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Imago

Philosophy
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Imago is an unconscious, idealized image of a person, particularly a parent, which influences adult relationships. It is a psychic representation from early life.

Detailed Definition
Jung and Freud used the term for unconscious images. In poetry, it appears in figures of idealized figures who embody deep-seated desires or fears. Poets explore these images, using them to understand identity and emotional conflict. The imago functions as a core metaphor, revealing the lasting power of formative relationships on the poetic imagination and the complexities of love and memory.
Example
Example in poetry:
The figure of the idealized mother appears as an imago in many of the poems of Sylvia Plath, shaping her conflicted sense of self; The memory of a lost father can function as an imago in a poet's work, as seen in the poems of Theodor Adorno; The imago of a dead lover haunts the poetry of Thomas Hardy, appearing in his elegies as an idealized, ghostly presence; A poet's early childhood self can become an imago, a persistent psychic image that is explored in the confessional poetry of Robert Lowell.
Additional Notes
Imago is a term from depth psychology, particularly associated with Carl Jung, referring to an unconscious, idealized mental image of a significant person, especially a parent or a childhood figure. This imago is not a realistic portrait but a psychic representation, often carrying a powerful emotional charge that influences our adult relationships and expectations. It can be positive or negative, becoming a source of attraction or fear. In poetry, the imago often appears as a central, idealized figure—a lost love, a revered parent, or a mythic hero. A poet's exploration of these images can reveal deep-seated desires and conflicts. For the poet, understanding the imago can be a way to delve into their own psychology and to create powerful, resonant characters and themes in their work.
Also Known As
Inner image Parental imago Psychic representation
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