Psychopathology of Tony Soprano and His Family

Lee, Byung Wook

Abstract

The Sopranos is a very popular HBO TV series. Throughout its run, it captured both lay people and professionals alike due to its bewitching power, the so-called Soprano effect. On this show, Tony Soprano is a notorious Mafia boss; however, he suffers from panic attacks and depression, and therefore receives psychotherapy from Dr. Melphi. Tony reveals many curious aspects of his own hidden private life and the secret about his criminal enterprise. Here I am focusing on the psychopathology of both his inner world and that of his family.,including those in his crime family. Simultaneously, I will explore his interesting psychotherapeutic process and his many meaningful dreams. During his sessions, typical transference and countertransference problems are revealed and Tony reacts to Dr. Melfi as a new mother figure. Unfortunately, he misses the opportunity for psychological rebirth when he drops out of therapy. Tony's dreams reveal that there is a lot of unresolved childhood issues and fantasies. Tony is bound to his unhappy childhood memories, especially those relating to his criminal father and borderline mother. Ultimately, it seems to me that he is basically unable to be helped by anyone. I can see a genuine tragedy in his life to be thoroughly deprivated as well as experiencing castrated isolation. Nobody welcomes him into the world unconditionally. I suspect that the public would feel assured by having similarities witha Mafia boss in terms of shared psychological weakness. Tony exhibits many conflicts including marital problems, troubles with his children, ambivalence to his parents, infidelity, murderous wishes, power struggles etc. But the Sopranos reveals only a small piece of the evil world. We know that evil is more attractive than good. As humans, we are continuously seduced by evil every day, but most are not taken in by this seduction. On the other hand, the psychopathic criminal accepts their evil tendencies. I agree with Dr. Melfi's final decision for ending her psychotherapy, even though she, herself had mild personal countertransference problems. In the end, I am concerned about Tony's unresolved emotional transference.