British Literature --Part 6(1).ppt

BritishLiteratureintheVictorianAge 1832 1901 IntroductiontotheVictorianAge I TheVictorianAge1 DefinitionoftheVictorianAgeChronologicallytheVictorianAgeroughlycoincideswiththereignofQueenVictoriawhoruledoverEnglandfrom1836to1901 TheperiodhasbeengenerallyregardedasoneofthemostgloriousintheEnglishhistory 2 SocialBackgroundoftheVictorianAge1 TheearlyyearsoftheVictorianEnglandwasatimeofrapideconomicdevelopmentaswellasserioussocialproblems TheIndustrialRevolution 2 Towardsthemid century Englandhadreacheditshighestpointofdevelopmentasaworldpower Andyetbeneaththegreatprosperity richness thereexistedwidespreadpoverty wretchednessamongtheworkingclass whichfinallygaverisetotheChartistMovement 1836 1848 3 Duringthenexttwentyyears Englandsettleddowntoatimeofprosperity relativestability 4 ButthelastthreedecadesofthecenturywitnessedthedeclineoftheBritishEmpire thedecayoftheVictorianvalues 3 LiteraryCharacteristicsoftheVictorianAge1 TheVictorianAgewaslargelyanageofprose esp ofthenovel a Theproseofthisperiodreflectedthesocialcontradictionsofthetime Themostimportantprose writersareThomasCarlyle JohnRuskin andMatthewArnold b Novelsofthisperiodwentastepfurtherthantherealisticnovelsofthe18thcenturybecauseanewliterarytrend criticalrealismappearedinthefieldofnovels 2 Yetthedevelopmentofpoetrydidnotstop a ThemostimportantpoetsofthisageareAlfredTennyson andtheBrownings b Poetryofthisperiodisnolongeramajorartintendedtochangetheworld asthatofByronandShelley butconcerneditselfwiththepoets purelypersonaltastesandspiritualquestionings II CriticalRealism1 DefinitionofCriticalRealismCriticalrealismwasaliterarytrendflourishedinthefortiesandearlyfiftiesofthe19thcentury Itfounditsexpressionintheformofnovel Therealistsfirstandforemostsetthemselvesthetaskofdescribingthecryingcontradictionsofbourgeoisrealityandcriticizingcapitalistsocietyfromademocraticviewpoint Buttheydidnotfindawaytoeradicatesocialevils RepresentativewritersofthistrendincludeCharlesDickens WilliamMakepeaceThackeray GeorgeEliot CharlotteBronte andThomasHardy 2 Featuresofcriticalrealisma stronghatredforvicesexistinginthesociety b anillusionofbringingaboutsocialjusticeandharmonybyreforms c introductionofanewsetofcharactersfromtheworkingclass d aninterestinthethemeofwomanemancipation mainlyGeorgeEliot CharlotteBronte CriticalRealisticNovelistsofVictorianAge I CharlesDickens 1812 1870 1 HisliterarypositionHeisthegreatestrepresentativeofEnglishcriticalrealismandhewascalled theexpressionoftheconscienceofhisage 2 HisLife1 Hewasborninamiddleclassfamily Hisfatherwasaclerk butanextravagantspenderandwasthrownintoprisonbecauseofdebts 2 Heoncewasachildlaborandworkedinashoe blackingfactory 3 Afterhisfatherwasreleased hewassendtoschoolagain 4 Whenhewas15 heworkedasalawyer sclerk 5 Whenhewas19 hebecameareporter 6 Whenhewas21hepublishedfirstessay Thenhegraduallybecameasuccessfulwriter 7 Afterhisdeath hewasburiedatthepoets corner 3 HisliterarycareerHisliterarycanbedividedinto3periods 1 The1stperiodofhisliterarycareer 1836 1841 a Thisperiodismarkedforyouthoptimism b ThemainnovelswritteninthisperiodareThePickwickPapers OliverTwist NicholasNickleby TheOldCuriosityShopetc 2 The2ndperiodofhisliterarycareer 1842 1850 a Thesecondperiodisaperiodofexcitement irritation Dickens na veoptimismtowardsthecapitalistsocietywasprofoundlyshaken b ThemainnovelswritteninthisperiodareAmericanNotes MartinChuzzlewit AChristmasCarol DombeyandSon DavidCopperfieldetc 3 The3rdperiodofhisliterarycareer 1850 1870 a Inthisperiod Dickens worksshowedasteadilyintensifyingpessimism b Themainnovelsproducedinthisperiodare BleakHouse HardTimes LittleDorrit ATaleofTwoCitiesGreatExpectationsetc 4 Featuresofhisnovels1 ThePowerofExposureAsthegreatestrepresentativeofEnglishcriticalrealism Dickensmadehisnoveltheinstrumentofmorality justice Eachofhisnovelsrevealsaspecificsocialproblem 2 CharacterSketches ExaggerationAsamasterofcharacterization Dickenswasskillfulindrawingvividcaricaturedsketchesbyexaggeratingsomepeculiarities ingivingthemexactlytheactions wordsthatfitthem thatis rightwords rightactionsfortherightperson 3 Complicated FascinatingPlotDickensseemstolovecomplicatednovelconstructionswithminorplotsbesidethemajorone ortwoparallelmajorplotswithinonenovel Heisalsoskillfulatcreatingsuspense mysterytomakethestoryfascinating 4 BroadHumor PenetratingSatireDickensiswellknownasahumoristaswellasasatirist Hesometimesemployshumortoenlivenasceneorlightenacharacterbymakingit himorher eccentric whimsical orlaughable Sometimesheusessatiretoridiculehumanfolliesorvices withthepurposeoflaughingthemoutofexistenceorbringaboutreform II WilliamMakepeaceThackeray1 HisliterarypositionThackeraywasanotherrepresentativeofcriticalrealisminthe19thcentury 2 Hisworks1 TheBooksofSnobs 势利者集 hisfirstsatiricalsketches2 VanityFair 名利场 hismasterpiece 3 FeaturesofThackeray snovels1 Thackerayisarealist Thepicturesinhisnovelsareaccurateandtruetolife 2 Thackerayisasatirist Hissatireiscaustic 刻薄的 andhishumorsubtle 3 Thackerayisamoralist Heproducedamoralimpressioninallhisnovels 4 AnalysisofVanityFair1 Thetitlea ThetitleofthenovelwastakenfromBunyan sPilgrim sProgress implicatingthatthearistocraticsocietywasjustlikethe vanityfairwhereinshouldbesoldallsortsofvanity b Thesubtitleofthebookis ANovelwithoutaHero whichemphasizesthatthewriter sintentionwasnottoportrayindividuals butthebourgeoisandaristocraticsocietyasawhole 2 Theplota Themainplotofthenovelcentersonthestoryoftwowomen RebeccaSharpandAmeliaSedley b Boththeheroinesaretypicalwomeninthebourgeoissocietythoughinsharplydifferentways 3 CharactersAnalysisThere rehardlyanyperfectcharactersinthenovel a RebeccaSharp apennilessorphaneddaughterofanartistandaFrenchoperasinger verycrafty resourcefulanddeterminedtowormherwayintotheupperclassatallcosts buthardy 坚强的 andtruetoheronlyfriend b AmeliaSedley asheltered 娇生惯养的 daughterofawealthymerchant simple weakandsentimental butgoodatheart c RawdonCrawley initiallyagamblerandacoarsesoldier laterwantedtobeadevotedfatherandhusband thoughnotaqualifiedprovider d GeorgeOsborne alight mindedyounglieutenant yetdaringtorebelagainsthisfather scontrol e JosephSedley awkwardbrotherofAmelia onepursuerofSharpf WilliamDobbin atrulynobleman devotedtoAmeliawholeheartedlyg George sfather money centeredh Rawdon sfather adownfallennoblei MissCrawley aneccentricoldlady 4 ContrastbetweenAmelia Rebeccaa PhysicallyAmelia Modest sweet andgentle Rebecca sparking enticing luring outstandingbyaccomplishment b SociallyAmelia fortunate cared Rebecca penniless ignored c MentallyAmelia week dependent passive andinexperienced Rebecca sharp minded ambitious adventurous independent active worldlyd MorallyAmelia tobeheldasanidealbecausesheischaste pure obedientanddevotedtolove Rebecca selfish corrupted money grabbing unfaithfultolove However Rebeccaistherealheroineofthenovel ItisfromheranglethattheauthordisplayssocialinjusticebasedonmoneyandpositioninVictorianEngland Playingakeyroleinthesocialcriticismofthenovel Rebeccaisthecharacterthatrepresentstheeffectandcauseofsocialcorruption Avictimaswellasadestroyer corruptedaswellascorrupting sheisthemoralityofthesocietyitself 5 ThethemeThetitlevanityFairsuggeststhetheme ThetreasuresofVanityFair thatismoneyandposition aredesirableandtransient Thackeraydoesnotunderestimatetheimportanceofhavingahome clothes food andthenecessitiesofourlives buthedoesexposesthecruelty thedeception andthefutilityinmakingpossessionandpowertheonlyaiminlife Thoughthestoryhappenedinthe19thcentury yetthethemeisasmodernastoday 6 MoralimplicationsTherearemanythingsmoreimportantthanmoneyandpower suchasfamily friendship andlove Thewinnersintheendarethosewhofirstandtrulycherishedhumanrelationships suchasDobbin Thackeray sideaisthatthoughonemayliveintheVanityFair oneneednottobeaslavetoitsvalues whichinthefinalturnintofutilityandemptiness 写作背景 名利场 是英国十九世纪小说家萨克雷的成名作品 也是他生平著作里最经得起时间考验的杰作 故事取材于很热闹的英国十九世纪中上层社会 当时国家强盛 工商业发达 由榨压殖民地或剥削劳工而发财的富商大贾正主宰着这个社会 英法两国争权的战争也在这时响起了炮声 中上层社会各式各等人物 都忙着争权夺位 争名求利 所谓 天下攘攘 皆为利往 天下熙熙 皆为利来 vanityfair 名位 权势 利禄 原是相连相通的 作者简介 萨克雷是东印度公司收税员的儿子 受过高等教育 自己却没什么财产 他学法律 学画都不成功 一连串失败的经历 只使他熟悉了中上层社会的各个阶层 名利场 的背景和人物 都是他所熟悉的 人物分析 故事主角RebeccaSharp是一个机灵乖巧的漂亮姑娘 她出身低微 在社会上受到歧视 所以一心要掌握自己的命运 摆脱困境 于是利用种种计谋不择手段往上爬 谄媚奉承 走小道儿钻后门 甚至不惜以色相引诱 巴结权贵豪门以期飞上高枝 这个人物并不邪恶 也不善良 但非常富有人情味 完全是时代的产物 作为陪衬的人物AmeliaSedley是她同窗女友 一个富商的女儿 她懦弱温柔 顺从地随命运播弄 从贫贱进入富裕的道路很不平稳 富家女的运途亦多坎坷 两人此起彼落的遭遇 构成一个引人关怀又动人情感的故事 穿插的人物形形色色 都神情毕肖 萨克雷富讥智 善讽刺 satirist 名利场 是一部既逗趣而又启人深思的小说 小说评价 萨克雷写小说力求客观 realist 不以他本人的喜爱或愿望而对人物 对事实有所遮饰和歪曲 人情的好恶 他面面俱到 既不遗漏狡猾 鄙俗人的可取之处 也不遮掩善良人物的缺点 全部故事里没有一个英雄人物 所以 名利场 的副题是 没有英雄的故事 就是现代所谓 非英雄 的小说 这一点 也是 名利场 的创新 III TheBronteSisters1 IntroductiontotheBrontesisters1 TheBrontesistersareCharlotteBronte EmilyBronte andAnneBronte Theywerealltalentedwritersandalldiedyoung 2 In1846 thethreesisterspublishedavolumeofpoetryentitledPoemsbyCarrer EllisandActonBell thepseudonymsofCharlotte Emily Anne butreceivedlittleattention Thenthethreesistersturnedtonovelwriting 2 CharlotteBronte1 HerworksCharlotteBronteproducedfournovels Professor JaneEyre Shirley andVillette JaneEyrebeinghermasterpiece 2 Characteristicsofherworksa Sheisawriterofrealismcombinedwithromanticism Ontheonehand shepresentsavividrealisticpictureoftheEnglishsocietybyexposingthecruelty hypocrisy otherevilsoftheupperclasses byshowingthemisery sufferingofthepoor Ontheotherhand herwritingsaremarkedthroughoutbyintensityofvision ofpassion b AllCharlotteBronte sworksareaboutthestruggleofanindividualtowardsself realization aboutsomelonely neglectedyoungwomenwithafiercelongingforlove understanding afull happylife Allherheroines highestjoycomesfromsomesacrificeofselforsomehumanweaknessovercome 3 EmilyBronteEmilyBrontewasapoetandnovelist 1 Herworksa Her193poems mostlydevotedtothematterofnaturewithitsmysteriousworkings itsunaccountableinfluenceuponpeople slife areworksofstrangesublimity beauty b Todaysheisbetterknownastheauthorofheronlynovel WutheringHeightswhichisalsohermasterpiece 2 AnalysisofWutheringHeightsa ThethemeofthenovelThenovelisariddlewhichmeansdifferentthingstodifferentpeople Fromthesocialpointofview itisastoryaboutapoormanabused betrayed distortedbyhissocialbettersbecauseheisapoornobody Asalovestory thisisoneofthemostmoving thepassionbetweenHeathcliff Catherineprovesthemostintense themostbeautiful atthesametimesthemosthorriblepassionevertobefoundpossibleinhumanbeings b ThestructureofthenovelThenovelhasauniquestructure Thestoryistoldthroughindependentnarrators ThestoryistoldmainlybyNelly Catherine soldnurse toMr Lockwood atemporarytenantatGrange Mr LockwoodalsogivesanaccountofwhatheseesatWutheringHeights PartofthestoryistoldthroughIsabella sletterstoNelly Duetothisuniquestructure thesequenceofitsdevelopmentisconstantlydisorderedbyflashbackswhilethecentralinterestisstillmaintained Thismakesthestoryallthemoreenticing genuine IV GeorgeEliot 1819 1880 1 Literaryposition1 SheisgenerallyregardedasoneofthemostprominentVictoriannovelistsandamongthethreegiantsrepresentingthethreephasesofthetime Dickensfortheearlyphase GeorgeEliotforthemiddle andThomasHardythethirdandthelate 2 WithherthetransitionfromcriticalrealismtonaturalisminEnglishliteraturebegan 2 HerLife1 GeorgeEliotwasthepseudonymofMaryAnneEvans 2 Shewasbornin1819inthefamilyofalandagent andspentherchildhoodamidthenaturalsceneryofWarwickshireintheMidlands 3 Shewaseducatedataprivateschool andbroughtupunderstrictreligiousinfluences andachievedaccomplishmentsinlanguages arithmetic musicandsoforth herfamiliaritywithcountrylifeandpeopleandherexceptionalintelligencewerelaterputtouseinherwriting 4 In1836hermotherdied andshewascompelledtoleaveschooltotakechargeofdomesticaffairsandtakecareofhersickfatheruntilhisdeathin1849 5 Duringthisperiod shedidalotofreading whichhadgreatinfluenceonherthoughtsandconvertedhertoafree thinker Shealsobecameinterestedinthesocialandphilosophicalproblemsaroundherandbegantodevelopideasthatshelaterexploredinhernovels 6 From1846onshebegantotranslatesomeinfluentialworks suchas EssenceofChristianity byFeuerbach andthusbeganherliterarycareer 7 Afterthedeathofherfatherin1849 shetraveledaroundEuropeandfinallymovedtoLondon 8 In1851shebecametheeditorofWestminsterReview andsoongotaccesstothemostadvancedscientific philosophical andsocialthoughtofLondonatthetime andmetsuchmenasDickens Huxley etc 9 Amongthem GeorgeHenryLewis amarriedman awell knownliterarycriticandphilosopher enteredherlifeandbecamehercompanion providinghergreatsupportuntilhisdeathin1878 theirunconventionalunionwasahappyonedespitesomesocialdifficulties becauseLewiswasstillmarriedandunabletoobtaindivorce UnderthedirectionofLewis Eliotdiscoveredhergeniusandbegantowritenovelswhenshewasnearly40 10 In1856 withurgentencouragementfromGeorgeHenryLewis shestartedtowritefictionsunderamalepenname GeorgeEliot andherfirstcollectionoftales ScenesofClerical 牧师的 Lifewaspublishedin1857 11 Thiscollectionwasfollowedbythreeremarkablenovels AdamBede 1859 TheMillontheFloss 1860 SilasMarner 1861 whichmainlydescribedrurallifeanddealtwithmoralproblemsandcontainedpsychologicalstudiesofthecharacters 12 In1863 EliotpublishedRomola ahistoricalnoveloftheRenaissanceinItaly discussingproblemsofreligionandmorality 13 In1866appearedherFelixHolttheRadical anovelonpoliticalproblems 14 MiddlemarchandDanielDerondawereherlastnovels 15 AfterLewis deathin1878 GeorgeEliotmarriedamantwentyyearsherjuniortwoyearslaterinMaybutdiedinthesameyearinDec 16 InherwillsheexpressedherwishtobeburiedinWestminsterAbbey butrefusedbytheDeanofWestminsterAbbeybecauseof herirregularlifeandunorthodoxbeliefs 人生总是有得必有失 3 HerWorks1 ScenesofClericalLife 1857 her1stcollectionoftales 2 AdamBede 1859 her1stnovel3 TheMillontheFloss 1860 4 SilasMarner 1861 5 Romola 1863 ahistoricalnovel6 FelixHolt theRadical 1866 7 Middlemarch 1871 72 8 DanielDeronda 1876 aboutBritishJewishlife Amongtheabovelonglist AdamBede TheMillontheFloss andSilasMarnerbroughthertriumphantsuccessandsecuredherstatusasoneofthemosteminentVictoriannovelists MiddlemarchisalwaysseenashermasterpieceandoneofthemostmatureworksinEnglishliteraryhistory 4 WritingfeaturesHernovels mostlydescribingrurallife arerichinhumorandfullofkeenobservation Shewritesaboutruralpeopleveryfaithfully arealist Hernovels forthemostpart dealwithmoralproblemsandcontainpsychologicalstudiesofthecharacters amoralist Hernovelsareveryphilosophical aphilosophicalnovelist Allinall George snovelsgenerallyhaveEnglishrurallifeasbackground andexploremoralandphilosophicalissueswitharealisticapproachtocharactersandplotdevelopment Herworkhasbeenpraisedforitspenetratingpsychologicalanalysisandprofoundinsightintohumancharacter 5 Middlemarch GeneralIntroductiontotheNovel1 AboutitscreatingbackgroundMiddlemarch GeorgeEliot7thnovel begunin1869andthenputasideduringthefinalillnessofThorntonLewes thesonofherpartnerGeorgeHenryLewes DuringthefollowingyearEliotresumedwork fusingtogetherseveralstoriesintoacoherentwhole andduring1871 72thenovelappearedinserialform Thefirstone volumeeditionwaspublishedin1874 andattractedlargesales 2 AboutitssocialsignificanceSubtitled AStudyofProvincialLife thenovelissetinthefictitiousMidlandstownofMiddlemarchduringtheperiod1830 32 yetthenovelprovidesusapanoramicviewsofthe19thccenturyEnglishlifewithitstrue to lifedescription Forme thewholenovelisjustlikeavividandmagnificentpictureoflifewhichslowlyunfoldsbeforemyeyes It ssomethingverymuchthesameasthefamousChinesepaintingQingmingShangheTu 整部小说就如一幅在眼前徐徐展开的宏伟而逼真的生活画卷 有如中国名画 清明上河图 一样 3 Aboutitsplotlines charactersThenovelcombinesseveralplotlinesand withalargecastofcharacters createsanintricatewebofhumanrelationshipinacomplicatedsocialstructure 4 AboutitsthemesThenovelalsopursuesanumberofunderlyingthemes suchaspoliticalreform religion education thestatusofwomen thenatureofmarriage idealism andsoon 6 AboutitsLiterarysignificanceMiddlemarchhasretaineditspopularityanditsstatusasoneofthemasterpiecesofEnglishfiction thoughsomereviewershaveexpresseddissatisfactionatthedestinyrecordedforDorothea VirginiaWoolfgavethebookhighpraise describingMiddlemarchas themagnificentbookthat withallitsimperfections isoneofthefewEnglishnovelswrittenforgrown uppeople 7 AboutitsFilmandtelevisionadaptationsMiddlemarchhasbeenadaptedfortelevisiontwiceandwillbethesubjectofaforthcomingfilm a 1968 Middlemarch aBBCproductiondirectedbyJoanCraft b 1994 Middlemarch aBBCproductiondirectedbyAnthonyPageandwithascreenplaybyAndrewDavies c 2009 Middlemarch tobedirectedbySamMendesandwithascreenplaybyAndrewDavies AnalysisoftheNovel1 PlotlinesAmongthemultipleplotlines GeorgeEliotcenteredupontwo thelivesofDorotheaBrookeandTertiusLydgate bothofwhomhavegreatintelligenceandpotentialsocialaspirations butbothfailinrealizingtheiridealsowingtothesocialconventionsaswellastheirownweaknesses 2 Characters A OntheplotlineofDorotheaa DorotheaBrooke Anintelligent wealthyyoungwomanwhoaspirestodogreatwork Spurningsignsofwealthintheformofjewelsorfancyclothes sheembarksuponprojectssuchasredesigningcottagesforthetenantsofhermiserly carelessuncle Yetshecanseldomgetanyonetotakeherideasseriously SosheconsidersamarrigewithawisemanthesolutionofherproblemandshedecidestomarrytheReverendEdwardCasaubon manydecadeshersenior inordertohelphimwiththewritingofhisgreatresearch Themarriageisquicklyrevealedtobeamistake asCasaubondoesnottakeherseriouslyandresentsher ShefindsintheReverend scousinWillLadislawakindredspirit andthetwobecomefriends AfterCasaubon sdeath thetwofallinlovebutfighttheirattractionduetothescandalousnessoftheirrelationship CasaubonincludedinhiswilltheprovisionthatifsheweretomarryLadislaw shewouldbedisinherited EventuallytheymarryandmovetoLondon Dorotheaisapiouschristian BythewordofLadislaw spainterfriend she withasimilarbeautifulfaceandanolessbenevolentheart reallyremindsmeofVirginMary Orrather sheismorelikeSakya muni thefounderofBuddhism whowasborninaroyalfamilyyetwillingtogiveuphiscomfortablelifeanddevotedhislifetodeliverthoseinpovertyandmisery Inmyopinion theessenceofallreligionsisjustthesame teachingpeopletobegoodandtodogood b Rev EdwardCasaubon Amiddle agedclergymanwhoisobsessedwithfinishinghisscholarlyresearch Hisgreatworkisbutanattempttohidehisfeelin