Monster In Heart: An Analysis Of Frankenstein’s Id Based On Freud’s Theory Of Personality Structure

Mary Shelley was one of the most talented women writers of English literature inthe19th century as well as the second wife of the great romantic poet Percy ByssheShelley. Frankenstein was the first work of Mary and it has caused immediate socialopinion and great disputes in the science ifeld since it was published. Brian Aldiss hasargued that it should be considered the ifrst true science ifction. Frankenstein sets agood example for gothic novel and science fiction, which inspires readings fromdifferent perspectives like Feminism, narrative structure, Ecologism, tragic study,prototype interpretation, Romanticism，Realism, Gothicism，quest for identity,multi-form personality, theme study and so fotrh. Different people have different viewson this novel and they have their respective rationality. Undoubtedly, a great work hashuge spaces of studies.Based on Sigmund Freud’s theory of personality structure, this thesisattempts to analyze id of Frankenstein of Frankenstein in detail and explore hisever-expanding instinct impulses and their realization. What’s more，this thesistries to testify that the monster is the evil side of Frankenstein’s inner heart orthe former is the very incarnation of the latter through analyzing the similairtiesbetween them.The present thesis consists of ifve parts，including Introduction, Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three and Conclusion.Introduction introduces briefly Mary Shelley and her work Frankenslein,offers the literature review and shows explicitly the content, signiifcance andtheoretical basis of this thesis’ research.Chapter One discusses the ever-expanding id of Frankenstein. It is exploredfrom three aspects: unbearable quiet-as-water life，fascination in natural sciencesand craziness in his secret experiment.Chapter Two explores that the monster is the voice of Frankenstei’ns id. Byobserving the similarities between them，it testifies that the monster is the veryincarnation of the Frankenstein’s instinct impulses^in another word, the monsteri’s the symbol of evil in Frankensteins inner heart.Chapter Three talks about the realization of id’s desires of Frankenstein-Through contrastive analysis, there are dramatic differences of personalitybetween Frankenstein and his good friend Henry Clerval, his bride Elizabeth.Those two are his imaginary enemies and are killed one after the other. Moreover,his father is the rival of maternal affection. The death of his father is one ofF’rankensteins unspeakable inner desires.Conclusion summarizes that "id" based on the theory of personality structuretends to pursue the maximum satisfaction of desires and happiness regardless of moralrules or social laws. In this classic novel, the id’s desires of Frankenstein are fullyrevealed in each aspect, and it is the uncontrollable id that finally destroys himself. Thistragedy warns us that only a balanced development of id, ego and superego cancontribute to a sound personality and healthy mentality.