Psychoanalytical Reading of Maupassant's Short Stories

Abstract

The present studyofMaupassant's short storiesdealswithcharacters' sexual frustration, anxiety and fearwhicharetheoutput ofrepressed sexual desiresandtheir consequences in the life of characters. Many characters are sexually unsatisfied and they make sexual relation with many more lovers. Inhisshort stories the abnormal behaviorse.g.anxiety, fixation, obsession, fear, sexual attempt and aggressionare explicitly shown. Sexual domination of repression brings other symptoms.So most of the characters are motivated by sexual impulses.The charactersindulgethemselves only in the fulfillment of sexual desires. Characters are unhappy victimsof their desires and all characters show the neurotic symptomsare shown bymental disorder and other physical gesture.Theyare depressed and obsessed because of their own sexual appetite and vain desire.Theyaretotally motivated by inner drive and fragmented psyche is clearly shownandare totally overcome by hopelessness, helplessnessandmotor retardation with the feeling of loss. Many critics criticize Maupassant and his stories. They have viewed the storiesfrom the naturalistic and realistic point of view. Very little study has been made regarding psychosexual aspect of Maupassant's stories. So, this research makes an attempt to look into his stories from the perspective of Freudian Psychoanalysis. So this research draws the new sketch of short stories applying psychoanalytical approach on the short stories of Guy de Maupassant.