Exploration Into Tragic Sense Of Voss

Voss is the masterpiece of the famous Australian writer, Patrick White. New landscape as Australian literary research in China is, this book has received special attention and various criticism. However, after a survey on the major criticism on the novel in the academic field at home and abroad, the author of this thesis found that critics tend to neglect in varying degrees the profound tragic sense in this novel. Based on this research result, this thesis intends to comment and analyze systematically the tragic sense in this novel. Adopting western tragic theories, the author of this thesis reveals the tragic sense implied in the novel, which is at once unique and universal.The author of this thesis thinks that the tragic sense of the novel is expressed in three aspects: love, expedition and faith. At first, the author of the thesis analyzes the love tragedy expressed in the novel, that is, the Platonic love between Voss and Laura. Their love tragedy results from three aspects: firstly, their love is a Platonic one, which is the result of the separation between soul and flesh. In the course of Voss's expedition into the Australian outback, they understand each other, which gives them a spiritual comfort, but the spiritual comfort conflicts with the physical separation because of the geographical distance, which makes them suffer greatly. Secondly, their love is a torment because of the conflicts between anima and animus. From the point of Jung's psychoanalysis, Voss has repudiated impulses, which he thinks of as feminine and identifies with Laura. In like manner, Laura has ignored the Voss in herself. That's the reason why they cannot express their love in a positive way during their several meetings and conversations. Finally, Voss and Laura are idealists and their spiritual love builds up a sharp contrast to the mundane society, so inevitably, they are excluded by the mainstream society.Next, the author of the thesis analyzes the life tragedy expressed in the novel, that is, the fate of the inevitable failure. Firstly, there are conflicts of human nature...