英语专业毕业论文-《儿子与情人》的主题分析.doc

毕业论文题 目 On the Theme of Sons and Lovers 院 系 外 国 语 学 院 专 业 英 语 年级 2008级 学生姓名 学 号 指导教师 四川大学锦江学院本科毕业论文 论儿子与情人的主题On the Theme of Sons and Lovers论儿子与情人的主题 学生 指导教师 摘要：儿子与情人是劳伦斯早期作品中最著名的一部，也是他的成名作。尽管此书曾遭受过被禁的厄运，但在其解禁至今的几十年内引起了读者的关注，并获得了文学上的肯定。书中，劳伦斯逼真地再现了20世纪初英国矿工家庭的生活，并揭示了在工业文明的影响下，人们为争取更高的经济和社会地位所付出的惨痛代价。小说以主人公保罗的家庭本身及自己的情感生活为中心，着重描写了人物内心强烈深沉的情感，以及人与人之间在那个社会环境下不能自已的爱恨情仇。本论文试图从莫瑞儿一家的不幸生活来对儿子与情人的主题进行较为详细深刻的分析，比如：夫妻失和导致莫瑞尔太太的情感转移；一直引以为傲的大儿子的死带给母亲的巨大打击；保罗接替威廉成为莫瑞尔太太生命的全部；由于母亲从小对儿子们倾注所有，并在其思想上有一定的控制，因此导致儿子们无法拥有一段正常的，成功的恋爱生活等等。而这一系列情感悲剧的真实根源来自于工业文明下诸多的社会问题以及不和谐的人际关系，这也同样是本文的最终主题。 关键词：劳伦斯；儿子与情人；畸形母爱；恋母情结；工业文明 I四川大学锦江学院本科毕业论文 论儿子与情人的主题ABSTRACT Sons and Lovers is the one of the most significant works of David Herbert Lawrence as well as his first big success. Although this book once suffered being prohibited, it drew readers attentions and gained recognitions in literature rapidly in a few decades after being rescind the prohibition. In this book, Lawrence realistically reproduces a British miners family life in the twentieth century with realistic technique, and exposes that in order to strive for higher economic and social status, people needs to pay a heavy price under the influence of industrial civilization. The novel mainly depicts the deep and intense emotion in peoples inner world, and focuses on the love and hatred between people which they cannot control under that social circumstance, with the protagonists family itself and his love life as its center. Therefore, this thesis attempts to analyze the theme of Sons and Lovers in detail from the Morels misfortunes, such as the failed marriage results in Mrs Morels shift in sentiment; the death of William who is always the hope of his mother brings about a huge blow to Mrs. Morel; Paul becomes the whole of his mothers life instead of William; Mrs.Morels devotions to her sons and controls of their minds result that they fail to possess normal and successful love lives and so on. While, the roots of the series of tragedies are the social problems and disharmonious relations brought about by the industrial civilization , which is also the theme of Sons and Lovers. Key Words: D.H.Lawrence; Sons and Lovers; deformed Love; Oedipus complex; industrial civilization IIContentsIntroduction1Part I A Failure in Marriage41.1 Mrs. Morels Dream of Marriage41.2 A Marriage of Love and Hatred41.3 Mrs Morels Changed Attitude to Her Husband5Part II Mrs Morel, William and His Girl Friend72.1 Williams Social Success72.2 William and His Girl Friend72.3 Mrs. Morels View of Williams Death8Part III Mrs. Morel, Paul and Miriam103.1 Mrs. Morels Expectation of Paul103.2 Miriams Influence on Paul113.3 Mrs. Morels Dislike of Miriam12Conclusion14Bibliography16Acknowledgments18 III四川大学锦江学院本科毕业论文 论儿子与情人的主题 Introduction David Herbert Lawrence is one of the most unique and controversial English writers in the twentieth century, whose masterpieces are Sons and Lovers, The Rainbow, Women in Love, and Lady Chatterleys Lovers. He was born in a miner family without notable reputation and high diploma. What makes him so distinctive is his talent. His creations are deeply influenced by family background and Sigmund Freuds psychoanalysis, which result in the fact that his works are mostly exploring family, marriage and sex. What is more, Lawrences bold descriptions of sex in his books once triggered off a tremendous splash and were forbidden for a long time. Therefore, he complained that nobody could understand his writings in three hundred years (D.H.Lawrence). For Lawrence, he insisted that the fade of sex led to spiritual barrenness and un-civilization of English, and Britain would not come back to life until letting sex return to its natural condition (毕冰宾). After the prohibition against his works was rescinded, he soon became popular and welcomed by general public. Sons and Lovers is one of Lawrences most important novels, which is regarded as an autobiographical novel and breaks the writing conventions of the former writers. He depicts the protagonists complicated inner world from his special view, lyrical style, vivid details, and bold ideas. It is not only a novel presenting the authors real life, revealing the ugliest aspects of society in nineteenth and twentieth centuries, of all round dirty mines and miners miserable conditions, but also exposing various contradictions and problems arising with the development of capitalistic industrial civilization, of distorted human relationships and negative physical and mental influence on human beings (张文静). Therefore, this novel is a masterwork in English literary history and world literature that is worth exploring. Some scholars focus on Mrs. Morels deformed love for Paul. Mrs. Morel is a well-educated woman from a middle class family, so her marriage with Mr. Morel a miner with coarse speech and bad temper dooms to be a failure. After her disappointment of her husband and desperation of her marriage, Mrs. Morel devotes all her love to her children. Therefore, Paul becomes her only hope and emotional trust after Williams death. She not only continuously encourages and supervises Paul to edge into the middle classes and polite society, but also controls him in spirit and interferes with his courtship. Because in her eyes that Paul is her lover, and is part and parcel of her life, which satisfies her emotional need of not just being a mother, but also a wife and a woman. However, both of them are suffering from this kind of possessive love (甄桂英；尹树文；杨琳). Some scholars focus on Pauls Oedipus complex. As a psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund Freud, Oedipal Complex means a boys desire to possess his mother sexually and oppose to his father in an unconscious way. Oedipus Complex derives from a Greek mythology in the fifth century B. C. It tells that the king of Thebes, Oedipus, unwittingly kills his father and marries his mother, then brings disaster on his city and family (Oedipus). While, in Sons and Lovers, it mainly depicts the lingering feeling of love between the mother and the son. Pauls emotional attachment to his mother is generally regarded as Oedipus complex. Mrs. Morels control of Pauls soul and feelings, and her abnormal mother love accepted by Paul result in that he is largely dependent on his mother. On one hand, he is a boy who is sensitive to mothers troubles and likes staying even sleeping with her. He is also full of responsibility to her. Because of this, he often curses his father to die. On the other hand, he indulges in the Oedipus complex too deep to get rid of his mothers fatal influences when he dates with his girl friend. And he cannot really fall in love with anyone. Therefore, he gradually realizes that he is unable to get married only if his mother is alive (刘国英；李晋瑜；程明静, 卓杨；王毅). Some scholars focus on the root of family tragedy of the industrial civilization. The early twentieth century of Britain was a period of industrial revolution. At that time, the majority of people were happy for the huge profits and economy growth. D. H. Lawrence, however, realized the destructiveness. He believed that industrial civilization improved the human beings material civilization, but at the same time seriously destroyed the original harmonious relation between people，suppressed the human nature, ruined the persons physical and mental health. In Sons and Lovers, all kinds of distorted human relationships are resulted from those unharmonious elements of modern civilization. And a series of tragedies are produced like the domino effect. The industrial civilization puts Mr. Morel, a miner, in a tough living conditions. Under the great pressure of life, his marriage is at risk. Facing the massive differences between the before-marriage and the after-marriage, as well as the ideal and the reality, Mrs. Morel estranges her husband but gets close to her sons, which leads to excessive intimate mother-child relationships. Then the intricate family ties deprive the sons of abilities to fall in love with other girls normally. Therefore, the tragedy of last generation extends to the next generation. Thats why we can say industrial civilization is the evil root (刘国英；张文静；武瑞). In my opinion, the theme of Sons and Lovers is involved in the abnormal interrelationships and their main causes. Part I A Failure in Marriage1.1 Mrs. Morels Dream of Marriage Mrs. Morel is a well-educated lady with pious faith. In a Christmas ball, she falls in love with the handsome and humorous Walter Morel, and then they get married. Because of different family and educational backgrounds, they are also different in outlook on life (覃艳容). Mrs. Morel came of a good old burgher family, famous independents who had fought with Colonel Hutchinson, and who remained scout Congregationalist.Gertrude resembled her mother in a small build. But her temper, proud and unyielding, she had from the Coppards (Lawrence 6). Whats more, Mrs. Morels ideal type husband should like her father who is a cultured gentleman with masculinity and belief. Her father was to her the type of all men (Lawrence 8). Therefore, she is fascinated when she meets the well set-up, erect, and very smart(Lawrence 7). Walter Morel. And she expects to marry a miner who is full of charm and vigor, with independent economy, own house and bank savings. But at the seventh month after marriage, she finds that her husband is a poor and indebted man. This accidental discovery shatters her dream (覃艳容).1.2 A Marriage of Love and Hatred It seems that the marriage between Mr. Morel and Mrs Morel is a tragedy, because both of them are suffering from it. On one hand, Mrs. Morel is disappointed with her husband who reconciles to ordinary life, wallows in enjoying life and makes no efforts to improve the living conditions and gain respects. She also hates him for drinking heavily, and being rude to her as well as the children. The pity was, she was too much his opposite. She could not be content with the little he might be; she would have him the much that he ought to be. So, in seeking to make him nobler than he could be, she destroyed him(Lawrence 12). On the other hand, Mr. Morel cant withstand the request, arrogance and aggressiveness of his wife. He is just an ordinary miner who wants to live freely without too much luxury. She fought to make him undertake his responsibilities, to make him fulfill his obligations. But he was too different from her. His nature was purely sensuous, and she strove to make him moral, religious. She tried to force him to face things. He could not endure it-it drove him out of his mind(Lawrence 11). However, we can still find couples warmth and affection between them. For example, she defends for him before neighbors; she feels silly after quarreling with him for cutting Williams hair; she experiences warmth and peace on the bed hearing the sound he made in the garden; she wants a kiss from him when she is giving birth; she still speaks highly of his nice figure even he is already a middle-aged man; she is so grieved for his illness.she was almost a fanatic with him, because she loved him, or had loved him(Lawrence 12). As for Mr. Morel, he is attracted by his wife all the time. Most times, he is afraid of her, and follows her directions. He feels sorry for scolding and beating her, sympathizes with her laborious business. During his illness his wife had spoilt him a little. Now he wanted her to continue. He often put his band to his head, pulled down the comers of his mouth, and shamed pains he did not feel(Lawrence 32). For theses reasons, there are not only fights and contradictions, but also pleasant memories in this relationship. And just because love and hatred both exist in the marriage, their emotions are complex and agonizing.1.3 Mrs Morels Changed Attitude to Her Husband After marriage, the cruel reality shatters Mrs. Morels dream as a young girl. She maintains the essential family living and raises her children up in a dreadful condition. At the same time, Mr. Morel is not a gentle and thoughtful man any more. With heavy manual work and burden of family life, he begins to drink heavily, be rude and unreasonable, and vents his anger on his wife and children. This triggers of a discordant and hostile relationship. Mrs. Morel gradually changes her attitudes to her husband along with the birth of children and the broken love. The first time she starts to change her attitude is that she sees through her husbands lies and knows what they live in now is a rented house. She said very little to her husband, but her manner had changed towards him. Something in her proud, honorable soul had crystallized out hard as rock (Lawrence 10). She is extremely lonely and sad for the disillusioned dream. So she despises her husband, and turns from him to the child. She cares very little that he does. Only, she scathes him with her satire on his return . And then they become emotionally estranged from each other. With the birth of their second child, Mrs. Morel doesnt crate trouble for herself by not fighting with him like before and not thinking of his hateful behaviors. Therefore, there was a state of peace in the house for some time. Mrs. Morel was more tolerate of him, Neither knew that she was more tolerate because she loved him less(Lawrence 32). At this moment, Mrs. Morels calm attitude is not yielding to her husband or marriage, but giving up, because love is ebbing in an unspectacular way. The last change is the end of their love and marriage. Mrs. Morel no longer spends time in arguing uselessly with him. She shows him completely indifference and unconcern which drives out him from her world, then devotes to two sons with her life. As one proverb says that the opposite of love is not hatred, but unconcern. This time, Mr. Morel has a feeling of being abandoned, and realizes that it was really over between them(Lawrence 33). Part II Mrs Morel, William and His Girl Friend2.1 Williams Social Success William is the eldest son in the Morel family who is brilliant and excellent. He is always the proud of his parents from childhood, and gains social success by tirelessly pursuing his ideal life. At the age of thirteen, he begins his first job. Then he becomes one of the best stenographers and bookkeepers. In his nineteen, he gets a job in Nottingham for thirty shillings a week which is admired by neighbors, but he still studies till very late. Finally he finds a job in London with one hundred and twenty pounds per year which is a huge amount of income. In London he found that he could associate with men far above his Bestwood friends in station.so he began to fancy himself as a great gun. He was, indeed, rather supervised at the ease with which he became a gentleman(Lawrence 63). Although his living environment is rather poor, and family is unhappy, he enters into the gentry class all the same by his own. He can make friends everywhere for his extroverted character, and challenge authority for his sense of justice. He can do all the things that men do-the decent things (Lawrence 37). Whats more, he can give dual attention on enjoyment and learning. All of these contribute to his social success.2.2 William and His Girl Friend William is deeply loved by Mrs. Morel for his excellence, and wants to get rid of the trammel of motherly love. So the courtship becomes the only way to save him. He begins to pursue a Gypsy girl, Lily, who is beautiful in appearance but simple in mind, and is even engaged with her despite his mothers opposition. William should be happy at this moment, but he feels a strong sense of complications and contradictions in the love between his girl friend and him.On one hand, William is always accompanied by his mother and influenced by her complicated character, arrogance and stubbornness. In addition to that he reads a lot of books, and he looks down upon the foolishness and decadence of the upper class. Lily understands nothing except for amorism and following fashion. But often he got irritable. She had brought, for an eight-days stay, five dresses and six blouses.(Lawrence 91) So William has a deep aversion to his fiance with the expectation of a kindred spirit, not a noisy lover who just regards him as a machine to pay her bills. Besides, he never makes disguise of his disdain and scorn to Lily in front of his mother, and even digs at her to his mothers face. Read a book! Why, shes never read a book in her life (Lawrence 92). On the other hand, he inherits his fathers emotional side which let him yearn for the ardent and passionate love life. He cant resist Lilys fantastic appearance and treats her tenderly (刘芳). Just because William fails to reach the balance between reason and emotion, the love between his girl friend and him is also contradictory and torturous. We can get this from the description of Lawrence. William was silent, and later he repented, kissed and comforted the girl. Yet it was true, what he had said. He hated her.All summer long Williams letters had a feverish tone; he seemed unnatural and intense.