VII 34 Thomas Hardy

1、Who is him? “我觉得读他一册书比受大学教育四年都要好”徐志摩 集外文Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) 托马斯托马斯哈代哈代Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) I. Life Story II. Works III. Styles IV. Significances V. Tess of the DUrbervillesHardy was born in 1840 near Dorchester, the area that became the famous “Wessex” in many of his novels. Life Story Hard

2、ys Parents:Thomas and Jemima HardyHardys HometownHigher Bockhampton, Dorchester, Dorset 1856-1862 Hardy apprenticed as an architect for four years to John Hicks. At 21 he moved to London to be an assistant architect. It was during his time in London that Hardy turned to the writing of poetry.Hardys

3、Cottage1862Started working for Arthur Bloomfield in London.1863Awarded a cash prize for architecture. Did not accept the cash prize. Hardy continued working as an architectural assistant until 1872, when he took up writing full-time. While Hardy wrote poetry originally, he eventually adopted novel-w

4、riting for financial reasons. He began writing his first published novel Desperate Remedies (1871), and this year is also when he met his first wife, Emma Lavinia Gifford. He was able to marry her after the successful publication of Far From the Madding Crowd in 1874.September 17, 1874 Married Emma

5、Gifford The couple at first lived in the West Country, but they later moved to London for three years in 1878. They returned to Dorset in 1881 and settled at Max Gate on the outskirts of Dorchester in 1885. They remained here for the rest of their lives, but continued to visit London regularly. The

6、marriage was unhappy, and this is supposedly reflected in Jude the Obscure (1895). They travelled widely and kept occupied.1912 Death of Emma Hardy. February, 6, 1914 Married Florence Dugdale By the time Emma Hardy died in 1912 Thomas Hardy had become a celebrated and prolific English author. In 191

7、4, He married Florence Emily Dugdale. With her help he destroyed many of his letters and journals and prepared two misleading volumes on his life: The Early Life of Thomas Hardy, 18401891 (1928) and The Later Years of Thomas Hardy, 18921928 (1930). Both were published after the authors death under t

8、he name of his wife. Disgusted by the restraints of Victorian conventions, Hardy decided to write no more novels. Subsequently he wrote poetry instead, as was his top priority but for necessity. Beginning with his first volume, Wessex Poems (1898), he published a book of poems about every four or fi

9、ve years. Living in the Victorian era, a p e r i o d w h e n i d e a s o f Darwinian Evolution were widely discussed, his novels represent evolutionary ideas.Westminster Abbey Thomas Hardy died on January 11,1928 . His body was buried in Westminster Abbey, whereas his heart was buried with his first

10、 wife in Stinsford Churchyard, Dorset.Poets CornerHere lies the heart of Thomas HardyWorksoAs a novelist: Hardy divided his novels and collected short stories into three classes: Novels of Character and Environment Romances and Fantasies Novels of IngenuityoAs a poet: Wessex Poems and Other Verses (

11、1898) The Dynasts, Part 1 (1904) The Dynasts, Part 2 (1906) The Dynasts, Part 3 (1908)Other WorksoRomances and Fantasies:nA Pair of Blue Eyes (1873) nThe Trumpet-Major (1880) nTwo on a Tower (1882) nA Group of Noble Dames (1891, a collection of short stories) nThe Well-Beloved (1897) (first publishe

12、d as a serial from 1892). oNovels of Ingenuity:nDesperate Remedies (1871) nThe Hand of Ethelberta (1876) nA Laodicean (1881) Novels of Character and Environment oUnder the Greenwood Tree (1872) 绿荫下绿荫下oFar from the Madding Crowd (1874)远离尘嚣远离尘嚣oThe Return of the Native (1878) 还乡还乡oThe Woodlanders (188

13、7) 林地居民林地居民oThe Mayor of Casterbridge (1886) 卡斯特桥市长卡斯特桥市长oTess of the DUrbervilles (1891) 德伯家的苔丝德伯家的苔丝oJude the Obscure (1895) 无名的裘德无名的裘德Wessex Novels (Character and environment novels)oHis character and environment novels are also known as “Wessex Novels”, for all the stories are set in the fiction

14、al southern England region that Hardy named Wessex (actually Dorset)o As his character and environment novels or Wessex novels all relate to the life of this one particular region, Hardy started off the tradition of “regional novels”.Wessex Novels 威塞克斯小说威塞克斯小说 哈代以其故乡英国西南部农村（古称威塞克斯地区）为背哈代以其故乡英国西南部农村（

15、古称威塞克斯地区）为背景所作小说的总称（又称性格与环境小说）。反映了十九景所作小说的总称（又称性格与环境小说）。反映了十九世纪中叶以来英国农村的生活，特别是反映了资本主义侵世纪中叶以来英国农村的生活，特别是反映了资本主义侵入农村之后所激起的剧烈社会变动，农民的破产，农村经入农村之后所激起的剧烈社会变动，农民的破产，农村经济、道德、风俗等方面的变化以及人们的精神痛苦。对资济、道德、风俗等方面的变化以及人们的精神痛苦。对资本主义社会的法律、道德、宗教、教育制度多有批判。本主义社会的法律、道德、宗教、教育制度多有批判。有有浓厚的宿命观念和悲剧气氛。浓厚的宿命观念和悲剧气氛。 哈代的哈代的“性格和环境

16、小说性格和环境小说(novels of character and (novels of character and environment)”environment)”，表现出作者对造成威塞克斯社会和威塞，表现出作者对造成威塞克斯社会和威塞克斯人悲剧命运的探讨，经历了克斯人悲剧命运的探讨，经历了“命运悲剧命运悲剧” ” “性格性格悲剧悲剧”“社会悲剧社会悲剧”的发展过程的发展过程。Hardy: a Naturalistic Writer Naturalism in Hardys works:oMans fate is predeterminedly tragic, driven by a c

17、ombined force of “nature,” both inside and outside.oMan proves impotent before fate, however he tries, and he seldom escapes his ordained destiny.Point of ViewoAs a man intellectually advanced and emotionally traditional, Hardy cherished the beauty, simplicity, and honesty of the rural life, but was

18、 aware of the savagery, narrowness and backwardness of the life.oNew discoveries and modern philosophies of the time opened his eye to the stark reality and brought about in him a new understanding of the objectivity, inevitability and cruelty of the natural laws of “survival of the fittest”.oHardys

19、 view of the world was rather dark and gloomy. He believed in the inevitability of the conflict between the inner, subjective human nature and the outer, objective, wild nature or social environment, and the inevitable tragedy of human life.oHardy believed in the existence of some mysterious, supern

20、atural power which was very powerful, half-blind, impulsive, and uncaring to the individuals, and determined their fate, however hard they tried to change or escape it.oHardys works are also noted for the realistic presentation of life and social criticism. They are full of bitter exposure and sharp

21、 criticism of the corrupted, unjust, hypocritical Victorian social system, the cruel exploitation of capitalism, the utilitarian commercialism, and the irrational, inhuman social conventions and morals which killed human wills and desires and destroyed peoples natural emotions and relationships.Comm

22、ents on His NovelsoHis novels share a pessimistic view of the human condition. Nature is indifferent to a persons desires and efforts; perverse luck is as important as individual character in determining ones fate. This makes them unlike mainstream Victorian novels with their hopeful conclusions. oH

23、is novels are influenced by Darwins evolution theory, which stresses that the most adapted species survives the natural selection. Hence, naturalism and fatalism play a great part in his novels. His works are also rich in symbolism, local colorism, allusions (myths and biblical stories).stylesvhis f

24、atalism and pessimismvcombination of naturalism, realism and symbolism vfrequent use of contrast of various kindsvlandscape or nature as part of the human feelingsva strong sense of humor and often describes nature with charm and impressivenessSignificancesoHardy is a leading late-Victorian novelist

25、 and 20th century poet.oHis extraordinary skill in mastering the narrative form, the portrayal of characters and the psychological analysis had great influence to the later writers. oHardy is often regarded as a transitional writer, for he is intellectually advanced and emotionally traditional. In s

26、ome extent, we can say that Hardy is a forerunner of the modernist novel writing.Current scholars believe Hardy to be one of the greatest tragic novelists of English literature.Tess of the DUrbervilles (1891) -A Pure Woman 德伯家的苔丝德伯家的苔丝英国作家、诗人托马斯英国作家、诗人托马斯哈代的哈代的一部经典作品。哈代的作品都具有一种一部经典作品。哈代的作品都具有一种感伤与忧郁

27、感伤与忧郁的情调的情调，所以在他的其它几部小说中也表现出了相，所以在他的其它几部小说中也表现出了相类似的情感。哈代常用类似的情感。哈代常用自然景物的描写来渲染气氛，自然景物的描写来渲染气氛，表现人物的情感。表现人物的情感。 这篇小说描写了一个被侮辱的乡村姑娘苔丝的悲这篇小说描写了一个被侮辱的乡村姑娘苔丝的悲惨遭遇，苔丝是一个想凭自己的双手劳动谋生、追惨遭遇，苔丝是一个想凭自己的双手劳动谋生、追求个人起码幸福权利的纯朴姑娘，可是，社会的强求个人起码幸福权利的纯朴姑娘，可是，社会的强权势力连这样的弱女子也没能放过，最终酿成了她权势力连这样的弱女子也没能放过，最终酿成了她的悲剧。的悲剧。 小说强烈的

28、反宗教、反封建道德、反资产阶级法小说强烈的反宗教、反封建道德、反资产阶级法律的倾向律的倾向，在当时尽管遭到了英国上流社会的反对，在当时尽管遭到了英国上流社会的反对，但却得到了广大读者的喜爱，一发表，很快就被译但却得到了广大读者的喜爱，一发表，很快就被译成多种文字，这部小说还多次搬上荧屏，给哈代带成多种文字，这部小说还多次搬上荧屏，给哈代带来了世界声誉。来了世界声誉。An Overview of the NovelvNarrator: AnonymousvPoint of View: The narrator speaks in the third person, and looks deep

29、into the characters minds. The narrator is objective but has an omniscient understanding of future implications of characters actions as they happen.vTone: Realistic, pessimisticvTense: PastvSetting (time): The 1880s and 1890s, Victorian EraFeudal EconomyCapitalist EconomyReligion Weakening of tradi

30、tionsvSetting (place): Wessex, the southwest of EnglandvProtagonist: Tess Durbeyfield Tess Durbeyfiled is the daughter of a poor villager, who discovers that she is the descendant of the ancient family of the DUrbervilles. However, the family is very poor and unfortunately their horse is killed by a

31、ccident. So Tess is persuaded by her mother to visit the rich DUrbervilles and to claim kindred. She works there and is seduced by the young master of the family, Alec DUrberville, and has to return home in disgrace. She gives birth to a child who dies in infancy, she is considered a sinful woman. S

32、he then goes to work at a dairy farm at Talbothdays. Angel Clare, son of a clergyman. He falls in love with Tess. He proposes to her and they arrange to get married. Previous to the wedding she writes of her past relations with Alec on a piece of paper and thrusts it into his bed-room, but the paper

33、 get mislaid under the carpet and so Angel does not get it. Then, on their wedding night, after Angel tells her of his past relations with a bad woman, Tess tells her whole story about Alec. Plot But, while she forgives him readily, he is too much of a hypocrite and a snob and thinks too much of his

34、 reputation and his honor to forgive her. He leaves her for Brazil and she goes home. Again the poverty of her home forces her to come out to work at Flintcomb-Ash. Then the news of her fathers death comes to her, her family was exiled from their cottage. This drives Tess to go back and seek for ass

35、istance from Alec who has now become a preacher. Angel Clare has somewhat repented of his harsh treatment of Tess and now returns from Brazil to be reconciled to her, but finds her to be living again with Alec. Tess seeing that Alecs relation with her prevents her form going back to live happily wit

36、h Angel for the second time, hates him for ruining her life and kills him. After five days happy life with Angel, the police come after her. She is arrested, tried, convicted and hanged. Structure Look at Tesss journeys in the novel. She leaves home four times and returns three times. Each time Tess

37、 leaves home she is changed from the experience. These journeys allow Hardy to incorporate ancient histories and recent agricultural revolutions into the novel and also remind us of the key incidents in Tesss life. The structure of the novel is base on a cyclical pattern, divided into three parts.Ph

38、ase 1: The MaidenvA prelude, telling how Tess leaves home and encounters Alec. She is seduced by Alec and comes back home disgraced. vThis is the first cycle, beginning in May and ending in August. Phase 2: Maiden No MorevThe main love story of Tess and Angel at Talbothays.vIt begins in May, reaches

39、 its climax at the turning of the year and ends in the following winter.Phase 3: The RallyvThe last part represents her decline. Forced by poverty, Tess returns to Alec until Angel comes to claim her. In shame and anger, Tess kills Alec, and is finally arrested and executed.vThis parts starts in win

40、ter and ends in spring.Tesss Internal MovementvFirst cycleTess: ignorant, dreamyPhysical degradation accompanied with spiritual regenerationvSecond cycleBe deserted on the wedding night new dreamFaces the harsh reality with dignity and courageFrom illusion to reality Character AnalysisvTesswas an in

41、nocent girl, a “pure woman”. She was honest and sweet-natured, and full of love for her family and sympathy for others.vAlecwas rich, handsome, bold, dashing, sensualthe complete lady-killer. He was a fraud as well as a morally corrupt person.vAngelwas well described as “educated, reserved, subtle,

42、sad, differing”. He was a person who was governed by his intellect.Reasons for Tess tragedyvShe is a victim of the society, the economic oppression and social injustice. vHer character was also responsible for her tragedy. Her innocence and ignorance of sex caused the seduction to occur. Her kindnes

43、s made her take responsibility for her family.vLast, and by no means least, is the operation of chance.Is Tess “a pure woman”?vTess is a figure in whom oppositions like virgin and whore collapse. She cannot be read simply one way or the other - she is a mixture of the two. Duality is the feature of

44、Tess. vAnd while she may be a victim of others, she is also capable of murder. All that we can be sure of is that it is all too easy to misread her, and the novel is structured around Alec and Angels mistaken assumptions. Hardy never condemns Tess, either for her baser animal instincts or having had

45、 an illegitimate child. His view of her is the one expressed in the subtitle to the novel. However, the problem for contemporary critics was that purity was associated with virginity. Hardy exposes in Tesss story how women are wronged by the standards of his day. She is essentially a heterogeneous f

46、igure and her society was unable to understand a woman neither virgin or whore, but a mixture of both. Tess of the DUrbervilles: ThemesFatevTess: under the control of an external force that conspires against them. Tess is an ordinary country girl, but her life and death are affected by the fortunes

47、of her predecessors, the ancient dUrberville family. She is bound by the past; doomed from the outset, she will inevitably repeat what has gone before. vHer death seems inevitable and also insignificant Angel is able to replace her with her younger sister, Liza Lu. Even when she is at her happiest,

48、in the Valley of the Great Dairies, her position is likened to that of a fly on a billiard table of indefinite length, and of no more consequence to the surroundings than that fly. The past is shown to determine the present and this is depicted in the landscape, in communities and in the lives of in

49、dividuals.vThus Hardy seems to be telling the reader that the individual is never totally free to act. Life is predestines and so passivity is preferable to willfulness.vNaturevHardy explores in extensive detail the relationship of humanity to nature. This is done by juxtaposing nature with social c

50、onvention. The dictates of society condemn Tess. vThe other side of nature, though, can be immensely cruel: “the serpent hisses where the sweet birds sing”. Hardy does not present an idealized portrait of nature. In presenting it honestly, describing its charms and also its more unattractive feature

51、s, his depiction of nature is fuller and sensual.vHardy presents a certain malignity恶意 in nature, and Hardy uses it both as a presence and as an idea. In the form of the seasons it is used to add structure to the novel and to peoples lives. It is used as the norm against which characters and situati

52、ons are judged, as well as a force acting on them: “A particularly fine spring came round, and the stir of germination was almost audible in the buds; it moved her, as it moved the wild animals, and made her passionate to go.”Tess of the DUrbervilles: Imagery and SymbolismvOn of the most pervasive i

53、mages in the text is the color red, and Tess is closely associated with it, to the point where Hardy seems to have stained her in blood. vShe stands out from the other girls at the beginning of the novel because she is wearing a red ribbon that stands out from her white dress. Angel Clares first gli

54、mpse of Tess is of her ribbon. veven the house of the dUrbervilles is made of red brick. But not only is she surrounded by the color, it is also a part of Tess herself. vHer snake-like mouth is very red, and when she finally kills Alec the reader is drawn to the red on white of his blood on the ceil

55、ing of the lodging house, growing until it “had the appearance of a gigantic ace of hearts”. Images and omens also converge.The final scenevTess and Angel stop in Stonehenge after they have traveled a long way and need rest. The stones are still warm from the sun, radiating heat all during the cool

56、night.v Angel recognizes that Tess is “lying on an altar” - like a sacrifice to the ancient pagans异教徒 who used to practice there. In a modern sense, Tess is sacrificed to the laws and morals of the nineteenth century.StonehengeStonehenge is the spectacular ring of massive standing stones in Englandv

57、Another important element is nature, which contributes to the final scene: the coming of light is the coming of death, the winds die out, the stones are still and the scene is now ready for the sacrifice: “the sky was dense with cloud, some fragment of a moon”.vAll in all, Tesss experience and natur

58、e elements present a very important connection, as they contribute to the solemnity and the tragedy of the moment when Tess is hanged. The significance of Tess of the DUrbervilles In this novel, Hardy attributes the whole tragedy to the accidental discovery by Tess Father of their ancestry(血统) and e

59、mphasizes the chance happenings as largely responsible for the unhappy relations between Tess and Angel Clare. But, the realistic unfolding（展开） of the story points definitely to the disintegration（瓦解） of English peasantry（小农阶级） and the hypocritical morality of bourgeois society as the obvious causes of the tragedy. When Hardy gives the novel a subtitle, “A Pure Woman Faithfully Portrayed”,