论傲慢与偏见和败坏了赫德莱堡的人的讽刺特征.doc

On Satirical Features in Pride and Prejudice and The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg1. IntroductionJane Austin is the first important woman novelist in English literature. She was born in Hampshire, England. She received no regular education. But her father, George Austen, who was rector of local parish, taught her much at home. Influenced by her father, she began writing at an early age. From 1811 to 1818, she published six excellent works in succession: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. The appearance of these excellent works broke the depressed atmosphere of sentimental literature and paved way for realism. So this woman writer was praised as incomparable Jane Austin by critics. Through years of test, these works were favored by generations of readers and critics, especially her masterpiece Pride and Prejudice. Irony is known as the European literary tradition. With her high artistic consciousness, Austen shows a more mature art of irony. In her novel irony is not only reflected in the tone of satire, sarcastic letters but also in character portrayal, and organization of plots as well as the theme of the works. Irony is Austins way of understanding and evaluating life becomes her novels tone and style. In Pride and Prejudice, the use of this artistic style reached a point of consummationMark Twain is an excellent, humorous and satiric master. His writing career began at the period of the transition from American Romanticism to Realism. From 1867, the publication of his first short novel The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, to1874, and the publication of his long novel The Gilded Age, the tone was optimistic, humorous and jocular and the style of writing was relaxing. After 1980s, his creation came into mature period. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court (1889), The Tragedy of Puddnhead Wilson (1889), The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg(1900 ) were all created in this period. At that time Americans social contradictions were very sharp and American was also in the period of economic crisis. In literary creation, Realism began to take place of Romanticism. At that moment, Mark Twain obviously changed not only in thought but also in writing style and in his works relaxing humor turned into spicy satire. The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg is just an acute social satirical novel. In the Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg,he changed his earlier humorous style and turned to bitter irony to criticize American societys corruption and the phenomenon of moral hypocrisy, as well as the evil generated by money.Researches about Jane Austen have always been a hot topic in western academic circles. Many researchers at home and abroad study the marriage attitude, education, property and so on in Pride and Prejudice. Many people studied Jane Austens satire art. Similarly, some people study Mark Twains humor features and satire art. This paper will analyze and compare the use of satire in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice and Mark Twains The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg from aspects of satire meaning, character portrayal, the organization of plots and their languages.2. General View of Pride and PrejudicePride and Prejudice is Jane Austens masterpiece. The central character is Elizabeth, the most intellect daughter of Bennet family. The story begins when a young and wealthy bachelor, Charles Bingley rents the manor of Netherfield in the nearby village of Longbourn. It causes a great stir there, and especially attracted the Bennets. Mrs. Bennet was permanently distracted by the issue of marrying off her five daughters (ranging in age from twenty two to fifteen) at any cost. Because after Mr. Bennets death, their estate and property would be passed on by law to his closest relative: his cousin, William Collins, who is a fatuous, tactless and pompous man. In order to make amends for inheriting the familys estate, William Collins proposes to Elizabeth. Of course, he is refused by the rational and wit girl. Later on, Charles Bingleys friend, Darcy is attracted by Elizabeths charm and intelligence. So he proposes to Elizabeth too. But Elizabeth has prejudice against him, so she rejects him at the beginning. After many twists and turns, misunderstanding between them disappears and they are united happily. In this novel, there are also Elizabeths sisters romantic adventures. This story shows that at Austen time, there were a lot of different attitudes toward marriage. 2.1 Stylistic Features in Pride and PrejudiceJane Austen is a realistic novelist. In Pride and Prejudice, she draws vivid and realistic pictures of peoples everyday life at her time. When she creates figures, she makes the characters have peoples true personality. “Her figures are like real living persons with faults and virtues mixed as they are in real life.” (Guo Qunying, 2001) These figures participate in the plots as much as they can, and have close relation with the plots progress. All these make the novel full of social significance and real sense of life. The novel shows a wealth of humor, wit and delicate satire. Like the simple-minded and vulgar Mrs. Bennet, she displays herself obdurately all the time. Her appearance always adds the sense of humor. The author represents figures words and actions like making reports. Then she makes a sharp contrast between the figures serious but abnormal expression and the readers normal concept about appreciation of the beautiful. Thus it strongly produces satirical effect. The section about William Collins proposing to Elizabeth is a good illustration. When William Collins shows his will to marry Elizabeth, he just like a clergyman makes sermons devoutly and orderly. Anyone who sees that scene will get bored and tired with William Collinss behaviors. At the same time, humor and delicate satire spring from it. 2.2 Satirical Meaning of Pride and PrejudiceIn this novel, Jane Austens marriage attitude is that marriage should not be built on money and wealth, but on mutual understanding in spirit. At last, Elizabeth discards his prejudice against Darcy. And Darcy overcomes his pride. They both find their true love and have a happy marriage. After experiencing ups and downs, the true lovers, Elizabeths sister Jane and Charles Bingley also get united happily. There are also some minor characters that all marry for the wrong reasons; Charlotte for status, Lydia for sex and Mrs. Hirst for money. But the Bennett sisters are manipulated by Austen to marry for the only thing worth marrying forlove.Both happy marriages and unhappy ones contribute to the theme that a happy and strong marriage takes time to build and must be based on mutual feeling, understanding, and respect. Hasty marriages acting on impulse, and based on superficial qualities will not survive and will inevitably lead to unhappiness.3. General View of The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg An omniscient narrator opens the story with a description of Hadleyburg. It is the most honest town in the state. The citizens there are very proud of its honest, upright, reputation. The town enjoys national renown for protecting every citizen against all temptation from infancy through death. And the town motto even reads Lead us not into temptation.(Xian Yijing，2001) But the residents of Hadleyburg see their virtues tested when a sack of gold worth40,000 arrives. The sack of gold with a note attaching on it is delivered by a stranger. The notes say that it is repaying for a loan of 20 dollars from the town. And the gold will be the Hadleyburg citizen who once helped a poor stranger passing through a town. Whoever can write down the exact words uttered to that poor stranger wins the sack of gold. The temptation proves too great for most Hadleyburgers. With the temptation of the sack of gold, none of the “honest upright residents, especially the nineteen prominent residents, can resist the temptation. In order to strive to be the winner of the bag, they are ignorant of their conscience to deceive and fabricate evidences. A series of farces are put on, leading to the notoriety of the “honest”, “upright” Hadleyburg. 3.1 Stylistic Features in the Man That Corrupted HadleyburgIn this novel the hypocrisy of bourgeois soul is the target of satires. But we cannot see simple and clear words on the criticism and verbal abuse in the whole text. The author with ironical strokes, exaggerated way to describe and tease those figures that cannot be more foolish and consider money as important as life. The inner world of characters can be exposed more deeply in this way. Mark Twains ironic way, both humorous and spicy, makes readers cannot help laughing. When getting pleasure in the laughter they get more disgusted about those ugly souls. Irony often cannot be separated from exaggeration, because exaggeration can enhance the artistic effect. At this point, ironic novels and comic books are similar to each other. But the exaggeration must be rooted in the life, or else it will be art without life. Let us look at how Mark Twain makes use irony in the novel. The stranger named Stevenson wrote a letter to Richards saying that, the dead Goodson was his benefactor, who was also the lawful owner of the sack. Mr. Richards once has helped Goodson, so he would like to give this sack of gold to Mr. Richards to express his gratitude. Thus this sack of gold belongs to Richards with no choice. Immediately, Richards imagination like the windmill turns up quickly. He thought hard and contemplated seriously what kind of thing he had done for Goodson. For a moment, he thought once he volunteered to persuade Goodson to convert to save his soul, but he also recalled that Goodson told him to “go to thunder and mind his own business.” “He wasnt hankering to follow Hadley burg to heaven.”(Xian Yijing，2001) Then, he may save Goodson in water but he is suddenly reminded that he simply could not swim. His help also became ridiculous. Later, his fantasy went to a worthwhile thing to show that he really helped Goodson. After it he could sleep peacefully. This shamelessly self-deceiving illusion was obviously exaggerated, but it corresponded with Peoples thinking and real life, so it is credible. Richards clearly did not help Goodson, but he eagerly wanted to find even fabricate so-called foundation to prove that he indeed gave grace to Goodson. Mark Twain described those ridiculous and detestable figures vividly. 3.2Satirical Meaning of the Man That Corrupted HadleyburgIn The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, the author exposes the bourgeois hypocrisy and greediness incisively and vividly. The darkness of capitalist society and the shameless and greediness of bourgeois is in contrast with their superficial gentleness and moral integrity. This sharp contrast exposes their hypocrisy more deeply. The nineteen prominent residents and their wives represent the ruling class. On the surface, they are honest, upright and generous. But before gold, they all show their desire for money, greedy, shameless and cheating with each other. The most prestigious residents of the nineteen prominent residents, Mrs. Richards, lays bare the truth with one remark. “it is artificial honesty, and weak as water when temptation comes, It is a mean town, a hard , stingy town”(Xian Yijing，2001)Here, Mark Twains humor is very natural. The satire naturally permeates into the lines. In fact, the most possible person who really helps the stranger may be Goodson. He has already been dead at the beginning of the story. And he is hated by the residents because he is only person who tells the truth about the town. Until his death, he “said it right out publicly. The village was honest, narrow, self-righteous, and stingy.” (Xian Yijing，2001)The author deliberately reverses beauty and ugliness , uprightness and hypocrisy. As for the nineteen prominent residents, the author purpose is to debase them, but he praises them firstly. Similarly, the author wants to praise Goodson, but he debases him at first. These sharp contrasts can make readers see their sanctimonious behaviors more clearly and understand capitalist societys hypocritical humanity corroded by money more deeply.4. Features of Satire in Pride and Prejudice and the Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg4.1Character Portrayal4.1.1 Character creation with satire in Pride and PrejudiceAmong a group of fool” described in the novel, Bennett wife left the deepest impression on people. The author described her as “she was a women of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. the business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.”（Wang ChuangWang Liping,1998）To illustrate the personality of Mrs. Bennett, the author used a lot of satirical description. For example, after Lydia and Wickham eloped, Mrs. Bennett worried about her daughters whereabouts and also troubled by her daughters wedding clothes. She is tortured by this two intertwined feelings in turn. “As soon as Jane had read Mr. Gardiner hope of Lydia being soon married, her joy burst forth, and every following sentence added to its exuberance. She was now in an irritation as violent from delight as she had ever been fidgety from alarm and vexation. To know that her daughter would be married was enough. She was disturbed by no fear for her felicity, nor humbled by any remembrance of her misconduct。”“my dear, dear Lydia! She will be married! she will be married at sixteen !but the clothes ,the wedding clothes!Lizzy, my dear, run down to your father ,and ask him how much he will give her。Stay ,stay, I will go myself.” (Wang ChuangWang Liping，1998)Through this sections lifelike description, the moody image of Mrs. Bennett was represented vividly. Another example, Elizabeth rejected Collinss propose, as a result “the wealthy bachelor.” Robbed by her neighbor sir William Lucas daughter, Mrs. Bennett fell down by this attack at least she thought she was sick. She was more worried for her daughters marriage; we might as well say that she was frustrated. At this time her daughter-in-law came to visit her, making her sadness changing to happiness. In her own words, “however, your coming just at this time is the greatest of comforts, and I am very glad to hear that you tell us of long sleeves.” (Wang ChuangWang Liping，1998)Just imagine, at first lamenting on her daughters marriage ,then switching to long fashionable sleeves and she also got comforted from it ! This kind of butt resulting from this disharmony can be found everywhere in Pride and Prejudice.Besides Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Collins was another good example described by Austen. He was confused, contradictory and full of illusion. The authors sarcasm to him is merciless. On the one hand, he was all submission and obsequious to his patroness Lady Catherine. Let us look at the scene of playing cards at Rossings: “Mr. Collins was employed in agreeing to everything her ladyship (Lady Catherine) said, thanking her for every fish he won, and apologizing if he thought he won too many.” (Wang ChuangWang Liping，1998)On the other hand, He is blindly self-confident and puts on airs. Faced with an uncle, he is condescending. As the benefactor of charity declares himself ready to marry a daughter of Bennett family to make up for the loss of them because of his inheriting the estate and property. First of all, he determines to eldest sister Jane as the goal. Mrs. Bennett hinted to him that Jane was likely to be very soon engaged. Then,” Mr. Collins had only changed from Jane to Elizabeth, and it was soon done- done while Mrs. Bennett was stirring the fire.” (Wang ChuangWang Liping，1998). Before Elizabeth opens his mouth to speak, Mr. Collins declares the reasons why he decides to get married in one breath one of which was to please his lady Catherine,“ it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honor of calling patroness.” (Wang ChuangWang Liping，1998)till he guarantees “I shall be uniformly silent, and you may assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married!” (Wang ChuangWang Liping，1998)Although Elizabeth refuses him with the clearest words, Mr. Collins firmly believes: “because I know it to be the established custom of your sex to reject a man on the first application, and perhaps you have even now said as much to encourage my suit as would be consistent with the true delicacy of the female character.” (Wang ChuangWang Liping，1998)While Mrs. Bennett was even more inconceivable which daughter dared to disobey her and refuse his proposal. So these two perverse fools congratulated to each other. Isnt this a perfect irony?4.1.2 Character creation with satire in The Man that Corrupted HadleyburgIn this novel, we do not always know actually what kind of person the stranger is and we have no idea of what the 19 prominent residents, including Mr. Richards and his wife look like, but the author depicts distinctive and rounded characters one by one through vivid and detailed description of the action and the penetrating psychological portraits. Mrs. Richards receives a sack and a paper attached to it. Out of curiosity, “she went straight to the sack and brought away the paper.” After reading the paper, “Mrs. Richards flew to it all trembling and locked it, then pulled down the window-shades and stood frightened, worried.” Later, she thought of “But it is gambler money! The wages of sin: we could not take it; we could not touch it”, so “she moved to a farther chair ” (Xian Yijing，2001) On the one hand, she hoped that we should not be tempted; on the other hand she felt that “we are so poor, so old and p