《雾都孤儿》——批判现实主义的力作英文毕业论文.doc

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1、本科生毕业论文雾都孤儿批判现实主义的力作院 系： 外国语学院 专 业： 英 语 Oliver Twist-A Masterpiece of Critical Realism摘要维多利亚时代是英国现实主义小说的辉煌时代，查尔斯狄更斯是英国十九世纪最杰出的批判现实主义作家。狄更斯从民主资本主义和人道主义的立场出发，揭露英国社会丑恶和不公，批判资本主义制度。他的作品主要以写实笔法揭露上层社会和资产阶级的虚伪、贪婪和凶残，并对贫苦人民的不幸，特别是妇女、儿童和老人的悲惨处境，表示了极大的同情。雾都孤儿是狄更斯第一部结构严谨，情节连贯的批判现实主义小说,它以资本主义社会为背景，描写了英国伦敦贫苦儿童的悲

2、惨生活。本文将全面阐述雾都孤儿这部小说创作的历史背景、社会环境和人物特征，分析狄更斯雾都孤儿批判现实主义的创作用意和艺术特征，进而挖掘批判现实主义对西方文学的影响及贡献。关键词：查尔斯狄更斯；雾都孤儿；批判现实主义Abstract Victorian age is a magnificent time of the English realistic novels. Charles Dickens is the greatest representative of English critical realism in the nineteenth century. Dickens expos

3、ed the chief traits of English society and criticized the capitalist system from a democratic and humanistic viewpoint. His works expose the social upper classes and bourgeois hypocrisy, greed, ruthlessness, and show deepest sympathy with the lower class, especially women, children and the elderly.

4、Oliver Twist is Dickens first structured and coherent realistic novel. It takes the English capitalist society as the background, describing the miserable life of London poor children. Based on the study of the creation background, social environment and characters of Oliver Twist, this essay is to

5、analyze the writers intention and artistic characteristics in Oliver Twist. Furthermore, the paper further studies the impact and the contribution that the critical realism made on western literature. Key Words: Charles Dickens; Oliver Twist; Critical Realism Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTSI摘要IIAB

6、STRACTIIITABLE OF CONTENTSIVCHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION1CHAPTER 2 GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO OLIVER TWIST42.1 The Synopsis of the Novel42.2 Literature Review52.3 The Comments of the Novel6CHAPTER 3 CRITICAL REALISM IN OLIVER TWIST83.1 The Definition of Critical Realism83.2 Charles Dickens- the Greatest Engl

7、ish Realist93.3 The Critical Realism in Oliver Twist103.3.1 Condemnation of the Decay in the Society113.3.2Condemnation of the New Poor Law123.3.3 Critical View of the Capitalistic System133.3.4 Critical View of the Morality of Money Worship13CHAPTER 4 THE WRITING SKILLS OF CRITICAL REALISM IN OLIVE

8、R TWIST154.1 Characters Creation154.2 Humor and Satire164.3 Profound Symbol17CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION19BIBLIOGRAPHY21Chapter 1 IntroductionDuring the reign of Queen Victoria, the English novel came of age, swiftly, and dramatically. One innovation of Victorian novelists was Realism, which presented a de

9、tailed portrait of life in nineteenth century England. Many factors explain the rise of novels as a dominant genre during the Victorian age. First, England grew from an agricultural country into an industrialized one and became the workshop of the world as well as its financial and political center.

10、 Second, the writing had become a profession, which made it possible for the writers to make a living by writing. Third, the conditions of the time, the terrible poverty on the one hand and the enormous wealth on the other hand needed a secular form to explore human relations rather than sermons giv

11、en in church. The Victorian novelists were primarily concerned with people in society and with their relation to other people. And the function of a novelist was also extended from mere description and moralization to social criticism. All the evils of the existing institutions government, law, chur

12、ch, education, and penal systems, with their injustice and corruption and the wretchedness were inflicted by bourgeois. Many of the great novels of the day were rousing popular successes. Cui Tong (2010) pointed out that for a great artist, he should live with the people and maintain closely ties, w

13、hich reflected in the creation of the principle to follow, and then he will certainly reflect the nature of some aspect in his works. In the nineteenth century, novelists are generally known as critical realists. The novels explored the condition of the poor and the manners of the society, satirized

14、 the individuals or institution, advocated social reforms, and providing diversion for people of all levels. Wang Lei(2007) states that in their works, the greed and hypocrisy and corruption of the upper class were contrasted with the honesty and kind-heartedness of the obscure common people of the

15、lower classes. Humor and satire are the very important characteristic of the English realistic novels.With regard to the literary form the major contribution made by the nineteenth century critical realists lies in their perfection of the novel. The realistic novels not only pictured the conflicts b

16、etween separate individuals who stood for definite social status, but also showed broad social conflicts above the fate of mere individuals. Charles Dickens and William Makepeace Thackeray are regarded as the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens was praised as “the Shakespeare in the novelists,

17、” “British Balzac” (Karl Marx). Charles Dickens is known as the portrayer of child life. He is particularly famous for his vivid comic characterizations and his forceful social criticism. By exposing the social injustice and the vices of the upper classes and by depicting the miserable existence of

18、the common folks, Dickens gives a truthful picture of capitalist England of the time, shows his warm sympathy for the suffering broad masses of people and voices popular discontent. His major works include Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, David Copperfield and so on.Oliver Twi

19、st (1836-1837), is based on real life materials such as the New Poor Law of 1834 and the current trial of a notorious fence and thief-trainer. By following the most unfortunate experience of a poor orphan boy, Oliver, the author means to give a vivid picture of the underworld with all kinds of thiev

20、es, prostitutes and murderers as well as the horrible cruelty of the workhouse system of the time. Here, the titular hero Oliver, in a strict sense, is not really a hero-being one of the most passive and inactive protagonists, but he is there to supply the whole framework of the English society. He

21、belongs to the gentry class by birth, and yet he grows up in the workhouse; he is trained by Fagin to be a pickpocket, an intrigue of his monstrous half-brother Monks, but he is too innocent and virtuous to be made one. He is the first of that brilliant group of the child characters who are the very

22、 images of innocence, love and honesty.Today, many scholars analyze Dickens Oliver Twist from the view of the plot and pattern, the moral, the social phenomena and so on. Just as the most peoples analysis, Oliver Twist exposes its readers to a world of crime and meanness, a dog-eat-dog world. The pa

23、per, analyzing the social phenomena and the essence of conflicts in Oliver Twist, therefore, help us to know the Critical Realism and historical literary in the nineteenth century.Chapter 2 General Introduction to Oliver TwistThis chapter introduces the novel Oliver Twist generally. It describes the

24、 synopsis of the story firstly; then, it introduces the current study about the novel and gives a brief comment of the novel.2.1 The Synopsis of the NovelThe novel tells the story of a poor child named Oliver Twist; he is born in a workhouse in 1830s England. His mother, whose name no one knows, is

25、found on the street and dies just after Olivers birth .Oliver spends the first nine years of his life in a badly run home for young orphans and then is transferred to a workhouse for adults. After the other boys bully Oliver into asking for more gruel at the end of a meal, Mr. Bumble, the parish bea

26、dle, offers five pounds to anyone who will take the boy away from the workhouse. Oliver narrowly escapes being apprenticed to a local undertaker, Mr. Sowerberry. When the undertakers other apprentice, Noah Claypole, makes disparaging comments about Olivers mother, Oliver attacks him and incurs the S

27、owerberrys wrath. Desperately, Oliver runs away at dawn and travels London.Outside London, Oliver, starved and exhausted, meets Jack Dawkins, a boy of his own age. Jack offers him shelter in the London house of his benefactor, Fagin. It turns out that Fagin is a career criminal who trains orphan boy

28、s to pick pockets for him. After a few days of training, Oliver is sent on a pick-pocketing mission with two other boys. When he sees them swipe a handkerchief from an elderly gentleman, Oliver is horrified and runs off. He is caught but narrowly escapes being convicted of the theft. Mr. Brownlow, t

29、he man whose handkerchief was stolen, takes the feverish Oliver to his home and nurses him back to health .Oliver thrives in Mr. Brownlows home, but two young adults in Fagins gang, Bill Sikes and his lover Nancy, capture Oliver and return him to Fagin. Fagin sends Oliver to assist Sikes in a burgla

30、ry. Oliver is shot by a servant of the house and, after Sikes escapes, is taken in by the women who live there, Mrs. Maylies and her beautiful adopted niece Rose. They grow fond of Oliver, and he spends an idyllic summer with them in the countryside .but Fagin and a mysterious man named Monks are se

31、t on recapturing Oliver. Meanwhile, it is revealed that Olivers mother left behind a gold locket when she died. Monks obtains and destroys that locket. When the Maylies come to London, Nancy meets secretly with Rose and informs her of Fagins designs, but a member of Fagins gang overhears the convers

32、ation. When word of Nancys disclosure reaches Sikes, he brutally murders Nancy and flees London. Pursued by his guilty conscience and an angry mob, he inadvertently hangs himself while trying to escape.Mr. Brownlow, with whom the Maylies have reunited Oliver, confronts Monks and wrings the truth abo

33、ut Olivers parentage from him. It is revealed that Monks is Olivers half brother. Their father, Mr. Leeford, was unhappily married to a wealthy woman and had an affair with Olivers mother, Agnes Fleming. Monks has been pursuing Oliver all along in the hopes of ensuring that his half-brother is depri

34、ved of his share of the family inheritance. Mr. Brownlow forces Monks to sign over Olivers share to Oliver. Moreover, it is discovered that Rose is Agness younger sister, hence Olivers aunt. Fagin is hanged for his crimes. Finally, Mr. Brownlow adopts Oliver, and they and the Maylies retire to a bli

35、ssful existence in the countryside.2.2 Literature ReviewSince the novel Oliver Twist published, many scholars comment on the Critical Realism in the novel.Lu Jianguo (2004) analyzed the Critical Realism from the Dickens life, the social background, and the purpose of writing. He thought Oliver Twist

36、 was Dickens first authentic novel and also was the first time that he led readers into a real but terrible life of underworld. Chen Qinglan ( 2006) from the children education problem to show the criticize realistic in Oliver Twist. She pointed out Dickens raised many kinds social problems, especia

37、lly the problem of children education. In his novel he cried hard for the mitering children and appealed urgently that society, schools and families must pay more attention to the childrens education and take care of them and help them grow up in a healthy way.Cui Tong (2010) commented Oliver Twist

38、from the theory of knowledge and nature of Marxist to analyze the views on family, marriage and moral of the three classes, and discusses the social phenomena and the essence of conflict among proletariat, bourgeoisie and aristocratic. It exposes the bourgeoisie of exploitation and slanders on the p

39、roletariat.These studies reflect the difficult critical realism from different aspects. However, the critical realists didnt realize the necessity of changing the capitalist society through conscious human effort. Dickens was unable to find a way to solve the social conflicts. Oliver Twist starts fr

40、om a powerful exposure of the ugliness of the capitalist society, but have a happy ending at the end. Here lies the weakness of the critical realism.2.3 The Comments of the NovelCharles Dickens is the representative of the critical realist literature. In British literary history, he is the most impo

41、rtant classic writer except William Shakespeare, and is also one of the most famous writers in the world whose position cant be replaced. Living in the British capitalist society, from his own hardship, together with the deep observation of the British social situation, Dickens created numerous work

42、s with various styles; among which the most famous are the novels. Dickenss core idea is the capitalist humanitarianism. His heart full of love and sympathy towards the oppressed, although he cannot think of the effective measures to solve the social problems except that hopes that people can change

43、 the situation by reform. He advocates freedom, equality, and charity, thinking that the human nature decides the human value. In his works, Dickens maintains “an unbroken faith in people with an entire pessimism as to capitalist society” (Liu Bingshan, 1993:362). He is intent on criticizing and att

44、acking the social evils, the poverty, injustice, hypocrisy, corruption, money worship and so on. In his enormous body of works, he combined masterly storytelling, humour, pathos and irony with sharp social criticism and acute observation of people and places, both real and imagined.In the preface to

45、 the novel, Oliver Twist, written in 1837-1838, Dickens proclaims himself a realist. He makes his readers aware of the inhumanity of city life under capitalism. The first eleven chapters provide a most bitter and thoroughgoing exposure of the terrible condition in the England workhouse of the time a

46、nd the cruel treatment of a poor orphan by all sorts of philanthropists. The famous scene in Chapter II selected here, in which Oliver is beaten up and punished merely because he ventures to ask for an extra portion of gruel to alleviate his intolerable hunger, is only one of the many details to sho

47、w the extreme brutality and corruption of the oppressors and their agents. Scenes like this abound in this novel, from which we can see the great critical realist Charles Dickens voicing the helpless sufferings of the poor and oppressed of his time.Chapter 3 Critical Realism in Oliver Twist Since th

48、e Industrial Revolution in the second half of the 18th century, the class structure in English society had undergone radical changes. The industrial capitalists began to play a more important role and vied for political power with the old aristocracy. In this period of tense class struggle appeared a new literary trendcritical realism. The English critical realists of the 19th century not only gave a satirical portrayal of the bourgeoisie and all the ruling classes, but also showed profound sympathy for the common people. The realist novels not only pictured the conflict