Herzog’s Quest For Real Self In Anxiety Predicament

Saul Bellow (1915-2005), a Canadian-born Jewish-American, is regarded widely as oneof the leading figures after Hemingway and Faulkner in contemporary American literature. In1964, Herzog was published, which is Bellow’s most important representative work. Throughsubtle psychological descriptions and unique narrative techniques, Bellow vividly depictsHerzog’s self-salvation road under the spiritual predicament. His anxiety and hardships nevermake him give up the search for meaning of individual existence. His real self is regainedfinally. Owning to his "human understanding and subtle analysis of contemporary culture", in1976, Bellow was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.Karen Horney’s (1885-1952) excellent research achievement on neurosis supports herwin a dazzling status in the history of psychoanalysis. Her neurosis theory is widely used inliterary research. The causes and signs of Herzog’s anxiety, defensive strategies he adapts, andthe result of real self struggle accord with Horney’s neurosis theory neatly. This thesis isbased on Karen Horney’s neurosis theory. Through excavating the social cultural environmentand interpersonal environment, Herzog’s anxiety signs and process of real self pursuit withdefensive strategies will be probed.This thesis consists of five parts. Chapter One is a brief introduction to Bellow’s life,works and Herzog. It summarizes the former achievement and current situation of research onHerzog, puts forward feasibility of this thesis’s research angle and expounds significance ofthis thesis. Chapter Two is theoretical foundation, which states Karen Horney’s academic lifeand her neurosis theory, stressing some crucial concepts and questions in this theory. ChapterThree and Chapter Four are the body parts. Chapter Three analyzes the resources and signs ofHerzog’s anxiety. Social cultural environment and interpersonal environment bring out hisanxiety together, which are about identity and death. Chapter Four explores Herzog’sdefensive strategies against anxiety, active struggle for real self and final reconciliation.During his carrying out interpersonal and intrapsychic defensive strategies, he never gives upquesting for real self. Finally he gains spiritual world rebirth, and is out of the control of theneurotic personality in harmony with society and nature. Chapter Five is conclusion, whichsums up analytic process of the thesis and proposes the implication: the outlet for people’spursuing freedom and happiness is to break away from anxiety, not to break away fromsociety and nature. On the contrary, a harmonious coexistence with society and nature isrequired. Facing the uncertain world and helpless life, people should struggle actively andconstantly to find out his real self. Only this can help people get rid of anxiety predicamentthoroughly. Anyone with an unyielding heart for struggle will be saved eventually, so Herzog’s exploration of real self in anxiety predicament offers an antidote for neurosispersonality.