The Tragedies Caused By The Deficiency Of The Subject’s Desire Representation

Cultural Studies investigates the ways in which“culture”creates and transforms individual experiences,everyday practices and texts,and social relations,while Film Study in Popular Culture not only focuses on text analysis of films,but pays more attention to the thoughts reflected and the inspiration given to people.Psychoanalytic film studies are mainly engaged in the research of individual subjectivity and mental health,seeking a way out for spiritual care.This is why psychoanalytic film studies play a role in Cultural Studies.The Lighthouse is one of the most representative psychological horror films of American Director Robert Eggers.This film tells a story of two lighthouse keepers who start to lose their sanity when a storm strands them on an isolated island off the coast of New England in the late 19th century.Based on Jacques Lacan’s theories of the Three Orders and Desire,this thesis analyses the tragedies caused by the deficiency of the representation of desires of Winslow,who is the protagonist in the film The Lighthouse,for the purpose of arguing that Winslow’s tragedies are:tragedies resulted from the deficiency of Winslow’s sexual desire representation,tragedies resulted from the deficiency of the representation of Winslow’s desire for power,and tragedies resulted from the deficiency of the representation of Winslow’s religious fanaticism.In addition to the introduction and conclusion,the thesis is divided into three chapters.Chapter One focuses on tragedies caused by the deficiency of representation of Winslow’s sexual desire,which are psychosis and the fundamental loss of sexual desire representation.Chapter Two analyzes the tragedies caused by the deficiency of representation of Winslow’s desire for power,which are the enjoyment of sinthome and becoming a slave to death drive.Chapter Three mainly explores the tragedies caused by the deficiency of representation of Winslow’s religious fanaticism,which are anxiety and repression.