英语专业的毕业论文源于嫉妒的毁灭：《奥赛罗》的悲剧解读.doc

本科毕业论文题目：源于嫉妒的毁灭：奥赛罗的悲剧解读学 院:外 国 语 学 院专 业:英 语 双 学 位学 号:学生姓名:指导教师:日 期:2012年5月15日摘 要 威廉莎士比亚（1564-1616）是公认的英国文学史上最杰出的作家和全世界最卓越的戏剧家。他的戏剧被翻译成所有主要使用着的语言，并且表演次数远远超过其他任何戏剧家。莎士比亚所有的作品当中，四大悲剧是艺术成就最高的。许多文学评论家把奥赛罗视作莎士比亚悲剧的巅峰之作，而不少心理学家则认为奥赛罗是嫉妒心理学理论研究的必读之作。奥赛罗不仅是一部家庭悲剧，也是一部爱情悲剧，由于剧中人物的嫉妒心理，最终导致了悲剧的发生。伊阿古由于嫉妒凯西奥和奥赛罗，污蔑、陷害凯西奥和苔丝狄蒙娜，直接造成了奥赛罗的悲剧。奥赛罗对苔丝狄蒙娜的真爱被居心叵测的伊阿古所利用，在嫉妒的驱使下，他轻信伊阿古，亲手杀死了自己的妻子，最终也拔剑自刎。因此，奥赛罗中的悲剧在很大程度上是源于嫉妒的心理。本论文对奥赛罗人物性格的悲剧性因素嫉妒进行深入讨论，并进而从心理动力学理论的角度详细分析其人物嫉妒的表现及其导致的悲剧结果。关键词: 奥赛罗；悲剧；嫉妒；心理动力学AbstractWilliam Shakespeare（1564-1616）is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the history of English literature and the most pre-eminent dramatist around the world. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Among all his works, the four great tragedies represent the best of his artistic attainments. Many literary critics regard Othello as the peak of his tragedies, while not a few psychologists believe that reading Othello is a must for the theoretical research of psychology concerning jealousy.Othello is not only a tragedy of family, but also a tragedy of love. Jealous psychology of the characters ultimately leads to the tragedy. Iago was jealous of Cassio and Othello, so he slandered and entrapped Cassio and Desdemona, which directly brought about Othellos tragedy. Othellos true love to Desdemona was utilized by Iago who had ulterior motive. Driven by jealousy, Othello readily believed Iago, and personally killed his own wife, and eventually drew his sword to cut his own throat. Therefore, the tragedy in Othello is largely rooted in jealous psychology. This paper is intended to present a deepened discussion about jealousy, a key factor that leads to the tragedy of the characters in Othello, and thereafter detailedly make a further analysis of the demonstration of jealousy of the characters and the resultant tragedy in the perspective of psychodynamics theory.Key words: Othello; tragedy; jealousy; psychodynamicsContents1 Introduction.21.1 About the Author.21.2 About the Play Othello32 Jealousy of the Characters in the Play Othello43 Analysis of Jealousy in Othello in the Psychodynamic Perspective83.1 Normal Jealousy.93.2 Projective Jealousy.93.3 Delusional Jealousy.104 Conclusion.11Bibliography.13Acknowledgements15Destruction out of Jealousy: Interpretation ofthe Tragedy in OthelloWilliam Shakespeare was a great master of the English language. Shakespeares works have been fondly cherished by the greatest minds and among them was Karl Marx, who regarded Shakespeare as one of the two greatest dramatic geniuses the world has ever known (Lewinter, 1963). The other one is Aeschylus. Shakespeare was skilled in many poetic forms: the song, the sonnet, the couple, and the dramatic blank verse. But tragedies, especially the four great tragedies, stand for his greatest contribution. Othello is regarded as the most outstanding one.(卞之琳, 1989)Othello was born in the peak period of Shakespeares creation which was from the year 1601 to 1608, when Elizabeth I took throne from James I. During the period of Elizabeth I, the United Kingdom became one of the most powerful countries in Europe, and was in the boom of political, economic, cultural and artistic prosperity. In the transition period from feudal society to capitalistic society, the primitive capital accumulation took the measure of the enclosure movement, which led to the tragedy that a large number of farmers lost their land and many urban handicrafts went bankrupt. The society wen into a state of unrest and insecurity, and peoples life was miserable. Benefited from the historical transition, Shakespeares creation reaches to the peak. The four worldwide known tragedies were born at that time. Following Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello came into being.(Bradley, 2010) As an outstanding representative of the English Renaissance, Shakespeare was keen on capturing the psychology of violent conflicts between the humanist ideals and capitalist primitive accumulation social background. (Wells, 2000) Shakespeare uses his genius insight and outstanding writing skill to present the reality of life and reality of the society. In this given social and historical context, human beings became “alienated”. (卞之琳, 1989) Iago is a character in the play Othello. As a realistic projection, his strong jealousy is the literary representation and practical expression of this social and historical background.Many literary critics regard Othello as Shakespeares greatest work, while some psychologists comment that Othello has made the greatest contribution to psychological theory concerning jealousy.As a matter of fact, Othello is the perfect product which combines jealousy and the social historical and cultural background together. This paper is intended to present a deepened discussion about jealousy, a key factor that leads to the tragedy of the characters in Othello, and detailedly analyze the demonstration of jealousy of the characters and the resultant tragedy in the perspective of psychodynamics theory. 1IntroductionTo pave the way for detailed analysis, a brief introduction to the author and the play is necessary and benefical.1.1About the AuthorWilliam Shakespeare was born on the 23rd of April, 1564, in Stratford-on Avon, Warwickshire. He is one of the most famous geniuses who have become landmarks in the history of the British literature, even the history of the world literature. Meanwhile, William Shakespeares works are great treasures in the history of world culture. During the 22 years of his literary life, he produced 37 plays, 2 narrative poems and 154 sonnets. His imagination, his richness of language and his deep understanding of human nature have made him universally known and loved. His influence on English literature and on the writers of other countries is immense. When he was seven, he went to a grammar school. But at the age of fourteen, he had to be a schoolmaster to help support his family because of the decline of his family. After arriving in London he was connected with drama. He developed blank verse into a delightful vehicle to express various kinds of thoughts and emotions freely. Shakespeare is one of the founders of realism in world literature. (斯蒂芬格林布兰特, 2007) His dramatic creation often used the method of adaptations. His long experience with the stage and his intimate knowledge of dramatic art thus acquired make him a master-hand for playwriting. He was a great master of the English language. He was skilled in many poetic forms: the song, the sonnet, the couple, and the dramatic blank verse. But tragedies, especially the four great tragedies, represent the peak of his art. Among the four great tragedies, Othello is regarded as the most outstanding one.1.2About the Play OthelloOthello, a Moorish general of Venice, has promoted Cassio as his lieutenant. Then Iago, who is hoping for the promotion but fails, makes plots against Cassio and Othello to take revenge. On the other hand, Othello has secretly married Desdemona, the beautiful daughter of Venetian senator Brabantio, and Iago determines to use Desdemona as the means of his revenge. Othello believes Iagos tricks so that he kills his wife by his own hand. In the end of the play, he finds he has murdered his beloved wife by mistake, he cannot face himself and stabs himself full of guilt and dies beside Desdemona. Obviously, Othello is a tragic play, and the personality traits of the characters lead to the tragedy.Othello, as the major character in the play, lived in a period when the society was in a state of transition from ancient to modern, which contains the duality of self-evidence. On the one hand, the Venice city is showing the dawn of racial equality, they elected the descendants of the Moor for the coach to defend the national security; on the other hand, it is full of racial discrimination and prejudice.(程雪猛、祝捷, 2008) As descendants of the Arabic Moor, he had to confront with the Europeans. He belonged to minority groups in the Venetian states and his status rose from the mercenary to General of the Army. Although as a military general, Othello was much respected, but his black features made him dare not pursue Desdemona in a normal way. Because they are from different classes and races and it is difficult to be recognized by the society at that time. The contradiction of the black and white filles the entire play, so is the idea of racism. (罗益民, 2002) Othello has clear characteristics of the black. Desdemonas father called Othello as “thick lips” in the opening scene.(莎士比亚, 2001) In the second act of the first scene, Desdemonas father complained that his delicate daughter would refuse the rich young man to choose to embrace the guy whose body like a block of carbon. Othello was surprised too, and he told his love for this beautiful white girl to Iago. Desdemona showed her determination to choose the man when she had to face all the senators of Venice. Othello showed his love to this noble girl when he faced Desdemonas father and the whole senators of Venice. The strong contrast of his noble status and black race hurt his self-respect. There is no doubt that the damage is so huge that it will deeply damage the mind of Othello and cause his jealousy to be awakened at any time. Shakespeares skilled literary arrangement makes it a natural foreshadowing for the later development of Othellos jealous behavior. 2Jealousy of the Characters in the Play OthelloIn Shakespeares play Othello, Othello is a Moor with an honest, kind and open mind, an all-powerful hero on the battlefield. (蔡文显, 1932) However it is the character that was made use of by Iago, leading to the credulity tragedy of murder and suicide. Although some people comment that this tragedy results from treacherous Iago who was full of ambition and inner jealousy. In fact, the tragedy of Othello, Iago is not the only reason. He is created for the objective conditions, and the real development comes from the hero. First, Othello always has an inferiority complex due to his black race. (李慧子, 2010) Though he has been promoted as a noble general, his inferior and fragile mind has never disappeared. When he was told his wife has some love affairs with Cassio, he said, “Haply, for I am black/And have not those soft parts of conversation/That chamberers have, or for I am declined/Into the vale of years,yet thats not much” (Shakespeare, 1958: 51) If it is not inferior, he would not suspect his wife after several pieces of provocation. He is inferior in skin color, image and age, and he actually felt that he was not worthy of Desdemona. He felt inferior to Cassio so that he had an indefinable fear. Second, Othello is too credulous of other people. If he hadnt believed in the words of Iago that his wife was having a love affair with some other people, the tragedy of jealousy would not have happened. And the marriage with Desdemona is so happy that he believes the world is good. He cannot imagine Iago is such an evil who envies his wifes beauty and is very angry and hates him due to a promotion, which is unfair in his eye. Therefore, Iago deliberately spread rumors trying to take his revenge, which Othello did not perceive. On the contrary, Othello thought Iago is an honorable man since Iago behaved in a hesitant manner to disclose the truth to him, looking like a righteous man from the heart. The tragedy is rooted in Othellos character, too credulous and blind to the social evils, and thus he was easily deceived by the treacherous villain Iago and ultimately he made a big mistake, killed his pure innocent and deep loved wife, and also punished himself with his own hands. Othellos behavior just follows a common pattern of development from jealousy mood to jealous behavior: jealousyhatredrevengedestroy. (Freud, 1955) Although Othello is a noble general who can defeat his enemies on the battlefield, with strong jealousy in his mind, he cannot conquer himself just like many mediocre people. (邵杰, 2011) He is very narrow-minded, and his straightforwardness betrays him, he cannot wait to ask to find evidence, and “there is no more but this, away at once with love or jealousy!” (Shakespeare, 1958:49) he misjudges the situation and thinks that only death is the right solution to the problem.Furthermore, Othello is a man with “male chauvinism”. When he was provoked by Iago, he began to doubt his wifes honesty. It is rather his male chauvinism than so much trust in Iago. In his view, wifes derailment is shameful, heinous, hurting his big mans self-esteem. (刘轶、吴洁, 2010) Even if it is only a rumor, he also cannot wait to ask to find evidence, “there is no more but this, away at once with love or jealousy!” (Shakespeare, 1958:49) When he found his handkerchief used as engagement pledge in Cassios room and suspected his wifes infidelity, it is understandable and justifiable. But when he went into Iagos trap, saw the expressions and mouths of Cassio and Iago when they were talking, Othello thus concluded that Cassio was having an affair with his wife Desdemona. This can be entirely based on his own guess. Othello is driven by his selfe-esteem so that Iagos instigation is able to immediately work. In fact, Othello had an opportunity to know the truth, say, to have conversation with Desdemona when they were in the bedroom, but he did not. On the contrary, he kept insulting his wife as a “whore” and wantonly humiliated her face just because he feared that the truth was the same as his own guess. If his guess was true, his honor and pride would be gone.Another drawback of Othello is his violent personality and impulsiveness, which ultimately causes the tragedy. After marriage Othello looked like a tamed lion, but that does not mean that he was to get rid of the lions nature, when he was stimulated, he would fly into a rage, consuming everything around him. So, when he saw Iago pause in his words, he encouraged Iago to honestly tell him the truth, though with the worst words to say what he thought of the worst things. (Shakespeare, 1958) In fact, Othellos body and mind was deep with an evil force, but previously it was only suppressed by the sweetness of love, and when he was told his wife having an affair with others, he decided that “Ill see before I doubt;when I doubt,prove;and on the proof, there is no more but this, away at once with love or jealousy!” (Shakespeare, 1958:49) It can be seen that Othellos destructive force is very strong, once it is free of the shackles of reason, the consequences would be disastrous. Unluckily, Othello is a man lack of intellectual thinking, just believing in Iagos one-sided words and thus beginning to suspect his wife. When he saw his wife and his men meet, that handkerchief used as engagement pledge was in Cassios hand, he jumped to the conclusion that his wife was involved in infidelity and thus decided to her. The dying Desdemona asked him to listen to her explanation, or to find Cassio confront, but at that time, Othello, full of jealousy, did not give Desdemona the chance to explain, but pulled his anger out, ultimately killed his beautiful innocent wife and led to the tragedy. Othellos wife, Desdemona, as the victim of the tragedy, the heart of the whole story, she finally accepted the ruling stems from Othellos jealousy. She is noble, and she keeps open and noble at the last second. (吕改改, 2011) In the moment of dying, Desdemona is innocent, and she told Othello that she did not know what kind of sin she had unless her love for him. Ultimately, she became the innocent sacrifice of “jealousy”.Iago, as the opposite character of the play, is the planner and performer of the entire event. He has the ability of planning and is full of action force. But he has been jealous of Othello, who is taking away all the glory, honor and status, as well as having a beautiful wife and a loyal subordinate. Although Iago has got much, this is not enough for him. In the mind of Iago, in terms of qualifications, Othello can beat him with no doubt, but when facing Cassio who had not ever gone out to a battle but climbed to the position higher than his only because he had ever acted as messenger for the general and Desdemona, he could not have a peaceful mind. His mind was full of jealousy. To destroy Othello and Cassio has become his wish for a long time, the increasingly stronger psychology of hatred plays a key role in the development of the whole play. The net knitted by Iago is sprinkled down. He arranges Roderigo, who has fallen in love with Desdemona, to fight with drunken Cassio. At the same time, Othello is lost into the love with his lovely wife and cannot investigate the incident clearly at that time. Eventually Cassio loses his lieutenant position. However that does not remove Iagos jealousy. There comes his next targetOthello. Iago makes use of the innocent Cassio again; he induces him to go to Desdemona for help. In secret he pretends to worry about Othello and knits the accidental slip of the tongue to tell Othello that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. He grabs the weaknesses of Othello to light the fire of jealousy on Othello. In order to make Desdemona and Cassios “adultery” more realistic, he asks his wife to get the so-called “exhibit” a handkerchief from Desdemona. At that time Othello has lost his mind and his jealousy is out of control. Finally he kills his beloved wife, and commits suicide when the truth comes out. Iago is a real devil; there is no shadow of sympathy on him.(丛群书, 2010) He takes himself as a mockery of God. He confesses that he is not