Decoding Janeausten’s Emma From The Perspective Of Lacan’s Psychoanalysis Theory

Emma is honored as the most mature work by Jane Austen, one of the mostdistinguished English novelists. Her skilled creating technique and surpassing writingis vividly demonstrated in this masterpiece, from language to plot, and from characterdescription to structure arrangement. Emma, which centers on Emma Woodhouse, theheroine, reveals the complicated love relationships among Frank Churchill andHarriet Smith, Mr. Elton and Jane Fairfax, and Mr. Knightley and Harriet Smith. Thisthesis intends to probe into the inner world of Emma and uncover her intricate feelingof match-making for others to self love seeking from the perspective of Lacan’sMirror Stage and Three-Order Theory.This thesis consists of an introduction, a four-chapter body part, and a conclusion.In the Introduction part, the previous researches on Jane Austen and Emma areillustrated and the significance of applying Lacan’s psychoanalysis theory to the workis exposed.In Chapter I, the basic information of Jacques Lacan, the well-known Frenchpsychoanalyst and his Mirror Stage theory is summarized. From the theory, a numberof crises among Emma and her father, Miss Taylor, and her other friends arise, whichall contribute to her loss of complete ego. The split Emma, like a new-born infant,returns to the front of the mirror and begins to see her split ego in it.In Chapter II, Emma suffers in seeking her ego in the Imaginary Order. TheImaginary is the first realm of Lacan’s three Orders, for Lacan perceives that humanego is based on its illusions of the outside world. The illusions from Harriet’sobedience, Frank’s deliberate deceiving, and the subtle relationship between Harrietand Mr. Knightley all lead Emma to irresistible self-seeking.In Chapter III, Emma seeks out her ego under the Law in the Symbolic Order. The narcissistic heroine takes it for granted whatever she does to others, which onlysinks her into sorrow. In the constraint of Phallus, Emma eventually realizes her trueemotion to Mr. Knightley and abandons the thought of match-making for Harriet. Shebreaks through the obstacles of herself in the Symbolic at last.In Chapter IV, after undergoing this self recognition, Emma reaches the RealOrder, the last realm of ego seeking. Everything before all helps her sublimation inthe Real.In Conclusion, the main purpose of the thesis is stated and what stands in theback of these love relationships is the ego seeking of Emma. In the meanwhile, thethesis also provides several reference for further researches of Jane Austen’s novelsand other writers’works.