An Analysis Of Anxiety Situations In The Merchant Of Venice Under Rollo May's Anxiety Theory

As a famous writer and dramatist in English literature history during Renaissance,William Shakespeare wrote a great many plays and sonnets,which have been translated many versions of main languages.One of his ironic comedy The Merchant of Venice reflects the true nature of life,explores the inner mysteries of the characters,reveals the ugly theme of human nature and eulogizes love and friendship,which attract countless critics,researchers and readers to probe into the literature world of Shakespeare.The researcher's attention was usually concentrated on the personality of the character,marriage,religion,legal thought.Few research focused on the psychological appeal of character's existence in the play.This thesis aims to analyse various anxiety situations in The Merchant of Venice and the character's inner conflicts in face of choices under Rollo May's anxiety theory.Furthermore,it seeks to explore the causes of anxiety from both social and personal aspects in the Elizabeth period and the countermeasures of anxiety as well as probe into Shakespeare's praise of the awakening of self-consciousness for freedom in women and sympathy for racial inequality.This thesis consists of the following six chapters:The first chapter briefly introduces Shakespeare and The Merchant of Venice.With the review of study on Shakespeare at home and abroad,the author shows the significance of studying the psychological appeal of character's existence in the play to look into Shakespeare's thought.The second chapter puts forward the theoretical basis of the research.This chapter gives an introduction to the theoretical source of Rollo May's anxiety theory and the principal contents of this anxiety theory.Besides,it also clarified the inner connection between this theory and Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.The third chapter uses the anxiety theory to explain the anxiety situations of The Merchant of Venice from the levels of nation,class and individual.In the Elizabethan era,the development of British business loomed the threat of trade risks and instability,conflicts of interest between the peasantry and the rising merchant class,the emerging bourgeoisie and the usurer,and the inner conflicts and anxiety of Antonio,Shylock,Portia and Jessica in the face of various choices in The Merchant of Venice.Through an analysis of the historical context and anxiety situation of the Elizabethan period,we can gain a deeper understanding of the spiritual state and ideal expectations of the people of the Renaissance.The fourth chapter mainly explores the cause of anxiety from both social and personal aspects of the play under Rollo May's anxiety theory.On the one hand,social situations during the Renaissance are the reason why people became anxious,including economic and religious conflicts,imbalances between law and morality,and women' s social status.On the other hand,the loss of Shylock' s sense of self-value and self-identification as well as the alienation of the parent-child relationship with his daughter are also the causes of anxiety.Under the bourgeois society of Elizabethan,it reveals Shakespeare's idea of humanism with the praise for feminism,the struggle for individual liberation,and the fight against racial discrimination.The fifth chapter analyzes the countermeasures of people dealing with anxiety in The Merchant of Venice,including passive defense and active defense.Anxiety not only makes people feel uncomfortable and lose their sense of existence,but also makes people fall.When it comes to normal anxiety that cannot be avoided,we should look directly at the threat behind it and be calm.When faced with neurotic anxiety,people often adopt a passive defense mechanism and try to avoid it to protect the vulnerable self from anxiety.At this time,the key to solving anxiety is to help the individual to establish self-esteem and let the individual feel his existence.The sixth chapter is the conclusion.This thesis manifests the sharp contradictions in the commercial society of The Merchant of Venice and the inner conflicts of the characters in the face of anxiety situations.It helps us to understand Shakespeare's praise for feminism,and to seek individualistic liberation and humanism against racial discrimination,which is of profound significance in pursuing equality,independence and happiness in modern society.In the meanwhile,the study on anxiety situations in The Merchant of Venice under Rollo May's anxiety theory will also provide a reference for how people deal with anxiety and respond positively to social problems in a modern society with multiple values and conflicts.