浅析德伯家的苔丝中苔丝的悲剧因素.doc

浅析德伯家的苔丝中苔丝的悲剧因素摘要： 德伯家的苔丝，作为托马斯哈代最为有影响力的一部巨著，描写了社会命运以及其他力量把一个纯洁、质朴、关丽、善良而又勤劳的农村姑娘苔丝逼得走投无路而成为杀人犯，最后付出生命代价的悲惨故事。苔丝的悲剧性结局有多方面的原因，家庭、社会、性格对苔丝的悲剧，本文主要对其社会原因进行分析。关键词: 苔丝;悲剧;原因iAn Analysis of the Social Reasons of Tesss Tragedy in Tess of the DUrbervillesAbstractTess of the DUrbervilles, a significant work of Thomas Hardy, created a girl of purity, plain, beauty, kindness and diligence, suffering by social and other force, became a murderer and paid her life in the end of the tragic story. There are various reasons for Tesss tragedy, family, Tesss own, and social elements. This paper mainly analyzes reasons of social.Key words: Tess; Tragedy; ReasoniiAcknowledgementsFirst and foremost, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my supervisor, Mr. Ding , both for his intellectual guidance and for his warm and constant encouragement during the process of writing this thesis. With patience and prudence, he labored through drafts of this thesis and pointed out defects in my theorizing. Therefore, I owe all the merits in this thesis, if any, to him, though I am fully aware that the thesis might still contain some mistakes, for which I bear the whole responsibility.My cordial and sincere thanks go to all the teachers in the Department of English。 They are interesting and informative courses have benefited me a lot during my college years. The profit that I gained from their profound knowledge, remarkable expertise and intellectual ingenuity will be of everlasting significance to my future life and career.I am also very grateful to my classmates, who have given me a lot of help and courage during my stay in the University and throughout the process of writing this thesis. Last but not least, big thanks go to my family, which have shared with me my worries, frustrations, and hopefully my ultimate happiness in eventually finishing this thesis.iiiContents中文摘要.iAbstract.iiAcknowledgements.iii. Introduction.1A. Introduction of the Writer.1B. Introduction of the Work.2. Reasons of Her Own for Tesss Tragedy.3A. Her Sacrifice for the Family4B. Her Sacrifice for love.4. Reasons of Family for Tesss Tragedy.6A. Family Background .6B. Her Parents for Tesss Tragedy61. Her Father to Tesss Tragedy.62. Her Mother for Tesss Tragedy.6. Reasons of Social Element for Tesss Tragedy.7A. Analysis of Alec and Clares Character Reasons of Tesss Tragedy.8 1. Analysis of Alecs Character. .82. Analysis of Clares Character.8B. Analysis of the Social and Environmental Reasons in Tesss Tragedy .9 1. Hypocritical Capitalism Morals View and Unequal Legal System112. Impoverishment and Decay of Small Farmers113. The Male Factor in Tesss Tragedy.12 Conclusion.14Works cited.15. IntroductionTess of the DUrbervilles was Thomas Hardys most famous work and published in 1891. As a novelist, Thomas Hardy had reached the great place in his achievements because of Tess of the DUrbervilles. People were attracted not only by the tragic life of Tess, but also the inherent beauty. In a world filled with falseness and pretence, Tess was quite soft and kind. Tess was repeatedly cheated and abandoned, she tried to be good though. Tess showed the most beautiful side of her innocent character when she worked in the farming fields. (Hu, 176) Combined a beautiful appearance with many other wonderful qualities, Tess was diligent, honesty, tenderness. She never played with mens emotions or never learned to flirt with men, but that became the weakness. (Feng, 62) From the beginning, Tess was destined for tragedy. Although she was beautiful, she was poor. She could not become the master of her own life because she was a woman. She was only an object to be tormented. Tess killed Alec in the end of the story. That society where power was controlled by the rich men, so what she did was against the society, the law. The law was rigid, and the Justice was done. A. Introduction of the WriterTess of the DUrbervilles, Thomas Hardys greatest novel of British described the misfortunate life of a poor peasant girl Tess. He was famous for novel and poem.Thomas Hardy enriched the tragic art in his unique work of character and environment. He was an outstanding and cross-century realistic writer. Born in Egdon, which was a country in the Westland. The main environment in the Hardys writings was from the natural environment. (Jiang, 96) As a stonecutter, Hardys father, but liked music. There was much attention was paid to Hardys education. In his childhood, he turned to learn about the literature after he received theology in education. Leaving school became an apprentice of an architect in 1856. He became a building draftsman after he went to London in 1862, at the same time he enrolled as a student and took advanced courses for language and started to create literature in Kings College London. At the very beginning, Hardy wrote poems, but his poetry was not published. In 1868, he finished his first long novel, but was not published. Farm from Madding Crowd, the celebrated work was his fourth novel in 1874. He abandoned construction industry from then on, and devoted himself to the novel creation. From late nineteenth century, the works of Thomas Hardy and himself were the critics hot topics for a long time. (Lu, 72) With the development of modern literary criticism after the Second World War, diverse critics interpret Tess of the DUrbervilles and Thomas Hardys other novels from different perspectives.In the book named The Second Common Reader, Virginia Woolf once claimed:When we say that without Thomas Hardy seems like English fiction lost a leader, we mean that there is no one like Thomas Hardy whose supremacy would be generally accepted, none to whom it seems so fitting and natural to pay homage.Thomas Hardy and Paradoxes of Love, Woolfs comment is not just a compliment about hardy claimed: Hardys work is .characterized by its strikingly modernist techniques that align him with the great modernists such as D. H Lawrence, James Joyce, and Joseph Conrad and reveal him to be their inventive forerunner. B. Introduction of the workThe tragedy of Tess is the main point of Tess of the DUrbervilles. Born in a poor countryside family, Tess was simple. One day, Tesss father was informed that he had noble blood. Tesss parents asked her to visit Mrs. D Urberville, who was a rich widow. (Dong, 10) Because her familys horse was killed in an accident, they need some help from the Mrs. D Urberville. Tess got a job there after she went to the D Urbervilles. However, she was raped by Alec, and she got pregnant. She had no choice but give birth to her child after she went back her home. Unfortunately, the child died several days later. Then, she met Angel Clare when she worked at a dairy farm. They could not help falling in love with each other. Angel told Tess about his past, an evening of debauchery, and asked for Tesss forgiveness on the wedding night. (Xiong, 137) Kind Tess of course forgave him. Then Tess told Angel about her past. Pure Tess thought that she had forgiven him, so it stands reason that Angel could forgive her. However, Angel left her for Brazil because he was really disappointed with her. After that, Tess had to work under bad conditions in order to support her poor family. And then her father died and the family was driven away from their house. Tess had no choice but go back to Alec for supporting her poor family. Angel returned from Brazil after one year and wanted to get together with Tess again. But she could not go with Angel because of her relationship with Alec. Tess could not feel more angrily with Alec, and after a big fight Tess killed him. Tess was arrested and executed after she had five days happy time with Angel. From the very beginning to the end, Tess was pure of heart and kind. However, a woman of honesty like Tess was driven to hell by society. Tess lost her virginity because of Alec when Tess was an innocent, simple, 17-year-old village girl. Tess was regarded as a fallen woman, and the society blame her. Even Angel could not accept Tesss “impurity” and thought the same as other people, after that, Angel left her. Later on, Tess was forced to live with Alec for her family. (Feng, 61)In the end, Tess was punished by the law because she killed Alec who took away her virtue. Reasons of Her Own for Tesss TragedyA. Her Sacrifice for the FamilyFor her kindness, Tess devoted herself to support the whole family. As a girl from a countryside family, she kept the peasant qualities: innocent and simple. The whole family lived on was an old and unhealthy horse. Besides, Tesss parents were not diligent at all and would not work to support themselves. It was a big family that seven younger sisters and brothers. So the family had a hard life. Although Tess was just 17 years old, she had to take her parents duty because she was the eldest child and carried the financial burden of the whole family. But Tess was really young at that time, and she did not know the dark side of the world. (Lu, 72)John Durbeyfield, Tesss father, was a plain haggler in the village of Marlott. He was very arrogant for his noble ancestor and flaunted in a tavern when he learned that he was knightly family of the DUrbervilles, the lineal representatives of ancient from a priest. After that, he decided to claim kinship with the DUrbervilles, so he sent Tess to the DUrbervilles. He was selfish and thought Tess should marry a rich man, because in this way would make his family very rich and respectable. From this we can see he was hypocritical and ignorant. Besides, Tesss mother, a rural woman, was also selfish and hypocritical, ignorant. She should and could realize the risk and danger if sending Tess there when she learned that the old lady Mrs. DUrbervilles was blind. ( Qu, 69)Whats more, his son, who was called Alec was still unmarried. She was the one should take the responsibility for her chastity. When Tess came back, she really could not understand why Tess refused Alecs proposal. In her world, it seemed like money was love or anything. Their family fell into a very poor condition, which her parents even could not meet their ends. In their family, brothers and sisters were so young that could not share responsibility. Thus, supporting the whole family, the heavy burden and difficult work fell on Tess. It proved Tesss kind that she was willing to work hard and share the burden. It should not have been her responsibility for the family, but Tess sacrificed her own happiness. Tess never loved Alec, but she still submitted to him because there was just him could save her family. That was a great sacrificed for the family.B. Her Sacrifice for loveAlec and Angel were in her life. She was cheated by Alec and lost in Angel. She never compromised anything in love. However, instead of succeeding in love, Tess was a slavery of love and was not brave enough. It was Alec made Tesss physically injured, while Angel made her mentally hurt. Alec, who was an evil, spoiled person. From the first time she met Alec, Tess was destined her tragic story. Tess met Angel when she worked on the dairy farm, and then they fell in love with each other. Tess not only loved him, but also admired Angel Clare very much. Unfortunately, he abandoned her after Tess told Angel what happened about her past. The reason was that he had the thought of egoism, and the most important was that he was deeply affected by the so called conventions and the traditional society morals. Although he knew clearly that he also was not a pure man any more, he still could not accept the impure bride for his selfish. (Xiong, 138)Tess was so sad because she really loved Angle and desired a happy life, some time she was not confident about her love though. Because of the pressure of life after Angels leaving, Tess had no choice but to return to Alec for live.Several years later, Angel told Tess that he forgave her past for that really meant nothing, and missed her very much because her real love to him. What Angel did really made Tess very happy once, at the same time there was sad in her heart because it was late, and then Tess murdered Alec. “To her sublime trustfulness he was all that goodness could beand she thought every line of his person the perfection of masculine beauty in the contour, his soul of a saint, the soul his intellect that of a seer.” (Feng, 61) Tess lost herself and her own dignity because her love was so worthless. Tesss love was blind and not equal at all, love made Tess lost the right of pursuing her real love and Tess who could have seek her own happiness. This was the directly reason caused Tesss tragic story. Reasons of Family for Tesss TragedyA. Family BackgroundAt the beginning of this novel, Tess was a daughter of poor family. She was a dairymaid, who lived in the country. As a dairymaid on the village roadside, Tess was beautiful but humble, and she did not complain about her family. Family background did not bring any good to Tess, but her tragic life began.B. Her Parents for Tesss Tragedy1. Her Father to Tesss TragedyTesss father was a carter in Marlott. He was a lazy alcoholic. He hated to work hard. He was more than happy when he knew his noble relatives. In order to get some profits, he decided to claim relation at the time priest said “DUrbeyfield, I am very happy to tell you that you are the lineal representative of the ancient and knightly”. There was no doubt that he became excited and began to make his ridiculous dream: “tell them to send a carriage and a horse to me right now, and make me comfortable back home”. As if the pedigree could change his poverty, he became complacent and ridiculous unlimited dream. The unrealistic illusion changed Tesss destiny which could be good.2. Her Mother for Tesss TragedyTesss mothers thought was much simpler. She wanted Tess to make her family rich by making a successful marriage. Tess went back home after having been raped by Alec for she was pure. She told her mother sadly what had happened when she was with Alec in the forest. Her mother told her: “If you did not plan to get him to make you his wife, you ought to be more cautious”. Tess said in tears, “Oh, mother! How could I be expected to know that? My mother! I was a child, why did you not tell me that time there was some dangerous place in man folk when I left the house for several months ago.” Because she had lower education, Tess did not have the general knowledge about men. Although she received good education at her class, she was in the class which was very low. Tesss mother was confused with the reason why Tess did not marry Alec. Tesss mother thought that if Tess married Alec, the familys situation would be changed tremendously. Tesss tragic fate was destined by the attitudes of her parents. If Tesss family was the noble one or Tess was not born in the poor family, or if she was a little selfish and she was not that responsible for her duty to support her family, or she was not that kind, her life could not end up in this way. Reasons of Social Element for Tesss TragedyA. Analysis of Alec and Clares Character Reasons of Tesss Tragedy 1. Analysis of Alecs ReasonTess was physically injured for Tess was seduced by Alec. Alec was a salacious man and revealed the upper classs features, that is, violence, hypocrisy and selfishness.Alecs father was a merchant, who was really very rich. The rich wanted to make his name noble, so he got his family name by buying it. When Alec met Tess for the first time, we can see that he was very lecherous. (Hu, 177) Alec was designing and shrewd. He wanted to Tess, so he wrote a letter asking Tess if she was willing to have a job that coming to his farm to work, which looked like from his mother. It was a snare for Tess which seemed was good for her family. But no one reminded and protected her and told her the danger, including her mother. Although her mother should have understood what Alec wanted, she did not tell Tess because she just wanted money. Alec seduced Tess, in another words, he damaged her whole life and her confident. Later on, Alec seemed to change a lot, he even intended to sell his estate and became a priest. But the truth was he had never gotten rid of his bad manners and removed the bad idea in his mind. He showed his bone and his ugly face presented again when he met Tess once another time. Although he could have disguised very well, Tess recognized him immediately for she was the one knew how bad he was. She was more than angry and shouted at Alec at the top of her voice, “You, and those like you, make the people who like me is hard and bitter and with sorrow just for taking your fill of pleasure on earth; and when you have possessed and robbed enough of that then it is can be a good thing, to feel like making your pleasure secure in heaven!” It was the authors doubt about the power of religion and wanted to save the soul by Alecs behavior. Alec intimidated