An Analysis Of Jack London's Criticism On The Superman Philosophy In Martin Eden

Martin Eden is a masterpiece of American realistic writer Jack London published in 1909.It depicts how a lower-class young man successfully struggles for both love and writing but finally ends up with disillusion.In the novel,Jack London explores into love,dream,and death,as well as the Superman philosophy that serves as a distinct theme throughout this novel.This thesis is divided into five parts that explores Martin Eden's tragedy to analyze Jack London's criticism on the Superman philosophy.The first part is the introduction that briefly introduces Jack London's life,his works,the literature review both at home and abroad,and the research purpose and significance.The second part has four chapters.Chapter one generalizes Nietzsche's Superman philosophy around its origin and content,the limitation and its influence on Jack London.While the content of Superman can be concluded as three characteristics which are nature,creativity,and individualism.Chapter two explores the Superman nature on Martin Eden that bursts naturally when he pursues his love across the social class,then analyzes the reason why his Superman nature ends up as a losing fantasy.Chapter three explores Martin Eden's Superman creativity in writing that helps him to strive to a famous writer in the upper society from an analphabetic worker in the lower class and the reason why his Superman creativity comes to an end.Chapter four presents Martin Eden's Superman individualism throughout the course of his struggle that makes him antipathetic in society and how the individualism fails.The conclusion part summarizes the life of Martin Eden and the three Superman characteristics penetrating all his life that lead him to both love and dream by personal efforts,but eventually the suicide.Therefore,here demonstrates Jack London's criticism of Superman philosophy for its over-idealization and unreality.