毕业论文-《雾都孤儿》中南希的双重性格研究.doc

学科分类号 0502 本科学生毕业论文 题目（中文）：一朵开在冬天的花 剖析雾都孤儿中南希的双重性格（英文）：A Flower Blossoming in Winter Expounding the Double Character of Nancy in Oliver Twist Contents摘要.Abstract .Introduction .11. Nancys Double Character Acts in Oliver Twist.41.1The Attitude to Oliver in Different Time.41.2The Attitude to Fagin in Different Time.61.3 The Attitude to Sikes in Different Time .92. The Reason of Nancys Double Character.132.1Social Environments Influence to Nancys Double Character.132.2 Human Natures Influence to Her Double Character.173. Nancys Incorruptibility of Goodness in Double Character.203.1 Nancys Resistance to Crime . .203.2 Nancys Love to Oliver.22Conclusion.25Notes.27Bibliography.28Acknowledgements摘 要雾都孤儿是查尔斯狄更斯第一部重要的反映社会问题的小说。虽为文中的一个次要人物，南希在小说的发展中却有不可替代的作用。从贼窝里唯一的犹太女贼到最后为救奥利弗脱离虎口而命丧黄泉，其灵魂得到了升华，其双重的性格特征也在文中表现得淋漓尽致。本文通过对人物具体描述展示人性的复杂性和那个社会的真实面貌，以及人性和社会环境对南希双重性格形成的影响。关键词: 南希；双重性格；人性；社会环境Abstract Charles Dickens was the greatest representative of English critical realist. Oliver Twist marks the very beginning of Dickens literary life. It reflects all kinds of social problems in Victorian period. Despite as a secondary character, Nancy is irreplaceable in the novels development. From being the only female thief in the gang of to the death for escaping Oliver from abyss of misery, her soul gets sublimation and her double character displays thoroughly. By concrete characters description, this paper reflects the truth of the society, the complexity of human nature and their influence to Nancys double character.Key words: Nancy; double character; human nature; social environmentIntroductionCharles Dickens was the greatest representative of English critical realist. Oliver Twist marks the very beginning of Dickens literary life. It directs at the nineteenth-century English Poor Laws with a bitter invective. As an unknown shorthand reporter of twenty-one, with a single tale just published in a magazine, he referred casually to “my proposed novel ” in a way that shows it must in conception and materials have resembled this. But since he knew publication was “hazardous”, writing was deferred while he concentrated his forces (and used some of its matter) on sketches and short stories for various newspapers and periodicals. “I have perhaps the best subject I have ever thought of. I have thrown my whole heart and soul into Oliver.”1(p2)That its general purpose was clear in his mind is event from his latter-written preface: “I wished to show in little Oliver, the principle of Good surviving through every adverse circumstance, and triumphing at last,” 2(p3)The companions among whom he was to be tried were the criminals miserable world in London. The book was known to Dickens by close observation and various experience.In Oliver Twist, Dickens portrays all kinds of characters in London, especially those who live in underworld, such as Oliver Twist, Fagin, Bill Sikes, the Artful Doger and Nancy. A major concern of Oliver Twist is the question of whether or not a bad environment can irrevocably poison someones character and soul. As the novel progresses, the character who best illustrates the contradictory issues brought up by that question is Nancy. As a child of streets, Nancy has been a thief and drinks to excess. The narrators reference to her “free and agreeablemanners” indicates that she is a prostitute. She is immersed in the vices condemned by her society, but she also commits perhaps the most notable act in the novel when she sacrifices her own life in order to protect Oliver. Nancy has a double character, with “soul of goodness in things of evil.” Nancys moral complexity is unique among the major characters in Oliver Twist. The novel is full of characters who are all good and can barely comprehend evil, such as Oliver, Rose, And Brownlow, and characters who are all evil and barely comprehend good, such as Fagin, Sikes, and Monks. Only Nancy comprehends and is capable of both good and evil. Her ultimate choice to do good at a great personal cost is a strong argument in favor of the incorruptibility of basic goodness, no matter how many environmental obstacles it may face. She is a good girl, though she grows up in a evil world.There are many researches on Oliver Twist, this poor little boy. This paper is mainly concerned on Nancy. Oliver does not know anything of evil, and he speaks standardized English, though he grows up in a disguised kind society. Comparing with Oliver Twist, Nancy is true. Nancy is different, and she comprehends virtue and evil. By concrete description, it reflects the darkness of that society and the complexity of human nature.1Nancys Double Character Acts in Oliver TwistWhen Oliver sees Nancy at the first sight, he sees Nancy “wore a good deal of hair, full of curl-papers in, not very neatly turned up behind; and were rather untidy about the shoes and stockings.” She was not pretty, but stout and hearty. This sample description, suggests that Nancy is a common type of degradation. Nancy is a young prostitute and one of Fagins former child pickpockets. She is also Bill Sikess lover. Her trust to criminal associates and her sense of moral decency come into conflict when Oliver is in a huge danger. Despite her criminal lifestyle she is among the noblest characters in the novel .In effect, she gives her life for Oliver when revealing Monks plots. 1.1 The Attitude to Oliver in Different TimeAfter Oliver was arrested, by being thought to steal Mr. Brownlow, Fagin persuade Nancy to go to police station to find out what happened to him. Nancy dresses in nice clothing, and at the police station she pretends to be Olivers distraught sister. She learns that the gentleman from whom the handkerchief was stolen took Oliver home with him. Then Nancy kidnaps Oliver on the way to the bookstall, and drags Oliver through the dark streetsAfter claiming Oliver, she struggles fiercely inner heart. When she talks the affair that the prisoner was hung with Sikes, she said these men on the gallows are “fine young chaps”. Maybe they are, if they are not poor, and dont meet the bad man like Fagin. Oliver can feel her hand trembling and sees her face had turned a deadly white. In the moment, Nancy maybe is thinking herself may have the same ending in some day. When Nancy shows sympathy to them, she also feels very sad about herself fate. But now, just for herself, she helps the gang to kidnap a helpless boy to the miserable world. She feels very uneasy inner heart. This kind of feeling is continuing until they claimed Oliver to Fagins den. When Oliver calls for help and flees, but Sikes threatens to set his vicious dog, Bulls eye, on him. Nancy leaps to Olivers defense, saying that they have ruined all his good prospects. She has worked for Fagin since she was a small child, and she knows that a life of disrepute lies in wait for Oliver. Oliver has been shot in the robbery to Maylie. Fagin relates Olivers misfortune to Nancy. She cries that she hopes Oliver is dead, because she believes that living with Fagin is worse than death. Nancy eavesdrops the talk between Fagin and Monks, and she becomes perturbed. Monks wants Oliver to be made into a hardened thief, and he schemes to give Oliver a bad reputation, so that he can claim their familys full inheritance.With the development of the novel, Nancy plays a more important character than before. After she knows the secret conversation between Fagin and Monks, she runs into a predicament. Now she becomes the key person of Olivers fate. Telling or hiding the truth, it will decide Olivers live or death. But the people around her are so conspicuous and ferocious .Any agitation will make her plan fail even her death. After her decision of waving Oliver, she also makes herself standing in a more dangerous situation.Sikes does not notice nervousness until a few days later. Sensing something unusual, he demands that she sit by him. Eventually, Sikes falls asleep after the laudanum has taken effect. She hastens to a hotel in a wealthy area, she begs the servants to allow her to speak to Miss Maylie, who is staying there. Disapprovingly, they conduct her upstairs. Nancy confesses to Rose that she is the one who kidnapped Oliver on his errand to Mr. Brownlow. She relates that overheard Monks tell Fagin that he is Olivers brother. When Nancy realizes that Oliver is in a dangerous environment, she hopes that Miss Maylie could help him escaping from danger. Nancy refuses Roses help and leaves. 1.2 The Attitude to Fagin in Different Time Nancy is one of Fagins former pickpocket. In the course of searching Oliver, Nancy is selected to do the plan. From this we can see Fagin trusts Nancy and believes she can do it well. As their expectation, Nancy finishes the task perfectly. But when she sees Sikes and Fagin seizing and mistreating Oliver .She tries her best to protect Oliver, which demonstrates her deep and passionate sense of morality. This also reminds her miserable childhood .It is the first crush with Fagin in the novel. She cries, “I thieved for you when I was a child not half as old as this!” pointing to Oliver ,“I have been in the same trade ,and in the same service for twelve years since .” “it is my living ,and the cold ,wet ,dirty streets are my home; and youre the wretch that drove me to them long ago ;and thatll keep me there ,day and night ,day and night ,till I die! ”3(p98)This is an indictment of blood and tear. From these words we can imagine a miserable childhood. Oliver is only about ten years old, and Nancy is oppressed to be a thief no more that five years old and has done this for twelve years. If she does not obey Fagins order, she will be maltreated as Oliver. Compared with Oliver, she has a more miserable childhood. It is imaginable that how many nightmares happen on this girls life.Fagin is so conspicuous person that he cannot trust Nancy completely after she saved Oliver from the clobber. In their plot of robbing Maylies house, Sikes needs a small boy for the job. Fagin offers Olivers services and arranges Nancy to deliver Oliver to his house .Fagin watches Nancy for any signs of hesitation. Despite her earlier protests against trapping Oliver in a life of crime, she betrays no further misgivings. After his observation, he muttered to himself,“The worst of these women is, that a very little thing serves to call up some long forgotten feeling, and the best of them is, that is never lasts.”4(p125)From here, we can see Fagin begins to trust Nancy again .He believes Nancy saving Oliver last time just was outburst .It does not last for a long time.Bill Sikes is ill with a fever and very poor now. Fagin and his friends pretends to drop in .In fact, he just has new task .Because he know Sikes is willing to do thing for living at a greater risk, in such a hard time,“I have never forgot you, Bill, never once!”Fagin said.“No, Ill pound it that you hant,” replied Sikes,“ You are scheming and plotting away ,every hour that Ive laid shivering and burning here; and Bill was to do this ; and Bill was to do that ,and Bill was to do it all, dirt cheap ,as soon as he got well ;and was quite poor enough for your work.”5(p120)Sikes understands they have not any value in Fagins eyes. Sikes, Nancy and other children who services for Fagin, if they cannot do things for him, they are nothing to him. They are only tools serving for Fagin. When Nancy is about to get money from Fagin, she comes across Monks. Nancy follows them and overhears their conversation. Fagin notice that Nancys face is so pale. Nancy pretends to be alarmed and Fagin does not ask any more about this. Maybe Fagin begin to distrust what the girl says, because he takes so much notice on her from then on.On the night, Nancy tries to leave for London Bridge. Fagin is visiting Sikes, Both Fagin and Sikes notice Nancy is very uneasy. When Fagin departs, he asks that Nancy conduct him downstairs .He whispers to her he will help her leave the brute Sikes if she wants. He hopes to persuade to murder Sikes and bring her new love into his gang. Fagin always make every chance to know others information. Thereby he can solidify his control over her.Fagin sends Noah to watch Nancy and knows the details of her meeting with Rose and Mr. Brownlow. Fagin and Noah relate the details of Nancys trip. Fagin purposely does not tell Sikes that Nancy insisted that her associates not get into trouble. In a rage, Sikes rushes home and beats Nancy to death while she begs for mercy. 1.3 The Attitude to Sikes in Different Time When Nancy and Sikes drag Oliver to Fagins den, they see some people are hung on gallows. Nancy says to Sikes,“I wouldnt hurry by, if it was you that was coming out to be hung, the next time eight oclock struck, Bill, Id walk round and round the place till I dropped, if the snow was on the ground , and I hadnt a shawl to cover me,”“And what good would that do? ” inquired the unsentimental Mr. Sikes.6(P96)It is Nancys loyalty to Sikes, but Sikes does not care about it at all. When Sikes falls ill with a fever, Nancy still takes good care of him despite his irritable manner.“Such a number of night ,”said the girl with a touch of womans tenderness ,which communicated something like sweetness of tone ,even to her voice ;such a number of nights as Ive been patient with you, nursing and caring for you, as if you had been a child”7(P245)It is a womans love expression to a man, although the man is such a vicious person. In her pitiful life, she cannot find any other comfort besides giving her broken heart to a man and being loyal to him. As a woman, love is highest spiritual support. Where Nancy lives determines who loves .In her world she has not choice besides being loyal to a man in her way.In others eyes, it is unreasonable. In the meeting with Rose, Nancy refuses Roses help her escape her from her criminal life. Rose can not understand and asks Nancy,.“. What fascination is that can take you back, and make you cling to wickedness and misery?”The girl replied, “ set our rotten hearts on any man, and let him fill the place that has been a blank through all our wretched lives, who can hope to cure us? Pity us, lady- pity us for having only one feeling of the woman left and having that turned, by a heavy judgment, from a comfort and a pride into a new means of violence and suffering. ” 8(P259)Sikes and Nancy, the first letter of their name are S and N, they stand for the two poles of the earth, implying two different characters, but they cannot live without each other. Nancy refuses Mr. Brownlow and Roses help, but she says that she is chained to her criminal life. Nancy is compassionate and intelligent, While Sikes is a brutal professional burglar brought up in Fagins gang .He treats Nancy with an odd combination of cruelty and grudging familiarity .His murder of Nancy is the most heinous of many crime that occur in the novel. After murdering Nancy, Sikes flees London, only to find that his conscience will not let him escape. The entire account of Sikess flight is also among the most psychologically sophisticated passages in the novel. Up until this point, Sikes has been a pure villain .In his guilt, however, he becomes realistically human. Pursued by his guilty conscience and an angry mob, he inadvertently hangs himself while trying to escape. Nancys love for Sikes exemplifies the moral ambiguity of her character. As she herself points out to Rose, devotion to a man can be “a comfort and a pride “under the right circumstances But for Nancy, such devotion is “a new means of violence and suffering”-indeed, her relationship with Sikes leads her to criminal acts for his sake and eventually to her own demise .The same behavior, in different circumstances, can have very different consequences and moral significance. In much of Oliver Twist, morality and nobility are black-and-white issues, but Nancys character suggests that the boundary between virtue and vice is not always clearly drawn.2The Reason of Nancys Double CharacterEngland in the 1830s was rapidly undergoing a transformation from an agricultural, rural economy to an urban, industrial nation. In the extremely stratified English class structure, the highest social class belonged to the “gentleman,” an aristocrat who did not have to work for his living. The growing middle class had achieved an economic influence equal to, if not greater than, that of the British aristocracy. Many members of the middle class were anxious to be differentiated from the lower classes, and one way to do so was to stigmatize the lower class as lazy good-for nothings.Victorian society interpreted economic success as a sign that God favored the honest, moral virtue of successful individuals efforts and, thus, interpreted the condition of poverty as a sign of the weakness of the poor individual. The poor were naturally destined for lives of degradation and desperation. Living in such a society, although Nancy hopes some difference will happen on her, the society is hard to make her dream come true.2.1 Social Environments Influence to Nancys Double CharacterNancy has become a child pickpocket from a very young age. It is hard to know her birth background from the novel. She may be a love child as Oliver. What makes her to