Psychoanalytic theory appears to be a major shift from the ideas of structuralism, narratology and poststructuralism, as it turns the focus away from how the story is told, and what it means, to the ideas of an unconscious mind and how psychology shapes the meaning of literature.  This theory requires an analysis of what desires the author could be repressing by looking at figurative language, symbols and metaphors, as well as the actions of characters in the narrative, allowing the reader to understand the author’s underlying unconscious reason for writing.  Similarly, psychoanalytics can be used to understand the repressed desires of the reader, based on their reactions and feelings toward the literary work. Two psychoanalytic theorists, Sigmund Freud and Jaques Lacan, agree that the unconscious mind can control the way one reacts to emotions and events.  

Sigmund Freud is known for his Oedipal Complex and ideas of “penis envy,” which offer an enormous amount of limitations, as they are both very male centered.  Through his ideas comes the theory of psychoanalyzing the author, which minimizes the impact a piece could have on the reader. Though his theory has been heavily criticized, he has contributed to the idea of the unconscious mind, the main framework for psychoanalytic theory.  He has also provided some insight into human behavior through the id, ego and superego, where he discussed the idea of cultural repression. In the poem, “The Goblin Market,” characters can be broken into the three categories to resemble the three parts of the subconscious. For example, Lizzie could be considered the ego because she is logical and rational and Laura could be considered the id because she reacts on desire and impulse.  

Though Freud’s views seem to create a completely different critical theory, Jaquez Lacan combines psychoanalytic theory with postructuralism, once again building upon earlier theories of literature being understood through linguistics and grammar.  Unlike Freud, Lacan believes the reader should be the focus of psychoanalysis, not the author. Through this idea he also introduced the of stages of psychology and understanding, the first stage being imaginary, at the infant level, the second stage being mirroring, as the individual begins to see themselves mirrored by others, and the third stage, known as the symbolic stage, which involves seeing literature as an expression of the unconscious mind.  For example, it can be argued that Laura and Lizzie are doppelgangers in “The Goblin Market,” and act as mirrors of one another. Laura is Lizzie and not Lizzie at the same time because Lizzie thinks rationally and does not give into her desires.