从格列夫游记看18世纪英国社会现状.doc

The Reality of 18th Century British Society Implied in Gullivers TravelsAbstractGullivers Travels is the masterpiece of Jonathan Swift who is one of the greatest satirical writers in the 18th century British. This novel exposes all the corruption and ugliness about the social reality of the 18th century British in the aspects of politics, economics, diplomatic, scientific and culture. This paper selects the strange phenomena implied in Gullivers Travels as the research object and makes a systematic analysis. It consists of the introduction, body and the conclusion. The body is divided into three parts. The first part introduces Jonathan Swift, his major works and the social reality and conditions in the 18th century British. The second part mainly analyzes the British social reality implied in the Gullivers four adventurous voyages, including the characteristics of the main representatives and the specific events which combined with the heros adventurous experiences. The third part analyzes Swifts satirical criticism and the practical significance of Gullivers travels. Through a thorough analysis, this thesis then obtains its conclusion: the strange phenomena in Gullivers Travels reflect the social reality of the 18th century British.It is hoped that this thesis could be helpful for the development of the politic, economic, culture in the modern society.Key Words: Gullivers Travels; Swift; Satirize; The social reality; Ideal 从格列佛游记看十八世纪英国社会现状摘要格列佛游记是十八世纪英国伟大讽刺作家斯威夫特的代表作。这部小说以其高超的思想与艺术成就而成为世界讽刺文学的典范。小说以其深刻的洞察力，尖锐的批判性，揭露了英国资本主义社会的政治、经济、军事、外交、科学文化等方面的种种腐败与丑恶。本文以分析格列佛游记一书中所暗含的政治、经济、文化等方面的怪现象为研究对象，揭露了十八世纪的英国统治阶级的腐败与腐朽。本文由引言、正文及结论构成，其中正文分为三部分 。第一部分以介绍斯威夫特、他的作品以及格列佛游记的写作背景为主，并辅以十八世纪英国的社会状况以及人们的生活状况；第二部分主要以主人公格列佛的四次冒险经历为主要线索来逐次分析其中所暗含及批判的十八世纪英国社会状况；第三部分则分析格列佛游记中所暗含的讽刺意义以及现实意义，以及斯威夫特对现实生活的憧憬；最后，则得出本论文的结论，即从格列佛游记中所看到十八世纪英国社会状况和社会现实，以及本篇论文的研究意义。希望此项研究能够对有助于当代社会的政治经济文化的发展。关键词:格列佛游记；斯威夫特；讽刺；社会现实；社会理想ContentsAbstracti摘要iiI Introduction1II Jonathan Swift, his Major Works and the Reality of 18th British32.1 Jonathan Swift32.2 The Social Reality and Background of the 18th Century British4III The Social Reality Implied in Gullivers Four Adventurous Voyages53.1 The Social Reality in Lilliput63.1.1The Struggles Between the Big-Endians and the Small-Endians73.1.2 The Struggle Between Tory and Whig73.1.3 The Way of Choosing Officials83.2 The Social Reality in Brobdingnag103.3 The Social Reality the Kingdom of Laputa113.4 The Social Reality in the Country of the Houyhnhnms11VI The Criticisms Implied in Gullivers Travels124.1 The Criticism of the Dark and Corrupt British Society134.2 The Satire of the Odiousness and Arrogance of the Humanity14V Conclusion15References18Acknowledgements20毕业设计（论文）知识产权声明21毕业设计（论文）独创性声明2220西安工业大学学士学位论文The Reality of 18th Century British Society Implied in Gullivers TravelsI Introduction Gullivers Travels is one of the masterpieces written by Jonathan Swift who is the most powerful satirical writer in the 18th century British literature. Most importantly, Gullivers Travels is regarded as the greatest satire in the English language. It is the tale of Gulliver who voyages to four strange lands: Lilliput, Brobdingnag, the kingdom of Laputa, and the land of Houyhnhnms. This novel displays a vivid panorama of the 18th century British to the whole world by exposing various contradictions in Britain, a blooming capitalist nation at that time, criticizing the corrupted political policies, the colonial policies of expansionism abroad and exploitation at home, and singing the praise of the revolting spirit and just struggles of the laboring people.1 It is about Gullivers adventurous experiences on his voyages in different islands, Gulliver preserves the memoirs of his voyages to remote countries of the world as a contribution to human knowledge. In reality, it is an elaborate concoction of political allegory, moral fable, social anatomy, and mock Utopias which combined with the travel fiction and journals of scientific exploration. 2From the moment of its publication in1726, Gullivers Travels has enjoyed popular receptions and diverse criticisms. Between 1945 and 1985, nearly 500 books and articles devoted their attention to this novel, and most of them focused on the techniques of its satire, its moral tendency and its ultimate significance. Swift makes the best use of his imaginations to describe all kinds of people in English society with a critical eye. Different writers in different cultures and social backgrounds express their thoughts in different ways. Due to his tough life and political disappointment, Swift exerts his writing to realize his imaginative pursuit and get temporary spiritual consolation. Swift adopts various satire techniques to criticize the social evils and corruption. One issue of controversy critics is about the criticism of the 18th century British. In his novel, Swift explores gender differences, politics, class, money, race, science, education, exploration, love, physical strength, physical beauty, and then satirizes on them bitingly. Through depicting the experiences of his four voyages to different lands, Gulliver satirizes the hypocritical greedy, deceptive and aggressive nature of the human society intensely. He also mocks the corrupt religious and political systems in his homeland, England, which is caught in constant wars and violence. 3 Another issue of controversy critics have often raised about Gullivers Travels is its utopianism: whether the Houyhnhnms society represents a rational utopia, or whether it is set up merely as a foil to satirize human society. 4 He hopefully desires to establish a harmonious and democratic Houyhnhm - like society which is based on reason and wisdom.4 When he cant reach his ideal society before the cruel reality, he turns to paying attention to his own moral uplift without caring for others, and becomes a complete pessimist who tries to escape from the reality. It proves that Swift does not want to make it in realization but set up a kind of hope with social peace, justice and humanity. The importance is not Gullivers Travels contents but his spirit of leading man to have a better life.The contents of this thesis were based on the 18th century British Enlightenment as the writing background which was attempted to analyze the contradictions and struggles of the capitalist society in the 18th century England, and the British political systems which was exposed and criticized in Gullivers Travels, especially analyzed Gullivers adventurous experience in the four countries. From this thesis, the reality of British society in the 18th century can be seen. II Jonathan Swift, his Major Works and the Reality of 18th Century British This paper mainly analyzes the social reality implied in Gullivers Travels. Before analyzing the social reality, the authors thoughts reflected in the novel and the work of literary as well as social value were be introduced. In order to understand the novel thoroughly, firstly, people should have some historical background information of that time. But it is not enough to know the background only. This thesis pays more attention to the themes of this novel. 2.1 Jonathan Swift Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was born on 30 November 1667 in Dublin of an English family. His father died some eight months before his birth. He was educated at the Kilkenny School and Trinity College in Dublin, and became an assistant to author and diploma at SirWlliam Temple. The historical period in which Swift lived is known to be an age of great confusion and transition, an age when the national myth that used to hold people together was falling apart and the people were facing a confidence crisis.1 In this fluid society, one prominent feature has emerged, that is, the concern about children, servants, criminals, and the poor group was tend to be ignored in conventional elitist histories. He believed that social conventions were outdated and must be changed, and qualities of mind (and not physical beauty) should be the foundations of love. He also found a heavy interest in politics, taking up weight in the Tory party of Englands governmental party system. From such observations in government and religion, and love and gender inequality, Swift produced an enormous body of work. His writings fall into several categories, including poetry, short stories, political essays, and novels. In 1742, he was declared of fun sound mind, and died in 1745 in Dublin.In the book, Gulliver is simultaneously the narrator, the actor, and Swifts persona, and these roles are kept each other by an aesthetic distance. Yet, no matter how successfully and realistically drawn, Gulliver is essentially a functional character, a puppet figure manipulated by Swift, a “satirist satirized” figure, as Elliott put it. 52.2 The Social Reality and Background of the 18th Century BritishThe time Swift lived in was full of great changes, the consolidation of bourgeoisie regime, the preparatory figuration of commercial society and the beginning of industrial revolution. Politically, the government abolished the monarchy, and gradually established a parliamentary cabinet system of Constitutional Monarchy. The King had no real power but the virtual head of state governance. The Struggle between Tory and Whig rose one after another that the power shifted easily from one to the other. In the economy, the Industrial Revolution was first raised in the UK, laid the foundation for the UK as the overlord of the world. In the culture, the deists opposed the orthodox theology, the church imperious and religious oppression. To maintain a rational and scientific knowledge, they required the freedom of belief and thought which reflect the emerging bourgeoisie against feudal. Class contradictions and the partisan struggles were happened, the social was unstable, peoples life was miserable. Under this situation, Swift felt he was living among a nation which was full of beggars, thieves, oppressors, fools, and knaves, but scornful thought he was towards the British and their unwillingness to help themselves, his most savage indignation was reserved for Britishs absentee government.Gullivers Travels is a novel occupied with plenty of satire and irony. Gullivers tone is gullible and negative during the first three voyages, but in the fourth voyage it turns cynical and bitter. The intention of the author Jonathan Swift is satirical and biting throughout. On the surface Gulliver strives to understand the various societies with which he comes into contact and to have these societies understand his native England. Below the surface Swift is engaged in a conflict with the English society he is satirizing. The whole work could be separated into three parts according to the developments of Gullivers perception the human nature. Actually the satire is realized by the employment of symbolism. We can find many images used to express Swifts love and hatred in human world such as Lilliputians, Brobdingnagians, Laputans, and Houyhnhnms and so on.III The Social Reality Implied in Gullivers Four Adventurous VoyagesGullivers Travels is the immortal work of Jonathan Swift .The book can be justly ranked among the best novels of the world literature and has not lost its significance even to the current society. It is a classic which always arouses the interest of every child to share Gullivers adventures into fantastic lands, and makes every mature reader brood over his bitter satire on the human race. It is serves as a biting satire, and Swift ensures that it is both humorous and critical, constantly attacking British and European society through its descriptions of imaginary countries. It contains four parts, each of them talking about one particular voyage and the supposed author, Lempel Gulliver meets with some extraordinary adventures on some remote islands after he has met with shipwreck. Through these experiences, Swift mirrors the conflicts in the 18th century British society, exposes the corruptions of the ruling class and their robbery and exploitation of others in their capital accumulation. 3.1 The Social Reality in LilliputThe first part, “A Voyage to Lilliput”, proves to be the most imaginative and entertaining. Lilliput is a nation of dwarfs, despicably small in stature, their adults being as tall as some six inches, but every bit as evil in behaviors as men of the normal size. 6In this small country, some credulous things impress Gulliver greatly, such as evaluating and employing government officials according to the results of a competition in a slender rope dancing the one who jumps the highest will be qualified to serve his Majesty 7; distinguishing two struggling parties from one another by the high or low heels they wear on their shoes; being in a war with a neighboring empire just because the latter prefers to break their eggs at the large end. Swift uses irony of little things lead to the big reaction techniques to show Lilliputian social contradictions. The little things refer to the ordinary trifles of the real world, such as eggs should be broke on the big end or the small end, wearing high- heeled or low-heeled shoes, miscellaneous rope dancing technical performances, and other little things. But those little things in Lilliput have triggered a big response, such as modifying the law, triggering a complex social problem of the war, religious conflict and partisan. 3.1.1The Struggles Between the Big-Endians and the Small-Endians Lilliput is facing the danger of foreign aggression, and the people of the neighboring country Blefuscu are going to attack Lilliput. The origin of the war is the disagreement of breaking eggs between two countries. Most people in Lilliput used to break their eggs at the larger end. But our Emperors grandfather, while he was a boy, once cut a finger while breaking his egg this way, so his father, the then Emperor, ordered all Lilliputians, from then on , to break the small end of their eggs. People who do that are called Small-Endians. 6 The war between Lilliput and Blefuscu was caused by the disagreement of breaking eggs. 8 This part describes the position and reason that what people should do when they break the eggs and Lilliputians response to this incident which incurred the process of changing the law, triggering the war and religious reform. 9 The “Big-Endians” alludes to the Catholic; the “Small-Endians” alludes to the Protestant. The war between the Big-Endians and the Small-Endians satirizes the controversy of the church ceremony and the contradictions of the monarch and Parliament between the Catholic and Protestant. “His father, the then Emperor, ordered all Lilliputians, from then on, to break the small end of their eggs.”6 The facts allude to Henry VIIIs religious reforms in the period of Tudor. His description was actually a relentless ridicule of unprincipled partisan struggle and mutual internal friction in the British Parliament. During this period, the “bloody war” was happened. The “bloody war” is the war of the Spanish Succession. His present Majestys grandfather is a loose reference to Henry VIII and the English Reformation. “One Emperor lost his life, and another his crown”: Charels I, executed in 1649, and James II, deposed in 1688. 7Swift adopt at using the social similarity between Lilliput and the British real world to satirize the contradiction between Catholic and Protestant, the King and Parliament. The contradiction between the Big-Endians and the Small-Endians alludes to the conflict between Britain and France, satires the colonial domination.3.1.2 The Struggles Between Tory and Whig The Revolution of 1688, which banished the last of the Stuart Kings and called William of Orange to the throne, marked the end of the long struggle for political freedom in England.7 No sooner were the people in control of the government than they divided into hostile parities: the liberal Whigs, who were determined to safeguard popular liberty, and the conservative Tories, with tender memories of kingcraft, who would leave as much authority as possible in the royal hands.5 Wearing high-heeled or low-heeled is a very small thing in personal life, but in Lilliput is caused a complex partisan.One of the Emperors most important ministers, Reldresal, Principal Secretary of Private Affairs(itself a satirical title)told Gulliver that Lilliput has enemies both at home and abroad. The Tory majority began to exact a different kind of revenge by religious persecution of Dissenters. In the course of time the Roundhead element in Parliament began to gain strength, and the Tory or High Church Party found itself opposed by a Whig Party composed of Puritan sympathizers and progressive free-thinkers who believed in religious toleration, at least for Protestants.It has two political parties, the High-heels and the low-Heels, of which the former is larger and more traditional, but the later, favored by the Emperor, is in power. 7 This division corresponds to the High and Low Church parties of Swifts day, the Tories and Whigs, in which George I favored the latter but the Crown Prince Kept in with both parties, that is, “hobbled” with one heel higher than the other. It is a microcosm of the conflicts between Tories and Whigs. A greater problem is that of the Big-Endian faction. The Big-Endian (who like Catholics in England, were prevented from holding certain offices) were in league with the rival empire of Blefuscu against Lilliputs Little-Endian dynasty.7 The two states had been at war for years, and Lilliput, Reldresal confides, stood in fear of invasion by the new Blefuscudian war fleet.3.1.3 The Way of Cho