Influence of Bible Translation on English Literature 英语专业论文.docx

influence of bible translation on english literaturethe introduction of the biblethe holy bible is considered to be an important source of western language culture as well as a classical religious masterpiece. it not only established the peoples faith in god, and helped to bring about the formation of the western countries daily convention, but also had tremendous influence on its carrier-language, especially english language. although the holy bible was firstly written in hebrew, its english version appeared several hundred years ago and has been spread up to now. from wycliffes firstly translating the holy bible into english completely in 1382 to the latest modern english authorized king james version, the influence of the holy bible on english has never discontinued. the characters, stories, fables and proverbs in the holy bible are well known to everyone in the western countries. they are frequently quoted in the daily conversations and the literary works. then a large number of bible-related idioms, mottoes, allusions, proper nouns and day-to-day words arose, and they have become important parts widely used in english language. at the same time, the influence of the holy bible on english language in the british and american literary works is also quite clear. why is the bible so popular and wide-spread in the english world and why does it influence an increasing number of christians and non-christians in their literature creation? i think this is meaningful and necessary to discuss because it can help us make good use of the bible in our cultural communication and literature creation.there are three main reasons to explain the question above. first, the bible makes a large influence on the english people and their lives. the statistic of 70% people believing in christianity shows that english people life is highly related to the bible. they read the bible, go to the church and pray every week. therefore, the bible exists everywhere in their work. second, english language is based on english culture which the bible plays a significant role in. language researchers say that one language is usually based on one culture. according to this theory, we can see the bible exists everywhere in their language. third, the bible has a large vocabulary describing love and tolerance. as we know, the bible preaches love and tolerance, and there are a countless number of words and phrases to describe and narrate something related to love and tolerance and so on. english people tend to quote these words and phrases directly from the bible.the bible is the classic works in christianity, and it provides the british literature with inexhaustible materials. so the bible has deep influence on british literature. british writers use stories of the bible by three main methods. first, they quote persons names or stories of the bible as the characters names or plots of the creations from the bible directly. sometimes they make some changes on the original stories. sometimes they quote stories directly from the bible as the writing materials. second, they make use of symbolic meaning of the bible by some technical such as simile, metaphor and symbolism, so that the stories could exert a great influence on contrasting with the new products. third, the bible influences british literature on styles and artistic characteristics.the influence of bible translation on hemingwayfor example: “the old man and the sea”, is the masterpiece of ernest hemingway, the winner of nobel prize of literature, in the novel the author created an ordinary fishermansantiago who is a real hero. from the point view of the holy bible, the writer of the paper reads the image of jesus christ from santiagos story. the holy bible is the way for the readers to learn further about the western value system.the implications of “the old man and the sea” are profound and far-reaching. the hints about the bible in the novel are its features. the similarities are analyzed between the old man and the sea and the bible about the style, the characters and other details.hemingways short story “the old and the sea”, first, from the spirit which its reflected looked conforms to the holy bible spirit completely. in the holy bible old testament recorded a god to create the humanity, but the humanity did not listen to gods advice, committed the pardoned crime, received gods penalty, latter redeemed child of jesus by way of god is saved. 董衡僎：海明威的啓示，載外國文學評論，1989年，第二期，第53頁 therefore christianity believed, every is the present world person can withstand the misery surely, the misery is deeply the essential test and the exercise, therefore describes in the holy bible many apostle like moses, the uncle, jesus all has been through repeatedly the tribulation approximately, then can redeem, this constituted in the holy bible one narrative way. “the old man and the sea” the old person santiago bitter experience is a process which a complete jesus suffers distress. from to old person ordinary and also in extraordinary experience fable -like description, hemingway also expresses own to the defeat or the victory view, that is the defeat or wins itself is unimportant, more importantly must manifest own personality. backman , melvin，“hemingway：the matador and the crucified”,modern fiction studies, august,1955,11 this point has the religious significance extremely, as if is “the old testament: the ecclesiastes” (d1:2 said “void void, everything all is void” an example examines releases. “the old man and the sea” the old person santiago characters description, regardless of is from its name and in the appearance characteristic, from its language and the belief, manifests all is one kind of grave tragedy meaning with christs brand mark. benson, jackson j. hemingway: the writers art of self-defense, minneapolis, university of minnesota press,1964we can also found with the “holy bible” plot similarity. “holy bible” jesuss mother is maiden maria, although also has father of joseph and the space world father, may actually from not have him in “holy bible” to enjoy the description which the family warm and the parents dote on. his several dozens years life many is proselytizing on the way and own disciples passed. “the old man and the sea” santiago has also had the wife and the courtyard, may certainly not have the old person in the novel to enjoy family happiness actually the description, thought aloud except and own, in the book only recorded narrated him and the boy manolin conversation. the influence of bible translation on shakespearewilliam. shakespeare is the famous british writer. in his life time, christian had been the leader was introduced into england and religious beliefs. christian everyones life, thoughts and even work there is great influence function.朱生豪譯，莎士比亞全集，人民文學出版社，1984年，第60頁 so the christian and the bible of that time shakespeare also has the enormous influence.shakespeares plays in he used many from the bible the characters in the name. with the work in character, comparing to work or characters foil and contrast. for example in his henry iv, john. falstaff said: i want to be as poor as job, but dont like him has the great patience.常耀信：漫話英美文學，南開大學出版社，2004年 job comes from the bible. here, in the name of shakespeares job mentioned his allusions to foil, the current mood of falstaff, and also by the lively artistic effect.shakespeare is to make good use of the bible master of allusion, in his works have many biblical allusions. the hamlet of prince hamlet in the thought of fall of man when mentioned, the devil, this is satans alias who tempted adam and eve ate the forbidden fruit in the book of genesis. god was very angry with satan and change it into the snake to creepeth upon the earth forever. the original sin and snakes were used in the princes conversation. hamlet said: someone like me crawl between the heaven and earth, why we come? all of us are thorough bastard; nobody believe us.莎士比亞著，朱生豪議，哈姆雷特，遠方出版社，2001年，第211頁shakespeare is the best of the best english literature figures. he is a master of language, be good at using the bible story, christian doctrine, etc in their work, increase the depth and connotation, and