Romance novels have been often disregarded in literary discussions. Given that this genre primarily explores emotions and internal experiences, it is surprising that psychoanalytic criticism has not been extensively applied to it. This article examines Loretta Chase’s iconic work Lord of Scoundrels, utilizing Freud’s theory on the debasement of love. I argue that the protagonist, Lord Dain, serves as a poignant illustration of psychical impotence, a condition rectified through his connection with the heroine, Jessica. Beyond being a mere love interest, Jessica acts as a catalyst for his healing, enabling him to embrace femininity without compromising his masculinity. This process of feminizing the hero while preserving his masculinity aligns with the genre’s rhetorical conventions, as suggested by Catherine M. Roach. Consequently, this analysis provides a fresh, specifically feminine perspective on psychoanalytic literary criticism, addressing a question Freud leaves unanswered: how to overcome psychical impotence.
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This paper concentrates on a Freudian theory and some Lacanian continuations thereof dealing with the inception, in some men, of what has culturally been known as the Madonna–whore complex: seeing women as desirable or lovable, but not both.
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He comes to appreciate the value of the icon properly only after Jess has cleaned it and had an expert appraise its value. It turns out to be an extremely valuable Russian icon (50). Once he sees its revealed beauty, he realizes what he missed in the shop and covets the icon—the dirty whore of an icon becomes a valuable Madonna. Jessica is capable of transforming the image of the Madonna (the symbolic mother), thus proving the superiority of her comprehension and judgment. Her feminine perspective proves to be worth emulating and adopting.
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During their competitive courtship, Dain and Jessica are caught kissing in public. Dain refuses to marry her, thinking she has set him a trap. In response, Jessica shoots him in his left arm. It is known she is an excellent shot, and therefore it is obvious that she aimed there to send a message and not inflict major harm. Dain, however, falls ill with a fever for a few days and loses his ability to use his arm. He doesn’t lose sensation, only the ability to move it. The doctors are all at a loss since there is no physical damage after the graze from the bullet has healed. This is a clear symbol of his impotence, and the fact that Jessica makes it happen is no coincidence. His inability to comprehend how to both lust after and respect her petrifies him.
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Romance novels can serve as an optimistic thought experiment. This novel shows the ideal of healing psychical impotence and the divide of femininity into two discrete possibilities. His encounter with Jessica forces Dain to confront his trauma and the resulting worldview he holds. Jessica heals Dain by becoming a true love object. In this sense, psychoanalysis and the romance genre are in harmony. Love is a positive force for change because it frees the protagonists from social constraints and analysands from their own misconceptions that cause them pain. Dain can heal once he comes to terms with his mother and the lack she left in him. He adopts Jessica’s values and defers to her judgment because he is confident enough in his masculinity to let femininity exist in him.
Here's the abstract:
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