Humanism Reflected in Dickens A Tale of Two Cities.docx

Humanism Reflected in Dickens A Tale of Two Cities.docx

《Humanism Reflected in Dickens A Tale of Two Cities.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《Humanism Reflected in Dickens A Tale of Two Cities.docx（12页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

HumanismReflectedinDickensATaleofTwoCities

从狄更斯的《双城记》透视人道主义

HumanismReflectedinDickens’ATaleofTwoCities

Abstract:

It’swellknownthatCharlesDickenswasagreatBritishcriticalrealistwriterinthe19thcentury,ATaleofTwoCitiesisarepresentativeworkofhim.ThenovelwiththebackgroundofFrenchrevolution,ontheonehand,theauthorpraisedthecourageoftherevolutionary;ontheotherhand,DickensshowshisstrongcriticismontheexcessofbloodshedandcrueltyduringtheFrenchRevolution.Whentherevolutionevolvedintheclimax,theauthorchangedhisattitudetotherevolutionaries,hecriticizedthemasgangsters,gavethembadend.Hefeltthattheoldwaysofoppressionmustbechanged.Moreover,heportrayedsomefiguressuchasDocterManette,SydneyCarton,theystoodforspiritofhumanism.Inthenovel,theauthorusedwritingskillssuchascontrasts,symbolstoemphasizethetheme.Andthenoveladvocateonlykindnessandforgivenesscanreducehatredandchangethedistortedpersonality.

Keywords:

humanism;revolution;kindness;contrasts;symbols

摘要：

众所周知，查尔斯·狄更斯是英国19世纪伟大的批判现实主义作家，《双城记》是他的一部代表作。

小说以法国大革命为背景，一方面，作者赞扬革命者的勇气和正义感，另一方面，狄更斯又强烈抨击了革命的血腥与残酷。

当革命进入高潮时，作者改变了他对革命者的态度，他批评他们是暴徒，并让他们以悲惨的结局告终。

他认为旧社会的压迫必须改变。

更值得一提的是，他塑造了一些人物像曼内特医生、希尼·卡尔登，他们代表着人道主义精神。

在小说中，作者运用了对比、象征的写作手法突出了主题，并且认为只有善良和宽容才能消除仇恨和扭曲的心灵。

关键词：

人道主义;革命;善良;对比;象征

Contents

I.Introduction.................................................................................................1

II.HumanismReflectedinCharacters………………………………........2

A.LucieVSMadameDefarge……………………………………………………...2

1.Lucie…………………………………………………………………………………….2

2.MadameDefrage……………………………………………………………………..3

B.DarnayVSMarquisEvremonde………………………………………………..4

1.Darnay……………………………………………………………….............4

2.MarquisEvremonde………………………………………………………...5

C.CartonVSDr.Manette………………………………………….........................6

1.Carton………………………………………………………………………..6

2.Dr.Manette…………………………………………………………….........7

III.HumanismReflectedinAuthor’sNegativeAttitudetoRevolution…7

IV.HumanismReflectedfromSymbolsinNovel…………………………8

V.Conclusion………………………………………………………………..9

WorksCited…………………………………………………………………10

I.Introduction

CharlesDickenswasatypicalhumanitarian,whoexpressedhishumanismcompletelybyhisnovels.Hishumanismfocusedandbasedonmorality.Headvisedpeopletobemercifulandhumane,andhewasagoodsupporterofhumanitarian.Forinstance,inATaleofTwoCities,heshoweddeepsympathytothepoor.Ontheotherhand,hestronglycrticizedthefeudalaristocrats’behavior.Andhealsoheldagreatestesteemfortheloveofthehumanbeing.Dickensbelievedlovewasalwaysmorepowerfulthanhatred.Inhisopinion,nomatterthepersonwasrichorpoor,ifhisbehavioraccordswithmorality,itshouldbepraised.Ifnot,thenitshouldbecriticized.Therefore,facingthecontradictionbetweenthearistocratsandthepoor,Dickensfirmlybelievedthecontradictioncouldbesolvedbythegreatloveofthehumanbeing.Inshort,theviewofDickens’humanitariancouldbesummarizedasthis—behumaneandloveeachother.“ATaleofTwoCities...wasasacrificeofallhisgreatestgifts;andinmyopinionitshowsthatthosegifts-offantasticspeech,ofanimisticdescription,ofdeeplyabsorbedsymbolicovertones-areessentialtothesuccessofhisaction”.（Wilson102）ItisoneofDickens'smostimportantrepresentativeworks.ThenovelprofoundlyexposedthesocietycontradictionbeforetheFrenchRevolution,intenselyattackedthearistocraticsocialclass,andsincerelysympathizedwiththeoppressedclasses.ThenovelalsodescribedmanymagnificentscenesliketheresistingpeopleattackedBastilleandsoon,whichdisplayedpeople'sgreatstrength.Thenovelhasportrayedmanydifferentpeople.DoctorManetteishonestandkindbutsuffersthepersecution,Lucieisbeautifulandgentle,Charlesisgracefulandnoble,Lorryisuprightandhonest,Sydneyisinnermostfeelingsofwarm,unconventionalbutalsoselflessandlofty,MissProssisstraightforwardandloyal,Evremondebrothersarecruelandselfish.Thecomplexhatredishardtobesolved,thecruelrevengeproducedmorehatred,lovesrebirthattheedgeofhell,andmakethepersonnoble.Asanoutstandingwriter,inDickens'swork,thelanguageskillisessential.Eachkindofrhetorictechnique,liketheexaggeration,thesymbols,thehumor,andthecontrastisusedinit.Thenovel,ATaleofTwoCities,isdifferentfromthecommonhistoricalnovel,itscharacterandthemainplotareallfictionalized.WiththebroadrealbackgroundoftheFrenchRevolution,theauthortakethefictionalcharacterDoctorManette'sexperienceasthemainclue,interweavingtheunjustcharge,loveandrevenge,thethreeindependentbutalsoincidentalcross-correlationstoriestogether,andtheclueiscomplex.Theauthorusedinsertnarrates,foreshadowing,andsomanytechniques,causingthestructurecompleteandstrict,itsplotiswindingandrichofdramaticnature,itdisplayedtheremarkableartisticskill.ThestyleofATaleofTwoCitiesisseriousandblue,filledwithanger,butlacksthehumoroftheearlyworks.

II.HumanismReflectedinCharacters

A.LucieVSMadameDefarge

Therearemanycharactersinthenovel,Dickensdescribesvariouscharactersbycontrast,thusheighteningthethemewithinthenovel.Thetwomostimportantfemalesinthetextarecompletelydifferent.“LucieisaslovingandnurturingasMadameDefargeishatefulandblood-thirsty”.（Phillps＆Hopson39）Dickensusesthiscontrasttomakejudgmentsandmakecertaintheme.Thus,forexample,whileLucie’slovemakeshisfather’sspiritualtransformationandrenewal,thisindicates“thevigoroustenacityofloveisalwayssomuchstrongerthanhate”.（Dickens365）MadameDefarge’svengefulnesscanonlymakescycleofoppression,thisshowsviolencetobeself-cycled.AnotherexampleisDarnayandCarton,atfirst,itseemsthatCartonisafoiltoDarnay;Daranyasafigureremindshimofwhathecouldhavebeenbuthasfailedtobecome.Bytheendofthenovel,however,Cartontransformshimselffromagood-for-nothingtoaherowhosegoodnessequalsorevensurpassesthatofthehonorableDarnay.

1.Lucie

“EachofthethreemengroupedaboutLucieManetteis"recalledtolife."Herfatherregainshis,onreleasefromtheBastille;herhusband'slifeisrestoredbyhisdeliverancefromLaForce;andCartonfindshisbyseekingtoloseit”.（Fielding74）Inmyopinion,Lucieisanuninterestingperson,butifweobserveherfromtheangleofhumanism,wewillfindthat“Ineverydetailofherbeing,sheembodiescompassion,love,andvirtue”.（Phillps＆Hopson29）LucieManette-AyoungFrenchwomanwhogrewupinEngland.ShewastheidealVictorianlady,perfectineveryway.Shewasverypositiveandunselfish,alwayswillingtohelpothers.Shehadherwonderfullykindandsympatheticnature.Theunforgetableimageofhercradlingherfather’sheaddelicatelyonherbreastindicatethatsheistheonewhoholdsherfamilytogether.“Withthetearsstreamingdownherface,sheputhertwohandstoherlips,andkissedthemtohim;thenclaspedthemonherbreast,asifshelaidhisruinedheadthere”.（Dickens74）AfterDr.Manettewasrescuedfromprison,Hewascompletelyincapableoffunctioningintheoutsideworld,havingentirelyforgottenwhatlifeoutsideofprisonislike.Lucielovedhimunconditionallyandhelpedhimregainhissanity.Itwasalongprocess,butLuciewasdedicatedtoherfatherandassistedinrecoveringfromhiscrazedstate.It’sobviousthatLucie'sloveanddeterminationnurseDr.Manettebacktonormality.Fromthis,wecanseehertenderhearttohisfather,althoughshehadneverseenherfather,shestillkeepherkindhearttohim.Shetakescareofherfatherjustliketakescareofababy.So,wecanseesheisaloyalgirl.Sheisfullofcompassionandkindness.Atthesametime,LuciehelpedSydneyCartontoresurrected.Cartonstoppedgettingdrunkandbegantoleadarespectablelife.BecauseLuciesawpotentialforCarton,hewasinspiredtobetterhislife.“Ifitwilldoyouanygood,MrCarton,ifitwouldmakeyouhappier,itwouldmakemeveryglad….Iamsurethatthebestpartofitmightstillbe;Iamsurethatyoumightbemuch,muchworthierofyourself”.（Dickens180）ThiswaswhatLuciesaidtoCarton,herbeliefmakeshimchange.Sheisagirlwhocanalwaysgivepeoplehopesaroundher.Dickensbelievesthatunderstandingandlovecanchangeaperson’slife.

2.MadameDefrage

HerfamilywerevictimoftheEvremondebrothers’guilt.Sowhenshegrewup,shewantedtorevenge.ShepatientlyawaitedthebeginningoftheFrenchRevolution,withviolenceandhatredwithinher.AndDickens’attitudestowardsherwasn’tallthesame.WhenDickensdescribedMadameDefarge’sunfortunatechildhood,hissympathycameoutofthebottomofhisheart.Nevertheless,whenMadameDefargewaseagertocarryontherevolutionandwanttorevengeonDarnay.Dickens,asahumanitarian,didn’tappreciatesuchpersonsasMadameDefarge.InlaterdescriptionofMadameDefarge,Dickensevencursedherofhersuch“crazyactions”.Hethoughtshewasinhumaneandherbehaviorwasagainstthemorality.Atthebeginning,theauthordoesn'tpresenthisprejudicetothiswoman.“Whentheonewomanwhohadstoodconspicuous,knitting,stillknittedonwiththesteadfastnessofFate”.（Dickens143）Hishusbandalsopraiseher“Agreatwoman,saidhe,astrongwoman,agrandwoman,afrightfullygrandwoman”.（Dickens216）Dickensfeelssheisjustlikeagoddess,shehavesomegoodqualitysuchasbraveanddetermination.Itlookslikethatshestandsforjusticeandfreedom.Butthiskindimageforherdo