英语本科毕业论文-An Analysis on Advancements and Complexities of Humanism in Romeo and Juliet.doc

An Analysis on Advancements and Complexities of Humanism in Romeo and JulietWritten byHe YuanxiaDirected byXiang ZhenzhenA thesisSubmitted in partial fulfillmentOf the requirements for the degree ofBachelor of Art, in the School of Foreign LanguagesGuizhou Minzu UniversityMay. 2013An Analysis on Advancements and Complexities of Humanism in Romeo and JulietThesis statement: The analysis on advancements and complexities of humanism in Romeo and Juliet can help to improve the learning of Shakespeares tragedies.1. Introduction2. A Brief Introduction of the Book 2.1 About the Author 2.2 About the Plot3. The Social Life Phenomenon during the Renaissance in Europe3.1 The Concept of Humanism3.2The Relationship between Culture and Humanism3.3 The Conflicts Arising during the Renaissance in Europe4. An Analysis of the Work-Romeo and Juliet4.1The Contradiction of the Multiplicity and Coincidence4.2The Diversity of Characters4.2.1 The Humanism in Two Main Characters The Humanism in Romeo The Humanism in Juliet4.3 Advancements of Humanism in Romeo and Juliet4.3.1 The Advancement of Emotional Attitude4.3.2 The Advancement of Laurences and the Princes Images4.3.3 Death - the Sublimation of Love4.4 Complexities of Humanism in Romeo and Juliet 4.4.1 The Complexity of Heroes Image 4.4.2 The Complexity of Laurences Image 4.4.3 The Ending-Humanism Tragedy5. ConclusionAbstract: The poet of the period of Renaissance in Britain, dramatist, William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is one of the most influential writers during this period in the world literature. Romeo and Juliet is a Shakespeares early tragedy work which is adapted according to an Italian folk story. Though Romeo and Juliet is not included in Shakespeares four tragedies, the story of Romeo and Juliet is well known by many people. Shakespeare once said what is tragedy? Its breaking peoples dream in reality. The pure and true love between two young people is the most beautiful dream in that society. The love story not only praise warm, sincere and freedom love, the liberation of human nature, and Renaissance humanism spirit, but also tell people this ideal will win through the final outcome. Starting from contemporary writer, Ben Jonson, three or four hundred years, many famous writers and literary critics have made comments on Shakespeares works in the world, so Shakespeare is one of the writers whose works have been criticized by most people. And most of the comments is on Shakespeares comedy, tragedy thoughts, and the analysis of character image, language, etc. And this paper is mainly based on Shakespeares works, Romeo and Juliet to explore the humanistic advancements and complexities in English Renaissance Period.Key words: Romeo and Juliet; humanism; advancements; complexitiesAn Analysis on Advancements and Complexities of Humanism in Romeo and Juliet1. IntroductionShakespeares plays have always been considered as western, even human civilized and cultural peak. Shakespeares works are also worth researching, and all Shakespeares works basic thought is humanism or humanitarian, in his words-it is love . His work performs various concepts of love. Humanism is the thought weapon that the emerging bourgeoisie fight against the feudalism. Shakespeares works reflects the ideas of the emerging bourgeoisie. That is, Shakespeares works reflect the humanism spirit. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy of Shakespeares early writing. The work describes a pair of young lovers, because of the family feud between the two families, they can not get together, finally sacrifice. The tragedy starts with fighting, ends up with the deaths of the heroes. This love tragedy possesses anti-feudal consciousness for Romeo and Juliet having reflected humanism.There are many researchers who have made many great researches on Shakespeares play-Romeo and Juliet from many aspects. For example, there is a scholar who named Liang Yuying having done the research of the causes of the tragedy- Romeo and Juliet in 2011. Lin Fuli who has published an article on Journal of Heilongjiang College of Education studied the humanism spirit of Romeo and Juliet in 2011. Guo Aili also has researched Romeo and Juliet from the perspective of humanism spirit in 2009. Jing Feilong who comes from Foreign Languages Department, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology has published an article called On the Moral Conflicts in Romeo and Juliet in 2009. Some other scholars have made the researches from linguistic characteristics and personal character and so on. Each of them has achieved a great success in the research, but it still needs us to do a further research in order to understand the play- Romeo and Juliet well and help to learn Shakespeares other plays well. This paper will analyze the advancements and complexities of humanism from following aspects to grasp the humanism spirit in Renaissance Period better.2. A Brief Introduction of the Book2.1 About the AuthorWilliam Shakespeare (1564-1616) is the most important writer in Britain and Europe during the Renaissance period. Shakespeare was often watching a troupe performance when he was young. He was surprised to find that a handful of actors on the small stage could display the history and real life stories. He felt it very magical and deeply fell in love with the drama. Unfortunately, his father failed in business when he was 14 so that he had to leave school being his fathers assistant. At the age of 18 he married, then less than 21 years old, he had three children. In 1586, Shakespeare went to London on foot and found a horse errand for theatre audiences. He also quietly watched the performances on stage outside of work and adhered to learning courses, such as literature, history, philosophy and Greek and Latin by himself. When company needed temporary actor, he was advantaged than others. Coupled with his talent, he could finally do some supporting roles. Playing a supporting role, Shakespeare played seriously. His understanding and superb acting made him soon absorbed by the troupe for official actor. Shakespeare persisted in learning acting, at the same time he also read various of books, learnt the history of his own country and peoples misfortune. He decided to try to write some historical script. He wrote a historical drama Henry VI trilogy. The plays were put on the stage and became popular immediately. He won a high reputation and gradually gained a firm foothold in the London theatre. In 1595, Shakespeare wrote a tragedy-Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare was well-known in London. Audience went to watch the play like flooding and were moved to tears.2.2 About the PlotThe story took place in Verona city. There were two huge family groups, the Montague family and the Capulet family. However the hatred had existed between the two families for many years. If they met each other in one street, the fighting was inevitable. One day, there was a feast in Capulet. Montagues son Romeo came to dance with masks, and fell in love with Capulets daughter Juliet. They loved each other at the first sight and married secretly through the elder Lawrence. Unfortunately, because of the feuding between two families, Juliets cousin Tiboerte killed Mercutio who was a good friend of Romeos. Romeo must force to kill Tiboerte. Thus he would be forced to begin his exile life. But when Romeo had just left, Juliet was forced to marry Paris on Thursday who was born in noble Count. She had no choice to go looking for Lawrence to discuss. She would drink the drug of feign death prepared by elders on Wednesday night according to the plan and made the wedding into a funeral. While Romeo did not know the plan, only knowing news of the death Juliet, then he bought the poison, and went to Capulets graveyard, died on his lovers side. However when Juliet woke up, saw Romeo was dead and also took out a sword to end her own life, and went to the another world with Romeo. Experiencing the misfortune, Montague and Capulet also gave up their hatred and forgave each other.3. The Social Life Phenomenon during the Renaissance in EuropeThe church had a great effect on the social life during the Renaissance in Europe. People always kept touch with the church because of the existing of the church in town here and there. With the development of economy, peoples thoughts had changed greatly. Commodity economy became very active, which he handicraft industry, business and financial sector were developed in an all-round way. There were many cities becoming the center of business and financial industry. The small and medium-sized towns and countryside was embroiled in a huge commercial trade networks with the development of commodity economy. Even in mountainous area of town was also not exceptional. The mountainous area became a town which was famous for grain, silk, wine and olive oil from a poor agricultural region.3.1 The Concept of HumanismZheng Jings humanistic symphony song-the Peony Pavilion, Romeo and Juliet, mentions that humanism is a thought system which is formed during the period of the emerging bourgeoisie struggling against feudalism and church in the European Renaissance. Humanism fights against the feudal thought, advocates individuality liberation, extols the joy and happiness and praises that love is the noblest feelings. Otherwise, humanism is the core idea of the Renaissance, the social thought of the emerging bourgeoisie against feudalism, also the original form of bourgeois humanitarian. It confirms humans value, requires to enjoy the joy of the world, asks of personality liberation and liberty and equality, highly praises the perceptual experience and rational thinking. However, historically, humanism refers to the advanced thought in European history and philosophy from 14th to 16th century. That is to say, during this period (from the 14th to the 16th century) humanism mainly emphasizes the value of human, it is more advanced than the thought of middle ages. And this paper focuses on the second interpretation of humanism. Romeo and Juliet not only presents the advancement and complexity of humanism through protagonists love, but also expresses the humanism based on their emotional attitude and values. And the advancement and complexity of humanistic thought is reflected in the protagonists emotional attitude and their respective images. So compared the first interpretation of humanism with the second one, latter is more comprehensive. It is not enough to look at the problem-love in Romeo and Juliet. It should be treated in a comprehensive view. So the second view has higher reliability.3.2The Relationship between Culture and HumanismDuring the Middle Ages in Europe, many countries cultures were affected by Christian theology. Science, education, literature and art all had the nature of religion. Churches were devoting to advocate asceticism vigorously. They thought that everyone was born with sin. If you wanted to completely get rid of the misery of life, you must be practiced ascetically. Under the rule of authoritarian culture, peoples free wills were destroyed seriously and humans value and dignity were lost. This was a particularly brutal and highly closed era. The whole Europe was suffering. With the germination and development of capitalist economy, the emerging bourgeoisie was gradually becoming mature so that people required to get rid of theology in the thoughts.Humanism was originated in Italy. Italy was the most advanced country in Europe at that time. The Italian Renaissance, as a kind of cultural, literary and educational activity, was the study of classical culture, ancient Greek and Latin literature. It reflected the promotion of peoples moral, values by education. Education was a way of self-perfecting. In order to pay attention to peoples values, you had to wake people up and develop its abilities making it appear and be developed. The means to achieve this goal was education. They used grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history and moral philosophy as an educational means of improving peoples qualities and values. They believed education could cultivate an ideal person. The teachers were called humanists. Humanities gradually became the main course in universities and high schools. It had impact on theology and took the place of the old education. It had effect on many areas from external indirectly, such as natural philosophy, theology, law, medicine as well as mathematics. Humanism played an important role in Renaissance. Although humanism was not an independent philosophy, but its messages were covered on common belief which had great significance during the Renaissance movement.3.3 The Conflicts Arising during the Renaissance in EuropeIn this period, the European feudal society gradually collapsed, the capitalist mode of production in the feudal society was sprouting. The change of the social system would bring cultural thoughts of the reform tide. Therefore, humanistic ideas produced in this period. It was the capitalist classs a powerful idea weapon for anti-feudal, and was also the center of literature thought in this period. The main contents included: using humanity against theocracy; with individual liberty against asceticism; with rational against obscurantism.The Renaissance movement had a series of negative effects on emphasizing on personal value, then it led to personal desires expanding, material comforting and fell in love with luxuries. There produced many conflicts during the Renaissance in Europe, such as the conflict between human rights and religious authority, the conflict between feudalism and emerging capitalism, the conflict between free will and ideological restraints and so on. Conflicts also existed between the big families in Europe at that time. Fighting on the street was a common thing.4. An Analysis of the Work-Romeo and Juliet4.1The Contradiction of the Multiplicity and CoincidenceThe play is full of contradiction and coincidence. The last scene is the most tensive scene. The plot turns ups and downs and the conflicts achieve climax. There are multiple contradictions: the contradiction between Romeo and Paris, the conflict between Romeo and the Capulet family, the contradiction between Juliet and her familys, the contradictions between Montague and Capulet, the two families. So many contradictions occur simultaneously in the play having a good dramatic effect. Plays always have all sorts of coincidences, all coincidences are dramatic. Coincidences contribute to contradictions happing. Paris, Romeo and Lawrence go to Juliets tomb undesignedly; Romeo and Juliet almost can meet alive, its a pity that they part forever, lovers can not become spouse eventually; Paris and Romeos servant just see two men fighting becoming a witness of tragedy; Lawrence witnesses the whole process of Romeo and Juliets love becoming a witness of Romeo and Juliets love story which comes to light; Prince, Montague and Capulet get to the massacre scene at the same time.These are coincidence, are also the foundation of conflicts occurring. When contradictions outbreak together, it is the ending of them. Finally Prince who is a symbol of the regime mediates the two families conflict having multiple meanings: feudalism began to evolve, compromise and identity the spirit of humanism; Humanism does not fight thoroughly and have fantasy for feudalism; The regime in maintaining social stability, social development and fair social order plays an extremely important role. This is the significance which contradictories multiplicities lead to diversities of the play.4.2The Diversity of CharactersAlthough there are different powers and different conflicts, the whole development fall on one point that everyone is kind-hearted. It shows the identity of conflicts and the crowd. Under this kind of identity, characters still show rich and colorful diversities.Romeo and Juliet with the embodiment of humanism, have their different personalities. From the whole view of the play, we can see that Romeo is gentle, enthusiastic, frank, kind but not enough stable and lack of calculation. He is a brave but immature idealistic youth. Juliet is beautiful, pure, faithful and unyielding, kind and gentle, at the same time, she has some calculations. Lawrence is one of the important characters. He is kind but dull. He is a monk, but he is involved in worldly affairs deeply. When Romeo came to him for help, he helped them get married in secret and determined to help to resolve the contradictions between Montague and Capulet the two big families. Learning the news that letter was failed to sent, he had to dig up Juliets tomb. All shows his kindness. However, hearing patrol come, he scared to escape without Juliet. This shows his tender and sleazy side. He is a father, but not to do what he should do. His character also shows diversity.4.2.1 The Humanism in Two Main Characters The Humanism in RomeoRomeo is a mild, enthusiastic, frank, kind youth, but not enough composed and lack of deceit. Direct nature and the cruel reality forced him to an extreme way. He killed Tiboerte and Paris, which is his last straw. Or it is righteousness, or self-defence. In this work, we see after he killed Paris personally, he shows a dying people with unreasonable madness. But even so, he still shows a humanist with lofty ideal. He express the love for his opponent, and does not really willing to kill them. In order to pursue personal happiness life, he dares to break free from the feudal ethics bondage. He was born in noble, loves life and has ideal. In order to pure love, he faces death unflinchingly. He would die without love. It sh