Psychoanalysis.  2025 Apr;36(2):36-47. 10.18529/psychoanal.2025.36.2.36.

Mythology and the Unconscious: Focusing on Greek Mythology

• Lee HK
• Kim WI

• KMID: 2567692
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.18529/psychoanal.2025.36.2.36

Abstract

This is the author’s second paper on the unconscious and space. In the first paper, based on Freud’s short thought about space (Freud 1938), the author analyzed the external space as a projection full of an individual’s extended psychic apparatus, object, and unconscious fantasies (Lee et al. 2023). Based on this result, the author analyzed the myth and expanded the unconscious space into a group, hypothesized and argued that there were traces of object function, psychic apparatus, and the unconscious fantasies shared by group members in the myth space. The author understood this psychologic function of myth as group objects, group superego, and group ego area. Although it has several limitations, this paper provides a framework for psychoanalytic under-standing of collective space and presents a new and meaningful perspective on myths.

Keyword

Mythology; The unconscious; Space; Greek mythology