分析《芭芭拉少校》中芭芭拉与安德谢夫的冲突.doc

ANALYSIS OF THE CONFLICTS BETWEEN UNDERSHAFT AND MAJOR BARBARA IN MAJOR BARBARA BY LAN YILONG SUPERVISOR YANG XIUWEN A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENGLISH COLLEGE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES SHENYANG LIGONG UNIVERSITY JUNE 2013 ii Abstract George Bernard Shaw born in Ireland is an outstanding realistic dramatist literary critic and social spokesman As the representative of the British theater in the twentieth century he is generally recognized as a playwright who possesses the life long artistic career in the history of British literature Major Barbara 1905 is the one of the most powerful dramas Major Barbara reveals and attacks ruthlessly the social evils under the bourgeois system mainly through the conflicts between the protagonists Barbara holds the post of Major in the Salvation Army and her father Undershaft a millionaire and an arms dealer attaining his end by hook and crook Barbara had to compromise with her father on her principles her beliefs and ideals eventually This paper consists of three parts The first part is the introduction to George Bernard Shaw and the novel The second part is the analysis of the conflicts between Undershaft and Major Barbara which are all showed from their attitudes towards religion money ideal and reality The last part is the conclusion Major Barbara the image set up by George Bernard Shaw in the cruel reality is just the reflection of our modern people We should persist in what we re pursuing and never change life principles with pure nature Key Words Religion Money Ideal and Reality Conflict iii 摘摘 要要 乔治 萧伯纳是爱尔兰出生的杰出的现实主义戏剧家 文学评论家和社会主义活 动家 作为二十世纪英国戏剧的代表人物 被公认为英国文学史上艺术生命最为长久的 剧作家 巴巴拉少校 是他的最有影响力的戏剧之一 巴巴拉少校 主要通过主人公在救世军中担任少校之职的芭芭拉和她那为达目 的不择手段的父亲 百万富翁 军火商安德鲁 安德谢夫的冲突 无情地揭露和抨击 了资本主义制度下的种种社会罪恶 芭芭拉不得不对自己原则做出让步 对自己的信 仰与理想做出无奈的妥协 本论文由三部分组成 第一部分为作者乔治 萧伯纳与小说的介绍 第二部分是 对安德谢夫和芭芭拉之间在宗教 金钱 理想与现实方面存在分歧 而产生冲突的分 析 其冲突主要通过他们对宗教 金钱 理想与现实方面的态度所展现出来 第三部 分是全文的结论部分 乔治 萧伯纳所塑造的残酷社会现实下的人物形象芭芭拉正是 现实社会的现代人的反映 我们应该坚持我们的追求 不要改变我们的纯洁天性的生 活原则 关键词 关键词 宗教 金钱 理想与现实 冲突 Contents I Introduction 1 A Introduction to the author George Bernard Shaw 1 B Brief introduction to Major Barbara 2 II Analysis of the conflicts between Undershaft and Barbara in Major Barbara 4 A Their different views on religion 4 1 Undershaft s views on religion 4 2 Major Barbara s views on religion 5 B Their different views on money 6 1 Undershaft s views on money 6 2 Major Barbara s views on money 8 C Their different views on ideal and reality 9 1 Undershaft s views on ideal and reality 9 2 Major Barbara s views on ideal and reality 10 III Conclusion 12 Bibliography 14 沈阳理工大学英语辅修专业毕业论文 0 I Introduction A Introduction to the author George Bernard Shaw In 1856 George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin Ireland Just before Shaw s sixteenth birthday his mother left home and followed her voice teacher to London In 1876 Shaw joined his mother s London household In 1898 he married Charlotte Payne Townshend an Irish heiress and fellow Fabian In 1906 the Shaw moved into a house in a small Village in Hertfordshire He died in 1950 at the age of 94 as the result of injuries incurred by falling while he was pruning trees Shaw started working on his first play Widower s Houses in 1885 in collaboration with critic William Archer His first significant financial success as a playwright came from Richard Mansfield s American production of The Devil s Disciple The humor in Shaw s writing was unmatched by any of his contemporaries excepting Oscar Wilde and he is remembered for his comedy As his experience and popularity increased his plays became increasingly verbose which did not detract from their success These works from what might be called the beginning of his middle period include Caesar and Cleopatra Man and Superman Major Barbara and The Doctor s Dilemma From 1904 to 1912 Shaw was s well established playwright In 1923 Shaw completed Saint Joan one of his best plays The Apple Cart was probably his most popular work of this era Later full length plays like Too True to Be Good On the Rocks The Millionaires and Geneva have been seen as marking a decline His last full length work was Buoyant Billions written when he was in his nineties Shaw s plays were first performed in the 1890s By the end of the decade he was able to 沈阳理工大学英语辅修专业毕业论文 1 earn a living as a playwright He wrote more than sixty plays and his output as novelist critic pamphleteer essayist and private correspondent was prodigious He is known to have written more than 250000 letters He is the only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize and an Oscar B Brief introduction to Major Barbara Major Barbara is among Shaw s three most powerful dramas Major Barbara reveals ruthlessly the social evils under the bourgeois system mainly through the conflict between the two protagonists Barbara and her father Undershaft Major Barbara is a three act play The first Act is set in the fashionable town house where Lady Britomart Undershaft lives with her son and two daughters and its substance is a family reunion Finally Barbara and her father make their bargain to visit each other s place of work and take a chance of being converted to the other s view Act II happens at the West Ham Shelter the next day before Undershaft s arrival Bill Walker arrives in search of his girlfriend who has joined the Army After Undershaft enters he offers to add a small contribution to the Army but Barbara accepts the tainted money made from his murderous business In the end Udershaft writes out a cheque for 5000 pounds and it is accepted by Mrs Baines with rejoicing which has released Bill from his awe of a superior moral standard Act III is divided into two parts by a change of setting The first part again takes place in the library at Wilton Crescent where Lady Britomart her children and Charles Lomax 沈阳理工大学英语辅修专业毕业论文 2 gather before setting off for the munitions works Barbara is no longer wearing her uniform The second part of the Act is set on a slope overlooking the town a place where the explosives are tested Lastly Barbara agrees with this decision as her father has shown her the true nature of the world where her work needs to be done 沈阳理工大学英语辅修专业毕业论文 3 II Analysis of the conflicts between Undershaft and Barbara in Major Barbara A Their different views on religion 1 Undershaft s views on religion Undershaft is the father of Barbara who is an arms dealer Then many people look down upon what he does but he doesn t care he is always greedy and shameless With respect to his religion his wife lady Britomart thought that he really had a sort of religion of wrongness His motto is Unashamed Shaw 20 In Act II what he talks with Barbara directly expresses his religion Barbara Sorry I m sure By the way papa what is your religion in case I have to introduce you again Undershaft My religion Well my dear I am a Millionaire That is my religion Besides what he talks with Cusins also expresses his religion Cusins have you any religion Undershaft Yes Cusins Anything out of common Undershaft Only that there are two things necessary to Salvation Cusins disappointed but polite Ah the Church Catechism Charles Lomax also belongs to the Established Church Undershaft The two things are Cusins Baptism and 沈阳理工大学英语辅修专业毕业论文 4 Undesrshaft No Money and gunpowder 140 Though there is a room for honor justice truth love mercy and so forth in his mind which is deeply rooted in rich strong and safe life Meanwhile he has his unique thought for nation and government he believes that he is nation and government For instance he often says to his son Stephen I am the government of your country 270 He holds the view that he is the ruler of the country and a country is just a machine which serve capitalist The ballot paper that really governs is the paper that has a bullet wrapped up in it Finally when Cusins said that he never took part in votes Undershaft a capitalist talked about his really views on votes Vote Bah When you vote you only change the names of the cabinet When you shoot you pull down governments inaugurate new epochs abolish old orders and set up new Is that historically true Mr Learned Man or is it not 344 In a word Undershaft s views on religion are complete distrust of government and religion and his words or actions are contrary to religion all along 2 Major Barbara s views on religion Barbara is a young devout Christian woman who is the major of Salvation Army Barbara holds the view that religion is the foundation of the society in which all the people are the daughters of God In Act II the talk between Undershaft and Cusins reflects Barbara s views on religion Cusins That doesn t matter The power Barbara wield here the power that wields Barbara herself is not Calvinism not Presbyterianism not Methodism 沈阳理工大学英语辅修专业毕业论文 5 Undershaft Not Greek Paganism either eh Cusins I admit that Barbara is quite original in her religion Undershaft triumphantly Aha Barbara Undershaft would be Her inspiration comes from within herself 170 In the eyes of Barbara the Army is also a religion she believes everyone has a soul and should be saved including her father She tries her best to save the soul of her father When her father says he can play the treble trombone she tells that many a sinner has played himself into heaven on the trombone thanks to the Army Besides she also tells the others that they should be brave manhood on earth and eternal glory in heaven When Bill made trouble to the Army Barbara told Bill that I ve seen it hurting you when you went against it She thought Bill is attached to devil From the conclusion Barbara s religion is the Salvation Army which is to save all the souls of the people in the world At last when Undershaft and Cusins discuss who the madman is Undershaft draws a conclusion He says I am a millionaire you are a poet and Barbara is a savior of souls 174 Barbara is an extreme relative with her father She believes religion completely and thinks it can give her all B Their different views on money 1 Undershaft s views on money As to religion Undershaft thinks the profits are his religion and money and gunpowder are the foundation of his religion Money is vital to capitalist including Undershaft He thinks money can do everything and claims that buying and selling is his philosophy He claims to be a confirmed mystic and he also says I am a Millionaire That is my religion 140 When 沈阳理工大学英语辅修专业毕业论文 6 Cusins asks If you have no choice but to choose only one thing of honor justice truth love mercy and so forth and money and gunpowder what should you do 158 He replies without hesitation choose money and gunpowder for without enough of both you cannot afford the others 158 As for country and government he mentions it is money that governs England but not the character his son thinks When Cusins prepares to inherit his weapons factory he makes a rule that many people disagree with The rule is To give arms to all men who offer an honest price for them whoever they are 322 Moreover the conversation between Barbara and Cusins in Act shows that he hates the poverty and adores money Barbara revolted You saved my soul What do you mean Undershaft I fed you and clothed you and housed you I took care that you should have money enough to live handsomely more than enough so that you could be wasteful careless generous That saved your soul from the seven deadly sins Barbara bewildered the seven deadly sins Undershaft Yes the deadly seven Counting on his fingers Food clothing fire rent taxes respectability and children Nothing can lift those seven millstones from Man s neck but money and the spirit cannot soar until the millstones are lifted I lifted them from your spirit I enabled Barbara to become Major Barbara and I saved her from the crime of poverty Cusins Do you call poverty a crime Undershaft The worst of crimes All the other crimes are virtues beside it all the 沈阳理工大学英语辅修专业毕业论文 7 other dishonors are chivalry itself by comparison Poverty blights whole cities spread horrible pestilences strikes dead the very souls of all who come within sight sound or smell of it 336 He insists poverty is the most serious sin the most effective way to wipe out poverty is to make money as much as possible But his weapon factory reveals the nature of the capitalist wealth In a word he thinks what give people happiness is money rather than religion 2 Major Barbara s views on money Contrary to Undershaft s views on money Barbara thinks that the money is not of great importance Though Salvation Army eat the bread with a little sugar and drink milk with much water it is more important to save the soul in the eyes of Barbara Firstly Barbara refused to receive money that Bill gave Jenny to Salvation Army Jenny Major may I take a little of it for the Army Barbara No the Army is not to be bought We want your soul Bill and we ll take nothing less 196 When Undershaft is going to give more money to Bill Barbara also refuses Undershaft Come Barbara You could do a great of good with a hundred pounds If you will set this gentleman s mind at ease by taking his pound I will give the other ninety nine Barbara Oh you re too extravagant papa Bill offers twenty pieces of silver All you need offer is the other ten That will make the standard price to buy anybody 沈阳理工大学英语辅修专业毕业论文 8 who s for sale I m not and the Army s not 196 Then in order to assist the Army Mrs Baines made contact to Bodger s whisky Barbara still refused She said I know he has a soul to be saved Let him come down here and I ll do my best to help him to his salvation But he wants to send his cheque down to buy us and go on being as wicked as ever 210 Finally When Bill was happy to see Shirley and Barbara Barbara told Shirley that the value of the soul can t be measured by money What she said can convey the message she treated money and soul Her choice just reflects she is an idealist C Their different views on ideal and reality 1 Undershaft s views on ideal and reality As to reality Undershaft held the opinion that money is the most important and only the soul of full belly can be hungry As a capitalist he also exploits the value of labor which is used to supply the place and rice for workers and so on He even gives bribe to Salvation Army s shelters in order to let other people realize that he is a great man He ever said the result is a colossal profit which comes to me 284 And He said The way of life lies through the factory of death 376 So Cusins said to him Mr Undershaft you are as far as I am able to gather a most infernal old rascal 168 He has the same dream as the other capitalist that his weapons factory can stay survival forever So he hope that Cusins who is a Professors of Greek inherit it Cusins staring Plato You dare quote Plato to me Undershaft Plato says my friend that society cannot be saved until either the 沈阳理工大学英语辅修专业毕业论文 9 Professors of Greek take to making gunpowder or else the makers of gunpowder become Professors of Greek Cusins Oh tempter cunning tempter Undershaft Come Choose man choose 356 Besides he ever said to Cusins you must first acquire money enough for a decent life and power enough to be your own master 164 We can infer that his dream is money and power and he is ambitious from the above analysis 2 Major Barbara s views on ideal and reality From Barbara s views on money we can know that her dream is to save all the people s souls whatever rich or poor they are However the Army s shelter was bought by Bodger and Undershaft because of the lack of money Her dream is shattered and feels that God has deserted her which is the fact Jenny But arn t you coming Barbara No She begins taking off the silver S brooch from her collar Mrs Baines Barbara what are you doing Jenny Why are you taking your badge off You can t be going to leave us Major Barbara quietly Father come here Undershaft coming to her My dear Seeing that she is going to pin the badge on his collar he retreats to the penthouse in some alarm Barbara following him Don t be frightened She pins the badge on and step 沈阳理工大学英语辅修专业毕业论文 10 back towards the table shewing him to the others There 220 Later she depicts her opinion to her father She said Yesterday I had a man s soul in my hand I set him in the way of life with his face to salvation But when we took your money he turned back to drunkenness and derision 284 In fact what she did not know is that people who joined the Army have different intentions and it is unable to do one thing without money in capitalist society So she is a pure idealist ignoring reality completely 沈阳理工大学英语辅修专业毕业论文 11 III Conclusion In general all the characters worldviews on life in literary works or dramatic works are closely related to many factors such as life experience social background family education etc Undershaft is an adulterine child Because of the torrent of poverty when he was young he hated poverty After he was in possession of the weapons factory he turned to be a completely capitalist so that he held the view and the thought on matters as capitalists In his eyes full of money family is unimportant He even mi