Guilt is a central theme in our western culture, and one of the most complex - different levels of analysis have made it the main object of reflection: the philosophical, the psychoanalytic, and the cultural. First, I will focus on the contributions given by Frederick Nietzsche, Søren Kierkegaard, Sigmund Freud, and C.G. Jung.  Next, I will consider those cultural changes that made guilt central in the life of individuals, like the transition from the Mycenaean heroic culture to the tragic one and the transition from paganism to the Judaic Christian culture. I will then consider this, the relationship between guilt and trauma, relying on Donald Kalshed’s work. Finally, I will analyse the link between guilt and sacrifice: the need for atonement .Concerning these aspects, I will refer to recent films about guilt and the need for atonement in contemporary times.

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IGAP member

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