Limitations And Breakthrough Of Human Nature

There is correlation between the writing experience of Maugham, the author of Of Human Bondage and its hero Philip's character and experience and Freud's theory. A psychoanalytic explanation of Philip's personality from the aspect of Freud's Structural Theory of Personality can help us to enter Philip's inner word and listen to his inner voice. It also can help us to find the similarity between the two in the area of Human nature and self-concept.Philip formed his superego structure mainly of religious belief with the gentleman ideal under the affect of surroundings., but in a step by step process of contact with reality, his religious beliefs continued to be frustrated, and he started to doubt the ideals propagated by religious. Eventually he completely abandoned the religious faith. In the struggle between the achievement of super-ego and desire and the restraint of the actual conditions, Philip constantly adjust the content of the superego .Several relationships before the age of 30 represent his process of energy release. His relationship with each woman, in particular, reveals his release of libido and masochistic energy toward Mildred. His involuntary infatuation for Mildred reflects the constraints of human nature. Philip was forced to change some options because of practical constraints. He has just begun to give up his romantic ideal and release his Id energy directly. Which reflected the real bondage in the realization of freedom Philip's life experience reflected the bondage of self, the bondage of Superego, the bondage of reality and finally the bondage of self. By these analysis we can find a kind of pessimistic view of human nature which is similar with Frued's. Meanwhile, we can understand Pillip's inner word better through the process of Philip's breaking free of the shackles of religion, emotion and reality.