Interpretation Of Eugene O'Neill's Major Works From Lacan's "Mirror Stage" Theory

Eugene O'Neill (1888-1953) is a prominent playwright who has epoch-making significance in U.S.A. drama. He is not only a theatrical innovator and explorer of human psychology but also a writer who feels the spiritual crisis of man. Though many critics show great interests in O'Neill and his plays and study both O'Neill and his plays in many aspects, no one has ever studied his dramas via Lacan's"Mirror Stage"theory in psychoanalytic perspective and this is the thesis'originality. O'Neill is concerned with human beings'spiritual crisis and explores psychologically pained soul underneath the common surface. The writer intends to highlight the psychological aspects of characters in O'Neill's major plays, and meanwhile makes textual interpretation of alienated psyche embodied in O'Neill's plays within Lacan's"Mirror Stage"theory.Based on the previous research, the thesis aims to construct intrinsic relationship of Lacan's"Mirror Stage"theory and O'Neill's creative themes in psychoanalysis via Lacan's"Mirror Stage"theory. With the help of the theory, the writer aims to carry out the main characters'psychoanalysis in O'Neill's important works—Beyond the Horizon, The Hairy Ape and Desire under the Elms, therefore, reveals the great influence of environment, social thoughts, social interaction on the characters'behaviors and furthermore, excavates psychological roots of the characters'behaviors. The results shows that in the relationship of"mirror"and man,"mirror"influences man's image and in the process of looking for"self"evidence in his life man will be influenced by"mirror"once again, thus,"mirror"is the core of man's soul which decides and limits his activities.Based on intrinsic relationship of Lacan's"Mirror Stage"theory and Eugene O'Neill's works, the thesis concludes that the main characters in Eugene O'Neill's three works embody Lacan's"Mirror Stage"theory which has a tremendous influence on one's life."Interpretation of Eugene O'Neill's Major Works from Lacan's'Mirror Stage'theory"is a textual approach to interpret Eugene O'Neill's plays. This thesis is a primary exploration of the main characters'psychology embedded in his major plays, yet it was a trial and I hope it is only the first of many which will further develop O'Neill's psychoanalysis and elaborate his deep meaning hidden behind the text.