ABSTRACT
In Chapter 9, Nancy Kulish considers ambition from the perspective of a woman’s pursuit of rank, power and fame, and the achievement of a particular goal. She begins her discussion by noting that despite changes, these pursuits are not attainable for women in many parts of the world. She notes that the modern woman is still plagued by inner inhibitions passed down by generations. She suggests that power remains particularly unreachable for women. Kulish explores some ideas about female inhibition including the notion of the “unconscious saboteur,” pre-oedipal mother-daughter issues, and the “Persephone,” or female oedipal complex, which contributes to the daughter backing away from success and fulfillment of her ambitions. Kulish emphasizes the importance of agency, or the capacity to make things happen, as critical to the capacity to actualize ambition. Regarding the case of Elizabeth, Kulish speculates about the nature of the transference and the enactment of inhibition in the treatment relationship.
