character analysis in uncle toms cabin 《汤姆叔叔的小屋》中主要人物的浅析论文大学毕设论文.docx
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characteranalysisinuncletomscabin《汤姆叔叔的小屋》中主要人物的浅析论文大学毕设论文
《汤姆叔叔的小屋》中主要人物的浅析
[Abstract]TheBibleinfluenceswesternlifeandculturedeeply.Mrs.Stowe(1811—1896)----theauthorofNovelUncleTom’sCabinisalsoinfluencedbyit.OnthebasisofBible,theauthorattemptstoanalyzethebackgroundsoftimesandthepurposesshecomposesit,andanalyzeseveralcharacters,suchasUncleTom,LittleEva,Elizaandsomepiouschristianmothers.WiththeanalysisofthesepersonsandthecomparisonwiththecharactersinBibletorevealthechristianityinthisnovel.Atlast,theauthorexploresMrs.Stowe’ssolutiontoinstitutionofslaveryandtheresults.However,inhertimes,hernon—resistantpolicytotoppletheslaveryfailscompletely.
[Keywords]Bible;christianity;personalcharacter
[摘要]《圣经》对西方生活及文化的影响至深,《汤姆叔叔的小屋》的作者斯陀夫人也深受其影响。
本文以《圣经》原形以及基督教义精神为基础,先试图分析斯陀夫人所处的时代背景及她创作这部小说的意图,再分析小说中的几类人物形象,如汤姆叔叔、小伊娃、及几位虔诚的基督教徒母亲。
通过对这些人物特点的分析,以及所表现的基督精神,揭示这部小说中强烈的宗教理念。
[关键词]圣经;基督教;人物特点
1Introduction
1.1Background
GreekcultureandHebrewculturehavegreatinfluenceonwesternculture.InHebrewculture,thereisabooknamedBible,whichisanimportantliteracyworkintheworld.Itisdividedintotwoparts:
theOldTestamentandtheNewTestament.ItincludestheessenceofHebrewculture.Duringtheeleventhcentury,Hebrewpeoplebecomeprosperousanddominatedalargearea.Atthesame,theyspreadtheirculture,soChristianitybecomesapowerfulandinfluentialreligionduring.ManyfamousartistsandwritersadaptedthestoriesinBibletocomposetheimmortalworks.
HarrietBeecherStowe(1811---1896),anineteenthcenturyAmericanfemalewriter,wasalsoinfluencedbythebook.Stowewasbornintoarespectablefamilythatwastobecomefamous:
herfatherLymanwasaclergymanwhowasfamousforsupportingabolitionism,andeverheldthepostofdirectorofLaneSeminary,Cincinnati,Ohio.HerhusbandCalvinEllisStowewasoneoftheleadingprofessorsintheseminary.Twoofherbrothers,HenryWardandEdward,werecelebratedpreachers.Andheroldersister—Catherine,sheisthepioneerinWomen’seducation.Thefamilywereallopposingtoraisingslavesandtheywereallfamousabolitionists
ComingfromafamilywithgoodChristiantradition,shewasdeeplyinfluencedbyChristianityandbecameapiousChristian.Asherfamilywereallopposingtoraisingslaves,shewasinfluencedbythemandheldtheanti-slaverybelief.Shestoodupforthebeliefthatslaveryshouldbeabolished.Mrs.Stowebelievedandlovedreligionandpaysattentiontotheproblemsofsocietyandmorality.InfluencedbyChristianity,sheheldthebeliefthateachmanisborntobeequalandshouldenjoyfreedom,soshewasstronglyagainstslavery,whichbetrayedtheideasinChristianity.InChristianity,peopleareequalinsoulandshouldenjoyfreedom.Sheoftentriedtodosomethingaboutchangingtheconditionsofslaves.Tolearnmoredetailsaboutslavery,sheevenwenttotheSouthtoseethemiserableconditionsofslaveswithherowneyes.Especiallywhentheenactmentofthe“FugitiveSlaveAct”(Thatallowedownerstopursueandrecovertheir“property”infreestates)in1850.Mrs.Stowewasinfuriatedandinfluencedbytheinnumerableanti-slaveryeventsandpersons.InfluencedbytheideainChristianitythatpeopleareequalinsoulandshouldenjoyfreedomandthebeliefthatslaveryshouldbeabolished,shedecidedtocomposeanoveltolashtheslavery.TheblendingofpiousbeliefinChristianityandabolishingslaveryresultedinUncleTom’sCabin.
1.2Thesummaryofnovel
TomwasaslaveofMr.ShelbywhowasaslaveholderinKentucky,hesincerelybelievedinChristianity.OnceMr.Shelbywasencumberedbydebt,hedecidedtosellTomandanotherfemaleslaveandherson.Knowingthenews,ElizaandhersonranawayimmediatelybutTomwouldstaytobesoldtoHaley-aslaver.Asaresult,hewassoldtoNewOrleansbyHaley.
OnboardtheboatboundforNewOrleans,TomsavedthelifeofyoungEva.St.Clare,Eva’sfather,purchasedTomwithgratitude.InSt.Clare’shome,Tomlivedahappylifefortwoyears.Evaandhebecamegoodfriends.ButafterEvaandherfather’sdeath,Tom’sfatewaschangedagain.HewassentbyEva’smothertoanauctionmarkettosell.TomwasboughtbyaslaveholdernamedLegree.Legreewascrueltoslavesandaddictedtoalcohol.Atlast,whenTomprotectedtwofemaleslavesfrombeingcaptured,hewasbeatentodeathviciouslybyLegree.Whenhewasdying,hisformermaster’sson-GeorgeShelbygottheplantationandboughtTom’sbodywithhugewealth.
Atthesametime,Elizaandhersonmetherhusband-GeorgeHarris,whodisguisedhimselfasaSpaniardandbroughtagunwithhimself.HeshotaslaveronhiswaytoCanada.Atlast,heandhisfamilygottogetherintheCanada----afreecountry.
2.CharacterAnalysis
Mrs.Stoweportraysseveralvividcharacterswithdistinctivetemperament.Amongthem,therearethewhiteandtheblack,thenoblesandtheslaves,thekindandthecruel.Inherdescriptionofallthesecharacters,wecanlearnthatMrs.Stoweadvocatesthatpeopleareequalandisagainstracialdiscrimination.SomepeoplethinkthatthedarkskinofAfricanslavesexternallyrepresentsnegativequalitiessuchasevilorheathenism.However,Mrs.Stoweviewedslavesthatevokethesepresumptionsactuallycontraststheirinternalstrengthandspirituality.Infact,blackmenarebetterthansomewhiteslaveholderswhohaveintentionalpurposes.
Mrs.StoweherselfisdeeplyinfluencedbyChristianity;sheheldthebeliefthatpeopleareborntobeequalandshouldenjoyfreedom.SothemaincharacterssheportrayedinUncleTom’sCabinareallChristianstodifferentextent.ThispartofthepaperdealswiththeanalysisofperfectChristian,non-perfectChristianandhalf-ChristianinUncleTom’sCabin.Fromtheanalysis,wecangetabetterideaonhowChristianityisreflectedinthenovel.
2.1Tom
UncleTomisanoldslaveandtheprotagonistofthenovel.Histwomostprevalentqualitiesarehisinherentgoodnessandpiety.HeisapiousChristianandresemblesJesusinmanyaspects.HeconsistentlyforgivesthewrongscommittedagainsthimandturnstoGodintimeofcrisis.
Mrs.StoweisverysuccessfulinportrayingTomasaChristianfigure.Let’scompareTomtoJesusinBible.
Tom’sexperienceisquitesimilartothatofJesusChrist.First,TomandJesusareallsoldbythemantheyarefamiliarwith.Jesusisbetrayedbyhisdisciple-Judas,whohasthegreedforthemoney;andTomissoldbyhismaster-ArthurShelby,whoalsoneedsmoneytorepaydebtswhenhesuffersthefinancialdifficulties.Second,bothTomandJesushavestrongfaithinGodandnevergiveupunderpressure.WhenJesusisnearhisdeath,thesoldiersareallspeakingsarcasticallyandcryingtohim,theyshouted,“Hail,kingoftheJesus!
”Andstruckhimontheface,however,theGovernorwouldnotarrestJesus,buthehasnochoicebuttohaveJesuscrucified.WhenJesusknowshewilldie,hedoesnotcomplainonlytopraytotheGod.Tomisinthesimilarsituation,AtLegree’smanor,Tomisnotwillingtosellouthisfriends,sohemeetsthebrutaltreatment.HedosenotgiveupandcontinuespreachingtoQimboandSambo.Hesaid,“IntothyhandsIcommendmyspirit!
Thouhastredeemedme,OhLordGodoftruth!
”EvenifQimboandSambobeatTomalmosttodeath,hestillforgavethemandprayedforthem.Tom’prayerisansweredandhiskindheartednessmovesLegree’stwooverseers----QimboandSamboandtheywouldnotwanttohurtTomanymore,butLegreewillnotbesatisfieduntilheseesTom’sdeath.AlthoughTomwasbeatenalmosttodeath,hedeterminedtosaynothing.WhenthunderedLegreestruckhimfuriously,Tomanswered,“Iknow,Mas’t,butIcan’ttellanything.Icandie!
”However,Legreecouldn’tunderstandhim.ThenTomlookeduptohismaster,andanswered,“Mas’r,ifyouwassick,orintrouble,ordying,andIcouldsaveye,I’dgiveyemyheart’sblood;and,iftakingeverysoul,I’dgive’emfreely,astheLordgavehisforme.O,Mas’r!
don’tbringthisgreatsinonyoursoul!
Itwillhurtyoumorethan‘twillme!
Dotheworstyoucan,mytroubles’llbeoversoon;but,ifyedon’trepent,yourswon’tneverend!
”Atlast,onewhobelievesJesusisMessiahandissavedattheverymomentandspot.Third,TomandJesusareallredeemedbythepersonwhoesteemsthem.JosephofArimathaea,asecretapostleofhim,redeemsJesus.HetookthebodyofJesusandwrappedit,withthespices,instripsoflinenclothaccordingtoJewishburial—customs.Tomisrescuedbyhisformermaster’sson----GeorgeShelby.HelovesTomforhisfaith,sohevowstofindTomwhenheissold.However,whenhefoundTom,Tomwasdyinganddiedsoon.BearinggreatrespectandsadnessforTom,GeorgetookTom’sbodyawayanddecidedtoburyitdecently.Moreimportant,Tom’stemperamentisquitethesameasJesus.WhenJesusseespeoplewhosin,hepitiesthem,helpsthem,tellsthemandcuresthem.Hisheartcanforgiveanyone,anything.Hebringsthegospeltopeople.TomisobviouslyaChristfigurewithblackskin.Heisfullofloveforhisneighbors,boththeblackandwhite.HealsoservesasaChristianleaderfortheotherslaversinthenovel.InShelby’shouse,UncleTomisasortofpatriarchinreligiousmattersintheneighborhood.Having,naturally,anorganizationinwhichthemoraleisstronglypredominant,togetherwithagreaterbreadthandcultivationofmindthanhiscompanions,heislookedup,asasortofministeramongthem;andthesimple,hearty,sincerestyleofhisexhortationsmighthaveedifiedevenbettereducatedpersons.Butitwasinprayerthatheespeciallyexcelled.InthelanguageofapiousoldNegro,h