A Freudian Psychoanalytic Interpretation Of The Protagonist Of The Financier

Published in 1912, The Financier, written by the famous American writer Theodor Dierser, is the first volume of the Trilogy of Desire, which includes the other two volumes The Titan (1914) and The Stoic (1947) based on the life of flamboyant financier C.T. Yerkes, who active in Chicago financial market in 1890's. The background of the story was the period of the War between the Northern and Southern states in the U.S. at the end of the 19th century, the period of transitional stage of U.S. from capitalism to imperialism. The novels tell the lifetime story of Frank Algernon Cowperwood, born to a bank Clerk's middle-class family in Philadelphia, became a financial magnate, together with the criminal activities he committed in the financial field in Philadelphia. Through the description of Cowperwood's practicing corruption with his partner in crime, the city treasurer Stener, the author disclosed the despicable trick of capitalists to heap up great wealth through exploiting people, bamboozlement and violence of law, and fiercely assailed the plague spot of capitalism.This thesis applies the theory of Freudian Psychoanalytic point of view to analyze the mental process of Cowperwood, which expands the domestic study of Theodor Dierser and will be beneficial to Chinese readers to further understand the connotation and significance of the book The Financier. This thesis combines the social and cultural background of Freudian psychoanalytic theory to describe the ups and downs of the protagonist in developed capitalist society, which is beneficial for us to comprehend the living environment of American society. Also this thesis points out a sharp contrast between good desires which are realized through individual effort and decadent and dark social system of American society. The success of The Financier produced a nonunderestimate effect on the future literary creation of the author. The trace of this book can be seen in Dierser's other works, so it's very important for us to study The Financier in order to research the other works of Dierser and American society.At present, the main researching points of The Financier in domestic academic circles are: 1, research about consumption and consumption moral principles of the work.2, animadversion on the corruption of American Capitalism described in the work.3, animadversion on the ideas that the Money is almighty and Gastronomy.4, exposure of the disillusionment of the American Dream as well as the hypocrisy and ruthlessness of capitalistic ethics. In overseas, it just roughly introduced the composing background of the work, the sources of author's thought, the theme as well as the plot of the work. There was no thorough research about textual analysis of it.This paper is composed of six parts as follows:Chapter One is introduction about the author and his work The Financier as well as the political and cultural background of then American society and literature reviewChapter Two mainly introduced the theory used in this paper, that is, Freudian Psychoanalysis, of which the primary theory to analyze the text is the Personality Structure of Freud-----Id, ego and superego theory.Chapter three mainly analyzes the cause of formation and specific embodiment of the protagonist Cowperwood's id.Chapter four discusses the conflicts between superego, which is represented by Cowperwood's wife Lillian and Cowperwood's lover Aileen's father, Butler, and the Id of Cowperwood.Chapter five analyzes the Ego and the self-defense mechanism of the Cowperwood in an unfavorable situation.The last Chapter is conclusion, the comprehensive summary of the paper.The process of psychological changes of Cowperwood in ups and downs not only embodied the situation of then American society, but also truly reappeared the breaking of American dream and experiencing painful mental conflicts. This paper forms a sharp contrast from the psychological angle between a nobody occupied under the successful corona and the innermost sense of being lost as well as the psychological crisis. This will be a certain practical significance to ponder and recognize person's existence value and the meaning.