（英语语言文学专业论文）对毛姆《面纱》的生态批评.pdf

ii 对毛姆面纱的生态批评对毛姆面纱的生态批评 研究生：邓惠文 年级：2006 级 学科专业：英语语言文学 指导老师：张叔宁 研究方向：英美文学 中中 文文 摘摘 要要 面对近代以来人与自然关系的空前恶化和生态危机的全球化 ,人与自然关系的重构已 成为现代社会人类不可回避的任务。在生态危机触目惊心的背景下,重新审视西方传统文化 人是万物的灵长的思想内涵, 对调适人与自然的关系有着重要的现实意义。生态学家 又开始重新阅读经典教义,从中发现生态意蕴,并且努力建构新的生态学,这将有助于改善人 与自然的关系。因此，一些生态学家将目光转向蕴含着“天人合一”生态思想的中国道家 哲学。 毛姆（william somerset maugham,1874-1965）是一位对东方及中国文化颇感兴趣的英 国作家。他对庄子所描述的“天人合一，人与自然和谐相处”的逍遥世界向往不已，并在 他的小说面纱中多次提到道家哲学对他的影响。本文从生态批评的角度解读面纱 ， 是一个全新的视角，探究这位伟大作家超前的生态哲思在小说中的体现。 论文共分为五章，分别从自然生态、社会和精神生态以及庄子“天人合一”生态思想 几个维度对面纱进行解读。 面纱揭示了人与自然、人与人以及人与自我等错综复 杂的基本关系，以及生态失衡的关系。只有努力协调好上述几种关系，人类才能实现真正 的生态平衡，达到“天人合一”的境界。 第一章介绍作者毛姆及其作品在国内的研究情况，对国外生态批评理论进行了归纳总 结，并阐述了庄子关于“天人合一，人与自然和谐相处”的主要理论。 第二章探讨了毛姆在面纱中所体现的自然生态观，主要表现为城市与乡村，生与 死的二元对立。作为一个城市作家，透过毛姆独特的都市体验，我们可以看到生活在物质 丰富的城市中的人的精神创伤和绝望心理，而回归自然的方式是毛姆给城市中精神危机的 人们开出的处方；此外，毛姆在小说中对死亡进行了淋漓尽致的表现，力图以死亡唤醒人 的存在，构建生的积极作用。 第三章论述了面纱中所体现的社会和精神生态的关注。人性的缺失与不和谐，其 iii 中有脉脉温情下宗教对人性、对生命的漠视，家庭伦理的缺失带来的悲剧，以及欲望扼杀 人的灵魂和美好天性。 第四章探讨毛姆回归自然，回归和谐的模式， “道”在小说中通过其中人物的体现， 剖析了毛姆的东方情结及“道”的生态理想。 论文最后指出，以物质生活为基础的西方社会，人性中美好的东西渐渐消失，给人们 带来了许多痛苦与不幸。毛姆给他们设置的“回归自然”的生活模式使主人公摆脱了现实 的困境，找到了心灵的归宿。毛姆所追求的精神世界中的最高境界，也正是道家哲学所倡 导的“天人合一”的和谐世界。毛姆敏锐而深刻的精神生态观点体现了他超凡的想象力和 洞察力，对于我们今天仍有启发意义。 关键词：毛姆；生态主义；道；天人合一；和谐关键词：毛姆；生态主义；道；天人合一；和谐 iv on maughams the painted veil from the perspective of eco-criticism postgraduate: deng huiwen grade: 2006 supervisor: professor. zhang shuning major field of study: english language desire restrains and stifles human nature; the ascetic nuns are indifferent to life under the mask of religion. chapter 4 offers the way of returning to the nature and harmony. this chapter analyzes maughams oriental complex and ideas on harmony between man and nature through the characters of the novel. the last chapter offers a conclusion. in the western countries based on materialistic life, humanity defect results in sufferings and misfortunes. therefore, maugham attempted to help his heroes seek the harmony between the reality and spirits, looking for an ideal universe. he arranges a way of living to return to the nature where their souls could be saved from the destruction. the ultimate spiritual world of maughams, is the harmonious world of taoism. maughams viewpoint on spiritual ecology is especially penetrating and profound, which shows his preeminent imagination and perception. his ideas can still enlighten todays readers. key words: maugham, eco-criticism, tao, man and nature, harmony 41 论文独创性声明论文独创性声明 本人郑重声明：所提交的学位论文是本人在导师的指导下进行的研究工 作及取得的成果。除文中已经注明引用的内容外，本论文不含其他个人或其 他机构已经发表或撰写过的研究成果。对本文的研究作出重要贡献的个人和 集体，均已在文中以明确方式标明。本人承担本声明的法律责任。 研究生签名： 日期： 论文使用授权声明论文使用授权声明 本人完全了解广西师范大学有关保留、使用学位论文的规定。广西师范 大学、中国科学技术信息研究所、清华大学论文合作部，有权保留本人所送 交学位论文的复印件和电子文档，可以采用影印、缩印或其他复制手段保存 论文。本人电子文档的内容和纸质论文的内容相一致。除在保密期内的保密 论文外，允许论文被查阅和借阅，可以公布（包括刊登）论文的全部或部分 内容。论文的公布（包括刊登）授权广西师范大学学位办办理。 研究生签名： 日期： 导 师签名： 日期： 1 chapter 1 introduction 1.1 about the author william somerset maugham (1874-1965)，english novelist, playwright, and short-story writer whose works are characterized by a clear unadorned style, cosmopolitan setting, and a shrewd understanding of human nature. “he wrote as naturally as the cricket sings and on the other is constantly saying that the english language is extremely difficult to manage” (brander,1963:1). his reputation stood far higher with the public than with critics, and he even said that he was the very best of the second-rate writers of his time. he lived for nearly ninety-two years, wrote seventy eight books and kept his faithful audiences from the late victorian era to the twenty-first century. he was one of the most popular authors of his era. during the times that he lived, the britain had grown from an important power to a mighty empire, extending its great influence all over the world. meanwhile, with the development of capitalism, social problems became acute, especially between the wealth and the poverty. in addition, the capitalist europe suffered immense losses due to the re-division of the world by the imperialists. on the one hand, the material developed so quickly, on the other hand, the spiritual was becoming more and more depressed. gods death in niezsches conception directs the spiritual current in the 20th century. a spiritual crisis has taken root in modern mans inner world. the human conditions in the west were held in bondage. the social changes and conflicts were reflected in the literature of the time. the writers of early 20th century sought for new ways and means of revealing the true life. tracing back to the bibliography of somerset maughams writings, it is apparent that many of them were set in the far east. four of his novels ( the moon and sixpence, the painted veil, the narrow corner, and the razors edge), two of his travel books( on a chinese screen and the gentleman in the parlor ), two plays( east of suez and the letter) and several volumes of his short stories are all on the subject of the east. the thesis is trying to reveal the meaning of somerset maughams east journey with the theory of eco-criticism and chinese taoism, which advocated “harmony between man and nature”. 1.2 literature review somerset maugham is one of the most favorite writers in english literature, appealing to 2 both refined and popular tastes. however, almost all english literary works give a brief introduction to this great writer. that is the so-called “maugham phenomenon” (morgan,1980:397). for instance, the short oxford history of english literature states just a few words on maugham. the great tradition in english compiled by annette t. rubinstein even completely leaves maugham out. in addition, the study of maugham criticism was limited in his most famous ones while ignoring his other excellent novels. contemporary literature criticism focuses its attention on maughams most famous novel such as of human bondage, the moon and sixpence and the razors edge. the pattern of maugham compiled by anthony curtis presents an impressive analysis of maughams novels and dramas, mentioning little of his essays and travel notes. although time changes, we can not deny the fact that his works highly readable and still receiving increasing attention and recognition. from the time when maugham works were translated in chinese, especially since 1980s, more and more chinese scholars have shown concern on this western writer. survey of modern british fiction by hou weirui gives an impersonal appraisal of maugham to the readers and considers him as “the aftermath of naturalism” and the “forerunner of modernism”(hou weirui, 1986:114). the study and research are from different aspects and perspectives and enter into a new stage now，presenting a wide range of co-existent point of views. there are mainly three different opinions: the first group holds that maugham is obviously a naturalistic writer, who in his works examines the life from a perspective of naturalism, presents the life in a naturalistic way, and reflects the opinion that as a slave of the environment and economic factor, human beings have an instinctive reaction to the environment under the dominance of biological law. this perspective offers a good summary of maughams early works, but is an incomplete understanding of his later works, especially lacking a convincing interpretation of his modernist thought, oriental culture, the deeper mystery of human nature and conflict. the second group classifies maugham as a traditional realist writer and considers his novels the presentation of the conflict between the ideal and the reality, between the genius and the common people, between soul and body, and between the primitiveness and the civilization, displaying people in a dilemma of looking for balance between spiritual pursuit and real life. since this point of view simply connects maughams experience and thought with the characters 3 and plots of his works, it is somewhat plain and even a little far-fetched and awkward, and lacks the free and natural cultural atmosphere, as well as the wide space for thinking, thus with a stale notion of social and historical criticism. the third group thinks that maugham expresses the theme of anti-tradition by adopting traditional methods. his works are traditional in forms, but anti-traditional in thought. this perspective stresses maughams assimilation of the tradition, but pays little attention to the modernist feature in his works. 1.3 an introduction to the painted veil the painted veil was a little-known novel compared with somerset maughams outstanding masterpiece of human bondage and the razors edge. the painted veil “begins to glow with a warmth and sympathy” (anthony curtis it is, in a sense, a form of activism. many critics also emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of the enquiry, which is informed by ecological science, politics, ethics, womens studies, native american studies, and history, among other academic fields. the term “eco-criticism” was coined in 1978 by william rueckert in his essay “literature and ecology: an experiment in eco-criticism”. interest in the study of nature writing and reading literature with a focus on “green” issues grew through the 1980s, and by the early 1990s eco-criticism had emerged as a recognizable discipline within literature departments of american universities. “no matter how it is defined, eco-criticism seems less a singular approach or method than a constellation of approaches having little more in common than a shared concern with the environment”.(mazel, 2001:2) chinese scholar wang nuo also gives a clear analysis on it. “eco-critics do not mainly absorb concrete researching achievements non-natural sciences, but only the basic thinking of ecology, or to be exact, the idea of eco-philosophy. eco-philosophy is the starting point and foundation stone”(wang nuo, 2002:50). 1.4.2 the origin of eco-criticism eco-criticism originated from america and becomes one of the most recent interdisciplinary fields to have been developing in literary and cultural studies. yet, the ecological work should go back to the 19th century. some british romantic writers and victorian realists wrote about environment and human nature. the romantic poet, william wordsworth, presents the beauty and mystery of nature in some of his most famous lyrics, including michael . the work portrays a shepherd deeply attached to the natural world around him. the poetry of samuel taylor coleridge, john keats, lord byron, and percy shelley also shows us their passionate 6 poetic volumes to the nature. shelleys ode to the west wind, for instance, has been regarded as the most inspired lyrical poem describing nature in english. furthermore, victorian realists described industrialization, which was changing the natural landscape; pioneers and other travelers wrote of their experiences with an emphasis on setting; and explorers and natural historians began to record their newly encountered places and wildlife; emerson and thoreau, who stand as the american prophets of eco-criticism, care for the body, the mind and the spirit, or the soul. emersons nature, thoreaus walden, has been regarded as the canons of eco-criticism. eco-criticism is an intentionally broad genre that is known by many names: green cultural studies, eco-poetics, and environmental literary criticism are also popular for this relatively new branch of literary criticism. definitely speaking, eco-criticism originated from a series of environmental protection movement. in the middle of the 20th century, serious ecological crisis broke out, not only in nature, but also in human society. nobody can deny our world is suffering severe destruction. conscience compelled some scholars to choose literature creations as forceful weapons to alarm people for their lacking necessary ecological awareness. in 1962, rachel carson, an american biologist, published her famous silent spring, which criticized the pesticide fatal effecting on various species. in 1978 the term eco-criticism was coined by william rueckert in his essay literature and ecology: an experiment in eco-criticism. his intent was to focus on “the application of ecology and ecological concepts to the study of literature”(glotfelty,1996:107). in 1995 lawrence buell published the environmental imagination: thoreau, nature writing, and the formation of american culture which is a landmark book of independent study of eco-criticism. after that, eco-criticism develops in the globalizing phase. 1.4.3 taoist philosophy taoism is one of the great indigenous philosophical traditions of china, which have influenced east asia for over two thousand years and some have spread to the west. the tradition is also called “lao-zhuang” philosophy, referring to what is commonly regarded as its two classical and most influential texts: the tao te ching or laozi and the zhuangzi. tradition has treated laozi and zhuangzi as the socrates and plato of taoism. the word, tao(道), means “path” or “way”, is nothing less than an expression of the 7 profound unity of the universe and of the path human beings must take to join, rather than disturb, that unity(hu zhihong,2006:329). the tao is something that all followers of taoism strive to achieve harmony with. the tao regulates natural processes and nourishes balance in the universe. it embodies the harmony of man and nature. taoism bioethics holds that human beings and all things in the nature are equal and form a harmonious unity. human beings should follow the law of nature to treat and use all things in the nature.(zhang yanmei, jiang xuejie, wu jingming,2007: 47-52) taoism involves all the problems that the life should face: the contradiction of the life against the nature, against the society and against the freedom of human beings. but eventually, taoism attempts to deal all these contradictions with harmony. zhuangzi( 369 b.c.-286 b.c.), also known as the holy canon of nanhua, marks the high point of mature taoist philosophical theory. it is composed of 33 chapters including 7 inner chapters, 15 outer chapters, and 11 miscellaneous chapters. zhuangzis profound philosophy can be summarized in four phrases: “tao as the source of the world”, “uniformity of things”, “non-action in face of nature” and “absolute freedom”(zhuangzi,1999:47). zhuangzi took tao as the origin of the world, inheriting laozis view of “from tao comes oneness; from oneness comes duality of yin and yang; from duality comes the equilibrium of yin and yang; from equilibrium comes all things under heaven”(tao te ching, chapter 42). according to zhuangzis philosophy, “tao” indicates the rules and laws for the development of the universe, the ultimate human cognizance: “when clear distinction between right and wrong appeared, tao was injured. when tao was injured, prejudice was formed. ” “why is tao so obscure that it can be considered both true and false? why is speech so obscure that it can be considered both true and wrong? why does tao prevail and seem to be non-existent? why does speech exist and seem to be unacceptable? tao is obscured when it is concealed by minor achievements; speech is obscured when it is concealed by flowery words.” (“on the uniformity of all things”) he held the view that things in the world seemed to be different but were in fact all the same. zhuangzi also thinks that uniformity of things is the only natural law to follow by the perfect man who makes no arguments and conforms himself to nature.(mao liya,2006:241-242) zhuangzi developed laozis views on “helping everything to stay its natural way and 8 constantly refraining from any interference” (tao te ching, chapter 64) and took “non-action in face of nature” as the supreme doctrine. he held the view that “the heaven is clear because it does nothing: the earth is quiet because it dies nothing”(“perfect happiness”)by taking no action, it does not mean that zhuangzi did nothing at all, but that he had shaken off the bondage of the mundane world and was enjoying the beauty of nature in his spiritual world. this attitude of non-action in face of nature helps zhuangzi into the spiritual world of absolute freedom. taoism is the first major philosophical and religious tradition explored by peter marshall, in his book natures web. marshall called taoism “the way of nature”, emphasizing that this is the ideal religion from the perspective of ecological sensibility. non-action in face of nature is a key element of taoist thought, and is a repeated concept in the primary taoist text, the tao te ching. the concept of non-action in face of nature stresses that the wise person will not attempt to cause change in his world, but will rather be receptive to and allow natural changes to happen, as is the way of nature. to live by the tao would be to live by the benefit of the world, not the self. throughout history, taoism has been one of the most influential religions of eastern culture. 1.4.4 the goal of eco-criticism chinese scholar professor lu shuyuan divided eco-criticism into three aspects, which are natural ecology, social ecology and spiritual ecology (lu shuyuan, 2000:146-147). based on an ecological perspective, eco-criticism is a form of literary criticism which investigates the relation between humans and the natural world in literature. eco-criticism expands the concept of the “world” to include the entire ecosphere. the first aim of eco-criticism is to fight against anthropocentrism. the basic precondition of the vision of ecological holism is “decentralization” or “no centralization”. “it s fundamental characteristic is to emphasize the inherent connection between the whole and the parts, not to