The Pilgrimage In The Phantom Battle

In the last century, Iris Murdoch (1919-1999) was an outstanding fiction writer and moral philosopher in the field of English literature. When most fiction writers in her time attempted to lead the trend of western literary thoughts by the way of post modernistic writing, Murdoch took on the responsibility of inheriting the art of realism in 19 century. All through her creative life, she never stopped writing. Twenty-five novels as well as six plays, a handful poems and important philosophical articles and books were born under her powerful pen. A great number of male characters with vivid characteristics have been created by her, which, to some extent, was a miracle in the literary world. Through her unique philosophical perspective and exquisite psychological depiction, she conveyed her deep concern for human existence and ethics. The Sea, the Sea enjoyed a great fame once it was published in 1978. The highest award in literature of the English language—the coveted Booker Prize, was awarded to the novel.By the way of close reading, this thesis is going to make a critical analysis of the theme of the novel from a new viewpoint. Basing on the existing research materials both home and abroad, this thesis argues that the theme of the novel is not "the love story between Charles and Hartley" which is accepted by most of the critics. It is just one by-product of the phantom battle Charles launches out towards James, his cousin. In other words, the protagonists of the novel are not Charles and Hartley, but Charles and James. For Charles, James is the threat for the whole life of him. The first love should have been Charles's only success in front of James, but is broken by Hartley's retreat. The phantom pursuit of Hartley, therefore, is actually the continuity of the phantom fraternal battle. As for Charles's jealousy for James, it takes its root in a Transferred "Oedipus complex"—his love for Aunt Estella. Estella awakens Charles sexual desire for the opposite sex, which is the causality of his life-long pursuit. Therefore, the theme of the novel may be the pilgrimage of Charles's mind in the phantom fraternal battle. The present study falls into five chapters. Supported by Freud's psychological analyses and archetypal criticism of Frye and C. C. Jung, the main body of the thesis firstly analyzes the deep reason for the phantom battle. Charles's jealousy for James and the phantom pursuit of Hartley take their initial in his transferred "Oedipus complex" towards his aunt. Secondly it presents the artistic means Murdoch employs in the novel, dealing with the language confrontation, and such archetypal images as sea serpent and seals. Lastly, the study reveals how Charles fulfills his spiritual maturity through "down-up experience", "the last baptism" and "meditations on stars". That is the "epiphany" achieved by some characters created by James Joyce. As a matter of fact, it is a kind of religious reflection on goodness.