Amón: The Psychology of a Rapist

Despite recent scholarly interest in the pathological element in Tirsian characterization, one of Tirso's most twisted figures, sexually and emotionally, has gone largely undiscussed: Amón, the incestuous rapist in La venganza de Tamar.

The figure of Amón looks forward to the creations of Freudian and post-Freudian writers. Strikingly modern is the way Amón demonstrates three important psychological ideas: 1) that rape is often an act and product of sexual humiliation; 2) that there is an important link between a son's sexual behavior and his conception of his father's virility; 3) that role playing is a significant element in some types of sexual pathology. (RC)