A Psychoanalysis of Eugene ONeills Long Days Journey into NightGao+Shufang【Abstract】EugeneoneilsLongDaysJourneyintoNightpresentsaprobingpsychologicalstudyofafamilyincrisis.Thefamilyfindsitselfinthemidstofacollectivetrauma：ashareddesireforthepast.TheTyronesconstantlyrepressanddefensetheirdesires，whichconstitutethefamilysdysfunctionalrelationships.WiththepsychoanalytictheoryofWalterDavis，itdemonstrateshowtheTyronesfamilytrapsthemselvesintoanintricatewebofconflictsbecauseofthe“doubleprocessofdesireitselfandsimultaneouslyoffersolutionsaccordingtooneilsownunderstandingofthefamilytragedy.【Keywords】desires；repressionanddefense；dysfunctionalfamilyI.IntroductionEugeneoneillestablishedhisreputationasamilestoneinAmericanTheaterbyhiswide-scopedinnovativeexplorationinartisticcreationandhisdeepconcernforthetragicpredicamentofhumanity.oneillsautobiographicalmasterpieceLongDaysJourneyintoNightconsummateshisartisticstyleoftragedywithapsychologicalcomplexityinhisportrayalofamodernfamilyandindividualtragedy.Thisplaymainlyexposestheconflictedandpainfulrelationshipsofafamilyincrisis，tellingonedayhappenedamongthefourcalamity-strickenTyrones.Theynostalgicallyattempttorepresstheirdesiresbutparadoxicallyintensifythecollectiveexperienceoflossandgenerateafrenzyofdefensiveinteractionsbetweenfamilymembers.II.ACollectiveDesireforthePastAccordingtoWalterDavistheoryofthedramaofsubjectivity，desire，asourfirstexperientialexperienceinthefaceofaprimarylosswesuffer，isthebirthofself-awarenessandthebasisofthisrelationship：“Asthefirstformofself-consciousness，desirereveals，inawaythatknowingcouldnot，theimmediacyofconsciousnessrelationshipbothtoitselfandtotheworldDavis，1989：26.Theexperienceoflossunderliesourimmediacyofconsciousnessabouttheworld.Anddesiredefinesourdramaticresponsetoourexperienceofloss.TheTyronefamilyinoneilsLongDaysJourneyintoNighthasasharedsenseoflosssothatallofthefamilymemberspossessacollectivedesiretoarresttheirpasts.Theyprojecttheirpastintotheirpresentfamilyrelationships.TostartwithMary，shelongsforherconvertdayswhenshehadMotherElizabethsapproval；shedesirestoobtainthesalvationofherpresentdisastrousfamilyrelationshipsthroughhernostalgiafortheBlessedVirgin，heryouthhoperepresentingthestabilityandastateofgracesheonceattained.Shewontletgoofherpast，sothatshetriestoleavethepresentwiththedegradationintomorphineaddiction.Shepatheticallyyettenderlyspeaksofsomethingshehaslostforever，walkingintothefogofherpast.Itillustratesthatherrelationshiptothepresentinvolvesregret，denial，andloss.Herveryinwardnessisrootedinherpast.endprintJamesmournsan“aestheticloss.Becauseofthehauntingill-fatedchildhoodandtheresponsibilityofsupportinghispoverty-strickenfamily，Jamesbecomeobsessedwithmoneyandkeepsaccumulatingwealthatthecostofhisartisticdream.Hehasprostitutedhistalentasaclassicalactorfortheillusionofmaterialsuccess.Hisalcoholaddictionperpetuateshisregretoverhistakingapartinaplaywherinhebecametypecast；neverthelesshecouldhavebeenagreatShakespeareactor.Inhislife，theabsurdappearsinthecaparisonbetweentheactorhemighthavebeenandthematerialsuccesshedesires：“ThatGod-damnedplayIboughtforasongandmadesuchagreatsuccessinagreatmoneysuccessitruinedmewiththepromiseofaneasyfortuneWhatthehellwasitIwantedtobuy，Iwonder，thatwasworthwell，nomatter.Itsalatedayforregrets.ONeil，1955：149Jamiealsodrinkstosavorhispast.AsforJamie，althoughhenevermentionsit，thedeathofEugeneweighsonhisconsciencebecauseinhisdeepheartheknowshemightdoitunconsciouslytowinhismotherslove.However，hedoesntconstantlymournhispastorangrilyregretitashismotherandfather；insteadhemakesthepresentthepastbydenyinghimselfwithinit.AccordingtoDennisJ.Rich，Jamieslossis“psychologicalRich，1979：259.Edmund，alsoanalcoholic，speaksofrecapturingthepoeticmomentecstaticfreedom，thusidealizinghispastasasailor.Heisthesickchildofthefamilywhosesicknessdeniesthepresent.Edmundistheonewhoexperiencesthemostcrisisoftheabsurd.Herealizesthatlifeis“damnedcrazyONeil，1955：151，andatonepointheeventriestokillhimself.Butinthefinalmomentsofinsightandunderstanding，herebelsagainstdeathandtheabsurd，anddecidestogoforthatsanatoriumforcure.EdmundistheautobiographicalfigureofEugeneoneilhimself.Althoughthedisasterofthepastalsohangsonhim，heeventuallyresortstoloveandforgivenesstogivehopesandwishestothissympatheticfamily.AllthefamilymembersoftheTyronesshareacommondesiretorecreatetheirpasts.ItisimportanttonotethatLongDaysJourneyintoNightisnotonlyajourneyforwardintime，butalsoajourneybackintothepastlivesofallthecharacters，whocontinuallydipbackintotheiroldlifestyles.Whatmakesitworseisthateveryfamilymember，insteadoffreeingtheirdesires，constantlydeniesanddefensesthem，whichinturnsustainstheoldonesandcreatesnewonesthatexacerbatethefamilytragedy.endprintIII.DesireasRepressionandDefenseDavistheoryofdramaticpsychoanalyticsubjectprovidesacontexttounderstandthecomplexprocessofourdesiresandemphasizethe“doublemovementofourlivedrelationshiptoourdesires.Hedefinesthekeyactivitiesofthe“doublemovementofdesireasrepressionanddefense.Repressionisou