Jessie, a protagonist of Marsha Norman’s play, ’night, Mother, proclaims her plan for suicide to her mother in the beginning of the play. Jessie’s mother, Thelma, tries to prohibit Jessie from killing herself throughout the play; however, Thelma begins to perceive how profoundly her daughter has been sunk in existential despair. Finally Jessie succeeds her original plan and her mother is left with wail of despair and a partial understanding of her daughter. Regarding Jessie’s suicide, many previous researches have been conducted in relation to her strenuous searching for her own identity or her revolt/resistance against patriarchal and psychological oppression. Despite the playwright’s intent to consider Jessie’s decision to suicide as a “meaningful” way of existence, it is considerable discomfort in teaching suicide as worthwhile. Henceforth, this study endeavors to approach Jessie’s suicide through Soren Kierkegaard’s concept of despair and existential stages. By doing so, we can discuss her decision is still valuable; yet, Jessie, with substantial recognition of her self, bravely chooses to fall down an existential dizzy cliff, which is another modality of being in despair in terms of Kierkegaard.
한국중앙영어영문학회 [The Jungang English Language And Literature Association Of Korea]
설립연도
1968
분야
인문학>영어와문학
소개
본 학회는 영미어문학의 학술연구와 이에 부합하는 아래의 사업을 기획 수행하며,
또한 회원 상호간의 친목을 도모함을 목적으로 한다.
1. 학회지 발간
2. 연구 발표회, 강연회, 공동연구
3. 영미어문학 관련 도서출판
4. 영미어문학 관계 도서 및 자료의 모집 및 비치
5. 기타 본회의 목적 달성에 필요한 사업
간행물
간행물명
영어영문학연구 [The Jungang Journal of English Language and Literature]