Struggling In The Pain

Herzog, the masterpiece of Saul Bellow, serves as a connecting bridge between his preceding and following works. Within this novel, the protagonist Herzog, is suffering from mental illness. This thesis aims at making a psycho-analysis on Herzog’s mental sufferings based on Sigmund Freud’s theory of anxiety, so that a deeper understanding of thematic concerns of this novel will be obtained and a more comprehensive insight on social psychological crisis of western intellectuals living in the 1960 s will be received.This thesis consists of five parts.The introduction part mainly introduces Saul Bellow’s life, the writing background, literature review of Herzog and Sigmund Freud’s theory of anxiety, arguing that Herzog’s mental illness is caused by objective anxiety from the external world, neurotic anxiety from the strength of the passions in the id and moral anxiety from the super-ego.Chapter one analyzes Herzog’s objective anxiety from the external world. Herzog’s failed marriage, his sufferings as an American Jew, the turbulent American society and the separation with his beloved daughter Junie are specific causes of his objective anxiety. As the ego can not meet the requirement from the id within the reality, Herzog is anxious and miserable during the day and sleepless at night.Chapter two analyzes Herzog’s neurotic anxiety from the strength of the passions in the id. Herzog’s repressed sexual urges, morbid autosuggestions and the writing foible give rise to his neurotic anxiety. Compared with objective anxiety, neurotic anxiety originates from the choice of instinctual object. Owing to the unreleased passions in the id, Herzog is often intense, anxious and panic.Chapter three analyzes Herzog’s moral anxiety, which comes from conscience in the superego. The immoral relationship with Ramona, violence impulses and promiscuity bring about Herzog’s moral anxiety. When Herzog’s behaviors offend against his conscience, Herzog’s superego will exhibit its strict and harsh character by blaming and humiliating the ego. In consequence, Herzog usually feels anxious and ashamed of himself.The conclusion part points out that Herzog is bothered by these anxieties which are exactly the reason of his pain and which reflect the humanitarian crisis in modern society and the depression of bourgeois. It is presented that in the real world no one can escape from anxiety. Only by balancing each part of the personality can human beings peacefully coexist with anxiety and revive spiritually.