Jane Austen In The Perspective Of Psychoanalytic Literary Theory

With the rise and flourish of modern western literary theory, there appeared a new approach to the study of Jane Austen and her works in the 20th century. Some researchers begin to apply psychoanalytic theory and linguistic theory to explanation of Austen's life and literary creation. Whereas "it is the literary theories of the psychoanalysis school that have the most powerful influences in the field of literature this century", there is no systematic study of Austen's novels from the perspective of psychoanalysis. This article, on the basis of Austen's life and literature creation, in light of the literary theories of the psychoanalysis school, conducts a systematic research into the Cinderella model in Austen's novels and her skills at the psychological novel, and then gives psychological reasons for the creation of such novels. Viewed from the overall-and-macro angle, the prototype of Cinderella-story constitutes the basic structure model in Austen's novels. Conciliating the conflicts in relation to love and marriage, the Cinderella model in Austen's novels reflects the female awareness of Austen and as well as the strong determination of human being to overcome the "shortage" and the aspiration for a happy life. On the specific-and-micro plane, Austen depends on her skills at psychological novels for enriching the prototype of Cinderella and manifesting the significance thereof. Austen is very good at conveying her spiritual conflict with the aid of contrary characters and conflicting ideas. She is also able to show the inextricable spiritual confusion and the self-examination of mankind by "psychoanalysis". The repeated theme of love and marriage in the model of Cinderella is closely related to the life, love and psychological experiences of Austen. Austen has a strong sense of "shortage" with respect to both subsistence and love, which she insistently desires tooverpower. Such a conflict produces a strong drive for Austen to reproduce the Cinderella model. Austen's love fantasies gain more momentum as her personal sense of "shortage" merged with human lasting sense of "shortage" to form great joint forces. And this is why Austen's works has timeless fascination.