Based on a Freudian psychoanalytic theory, this paper investigates the failures of 1 family in relation to the sudden and untimely death of their only son, Teddy in Edward’s Albee’s A Delicate Balance. It explores Tobias’s personality in terms of Freudian psychoanalytic concepts: sexuality, melancholia, the tripartite psyche and defence mechanisms in order to reveal the unconscious motivations for his behaviour and actions. It also exposes the underlying psychological causes that precipitate the emergence of Tobias’s abnormal character, sexual deviation and the defence mechanisms he adopts so as to defend his ego against feelings of pain and anxiety. The paper attempts to show that the traumatic experiences a person undergoes through his/her life affect his behaviour and actions, and leave a deep scar on his/her own psyche. Besides, it argues that the fear of the unknown, or death, is the catalyst for change in A Delicate Balance and the matter that impacts Tobias and triggers his perverse, passive and indifferent personality. In Albee’s A Delicate Balance, a dysfunctional family is troubled by the death of a family member that occurred more than 30 years ago. Teddy’s death has traumatised the entire household and dated its gradual downfall. Tobias, the father, seems to be the one most shaken by it and on whose account, each and every family member sustains heavy losses. The loss of Teddy makes Tobias hand his role as the head of the family over to his wife, Agnes, and causes his emotional and physical estrangement from her. Afraid to experience another heartbreak, Tobias almost cuts his emotional ties with his daughter, Julia who feels abandoned and unwanted after her brother’s death. Claire loses favour with her sister, Agnes, and sinks deeper in her mess. Suspecting her own sister of seducing Tobias right after Teddy’s death, Agnes incurs a triple loss of son, husband and sister. In all, the Tobias household is rocked to its foundation by Teddy’s death and its corollaries continue to embitter the family and disturb its balance.

中文翻译：

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阿尔比《微妙的平衡》中的英年早逝、男性形象的陨落与家庭的解体

本文基于弗洛伊德的精神分析理论，调查了爱德华的阿尔比的《微妙的平衡》中 1 个家庭因他们唯一的儿子泰迪突然英年早逝而导致的失败。它从弗洛伊德的精神分析概念：性、忧郁、三方心理和防御机制来探索托比亚斯的人格，以揭示其行为和行动的无意识动机。它还揭示了促成托比亚斯出现异常性格、性偏差的潜在心理原因，以及他为保护自我免受痛苦和焦虑感而采取的防御机制。该论文试图表明，一个人一生所经历的创伤经历会影响他/她的行为和行为，并在他/她的心灵上留下深深的伤痕。除了，它认为对未知或死亡的恐惧是微妙平衡变化的催化剂，也是影响托比亚斯并触发他反常、被动和冷漠性格的因素。在阿尔比的《微妙的平衡》中，一个功能失调的家庭因 30 多年前发生的一位家庭成员的死亡而受到困扰。泰迪的死给整个家庭带来了创伤，并确定了其逐渐垮台的年代。父亲托比亚斯似乎是最受打击的人，因为他，每个家庭成员都遭受了重大损失。失去泰迪让托比亚斯将他作为一家之主的角色交给了他的妻子艾格尼丝，并导致他与她的情感和身体疏远。由于害怕再次经历心碎，托比亚斯几乎与女儿断绝了感情，朱莉娅在她哥哥死后感到被遗弃和不被需要。克莱尔失去了姐姐艾格尼丝的宠爱，陷入了更深的困境。艾格尼丝怀疑自己的妹妹在泰迪死后引诱托比亚斯，导致儿子、丈夫和妹妹三重损失。总之，托比亚斯家族的根基因泰迪的死而动摇，其必然结果继续使家庭痛苦并扰乱其平衡。