A Lacanian Interpretation Of Sunday In The Park The George The Musical

The thesis focuses on Stephen Sondheim’s musical Sunday in the park with George, trying to analyze the mechanism behind the character development of its roles, their life experiences and their constant pursuit of art by using Jacques Lacan’s idea of mirror phase, Name of the Father and death drive.First of all, the thesis does a brief survey of the history of Broadway musicals and the works of Stephen Sondheim. Based on the studies of Sondheim, the thesis finds out that although Lacan’s pessimistic ideas on subject and Other do work in Sunday, i.e. the subjects of the roles in the show are divided and castrated, they are still inherently attracted to something beyond the miserable reality: art. It is art that enables them manage to stand this bleak world and reach a mutual understanding and care for each other. In this sense, art is the very thing that makes the world a better place.