The Unconscious Feminine: A psychoanalytic Reading of Eileen’s Internal Struggles and Feminist Revolt in Ottessa Moshfegh’s Eileen

Abstract

This study analyzes Ottessa Moshfegh’s Eileen through a psychoanalytic lens, combining Freudian and Jungian theories to explore the protagonist Eileen Dunlop’s internal conflicts, repressions, and feminist awakening. The study delves into Eileen’s psychological trajectory from passivity and self-loathing toward a nascent sense of autonomy and self-realization. Central to this analysis are Eileen’s unresolved attachments—particularly to her absent mother—her rejection of traditional femininity, and the repression of her desires. Rebecca, a bold and subversive female figure, serves as both catalyst and mirror for Eileen’s transformation, challenging normative gender roles and prompting Eileen to confront her own buried impulses. Through this dynamic, the study argues that Eileen’s evolution is not merely personal but emblematic of a broader feminist resistance. The findings reveal that Eileen’s psychological development mirrors a symbolic recovery of the unconscious feminine, which facilitates her liberation from patriarchal constraints. Her eventual escape from a toxic domestic space and repressive identity marks a subversive act of self-authorship and psychic renewal. By merging psychoanalysis with feminist literary critique, this research positions Eileen as a narrative of emancipation wherein psychological confrontation becomes a mode of resistance and transformation.