A Study On The Ghosts In Shakespeare’s Plays-From The Perspective Of Surrealism

Shakespeare is the most important writer in the period of European Renaissance,whose outstanding literary creation are favored by the general readers for hundreds of years.With respect to his drama works,many scholars have conducted multi-dimensional researches.However,the studies on ghost image in Shakespeare’s plays are not enough.Ghost belief culture has maintained a strong vitality in the ancient society,which has been inherited and created continually.It controls people’s consciousness,and it is used by people,affecting every aspect of social life and culture deeply in the interaction.Therefore,the ghost image in Shakespeare’s plays is a product of ghost belief culture blending with the drama art which also grows in Europe traditional culture soil.Surrealism believes in the dream and the unconsciousness.The so-called"surreal","beyond sense" dream,illusion are the sources of artistic creation.Surrealists think that only this kind’ of unconsciousness which is beyond the real world can really get rid of all constraints to show the absolute essence of the objective facts.Dream can be used to solve the main problems of life,and it is treated as a surreal category and a symbol of the suppressed world.According to the theory,the thesis will analyze the origins and the uses of the ghosts in Shakespeare’s plays,so as to explore the aesthetic meaning,thereby the rediscovery and exploration of human self-awareness are highlighted.Ghost image appears in the illusionary shape within people’s life and art works,which shows the artistic creation as well as the spiritual beliefs.The purpose of this study is to enrich Shakespearean drama based on the Surrealism theory.Besides,the second one is to study and introduce the techniques of artistic creation.The last purpose is to promote the further development of studies on Shakespearean plays.The thesis will firstly have a literature review which studies the current research situation on Shakespeare’s dramas of ghost images.Then it analyzes Shakespearean works from the perspective of surrealism,which analyzes the origins of the ghost from two aspects of history as well as culture.Based on the theory of Surrealism,it classifies the ghost images of the dramas including Hamlet,Macbeth,Charlie Ⅲ and Julius Caesar,Cymbeline into three group,"real" ghost,imaginary ghost and ghost in dream,which analyzes their features and performances in each plays.Finally,the functions of the ghost images based on Surrealism will also be demonstrated.To explore the aesthetic meaning,’the thesis discusses the plot development,psychological suggestion,and character portrayal,stage need from the perspective of artistic effects,characterization,and exploration of themes.The research finds that the presence of the ghost image is a product of Shakespeare’s humanistic ideas conflict;it is a symbol of suffering,injustice and revenge;In addition,it is also a prelude to the positive struggle between the responsibility of reforming the tide and the disordered age.Ghost image is the externalization of the characters’ inner emotional conflicts,depicting characters ’personality from multiple directions.The dramatist’s thinking on human is to be discussed,shining the humanistic brilliance in the ideographic and lyrical technical way.Meanwhile,the maintenance of traditional morality and the pursuit of the ideal order are also to be expressed.