The Analysis of Isabel’s Pursuit of Freedom in >The Portrait of a Lady< from the Perspective of Erich Fromm’s Theory [从弗洛姆自由观视角解读《一位女士的画像》女主人公自由之路], Master thesis, English Language and Literature, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China 2017 [application of Fromm’s theories to art].

  • 本文旨在用艾瑞克•弗洛姆的自由观来分析《一位女士的画像》女主人公伊莎贝尔的追求自由之路。正如弗洛姆所阐述,很多人对于自由的本质存在误解。经济独立与政治独立并不意味着真正自由,因为清除外界障碍所能带给我们的仅仅是消极自由。而自由的终极形式是积极自由,只有当我们作为完整主体自发自在地生活,并保持与世界的密切联系时,才能获得真正的自由。本文第一章是对伊莎贝尔错误自由观的阐述。女主人公受过良好教育却不谙世事,起初她认为婚姻势必阻断她的独立之路,而亲密关系则不利于个体性的保存。本章将说明她在经验缺乏的情况下如何做出了错误的选择。第二章分析了伊莎贝尔逃避自由的行为。由于追求消极自由,她自由生活的愿望落空,并陷入充满阴谋的无爱婚姻,而婚姻的不幸加剧了她的孤独,让她逐渐适应消极现实。第三章论述的是在遭受丈夫奥斯蒙德和友人梅尔夫人联合背叛之后,伊莎贝尔如何重塑自由观。挫折并未让她一蹶不振,而是教会她承担起属于自己的责任,正视自己的命运并满怀信心重建自由王国。她历经艰辛险阻后仍充满勇气的举动,证明她开始追求积极自由。这种自由超越了社会价值与传统观念,并给予人追寻从心而不逾矩、自发自在的生活的信心。伊莎贝尔的自由之路折射出个人在自我实现道路上的苦痛成长,但她追求自由和寻找自我的不折不挠精神仍然意义非凡。
  • [This thesis intends to analyze Isabel’s pursuit of freedom in The Portrait of a Lady from the perspective of Erich Fromm’s theory. As is elaborated by Fromm, many of us misunderstand the essence of freedom. The status of being free in economical and political sense doesn’t mean we are free, because removing external impediments can only bring us negative freedom. The ultimate form of freedom is positive freedom where we can live spontaneously as a complete individual closely connected to this world.– In the first chapter, I will explicate Isabel’s fallacious concept of individual freedom as a well-educated but inexperienced girl, who at first dismisses marriage as something that can stymie her pursuit of independence and evades intimacy with others to preserve her individuality. How her inexperience has led to her wrong choices will be also scrutinized.– In the second chapter, Isabel’s behaviors of escaping from freedom will be closely elaborated. Her pursuit of negative freedom has smashed her hope of living as a free soul, leading her into a loveless marriage of plots. The absence of marital felicity aggravates her situation of loneliness and she gradually adapts to the depressive reality.– The third chapter elucidates how Isabel’s understanding of freedom undergoes substantial changes after she is informed of the dual betrayal of her husband and her confidante Madame Merle. Instead of wallowing in despondency, she takes her responsibility and affronts her destiny with the faith of creating her new kingdom of freedom. Her courageous attempts attest to her pursuit of positive freedom after all the suffering and adversity. This freedom transcends the social values and conventional standards, and instills in an individual the confidence of following one’s heart and act spontaneously but not arbitrarily. Isabel’s journey of freedom illustrates how an individual experiences the painful growth and finally attains self-realization as a free soul, but her indomitable will of pursuing freedom and finding self is of great significance.] [Author’s translation]

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Metadaten
Author:Yanfang Fang
Document Type:Dissertations
Language:Chinese
Year of first Publication:2017
Release Date:2019/03/04
Format:no download and copy possible
IdNo:Fang_Yanfang_2017
Writings about Erich Fromm (Secondary Literature):Dissertations / Dissertationen
Erich Fromm's Library and Erich Fromm Archive:Dissertations / Dissertationen
Licence (German):
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