The Manifold Doubleness In Under Western Eyes

This thesis attempts to explore the manifold doubleness in one of Conrad's important political novel—Under Western Eyes. In a letter to a Polish friend, Conrad once claimed himself to be homo duplex. Looking back on Conrad's whole life, we can easily know that Conrad's self-claimed identity as homo duplex can be interpreted in at least the following three ways: the doubleness of his identity; the doubleness of his occupation and the doubleness of his political stand. Using historical-biographical and psychoanalytic critical methods, this thesis aims to explore the manifold doubleness in Under Western Eyes from the following three aspects: Razumov's political janiformity; Razumov as the double of Conrad and the double narration of this novel. In line with these three aspects, we can also analyze Conrad's own dual personality.This thesis is composed of four chapters, along with an introduction and a co(?)clusion. The Introduction sketches briefly the methodology, goal and motivation for the writing of this thesis, together with a literature review. Chapter One traces Conrad's do(?)le origin and the root of his political janiformity. Conrad's radical father and co(?)ervative uncle had a great impact on his later political stand, which can surely ac(?)unt for Conrad's dual nature and his political janiformity. Chapter Two offers a detailed analysis of Razumov's psychological contradiction: his loyalty to the Russian sta(?) and his betrayal to the Russian revolutionists. The Russian revolutionists aim to overturn the autocratic rule of the Russian government, whereas the Russian government aims to defend it. Therefore, the contradiction between the above two sides is irreconcilable. Razumov becomes homo duplex and a victim because he incarnates the conflict of the two sides. Chapter Three discusses the similarities between Razumov and Conrad from the following four different angles: men of solitude; men seeking for identity; men accused of betrayal and men longing for humanity, which show that Razumov is the double of Conrad in life and mind. Chapter Four deals with the double narration of this novel. There are two stories and two narrators in this novel. Conrad's complicated feelings and divided sense towards the subject of Under Western Eyes during his creation results in the double narration of this novel. The word "Western" in the title also has a double meaning. Seemingly, it refers to the Western language teacher,...