சங்க இலக்கியத்தில் உள்ளத்தின் தற்காப்பு முறைகள்: Defense Mechanisms of the Mind in Sangam Literature

Abstract

This article describes the psychological defense mechanisms employed by characters in Sangam literature to safeguard their peace of mind and prevent personality breakdown arising from life's frustrations, inner struggles, and anxieties. Defense mechanisms are temporary solutions generated by the unconscious mind to protect the human psyche and alleviate psychological stress. In this paper, psychological concepts are compared alongside evidence from Akam (interior/love) and Puram (exterior/heroic) poems of the Sangam period. Specifically, this study extensively examines how various psychological defense strategies—such as Repression (removing distressing thoughts), Denial (refusing to accept painful truths), Projection (attributing one's sorrow onto nature or other objects), Rationalization (justifying improper actions with excuses), Undoing (seeking atonement for a wrongdoing), Identification (finding satisfaction by aligning with others' achievements), and Sublimation (channeling instinctual energy into socially acceptable avenues)—are manifested in the behavior of Sangam literary characters.

This article establishes that modern psychological theories align remarkably well with the mental struggles and psychological feelings (such as Nothal / distress) of ancient Sangam characters.

Keywords

• Sangam Literature
• Defense Mechanisms
• Frustration
• Repression
• Denial
• Projection
• Rationalization
• Undoing
• Sublimation