Psychosocial conflicts and defense mechanisms in leadership: psychoanalytic view in Elizabeth: The Golden Age movie Konflik psikososial dan mekanisme pertahanan dalam kepemimpinan: pandangan psikoanalitik dalam film “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examines the personality structure of the character Elizabeth, who is the Queen of England in the film Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) through the theory of Sigmund Freud, as well as the psychosocial development of Erik Erikson's theory, and the defense mechanisms of Sigmund Freud's theory that she uses. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method with content analysis, examining the elements of dialogue and character behavior in the film. Data for this study were collected by watching the film, noting relevant scenes, and analyzing them according to the theory used. The results of the study show that Elizabeth experiences internal conflict between her id, ego, and superego and this reflects how she develops as a national leader. Erikson's psychosocial stages such as Identity vs Role Confusion, Intimacy vs Isolation, and Generativity vs Stagnation, show Elizabeth's changes when dealing with matters related to politics and society. In addition, the defense mechanisms used by Elizabeth such as rationalization and sublimation play a positive role in maintaining her emotional stability, while regression and forgiveness lead to negative ones.
Downloads
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Every work in Diglosia: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa, Sastra, dan Pengajarannya is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Internationalthat allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
References
Aras, G. (2015). Personality and Individual Differences: Literature in Psychology- Psychology in Literature. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 185, 250–257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.03.452
Barratt, B. B. (2016). Psychoanalysis and the Postmodern Impulse. Routledge.
Bilbo, A. A. C. (2019). Captain America’s, Ironman’s, and Thor’s Anxiety and Defense Mechanism in The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. K@ta Kita, 7(3), 427–434. https://doi.org/10.9744/katakita.7.3.427-434
Bronfen, E., & Straumann, B. (2016). Elizabeth I: the cinematic afterlife of an early modern political diva. In M. Merck (ed.), The British Monarchy on Screen, 132–154. https://doi.org/10.7228/manchester/9780719099564.003.0007
Chung, D. (2018). The Eight Stages of Psychosocial Protective Development: Developmental Psychology. Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science, 08(06), 369–398. https://doi.org/10.4236/jbbs.2018.86024
Creswell, J. W., Hanson, W. E., Clark Plano, V. L., & Morales, A. (2007). Qualitative Research Designs: Selection and Implementation. The Counseling Psychologist, 35(2), 236–264. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000006287390
Endrawati, K. R., Moega, T., & Maukar, M. M. (2022). Analysis of Id, Ego and Superego of the Main Character in the Movie Script Cruella By Tony Mcnamara and Dana Fox. JoTELL Journal of Teaching English, 1(11), 1285–1300. https://ejurnal.unima.ac.id/index.php/jotell/article/view/5120
Hossain, M. M. (2017). Psychoanalytic Theory used in English Literature: A Descriptive Study. Global Journal of Human-Social Science: G Linguistics & Education, 17(1), 40–46. https://globaljournals.org/GJHSS_Volume17/3-Psychoanalytic-Theory-used.pdf
Iftikhar, N., Saddique, K., & Nawaz, A. (2022). Projection of Denial as a Defense Mechanism in Fatima Bhutto’s Novel The Runaways. Global Sociological Review, VII(II), 248–254. https://doi.org/10.31703/gsr.2022(vii-ii).27
Kapur, S. (2007). Elizabeth: The Golden Age. https://www.primevideo.com/-/id/detail/Elizabeth-The-Golden-Age/0FWOMDR3Y0YZP7YYPTQNQJDDGG
Kerpelman, J. L., & Pittman, J. F. (2018). Erikson and the Relational Context of Identity: Strengthening Connections with Attachment Theory. Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research, 18(4), 306–314. https://doi.org/10.1080/15283488.2018.1523726
Khoirunisa, N., & Rahayu, E. Y. (2020). Ego Defense Mechanism of the Main Female Characters in Maleficent Movie. Dinamika Bahasa Dan Budaya, 15(2), 54–61. https://www.unisbank.ac.id//ojs/index.php/fbib1/article/view/8221
Knight, Z. G. (2017). A proposed model of psychodynamic psychotherapy linked to Erik Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 24(5), 1047–1058. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2066
Kurnia, C., & Santyaputri, L. P. (2024). The Analysis of Freud Theory on Psychological Aspects of the Main Character in Movie “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022). Atlantis Press International BV. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-390-0_8
Lawford, H. L., Astrologo, L., Ramey, H. L., & Linden-Andersen, S. (2020). Identity, Intimacy, and Generativity in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: A Test of the Psychosocial Model. Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research, 20(1), 9–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/15283488.2019.1697271
Lolang, E., Rais, R., Oualeng, A., & Prayitno, M. A. (2023). Analysis of Educational Messages in The Lion King Movie: Perspectives on Character Education and Environmental Conservation. COMPETITIVE: Journal of Education, 2(2), 122–130. https://doi.org/10.58355/competitive.v2i2.24
Mahesar, W., & Mashori, G. M. (2018). Human Behavior in Perspective of the Id, the Ego and the Super-ego: A Psychoanalytic Study of Sidhwa’s Ice-Candy Man. ELF Annual Research Journal, 20, 219–234. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371686907
Malone, J. C., Liu, S. R., Vaillant, G. E., Rentz, D. M., & Waldinger, R. J. (2016). Midlife eriksonian psychosocial development: Setting the stage for Late-Life cognitive and emotional health. Developmental Psychology, 52(3), 496–508. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0039875
Maree, J. G. (2021). The psychosocial development theory of Erik Erikson: critical overview. Early Child Development and Care, 191(7–8), 1107–1121. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2020.1845163
Masyhur, M. A., Fithratullah, M., & Kasih, E. N. E. W. (2023). A Psychoanalysis on Internal Conflict of Bruce Wayne as Seen in Matt Reeves’ The Batman (2022) Movie. Teknosastik, 21(1), 8–22. https://doi.org/10.33365/ts.v21i1.2285
Mawuntu, A. Z., Valiantien, N. M., & Setyowati, R. (2023). Teresa’s Id, Ego, Superego in James Dashner’s The Death Cure Novel (2011). Ilmu Budaya: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, Dan Budaya, 7(2), 517–528. https://doi.org/10.30872/jbssb.v7i2.7324
Meivitasari, Y., & Widyatwati, K. (2023). Bentuk ketidakadilan gender dan perlawanan tokoh Kinanti dalam novel Layangan Putus (kajian feminisme eksistensialisme Simone de Behaviour). Diglosia: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa, Sastra, Dan Pengajarannya, 6(4), 1071–1080. https://doi.org/10.30872/diglosia.v6i4.798
Nassaji, H. (2015). Qualitative and descriptive research: Data type versus data analysis. Language Teaching Research, 19(2), 129–132. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168815572747
Niaz, A., Stanikzai, S. M., & Sahibzada, J. (2019). Review of Freud’s Psychoanalysis Approach to Literary Studies. American International Journal of Social Science Research, 4(2), 35–44. https://doi.org/10.46281/aijssr.v4i2.339
Nolen, N., & Arianto, T. (2020). Main Character’s Personality Conflict in Aladdin Movie. TONIL: Jurnal Kajian Sastra, Teater Dan Sinema, 17(1), 20–27. https://doi.org/10.24821/tnl.v17i1.3876
Patel, M., & Patel, N. (2019). Exploring Research Methodology: Review Article. International Journal of Research and Review, 6(3), 48–55. https://www.ijrrjournal.com/IJRR_Vol.6_Issue.3_March2019/IJRR0011.pdf
Pratama, D., & Rullyanti, M. (2020). An analysis of Kevin’s ego in “Split” movie (A psychoanalysis study). Literary Criticism, 06(02), 60–65. https://jurnal.unived.ac.id/index.php/jlc/article/view/1576
Pratiwi, R. H., Sa’adah, S. I., & Fanani, A. (2024). Margaret’s recovery way in Jacqueline Woodson’s Last Summer with Maizon: father death and writing opportunity. Diglosia: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa, Sastra, Dan Pengajarannya, 7(2), 327–334. https://doi.org/10.30872/diglosia.v7i2.961
Ramalakshmi, S., & Sophia, M. S. (2022). Sublimation – A Study of Defense Mechanism Through Amulya Malladi’s Serving Crazy with Curry. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 6(4), 4935–4939. https://journalppw.com/index.php/jpsp/article/view/4185
Rani, A., Firdous, M., Tahir, S. A., & Abrar, A. (2023). Psychoanalytic Analysis of The Main Characters in The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Movie. Pakistan Journal of Society, Education and Language (PJSEL), 10(1), 2523–1227. https://pjsel.jehanf.com/index.php/journal/article/view/1316
Rani, K. D., & Winaya, I. M. (2020). Intrinsic Elements and Sociological Criticism of Green Book Movie. Humanis, 24(3), 247–256. https://doi.org/10.24843/jh.2020.v24.i03.p03
Rizqawanti, N., & Susilowati, E. (2023). Analysis of Dominant Psychological Conflict of Don in Sarah in Girl in The Basement (2021) Movie Based on Sigmund Freud’s Theory. The Virtual International Conference on Economics, Law and Humanities, 2(1), 28–38. https://callforpaper.unw.ac.id/index.php/ICOELH/article/view/473
Sari, N. P., & Rusdiarti, S. R. (2024). Konstruksi women empowerment dalam film Memoria. Diglosia: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa, Sastra, Dan Pengajarannya, 7(2), 213–226. https://doi.org/10.30872/diglosia.v7i2.923
Sari, Y., Suwandi, S., & Wardani, N. E. (2019). Id, Ego, and Superego in the Main Character of Mata di Tanah Melus Novel by Okky Madasari. Budapest International Research and Critics Institute (BIRCI-Journal) : Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(1), 99–109. https://doi.org/10.33258/birci.v2i1.154
Septiani, V. G., Dewantara, D. C., Labibah, N., Vincensia, D., Rawambakue, R. C. N., & Sulistyorini, H. (2022). Beatrice prior’s id, ego and superego described in Veronica Roth’s novel Divergent. UNCLLE (Undergraduate Conference on Language, Literature, and Culture), 2(1), 352–359. https://publikasi.dinus.ac.id/index.php/unclle/article/view/6106
Setiawan, F., Jayantini, I. G. A. S. R., Winarta, I. B. G. N., & Suwastini, N. K. A. (2021). Facing Anxiety through Ego Defense Mechanisms on The Walking Dead: Michonne Movie Game. Journal of Language and Literature, 21(2), 307–317. https://doi.org/10.24071/joll.v21i2.3132
Syed, M., & McLean, K. C. (2018). Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development. In The SAGE encyclopedia of intellectual and developmental disorders (Vol. 4, pp. 578–581). SAGE Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483392271.n178
Vyas, S. (2023). Id, Ego and Super Ego in Stevens’ Personality. International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT), 3(2), 204–209. https://doi.org/10.48175/ijarsct-9118
Wahidah, E. Y., Yuminah, Y., In’ami, M., & Ulfa, U. (2022). Implementing Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalysis Theory in the Academic Arena: A Critical Study. Jurnal Imtiyaz, 6(2). 72–87 https://doi.org/10.46773/imtiyaz.v6i2.359