"I don't admire Freud as much as some people do. Imagine Shakespeare being aware of the Oedipal complex when he wrote Hamlet. It would have been a disaster"
- Nathalie Sarraute
About this Quote
This quote by Nathalie Sarraute is a review of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theories. Sarraute is suggesting that if Shakespeare had actually been aware of Freud's Oedipal complex when he composed Hamlet, it would have been a disaster. Sarraute is indicating that Freud's theories are too simple and do not consider the intricacies of human habits. She is likewise recommending that Freud's theories are not applicable to all situations and that they must not be utilized as a one-size-fits-all method to comprehending human behavior. Sarraute is implying that Freud's theories must be used with caution which they should not be used to explain all elements of human behavior. Sarraute is recommending that Freud's theories need to be utilized as a tool to help us much better understand ourselves and our habits, however that they should not be used as a conclusive description for all of our behavior.