Seeking For True Self-identity--A Post-Structuralist Interpretation Of Characters In The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne's works show some Transcendentalist influence, including a belief in individual choice and consequence. As America's first true psychological novel, The Scarlet Letter would convey these ideals: contrasting puritan morality with passion and individualism. It remains relevant for its philosophical and psychological depth, and continues to be read as a classic tale on universal theme.The Scarlet Letter has the charm of unconsciousness. The malice of the personages is not designed purposely by the author, but due to their characteristics. The compositions of their personality lead to their tragedy. It goes to the root of the matter, and reaches some unconventional conclusions.The personages of this tale are not technically developed; they are gradually made transparent as they stand, until we can see them through. And what we thus behold is less individual peculiarities than traits and devices of our general human nature under the stress of the given conditions.In light of cognition, the significance of Jacque Lacan's post-structuralist theory is enormous. Lacan reconstructs Freud's theory. Psychoanalysis aims to oppose the conventional logos-centered theory by its unconscious theory. But Lacan conceives that the unconscious is not controlled by libido. The unconscious is related to the sign system. The society's sign system takes precedence over individuals. Thus the initial contact with the sign system produces each individual's sensational unconsciousness. There is split between consciousness and unconsciousness. Each individual subject seeks for self-identity. Lacan's theory of "split" marks a transition from modernism to post-modernism.According to Jacque Lacan's post-structuralist theory, the process that the subject transfers from existing in illusion to a confirmed cultural subject, combined between flesh and sign, is self-identification. The process of self-identification regards the OTHER as the object. The Other is the starting point of the absolute desire and sign. The subject pursues the OTHER'S desire while seeking for independence and distinction from the OTHER. In the process the consciousness of the subject comesinto being. However,self-identity crisis means loss of self-consciousness and ruin of the ego.The thesis consists of five chapters.Chapter one begins with a brief introduction to the novel's theme and roles of three protagonists. The psychological depth of them is distinctively, profoundly and theoretically interpreted by Jacque Lacan's post-structuralist theory.Chapter two deals with Transference in Lacan's post-structuralist theory. According to Lacan's post-structuralist theory, Roger Chillingworth assumes the position of a spiritual physician to Mr.Dimmesdale. Chillingworth undertakes the role of an analyst to Dimmesdale as an analysand in view of transference.But, in Roger Chillingworth's psychotic state, what is radically rejected is the symbolic OTHER or what Lacan calls the Name-of-the-father. It is through the castration complex that each subject must accept the intervention of the law and the desire of the OTHER, by either affirming or denying the role of the phallus as a signifier in the determination of sexual identity. Thus Chillingworth's identity changes from human to inhuman. As a sadist, Chillingworth attempts to dictate to the masochistic Dimmesdale exactly what must and must not be done. Here he plays the side role of the paternal OTHER who commands the subject to come in its attempt to sexualize the symbolic order of social law. His self-identity is distorted.Chapter three analyzes the cure of psychotic symptoms of Mr. Dimmesdale and his ultimate regaining of self-identity. Expounding on protagonist Arthur Dimmesdale represents the symptoms of the neurosis and transference with Roger Chillingworth according to Lacan's post-structuralist theory. Mr. Dimmesdale is in the symptom manifested by the split between the ego and the subject. The subject of him depends upon the imaginary and the determination that derive from the OTHER. So the pa...