The Id, Ego, and Insanity

Insanity, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is defined between the following three; “a severely disordered state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder”, “unsoundness of mind or lack of the ability to understand that prevents one from having the mental capacity required by law to enter into a particular relationship, status, or transaction or that releases one from criminal or civil responsibility” or “extreme folly or unreasonableness, something utterly foolish or unreasonable”¹.

To extend on this information given, Insanity can be defined as, “a limitation one faces that causes extreme unreasonableness and disordered actions in everyday life”. The several definitions of insanity excludes an important component, the factors that cause insanity. It seems as if all of the definitions include what will be impacted by insanity. However, there is no mention of some causes for insanity. It is crucial to include what factors cause insanity within an individual. What trigger moments caused an individual to have a disordered state of mind? Is there insanity a result from trauma, neglect, or family history? If all of these pieces were combined together, the meaning of insanity will be fully covered and understood.

It is important to view sanity in the same lense between all cultures. Even though there are cultural norms for how one should act, expectations should not impact how sanity is viewed within an individual. However, since there might be rituals or expectations one must conduct in their culture, it does not justify the morality behind those actions. If an action is unethical or immoral, the individual conducting this action should be considered insane. For instance, sacrificing a human in some cultures, is considered an expectation. This expectation has been present in third-world cultures for thousands of years and it is said to bring shame upon individuals if it is not executed. However, the idea of sacrificing another individual to please the majority, is not an ethical decision. The reasoning behind killing another individual to bring pleasure to others is unjust, disordered, and unreasonable. This would result in those conducting in this action to be considered insane. Although this is not at fault of the individual, the culture has impacted their state of mind to feel as if this is an appropriate decision to make. This all ties to the definition of insane. The culture has caused limitations in their society to where the individuals within condone in unreasonable and disordered actions, while simultaneously considering their actions to be normal.

In the play, Waiting for Godot by Samuel L. Beckett, the characters Vladimir and Estragon have a unique relation to the definition of insanity. Their insanity is categorized by constantly remaining in a waiting period for Godot. The two ponder around their stage, rambling about unnecessary information as they wait for Godot to arrive. The reason why these two characters are considered to be insane is due to the fact that they were completely willing to sacrifice their own lives to sit and wait for a figure that will most likely not appear. The two, often forget about everything they discuss or experience except for the fact that they are waiting for Godot. Since they are so forgetful, there is a realization that their state of mind is in fact, disordered. Therefore, their unreasonable action is how they are willing to wait for Godot. However, although they are in a constant wait for Godot, this is the one thing that keeps them normal. It is the one purpose they have in their life and the only action they can remember throughout the play. Without this, without their hope, they would completely fall deep into insanity. Their insanity is fueled by the idea that the two of them never had a purpose prior to this. Their waiting for Godot has given them something to look forward to and to hope for. The limitation of a purpose in their life has caused them to consider waiting for an unknown individual to be considered normal. However, this results in disordered mental capacity, their lack in maintaining a memory. 

Noticing their names, Didi and Gogo, there is a connection to Freud's level of consciousness. Didi being similar to Id and Gogo being similar to Ego, the two characters portray similarities to these qualifications. Didi, not being intune to reality, is the persistent one about waiting for Godot while Gogo wants to leave. Unconscious, impulsive and irrational influence is placed on Gogo to release his rational and conscious thinking. From this, Didi is considered to be the one who is in fact, insane. However, Gogo is influenced by Didi to act irrationally resulting in disordered thinking to form within himself.




1. “Insanity.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insanity.