从《名利场》探析女性的虚荣观.doc

晋中学院本科生毕业论文（设计） 本科毕业论文（设计）题 目 从名利场探析女性的虚荣观院 系 外国语学院 专 业 英语 申请学位 文学学士学位 2011年 4 月 1 日15 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My special gratitude goes to Master Wang Zhiming for her consent to be my supervisor, which is a great encouragement to me, for her insightful advice and above all careful scruting of both the outline and the draft in materializing the present thesis. Furthermore, Professor Wangs scrupulous attitude in doing research and teaching and his kindness to students impress me deeply, which will benefit me for my whole life.I also wish to express my gratitude to teacher Zhou Lili, and teacher Li Xiaomin an, whose lectures enhanced my interest in British and American literature as well as widened my academic view.I owe a particular debt of gratitude to my family members who support me all the time with their love. I am also indebted to my dear colleagues, who have carried on subsequent discussions with me and sparked me to my thesis.Only with the help of so many people can this thesis been made possibly. Surely the remaining faults in this thesis are entirely mine. The Analysis of Female Vanity from Thackerays Vanity FairAbstract: William Makepeace Thackeray is one of the representatives of the English critical realist writers. And Vanity Fair has been generally regarded as his masterpiece. It describes the two contrasting fates but inter-linked women charactersBecky Sharp and Amelia Sedley. By humorous and satire narrative techniques he states the story; through happy and lively dialogues he portrays the characters; using realistic manners he explores the England uppers all sorts of ugly performance at that time, which makes the work have unique artistic charm, so as to establish Thackerays important status in English literature history. The novel accompanies the lives of Becky and Amelia through happy times and sorrowful days. In the novel, Thackeray examines the position and role of women in a money-oriented and status-conscious male world, and attacks a corrupted and hypocritical society which advocates the Victorian virtues of marriage and family. Through describing Sharps image, Thackeray lets himself consider the new revolutionary principle and the new capitalism: she collects all sorts of vanities and hypocrisies of the Western world in the 19th century, and farcely represents an ambitious image to chase fame and fortune. Through analysis and conparison to female characters in Vanity Fair, this paper exposes womens vanity in the 19th century, from which we can draw a conclusion that they are the products of the era and social atomosphere. Key words: money, position, hypocritical, vanity从名利场探析女性的虚荣观 摘要：威廉梅克皮斯萨克雷是英国批判现实主义代表作家之一，其小说名利场一直被公认为他的代表作。作品刻画了命运截然不同而又相互关联的两位女性人物贝基夏普和爱米丽亚塞得利。以幽默和讽刺的手法陈述故事,通过愉快活泼的对话刻画人物,采用现实主义表现手法揭露当时英国上流社会尔虞我诈的种种丑态,使作品产生了独特的艺术魅力,从而奠定了萨克雷在英国文学史上的重要地位。透过这两个女人的悲欢离合，萨克雷关注的是金钱至上和具有阶层意识的男权社会中女人的地位和角色，抨击了提倡维多利亚婚姻家庭观的腐朽、虚伪的社会。萨克雷在夏普身上倾注了他对新革命主义和新资本主义的思考：她集19世纪西方世界的种种虚荣、虚伪于一身，滑稽剧似地展现了一个野心勃勃、追逐名利的形象。本文通过分析、对比名利场中的女性人物来揭示十九世纪女人的虚荣观，得出她们是时代和社会风气的产物的结论。关键词：金钱 地位 虚伪 名利场 Table of ContentsAcknowledgementsAbstract in EnglishAbstract in ChineseTable of Contents Introduction1 Literature Review22.1 Achievement of Previous study at home and abroad22.2 Development of the tendency3 The Female Characteristics43.1 The typical female images in Vaniy Fair4 3.1.1 The hypocritical “Female Adventurer” - Becky4 3.1.2 The kindhearted “Victorian Angel”-Amelia53.2 The female vanity6 3.2.1 Extreme desire for material wealth7 3.2.2 Blind pursuit for social position8 The Roots and Result of Female Vanity94.1 The roots of female vanity9 4.1.1 Supremacy of the capitalist patriarchy9 4.1.2 Women without economic independence114.2 The results of female vanity12 Conclusion14Bibliography16 IntroductionVanity Fair is one of the best works in Thackerays literary career, through which he establishes his important position in the history of English literature. Vanity Fair faithfully and vividly presents us the English upper-middle classs life in the 19th century, including the landed aristocracy, city merchants, social climbers and so on. Although subtitled “A Novel Without a Hero”, Vanity Fair follows the two roles of contrasting fortunes but inter-linked lives through the kindhearted Amelia and the hypocritical Becky Sharp. Thackeray examines the position of women in an status-conscious male world, and attacks a hypocritical society which advocates the Victorian virtues of marriage and family. The novel accompanies Becky Sharp and Amelias life through happy times and sorrowful days from London, Brighton, the countryto the Continent.Vanity Fair is a display of early British upper class and middle-class panorama in the 19th century. This work shows a brilliant picture and artistic skills to the history of English literature, which has a very important effect on England. The article not only directly points to the feudalism and autocracy, but also some social changes. At that time, the Britishs power is very strong, and the capitalism is flourishing, but all the rights are controlled by the upper class. At the same time, because of the developing economy, the majority of the poor people have more opportunity to get education, so they have knowledge and their own thoughts, and then want to change their political and economic position. At that money-oriented society, the pursuit of fame and fortune is becoming a social atmosphere, like the characters of Becky. The people at that time depend on themselves, and try very hard to gain a position in that society. In the law of the jungle society, there are no feelings, no mutual affection, and no love, and the people who get money and rights all want to flaunt it as a proprietary product. That is Vanity Fair.Thackeray is the only son of Richmond Thackeray, an administrator in the East India Company. His father died in 1815, and in 1816 Thackeray was sent back to England. His mother joined him in 1820, having married an engineering officer in 1817 with whom she had been in love before she met Richmond Thackeray. After attending several grammar schools, Thackeray went to Charterhouse in 1822, the London public school, where he led a rather lonely and miserable existence. In Thackerays four important novels: Vanity Fair, Pendennis, The Newcomes, Henry Esmond, Vanity Fair is certainly the one with the most profound influence. After Vanity Fair, however, Thackeray did not make progress in his social thought. The social conditions changed considerably after 1848, but Thackeray would not turn his attention to the main contradiction of contemporary society, as Dickens did in Hard Times, portraying the class struggle between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. After 1848, Thackeray loses all hopes of improvement in social life, and his skepticism turned into pessimism. That is why his works after Vanity Fair shows a sign of weakening in ideological depth and artistic power. Literature Review William Makepeace Thackeray is one of the representatives of the English critical realistic writers. He belongs to the mid-Victorian generation whose achievements represent the peak of Victorian culture. He is quite good at using a large variety of idiolects to indicate different characters personalities and social backgrounds. As Richard Mullen remarks, “Thackeray is important not only as a great novelist but also as a brilliant satirist, humorist and moralist. Charlotte Bronte, whose admiration for Thackerays genius was boundless, called him as a sharp and ruthless satirist. 2.1 Achievement of Previous study at home and abroad Vanity Fair has been generally regarded as Thackerays masterpiece, which draw the societys attention very much. It profoundly reflects a variety of ugly performance in our life. A large number of scholars at home and abroad pay much attention to the masterpiece. Gao(2002)examines the position and role of women in a money-oriented and status-conscious male world. Wu (2003) exposes situation of corrupted and hypocritical society which advocates the Victorian Virtues of marriage and family. Charlotte commented: “The more I read Thackerays works the more certain I am that he stands alone-alone in his sayacity, alone in his truth, alone in his feelingThackeray is a Titan” (Tillotson, 1995:50). Among the critical articles and reviews, most of the comments followed one stereotype: the attack of the corrupted and hypocritical society, the praise of conventional and kindhearted “Victorian Angel”- Amelia Sedley, and the disapproval of the hypocritical and insidious “Female Adventure”-Becky Sharp (Ferris, 1983). For example, Harry Blamires, in his A short his History of English literature, considers Becky a gifted calculating minx, whose wit and sexuality were her means of getting a rich husband and enter into the upper class, and Amelia a gentle, earnest and loving girl, who wasted for a affection on George Osborne. 2.2 Development of the tendency However, recently some critics have begun to reinterpret the novel from a feminist perspective and reevalute the two female characters in Vanity Fair from a new view. For example, William Elkins article “Thackerays Vanity Fair does not think Amelias presentation first in the novel and seeming importance attached to her would indicate the role of heroine. He deemed that Becky Sharp demonstrate her liveliness and her intention to eclipse Amelia in the later scenes. Elkins argue that Thackerays focus was on Becky instead of on Amelia. Some critics present the praise for Becky Sharp from background of the Victorian times. Although Becky cheated, she was no liar and she does not break the female honor code. For instance, Richard A.kaye compares Thackerays Vanity Fair with Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre and convinces us that the striking differences in narrative tone and style between Jane Eyre and Vanity Fair does not cancel out the remarkable relationship between Becky and Jane, the two rebels. Apparently kayes attitude toward Becky was admiring. Actually, some exhibit criticism to the Vanity Fair. A.E. Dyson argues that Vanity Fair was one of the worlds most devious novels, devious in its characterization, its irony, its explicit moralizing, its exuberance, its tone. From Thackerays day to the present, Vanity Fair has been the focus of criticism for the past more than one hundred and fifty years. Critics shift their attention to almost every aspect of the novel as time goes on. Some are by the ethical content; some are interested in the polysemy of the theme; some try to interpret the major characters; some pay attention to its psychological dimensions. The scholars do the best effort to analyze Vanity Fair from a new angle. The Female Characteristics Thackeray is unable to change common peoples idea, regarding each kind of marriage as a tragedy. The view of money and position is a dissimilation of humans nature and their emotion. Thackeray attempts to maintain his own class interest and to emphasize the reconcilability of human nature because in the article there is no hero. He does not criticize anyone excessively, also does not praise anyone specially, and also does not have the obvious line of dividing the good person and the unprincipled person. To some degree, in Vanity Fair two contrasting roles can represent the female characteristics in Victorian Age.3.1 The typical female images in Vanity Fair There are two distinctive characters in Vanity Fair. One of them is brilliant but hypocritical Rebacca (Becky) Sharp and the other is stupid but kindhearted Amelia. Becky was born in a poor family. For the purpose of leading a better life and pursuing the womens vanity she who is shrewd and sophisticated beyond her age decides to do what she can do to enter upper society. On the contrary, Amelia leads a extraordinary rich life. The meaning of her life is to love and admire her husband called George Osbome who becomes Amelias emotional dependence.3.1.1 The hypocritical “Female Adventurer” - BeckyRebacca (Becky) Sharp was born in a poor family. Her father is a beaten-up picture teacher, and her mother is a follower of song and dance drama. She leads a very hard life since her childhood, so she dreams of getting rid of predicament and going into the upper class.For the purpose of leading a better life and pursuing for the womens vanity, Becky, who is shrewd unscrupulous and sophisticated beyond her age, is determined to try her best to enter into upper society. During the staying at the Sedleys, she makes every effort to please and ingratiate everybody. Finally, She attempts but fails to beguile Amelias brother Joseph for a husband. So she is obliged to become governess in the family of a certain baronet, Sir Pitt Crawley, M.P. Coming to Sir Pitts country seat, Rebecca finds herself in an atmosphere of avarice, hypocrisy and immorality. She does her best to gain the confidence of her employers and makes herself agreeable. She soon gains the favor of Sir Pitt Crawley, who is captivated by her charms. After the death of his wife he proposes to her. But Rebecca has to give up this dazzling chance, having been already secretly married to the old mans younger son Rawdon Crawley because the young man has the bright prospect of inheriting his rich aunts property. However, Rawdon disinherits the wealthy old woman on account of his marriage with a dowerless girl, so Beckys hopes of being wedded to a rich husband are dashed, i. e., her pursuing for womens vanity is failed.Above all, we can see that Rebecca Sharp is a crafty, cunning, evil and selfish woman who is the typical snob England people. Her life goal is to gain wealth and high social status. In order to achieve this goal, she prepares everything: butter up, betray and spoil other people. She does not love anybody, even her own destiny man who associates with her all the while. The author uses a despising attitude to reveal her emptiness, greed, self-regard and relentless. Although Rebecca is a smart and energetic woman, she can never achieve her goal and dream. Therefore, she is not a hero. Thackeray portrayed an image the hypocritical Female Adventurer.3.1.2 The kindhearted “Victorian Angel”-Amelia In opposition to Becky, the other important character, Amelia, is lovely and beautiful. She leads a quite rich life, accepts her portion in life, and longs for love. George Osbome from a wealthy family is her emotional dependence. The vanity of Amelia can be seen from her admiration on her lover. The meaning of her life is to love and admire her husband. “George was her Europe, her emperor, her allied monarchs and august prince regentHe was her sun and moonwhen he came to Russel Square, her face lighted up as if she had been sunshineAs soon as the door was shut, she went fluttering to lieutenant George Osbomes heart as if it was the only natural home for her to nestle in.” (Thackeray, 1824, 65) Amelia is about to be married to George Osborne, who is a light-minded young lieutenant with an untroubled and well-to-do life. The two families have long been in friendly relationships. Her beloved lover George, who plays billiards and gambles outside while she considers that he must be busy in squadron things. Unexpectedly, Amelias father goes bankrupt and leaves his daughter penniless. Old Osborne turns his back on his old friend and orders his son to break up with Amelia. George has an intimate friend Captain Dobbin who is secretly and hopelessly in love with Amelia. Being a good man and wishing to see Amelia happy, Dobbin arranges the marriage between her and George and. As a result, the angry old Osborne disowns his son. George always complains regretfully about his friend Dobbin letting him become a pauper. It is during less than a week of their marriage that George gets fed up with Amelia and starts merrymaking again. Although Amelia is snubbed by him, she still devotes all her love to him. Therefore, we can say that her ignorance is also her sadness. Now the war with Napoleon has come to a climax and British troops are sent to the Continent. At the eve of the war, George wants to ask Becky to elope with him. What has Amelia done for her husband is going out for the battle. By the way of helping the preparations for the departure, and showing that she also could be useful at so critical moment, this poor soul had taken up a sash of Georges from the drawers whereon it lay, and followed him to and fro with the sash in her hand, looking on mutely as his packing proceeded. “She came out and stood, leaning at the wall, holding this sash against her bosom” (Thackeray, 1824, 238) What a funny couple! Wife devotes all her love to husband and worries about his safety in the front line, while husband wants to elope with other woman at the eve of the battle. Thackeray presents an image of the kindhearted Victorian Angel.3.2 The female vanity It is often said that literature is a reflection of a age. With the development of science and technology, especially since the Industrial Revolution has taken place most western countries have come into an age that is controlled by money. Peoples living standard is increasingly improved, while the spiritual life is still in a low standard. Therefore, peoples life seems out of rule especially in Britain. When the bourgeoisie has gained the political victory, and are formulating the law to protect their own property, actually in all wealth the money is in the supreme status. Subseque