초록 열기/닫기 버튼
Jungsun ChoiThis essay aims to investigate the problem of ego as divided ego in his later works, especially “The Jolly Corner”(1908) and The Sense of the Past (1917). In the works, James's heroes pursue the "other" selves who are similar to heroes, but are very antithetical to them. In “The Jolly Corner” Spencer Brydon searches for the ghost who takes after him in the house where he lived in his youth. In The Sense of the Past the present Ralph Pendrel plays the role of the past ancestor who looks like him, but avoids him.In my study I suggest that in these searches of heroes' the relationship between the hero and the other self represents that of ego and alter ego respectively. Thus the heroes' searching for the other selves symbolizes their efforts to find the alter ego hidden and repressed in their "official" ego and ultimately reach the unified ego. In "The Jolly Corner" Brydon tries to pursue the ghost, which is finally identified as his alter ego repressed in his public ego. In The Sense of the Past Ralph in the past is the self containing the alter ego representing the desire that the present Ralph has hidden and repressed. In order to understand self it is necessary for Ralph to play the role of the alter ego, his ancestor, and to experience his conflicts with the other characters of the past in the old house in Mansfield Square.Ultimately the heroes obtain the complete sense of self in their searches. Brydon faints in his pursuing the alter ego and achieves his full understanding of ego, waking up in the lap of Alice. Ralph also accepts and understands other characters and gets to full understanding of alter ego. James seems to further indicate that the redemption of unified self requires the relationship with other people and love. This is plausible in the importance of Alice, Aurora and Nan in the process of Ralph's achieving the unified self.
