traits.
The soil of Shiraz that is destination of love and hope
It is the Kiblah of the devotees and lovers
Rahi is drunken by frenzied singing of Saadi
All poets say poems but his words are other thinning (Moayeri:204)
The last hemistich is adopted from Saadi and as it is seen Rahi Moayeri drunkenness by his
songs depicts the poet sincerity to Saadi and his poetical style.
The sultan of Khandaq and Saffein was Ali
He had twin swords on his waist
I am that is his adorners
Never afraid of the punishment of resurrection day (Moayeri:302-303)
DU Journal, Humanities and Social Sciences
May 2015 Vol 8 (5(1)) 66-76
http://dujournals.eu.pn/Special-issues/
Obedience of Imam Ali represents imitation of his traits that the poet tries to identify himself
with Imam and imitates his style in life.
3- Conclusion
Any man is resorted to factors in order to get rid of anxieties, discomforts and depressions
from psychological perspective to calm down and gain mental calmness. Taking refuge on
poem and poetry and inner balancing with writing is one of the ways used by poets in order to
represent their characters, failures or happiness consciously or unconsciously with words and
sentences.
According to the studies on the mentioned subject, most of the viewpoints of Freud focus on
mechanisms of sublimation, identification and rationalization and projection and
displacement, denial or repression are in second rank. Rahi Moayeri has chosen the style of
great men to live happily in both worlds and he has tried to offer a unique figure by
identification of these great men.
Based on the frequency of the highest and lowest mechanisms used in his poems it can be
concluded that he has chosen the best and styles for elimination of his anxieties and solving
his problems and this trait has made him an exalted and adorable person.
References
[1] Ahmadvand, M.(2003). Mental health, Tehran: Payame Nour publication, 4th
edition
[2] Freud, S.(2004). Civilization and its discontents , translated by Mobasheri,M.,
Tehran: Nashre Mahi
[3] Freud, S.(2003). The Psychotherapy of everyday life, translated by Enayat,
Tehran: Donyaei Ketab
[4] Freud, S.(2003). Civilization and its discontents, translated by Mehregan, Omid,
Game Noo publication
[5] Mansur,M., Dadstan, P.(1990). Genetics psychology 2, 1st edition, Tehran: Darya
[6] Moayeri, R.(2009). Rahi Moayeri divan, Sabur, Dariush, Tehran: Zavar
[7] Pourafkari, N.(1994). Complete dictionary of psychology, vo.1, Tehran: Farhange
Moaser publication
[8] Schlutz, D.; Sidney, A.(2000). Theories of Personality, translated by Seyed
Mohamadi, M., Tehran: Nashre Virayesh publication, 6th edition
DU Journal, Humanities and Social Sciences
May 2015 Vol 8 (5(1)) 66-76
http://dujournals.eu.pn/Special-issues/