Penis Envy (Noun)
Meaning
(psychoanalysis) a female's presumed envy of the male's penis; said to explain femininity.
Classification
Nouns denoting feelings and emotions.
Examples
- The psychoanalyst argued that the patient's behavior was motivated by penis envy, driving her to pursue traditionally masculine interests.
- Freud's theory of penis envy has been widely criticized for its simplistic and misogynistic view of female psychology.
- Some feminist scholars have reinterpreted the concept of penis envy as a metaphor for the societal oppression of women, rather than a literal psychological phenomenon.
- The artist's bold and phallic sculptures were seen as a manifestation of penis envy by some critics, but she argued they were simply an exploration of feminine power.
- In the psychoanalytic theory, penis envy is seen as a key factor in the development of femininity, with girls supposedly resolving the Oedipus complex by desiring a penis.