As Wayne is brought up by his butler, he trains his Superego to balance a massive takeover from his primitive nature and defense mechanisms of the Id. He becomes a very powerful businessman as a “Superego” and never shows his Id. As Batman, he lets his primitive nature of the Id take over and turns into his most feared animal. Some might say the darkness of the alley that his parents were murdered in represented a physical manifestation of the darkness of his psyche. The murderer, The Joker, could be said to be his alter ego as a menacing prankster of chaos that destroyed his very structured life.
Beyond a battle of Id versus Superego, a Jungian take on the symbolism of his animal nature would be the aspect of the Shadow and Persona. Wayne, as the Persona, shows a very ideal man of wealth and power. He seems to live the life every man might want and seems very stable. When he creeps into the dark, he becomes his Shadow. Wayne’s nightmares constantly haunt him of the dark cave as he’s stuck in his Id. His costume, weapons, demeanor, and lair all represent the Shadow aspect of his personality as he fights crime. His victims fear it because they fear the darkness themselves. They fear the Shadow within.
The Joker, on the other hand, is a balanced foe to Batman. He completely envelopes his Id without denial. He causes chaos, but completely embraces the notion of his imbalance, something Batman and Wayne can’t seem to grasp. In The Dark Knight, The Joker taunts Batman’s every move by forcing him to further develop his Id and lose the fragile balance he has. The Joker murders his love to tempt his Id even more. Batman begins to lose balance of the very nature of his ability to grasp his primitive and perfect personalities. The Joker hires thugs that embrace the Id as a strength, and lets them loose on the superhero to tempt him to the edge.
The very nature of Batman’s superhero abilities are tested as a psychological fight between his Id and Superego, and Persona and Shadow. The Joker is said to be his perfect match as a balancing act that forces Batman to choose a side.
Batman stands as hero through identification of his alter egos. He embraces one while desiring the other. It’s a chaotic game he plays, but makes for a very interesting character.
