A Reading Of Maurice Based On Lacan’s Mirror Stage Theory

Edward Morgan Forster (1879-1970) is one of the most celebrated British writersin the twentieth century. Of his six novels, Maurice is the only one Forster has devotedto the full and straightforward presentation about homosexuality. Concerning this novel,researchers and critics both at home and abroad have put forward their own criticalviews from multiple perspectives, such as power discourse, cultural study and genderidentification, etc., but few scholars have ever attempted to interpret the pursuit ofMaurice’s self-identity in the light of Lacan’s Mirror Stage Theory.Mirror Stage Theory is the starting point of Lacan’s theoretical construction,which is about the self formation of self-identity. This thesis tries to apply the conceptof the Lacanian three orders about the mirror stage to analyze Maurice’s pursuit ofself-identity related to his two lovers, and at the same time, it also explores the livingpredicament of homosexuals in British Edwardian era in order to reflect theconventional English moral values, so that we can get a deeper understanding of thepsychological development of Maurice.This thesis consists of six parts. The first part provides a brief introduction of E.M.Forster and Maurice. After that, it makes a survey of relevant researches based onMaurice. In the second part, the thesis briefly introduces the Lacanian three ordersabout the mirror stage. The third part focuses on the analysis of Maurice in thepre-mirror stage, including the interpretation of his two dreams to reveal his hiddenhomosexual identity. The fourth part mainly examines the relationship of Maurice andClive in the mirror stage to discuss the influence of Clive on Maurice during the processof pursuing self-identity and Maurice’s bewilderment of unsuccessful homosexual lovewith Clive in the imaginary order. The fifth part mainly explores the relationship ofMaurice and Alec in the post-mirror stage. Maurice esteems his homosexual desire andpursues his own happiness bravely. Although Alec is from the lower class, Maurice andhis lover rebel against conventionality boldly and escape into the greenwood together and love each other with an undying affection, which leads to Maurice’s final realizationof his self-identity as a homosexual in the symbolic order. The last part is the conclusion.By analyzing Maurice’s pursuit of self-identity, this research clarifies that Forster notonly aims at revealing the living predicament of homosexuals in the transitional periodof the English society, but also expresses his wish for co-existence of homosexualityand heterosexuality in a tolerant and rational society. At the same time, the presentresearch also explores Forster’s ideals to build a harmonious world in which eachindividual’s personality is independent of the social norms.