Beyond The Mirror Stage: A Study Of Protagonists’ Self-identification In The Mayor Of Casterbridge

“Wessex Novels” are the British transitional writer Thomas Hardy’s world-famous collected works,amongst which the publication of The Mayor of Casterbridge symbolized the maturity in Hardy’s novel creation.In The Mayor of Casterbridge,the philosophy of“Character is fate” Hardy discloses attracts extensive attention from critics and consequently serves as the main reason for the tragic life of the male protagonist Henchard.However,as a counterpart to Henchard in personality,the female protagonist Elisabeth-Jane has parallel experiences with Hencahrd.With the application of Jacques Lacan’s mirror stage theory,this thesis purports to analyze Henchard’s and Elisabeth-Jane’s exploration and pursuit of self and argues that Henchard and Elizabeth-Jane,after experiencing twice failures in identification,realize that the self is not fulfilled by the illusionary images but by the wide symbolized society.The main body of this thesis consists of three chapters.The first chapter analyzes Henchard’s and Elisabeth-Jane’s first identification and alienation.Due to the desire to transform the self,Henchard and Elisabeth-Jane identify with the illusionary mirror image to reap a sense of unity and perfection.However,identification with the mirror image is in effect the misrecognition of self,which will inevitably bring the consequence of alienation.The second chapter illustrates Henchard’s and Elizabeth-Jane’s projecting the ideal ego onto the other in real life.They form their ideal ego in their identification with the mirror image and then project it onto the other,leading to a narcissistic-aggressive relationship with the other.The third chapter discloses their reflection after the failure in identification.After experiencing twice failures in identification,the two protagonists realize the illusionary essence of the mirror image and by making significant transformations they finally transcend the mirror stage.The results of the research suggest that the identification and alienation these two protagonists experience represent not only the pursuit and exploration of their self but also the reactions and choices they make in a patriarchal rural society when facing the invasion of capitalist forces.The consequences of their different choices are also Hardy’s inspiration and solution for the rural residents who are under the impact of capital power: in the face of the ever-changing and innovative society,they should recognize the disparity between self and other through constant identification,complement self’s deficiency,and thus realize the self.