The Literary Imagination Of Multi-self

Oscar Wilde,the British writer of the 19th century,he is an important writer in literary history,whose both self and works are complicated.This thesis makes researches on a series of archetypes in his works,which takes historical background and personal life into account,uses Pychoanalytic Criticism and Archetypal Criticism,builds an arguable argument on his relevant textes.Then this thesis reaches an objective conclusion:those archetypes in Wilde's works are his literary imagination out of his own multiple self.The thesis consists of five parts.In Introduction,the author introduces Wilde's life and works concisely,then clears up domestic and overseas investigative actualities.Increasingly,the recent scholars has inclined to cultural studies and multianalyses.The author of this thesis puts forward a basic viewpoint that Wilde regards art as a mirror that represents himself and achieves self-identity.He gives expression to his imagination of self-expression by particular literary archetypes.Wilde's personal experience is a cultural phenomenon,which is noticeable and contains much information ahout times and society.Chapter One is on the inconsistency and complexity of Wilde's self.Living in an especial era,in an especial community,the sentiment of Finde-siecle and the ethics of the late Victorian era exert a great influence on him.He is an Irish inhabiting London,a famous writer with homosexual love,a hedonist with religion complex.These aforementioned factors result in the complicacy of Wilde's identity and provoke his identity crisis.As a imaginative writer,Wilde expresses himself through composing.The literary archetype is just a means by which he relieves his anxiety and stabilizes his spirit.Chapter Two is about a series of important archetypes in Wilde's works.In detail,the representative character archetypes contain dandies,Narcissus and Jesus Christ.They are somewhat reflection of Wilde's self.The moon,flowers and cities,these image archetypes are meaningful,which imply Wilde's sensation and mentality.The main theme ones are abnormal love,sin or degenerateness and death,which offer Wilde a window on self-examination with great psychological truth.By virtue of all archetypes,Wilde is to show his personal predicament and do self-analysis.He would so much as hope to obtain a sense of self-certainty and reach a regeneration of spiritual order.Chapter Three discusses the function of archetypes.First,these archetypes are out of Wilde's imagination of his self-expression,through which he shows his feelings and thought.Next, they shed light on the late 19th century.Wilde's self just is a portrait of time spirit,in the same way,his literary archetypes also metaphorize that time.They reflect a universal psychic crisis of the late 19th century,and besides,they indicate the universal oppression and identity predicament of homosexual minority groups.Afterward,these archetypes possess strong literary attraction.To a certain extent,they raise literary works to a more excellent quality,which can inspire our readers with philosophical thinking and poetic wisdom greatly.In Conclusion,the author repeats the viewpoint established in introduction by the theory that literature belongs to the second symbolic system. The literary archetypes in Wilde's works present factually the state of being under the circumstances of the late 19th century,manifest Wilde's self-awareness, inner order and spiritual dimension.Essentially,literature is an action that let people achieve self-realization and find the meaning of life. In this sense, one could say that Wilde's writing is just a fulfillment of self-attention.