查尔斯.狄更斯笔下的少年形象解读

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1、查尔斯.狄更斯笔下的少年形象解读An Interpretation of Juvenile Images in Charles Dickens NovelsAbstract: This paper introduces Charles Dickens painful childhood briefly, and then analyses juvenile image in Oliver Twist, Great Expectation and David Copperfield in comparison with Charles Dickens painful grown-up exper

2、ience. The analysis of miserable childhood image and struggling juvenile image show the limit of Charles Dickens humanism. Then it will criticize bourgeoisies selfishness and hypocrisy in the Victorian Age.Key words: juvenile image; bourgeoisie; hypocrisy; interpretation摘 要：本文简介查尔斯狄更斯不幸的童年经历, 结合着作者成

3、长经历对他的作品雾都孤儿、远大前程、大卫科波菲尔这三部作品当中的儿童形象及青少年形象进行分析。通过对少年儿童不幸的遭遇和经历以及青少年的奋斗的分析，勾勒出查尔斯狄更斯的人文主义的局限性，进而来批判维多利亚时期资产阶级社会的自私和伪善.关键词：青少年形象；资产阶级；伪善；解读ContentsI. Background Information.1II. Literature Review.2A. Literary current.2B. Charles Dickens.3III. Juvenile Images in Charles Dickens Novels.4A. The miserable

4、 childhood image.4 B. The struggling Juvenile image.4 C. The lucky Juvenile image6 IV. The Interpretation of Juvenile Images.6 A. The shadow of Charles Dickens life.6B. The weak struggling.7 C. Charles Dickens humanism.8V. Conclusion.9Works Cited.10 An Interpretation of Juvenile Images in Charles Di

5、ckens NovelsI. Background InformationIn English literature, the Victorian Age (1832-1868) is a very important part. Of the thirty-six years, the first fourteen were filled with unrest, alarm, misery, and they contrast with the growing prosperity and general good feeling of the succeeding twenty-two

6、years when English, having committed herself to industrialism and free trade, become for a time “the workshop of the world”. During this period of time, many great changes took place in administrations. Since the Industrial Revolution, the class structure in English society had undergone radical cha

7、nges. The industrial capitalists began to play a more important role and vied for political power with the old aristocracy. However with the development of capitalism, there arose a powerful working class. The conflict between labor and capital was for some time the same as the struggle between the

8、feudal and the bourgeois classes. But from the thirties of the 19th century, the struggle between the workers and capitalists became the fundamental contradiction in English social life. The ignorance, incapacity, and heartlessness of many of these employees moved Dickens and other writers to bitter

9、 satire; but the new policy was a change in the right direction. The new law, though an advance upon the old methods of dealing with pauperism, was enforced with a grim Benthamite rigidity and impersonality which caused needless suffering and humiliation. The picture in Oliver Twist (1838) is of the

10、 typical workhouse in the years before experience and protests introduced ameliorating modifications in the administration of the law.Amid the multitude of social and political forces of this great age, four things stand out clearly. First, the long struggle of the Anglo-Saxons for personal liberty

11、is definitely settled, and democracy becomes the established order of the day. Second, because it is an age of democracy, it is an age of popular education, of religious tolerance, of growing brotherhood, and of profound social unrest. Third, because it is an age of democracy and education, it is an

12、 age of comparative peace. Fourth, the Victorian Age is especially remarkable because of its rapid progress in all the arts and sciences and in mechanical inventions.All these material things, as well as the growth of education, have their influence upon the life of a people, and it is inevitable th

13、at they should react upon its prose and poetry; when these new things shall by long use have become familiar as country roads, or have been replaced by newer and better things, then they also will have their associations and memories.II. Literature ReviewA. Literary currentIn Victorian Age of tense

14、class struggle appeared a new literary trendcritical realism. English critical realism of the 19th century flourished in the forties and in the early fifties. The critical realists described with much vividness and criticized the capitalist system from a democratic viewpoint. The greatest English re

15、alist of the time was Charles Dickens. “With striking force and truthfulness, he creates pictures of bourgeois civilization, describing the misery and suffering of the common people” (Liu 118), especially the childrens suffering such as Pip, David Copperfield and Oliver Twist. Karl Marx gave the fol

16、lowing characterization of the works of critical realists: “The present brilliant school of novelists in England, whose graphic and eloquent descriptions have revealed more political and social truths to the world than have all the politicians, publicists, and moralists added together, has pictured

17、all sections of the middle class, beginning with the respectable renter and owner of government stocks, who looks down on all kinds of business as being vulgar, and finishing with the small shopkeeper and lawyers clerk” (Wu 153).The greatness of the English realists lies not only in their satirical

18、portrayal of bourgeosie and in the exposure of the greed and hypocrisy of the ruling classes, but also in their profound humanism which is revealed in their sympathy for the labouring people. These writers create positive characters who are quite alien to the vices of the rich and who are chiefly co

19、mmon people.Humorous scenes may attend the actions of the positive characters, but this humour is tinged with lyricism and serves to stress the human qualities, the sincerity and kindness of such characters. At the same time, bitter satire and ever grotesque is used to expose and criticize the seamy

20、 side of reality.The English working class, however, created a literature of its own which can be, in full justice, called the Chartist literature, for it developed among the participants of the Chartist movement before and after the revolutionary events of 1848. The Chartist writers introduced a ne

21、w theme into English literaturethe struggle of the proletariat for its rights.B. Charles DickensCharles Dickens is one of the most popular English novelists of the Victorian Age and one of the most popular of all time. He created some of literatures most memorable characters. His novels and short st

22、ories have never gone out of print. A concern with what he saw as the pressing need for social reform is a theme that runs throughout his work. Much of his work first appeared in periodicals and magazines in serialized form, a favored way of publishing fiction at the time. Other writers of the time

23、would complete entire novels before serial publication commenced, but Dickens often wrote his in part, in the order in which they were meant to appear. The practice lent his stories a particular rhythm, punctuated by one cliffhanger after another to keep the public eager for the next installment. Cr

24、itics and fellow-novelists such as George Gissing and G. K. Chesterton have applauded Dickens for his mastery of prose, and for his teeming gallery of unique characters, many of whom have acquired iconic status in the English-speaking world. Others such as Henry James and Virginia Woolf have accused

25、 him of sentimentality and implausibility.He was born in Portsmouth in 1812. He was the second son of a clerk in the Navy Pay Office. His childhood, like many of those portrayed in his novels, was not particularly happy, mainly due to his fathers inability to stay out of debt (Sun, Chen 89). This le

26、d in 1824, to his fathers imprisonment in Marshalea Prison and Dickens being sent to work in a blacking warehouse, labeled bottles. Memories of this time haunted him for the rest of his life. In defiance of his parents failure to educate him, Dickens worked hard, teaching himself shorthand, studying

27、 hard; becoming first a Clerk in a solicitors office, then a freelance reporter for the court of Doctors Commons. Around 1830 he had fallen in love with Maria Beadnell, a bankers daughter, however by 1833 this was over. He became a reporter of parliamentary debate for the Morning Chronicle. It is fr

28、om here that Dickenss talent for caricature stemmed and his Sketches by Boz, which appeared in Monthly Magazine and the Evening Chronicle, became immensely popular.Dickens carried the good traditions of realism novels since 18th century of England and also developed it. He created his unique techniq

29、ue and formed his own style. Dickenss works are very important in English literary history. They established the base of critical realism and had effect upon the development of the whole European realism novels.His main works: Oliver Twist; A Christmas Carol; David Copperfield; Great Expectations; S

30、ketches by Boz; The Pickwick Papers; Dombey and Son; A Tale of Two Cities; Hard Times; The Old Curiosity Shop ects.III. Juvenile Images in Charles Dickens NovelsA. The miserable childhood image If we refer to juvenile image in Charles Dickens, we have to begin from their childhood. It is acknowledge

31、d that most of Charles Dickens characters in his novels have bitter childhood. Oliver Twist in Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse as an orphan. No child could have warm clothes and enough food here. Fortunately he was still alive in poor condition. When he was nine years old, he asked for more por

32、ridge because he was too hungry. Everyday he got up at six and worked hard. However he was punished and sold to a coffin-maker. The undertaker treated Oliver Twist very unfairly and badly. After serving an unhappy apprenticeship to the undertaker, Oliver runs away to London. Whats worse, he was aime

33、d by a crowd of thieves. He was forced to steal. In the end he was saved by his fathers friend and got his own property. David Copperfield in David Copperfield, a posthumous child, was born soon after his father died. His mother, a gentle weak woman, married again. Her second husband, Mr. Murdstone

34、is a vile natured man. Under the guise of teaching David and farming his character, he tortured both David and his mother, drove the poor young mother to an early grave. David was sent to school, where he was badly treated by the sadistic-head-humored. When Davids mother died, he was taken from scho

35、ol, and as a child he was, set to work as a child-labor in a blacking factory. He lived a life of poverty and misery, and he decided to run away.Pip in Great Expectations is an orphan, too. His sister had brought him up “by hand”. But in fact, his sister often beat him with her hands. So when she sa

36、id these words, it seemed her very ridiculous. He had no normal education and lived in poor conditions, but he didnt know. B. The struggling Juvenile image Oliver Twist cant bear the suffering from the coffin maker and he ran away to London. During these days he carried on his struggle with hunger a

37、nd exhaustion. This is the first step that he struggled for himself. He wanted to be out of suffering. However, he becomes a chief as soon as he arrived in London unwillingly. Other thieves wanted to make Oliver be a member of them; however Oliver didnt follow them from his heart. When the thieves a

38、re doing their housebreaking in plan, Oliver didnt do what they told him. On the contrary, he asked for Gods help. There were some sentences narrating the scene. “Oh! For Gods sake let me go! cried Oliver; let me run away and die in the fields. I will never come near London; never, never! Oh! Pray h

39、ave mercy on me, and do not make me steal. For the love of all the bright Angles that rest in Heaven, have mercy upon me! ”In the short time he had had to collect his senses, the boy had firmly resolved that, whether he died in the attempt or not, he would make one effort to dart up stairs from the

40、hall, and alarm the family. Filled with this idea, he advanced at once, but stealthily. Although threatened by the two thieves, Oliver Twist neither became a thief nor helped others damage other people. He had a kind and righteous heart. David Copperfield didnt want to be a child labor and have a fu

41、ture. So he walked from London to Dover to throw himself on the mercy of his great-aunt, Bestey Trotwood, an eccentric but good-hearted old lady. His aunt adopted him and sent him to a good school. Therefore he ended the bitter childhood and started a new life. However this was a changeable world. H

42、is aunt went into bankruptcy and David must earn his bread by himself and support his aunt. So he worked as Dr. Strongs secretary very hard. Here he worked with courage and looked into the future. With the help of Mr. Micawber, he recovered Davids aunts money and gave it back to her. This was a piec

43、e of good news. After his wifes death he went aboard and came back 3 years later. He got rid of melancholy in his heart and married an ideal wife Agnes who can be near him forever and point him upward. At last they are happy. This was a process that David Copperfield struggled for his future and lif

44、e. Pip from Great Expectations was a poor and untutored boy. He met Estella by chance and fell in love with her. After their meeting he always wanted to be a gentleman and marry her. However he got the support from Mr. Magwitch who was a criminal and starts his study. Meanwhile he tried his best to

45、adjust himself to be a gentleman. Whats more, he also got used to a luxury and weary life which the rich always lived. He became vainglory and hypocritical. He even looked down upon his brother-in-law Joe Gargery who gave him much love and care when he was a little boy. After the arrival of Mr. Magw

46、itch, he knew the supporter wasnt Miss Havisham who adopted Estella but a criminal Mr. Magwitch. Pips dream awoke. The life was kidding on him. However he was serious with his life and started his new life as everyman. This was a process that Pip struggled with his life.C. The lucky Juvenile image U

47、nfortunately Oliver is forced to help Sikes and Toby the two robbers open the Maylies house. While he tried his best to alarm the owner, he was shot by a myrmidon and hurt badly. The two robbers escaped soon without Oliver. He experienced a sea of tribulations and got better by the taking care of th

48、e two ladies. He led a happy time and acquired knowledge as a young master. This was a beginning of his happy life. He met his helper Mrs. Brownlow, his fathers friend. Mrs. Brownlow and his aunt Miss Rose found Olivers elder brother Monks and made out Olivers life experience. Whats more, Mrs. Brown

49、low helped him gain his own fortune and adopted him as his own child. At last, Oliver found his relatives and led a happy life which he never imagines. After his mothers death, David Copperfield made a living by his own hands in London. Then he made up his mind to throw himself into the lap of his a

50、unt. His aunt Miss Betsey had adopted David and brought him to Canterbury. According to Mr. Wickfields advice his aunt sent him to Dr. Strongs school. Here he got good education. After his graduation, his aunt helped David work as a lawyer though she spent a lot of money to carry her point. Pip shou

51、ld be a black smith like his brother-in-law. But he got the support from Mr. Magwitch. He could read books and had a chance as a gentle to communicate with the rich. IV. The Interpretation of Juvenile Images A. The shadow of Charles Dickens lifeLu Xun once said that the context of an authors work co

52、mported with the authors thought and experiences.Great Expectations is permeated with Dickens own past history, although Pips life history does not correspond with Dickens own to the degree as David Copperfield has done, because Dickens tired to avoid repeating the plot and story of those in David C

53、opperfield as well as Oliver Twist. But we still can see the shadow of Dickens, because they all have miserable childhood. All of them dont have a happy family and lack love from their parents. Even they lack the basic material. In the Victorian Age people looked down upon the poor and manual labor

54、and thought being a gentleman should have normal education and much wealth. The description of the criminal slums of London that little Oliver lived brought exposed the hypocritical and cruelty of parish workhouse through depicting the little orphan boy Oliver Twists childhood in it. He gave realist

55、ic pictures of the horrible existence in workhouse. One of the important characteristics of Oliver Twist was the real and specific description of people who lived in the bottom of society. When Dickens father was imprisoned unfortunately, and he had to work in the factory for six shilling a week to

56、support the family, he felt desperate that “all my hopes of a bright future seemed crushed”. This period was regarded as the darkest experience in his life and he “never spoke to anyone about this shameful past”. B. The weak struggling In Victorian Age these peoples struggling was weak, because they

57、 were under the social background of Bourgeoisie. This was a selfish and hypocritical society. Most of them got help from their relatives and friends who were rich. If he got help from a poor or criminal like Pip, others would look down upon him. No matter how beautiful his dream was, he had to awak

58、e.Oliver Twist couldnt bear the suffering from the coffin maker and he ran away to London. When the thieves are doing their housebreaking in plan, Oliver didnt do what they told him. On the contrary, he asked for Gods help. He met his helper Mrs. Brownlow, his fathers friend. Mrs. Brownlow and his a

59、unt Miss Rose found Olivers elder brother Monks and made out Olivers life experience. Whats more, Mrs. Brownlow helped him gain his own fortune and adopted him as his own child. At last, Oliver found his relatives and led a happy life. As a child he was, he couldnt do anything but wait for others he

60、lp. So his struggling was weak.David Copperfield didnt want to be a child labor. So he walked from London to Dover to throw himself on the mercy of his great-aunt, Bestey Trotwood, an eccentric but good-hearted old lady. Here he got good education. After his graduation, his aunt helped David work as

61、 a lawyer though she spent a lot of money to carry her point. David was hard to have his future while he should thank for his aunt in his time, because he had nothing without his rich and kind-hearted aunt.Pip always wanted to have great expectations. To some extents he got it. However he got the su

62、pport from Mr. Magwitch who is a criminal and starts his study. Meanwhile he tries his best to adjust himself to be a gentleman. After the arrival of Mr. Magwitch, he knew the supporter wasnt Miss Havisham who adopted Estella but a criminal Mr. Magwitch. Pips dream awoke.C. Charles Dickens humanism

63、Dickens claimed to change the relationship between people by the spirit of philanthropy and self-sacrifice. In his view, human love was more great and powerful than hate. Love could create everything. Love even could make the impossible things to be possible. But hate only could destroy beautiful th

64、ings. Conflict among different classes could be reconciled by love and friendship. Violence and revolution even could be conceded by love and friendship. This is Dickens idea of bourgeois humanism.Many people were eager to be a member of Bourgeoisie or the rich. But most of them wont succeed without others help. For example, Pip couldnt have normal education and a chance as a gentle to communicate w