Self-Contradiction In Freud Theory And The Influenced Literary Writing

The main theme of this dissertation is to study Freud theory’s influence on literary writings from the view of its immanent structure and methodology. The study focuses on the predefined starting point and logic in the theory, as well as investigates how its deep structure got selected, taken and spoken in the followers’ theories based on the historical and academic background.This dissertation mainly studies two aspects of Freud theory’s self-contradiction. The first is the paradox in Freud theory’s ontological structure. Freud tried to construct a hermeneutic system which is self-consistent. In terms of the content, the Freud theory surpasses the traditional thought of logos; however, in terms of the theoretical structure, it is but another follower of ontology:Libido is considered as the fundamental energy of spirit activities, so it works as the original center of the ontological structure. Besides, the couples of terms, such as life instinct vs. death instinct, pleasure principle vs. reality principle or ego vs. super ego, are just variants of Platonic binary oppositions. The second is the paradox in unconscious theory. Freud supposed that unconscious (Usc.) should be a kind of latent thought which has a differently-constructed grammar. However, in practice, the so-called unconscious thoughts have to be expressed by language and be interfered by conscious thoughts. Also, Freud presumed that the psychoanalysis doctors were able to explain the primitive language of unconscious. In fact, the "primitive" grammar has already been tamed by the theoretical structure of psychoanalysis.Freud’s followers inherited these contradictions. This dissertation chooses two of the most important writers deeply influenced by Freud theory. In the attitude to Freud theory, they seemed to be on opposite positions; however, both of them inherited the structure and logic of the immanent contradiction of Freud theory. On the influence of the paradox in Freud theory’s ontological structure, this dissertation takes one of the leading feminists in France, Helene Cixous, as an example. Cixous opposed Freud’s patriarchal centered theory and tried to contend against it with feminine, esp. mother’s power, but she failed with being an heir of ontological structure:the voice of feminist has never freed from the burden of power or position. It uses deconstruction to reconstruct rules and regulations, but never surpasses a clear distinguishment between sexes. When subversion becomes an unassailably lofty mission, it will lead to another kind of spiritual slavery.On the influence of the paradox in unconscious theory, this dissertation takes Andre Breton as an example. Breton is the leader of surrealism activities, which directly emerged from the influence of Freud theory. Breton claimed a spiritual revolution so as to rescue the morbid society. As a result, he thought that the tradition, center or logic should be all destroyed and writing must focus on the reality as well as the instant experience. The paradox lies in the so-call revolution itself. When the surrealists presume a set of preexisted standard of life, the rebellion cannot be call free choice but a necessity or even without any other alternative. How could it be call the real freedom? The surrealists discovered the actualization possibility of spiritual freedom in Freud theory, only the freedom will no longer exist if it becomes a labeled identity.As revolts to tradition can not be more common in20th century, today, Freud theory also gets as much praised as blamed, which is worthy of studying in various angles. There is a hope that the crude remarks of this dissertation may draw for by abler people so as to investigate how a theoretical system could be inherited, rewrote, distorted, deconstructed and subverted in the history of ideas and literature.