A Study Of Of Human Bondage In The View Of Fromm’s Freedom

Maugham, a British novelist and playwright, created many famous works in his lifetime, and it is generally acknowledged that Of Human Bondage is his masterpiece. The novel tells how Philip Carey, the protagonist, breaks through various kinds of bondage and finally gets spiritual freedom. In the book, Philip is not described as a hero. He is very ordinary like everyone else in our daily life. He lives the way as others do and sometimes even does something that is in conflict with our morality. And this is perhaps the main reason why the novel was not accepted by the critics when it was first published. But as times goes by, people’s attitude towards it changes. It has been seen as Maugham’s most successful book and has exercised great influence on other writers. Following its popularity, many studies on it have been published. A number of scholars and critics at home and abroad interpret this novel in the perspective of realism, naturalism and ethics. Different from those theses, this paper tries to discuss it in the view of Fromm’s concept of freedom.Fromm, a famous German social psychoanalyst, who based his research on psychoanalysis, has built his unique concept of freedom. In his opinion, freedom can be classified into the positive one and the negative one. But usually it is the negative freedom that a person pursues. What’s more, following the negative freedom comes the feeling of isolation and powerlessness. And in order to get rid of this desperate feeling, people also try to escape from freedom. Philip is, for a period of time, in this awkward dilemma. He also has experienced the pursuit of and the escape from freedom. Finally, it is through love and work that he gets the positive freedom. It is obvious that the novel Of Human Bondage, to a great degree, reflects Fromm’s ideas about freedom.The main body of this paper includes three chapters. Chapter One tells the efforts and struggles that Philip does in his pursuit of freedom, which all end in vain. Chapter Two analyzes the mechanism of escape and the feeling of isolation and powerlessness brought by the negative freedom. And unable to bear this desperate feeling, Philip chooses to escape either by depending on others, or by following others’ pace or even by transferring his lust for destruction. The last chapter illustrates the way to the positive freedom. Through love and work, Philip gets rid of various kinds of bondage. He finally becomes a doctor and finds the meaning of life.Through the analysis of Of Human Bondage based on Fromm’s freedom, this thesis tries to help us have a deeper understanding of this novel and Maugham’s thoughts. For the modern men who also face various bondages and the survival dilemma, Philip’s quest for freedom can be of great significance. He lets us understand that the simplest pattern of life in which a man is born, works, marries, has children, and dies, is likewise the most perfect. Through love and creative work, everyone can achieve the positive freedom and find the true meaning of life.