| D. H. Lawrence, a controversial writer who vibrated the literary circles of Britain as well as the whole world in the early 20th century, devoted himself into exploring the mysteries of human psyche, thus to work out a way to defeat the modem crises. During his whole literary career, Lawrence aroused widespread disputes for his continuous focus even relying on sexual relationship. But just due to this, Lawrence could find out an efficient opening into the mystic inner world of mankind and successively conduct a persuasive analysis of it. This combined with his lyrical style of language and a true love toward nature, a perseverant pursuit of the truth in existence, have enabled many of his works to become modern classics and established an immortal reputation for the writer himself.The Plumed Serpent as Lawrence's last novel but one, underwent several editions. Lawrence himself once announced, "my 'Quetzalcoatl' novel lies nearer my heart than any other work of mine" for the painstaking efforts he had paid to it. The seemingly alien country, Mexico, is chosen as the set for the whole novel. The Irish widow, Kate Leslie, is the main protagonist whose experiences in Mexico account for the main plot. She witnesses the Mexicans' campaign to revive the ancient Mexican god, Quetzalcoatl, with an aim of ending the chaos in Mexico and building a new society with order. Under the guidance of Don Ramon and Don Cipriano, they replace Jesus with Quetzalcoatl in the end and also win Kate over. The Plumed Serpent did not enjoy warm welcomes duringthat age for such a story which deviates the European daily life and Lawrence's intentional use of the highly symbolic language with "strong biblical flavours". Whereas more recent readers and critics have been deeply attracted by its hidden truth concerning life and existence by reviewing it from the psychological perspective.In this novel Lawrence employs the archetypal theory quite skillfully: by endowing Quetzalcoatl with a rich significance of the self, he manages to accomplish a modem fable. In such a fable, Mexico, which haunted by modem nightmares, becomes the miniature of the whole modem society; Kate, Ramon and Cipriano are the representatives of the modern man, fighting to gain the significance of existence and the hope for a new life; whilst their reviving movement is no other than a painful regression to the truth in the human psyche and a fruitful research into the meanings of existence. Quetzalcoatl as the embodiment of the self, represents the unity of existence, an integration of contradictions in modern world. The triumph of it signifies man's return to the self, and their recognition of a new life in which mankind and nature, man and woman can live together harmoniously. Accordingly, Lawrence still sticks to his constant literary road in The Plumed Serpent: a focus on the inner world of human beings, a pursuit of the possibility in the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, a struggle for defeating the spiritual emptiness in modern era.This thesis consists of five chapters.Chapter One serves as introduction in which the features of The Plumed Serpent are analyzed from the aspects of the theme, structure and language through a literature review of relevant criticism.Chapter Two discloses Lawrence's tight relationship with Sigmund Freud and his psychological analysis, especially with C. G. Jung and his analytical psychology. With an analysis of Jung's relevant archetypal theory, it is proved that Quetzalcoatl is the very embodiment of the archetype of the self.Chapter Three is a general description of Kate's psychological progress in Mexico. From an outsider to a temporary local resident, a final participant in the reviving movement, Kate experiences an emotional transformation: from her early hatred toward Mexico to the final acceptance of it. As for the self that is hidden at the depth of her psyche, she is quite ignorant of it at first, but then she finds it and follows its call to stay in Mexico in the end. In her marriage with Cipriano...
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