HEDDA’S EGO DEFENSE MECHANISMS AS A RESPONSE TO HER PSYCHOLOGICAL CONFLICTS IN IBSEN’S HEDDA GABLER

摘要

The objectives of the research are to identify and explain the defense mechanisms experienced by Hedda based on Freud’s psychoanalysis theory, and to identify and explain the motives and types of psychological conflict experienced by Hedda based on the theory of psychological conflict promoted by Atkinson et al.udThis research is a qualitative content analysis study. The subject of this research is a play entitled Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen. The data were some phrases, clauses, sentences, and expressions related to the description of defense mechanisms and psychological conflicts. The key instrument of this research was the researcher herself with the concept of defense mechanisms drawn from Freud’s psychoanalysis theory and psychological conflicts drawn from psychological conflict theories promoted by Atkinson et al., all illustrated in the analytical construct. The researcher collected the data using read-write technique. The data analysis was conducted through organizing, preparing the data, reading through all the data, coding the data, giving a description, interrelating description, and interpreting the meaning of the description. To obtain trustworthiness, the researcher used triangulation technique.udThere are three results of the research. The first result is the description of classified defense mechanisms experienced by Hedda i.e. repression, denial, displacement, projection, reaction formation, fixation regression, and fantasy. Such mechanisms are experienced by Hedda in order to deal with reality and release her anxiety; they are the response to her psychological conflicts. The second result of the research describes the four pairs of motives representing Hedda’s psychological conflicts namely independence versus dependence motive, intimacy versus isolation motive, cooperation versus competition motive, and impulse expression versus moral standards motive. Most of conflicts between motives fall into three categories i.e. approach – approach conflict, approach – avoidance conflict, and approach – avoidance conflict; this is the third result of the research. All these conflicts contribute to Hedda’s arbitrary behavior and to some forms of defense mechanisms experienced by her.