生态批评视域中的呼啸山庄毕业论文

1、 . .PAGE23 / NUMPAGES32中图分类号：I106.4学号： 师学院本科毕业论文论文题目： 生态批评视域中的呼啸山庄 作者：指导教师：学 院： 外 国 语 学 院 专 业： 英 语 班 级：二一三年三月生态批评视域中的呼啸山庄 师学院外国语学院英语专业申请文学学士学位毕业论文作者：指导教师：WutheringHeightsfrom Eco-critical PerspectiveA Thesis Submitted toEnglish Department,School of Foreign Languages,NanyangNormalUniversityin Partial

2、 Fulfillment of the Requirementsfor the Degree of Bachelor of ArtsBySupervisor：AcknowledgementsI would like to thank all those who have given me their generous help, commitment and enthusiasm, which have been the major driving force to complete the current paper. Especially I would like to take this

3、 chance to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, , who is my supervisor as well as an excellent teacher in our ForeignLanguageSchool for her kindly assistance and valuable suggestions during the process of my thesis writing. Her willingness to give her time so generously has been very much

4、appreciated. My gratitude also extends to my classmates and peer friends, for their encouragement and support for the completion of this thesis.摘 要艾米莉勃朗特是英国维多利亚时期一位杰出的作家，她的杰作呼啸山庄被公认为英国最杰出的小说之一。一百多年来，学术界对呼啸山庄从不同角度进行过研究。然而，从生态批评角度对其进行研究却寥寥无几。本文从生态批评的角度来解读呼啸山庄中自然与文明的关系，二者之间的相互斗争，相互交融，最终达到和谐统一的天人合一状态。生态

5、批评自诞生以来因其强烈的现实性而大受追捧。本文运用生态批评的方法阐释两家人在斗争中最终走向和谐的过程，反映了回归自然融入自然，人与自然和谐相处，人与人和谐相处的生态哲思。除此之外，精神生态理论认为人的心灵健康是生态平衡的重要因素。没有良好的精神家园，必然会造成大自然的生态平衡。这对当今建设生态文明，建设和谐社会具有一定的启蒙作用。关键词：呼啸山庄；生态批评；自然与文明；回归自然和回归自我；社会生态和精神生态AbstractEmily Bronte was a brilliant writer in Victorian Period. Her work, WutheringHeights, is

6、 generally considered a masterpiece that stands outside the mainstream of Victorian Literature. As time passed by, her novel WutheringHeights, has gained more and more attention. Scholars study it from different views. However, few critics have done from the perspective of Eco-criticism. My thesis t

7、ries to apply eco-criticism to analyze the relationship between nature and culture, with elaboration on how their conflicts lead to the loss of selves and how their balance helps bring back the harmony and the modern revelation embodied in this novel.Since its debut, eco-criticism is popular with cr

8、itics because it concerns much about reality. According to eco-critical integrity, this thesis holds that in spite of conflict and struggle, nature and civilization can arrive at the harmony through conflicting development, which forcefully attacks the idea maintained by ecological pessimists that n

9、ature and civilization could never co-exist harmoniously. That is to say, the novel reflects the idea of returning to nature and integrating with nature, and keeping a harmonious relationship between man and nature. Otherwise, ecologists hold that man should have a sound mind in order to lead a well

10、-balanced life. Meanwhile, the upsetting of spiritual balance will lead to the unbalancing of the whole ecology, which has the enlightening and profound significance for constructing a harmonious society.Key Words: WutheringHeights; Eco-criticism; nature and civilization; returning to nature; social

11、 and spiritual ecology ContentsAcknowledgements I摘要 IIAbstract IIIContents V1. Introduction11.1 Literature Review and the Current Studies 11.2 Eco-criticism 22. Confliction between Nature and Culture 32.1 The Symbol of the Wilderness 32.2 Description of the Wilderness that Reflects the Confliction b

12、etween Nature and Culture 52.3 Nature as WutheringHeights 52.4 Culture as Thrshcross Grange 73. The Distorted Relationships in WutheringHeights: The Crisis of Social Ecology 83.1 Alienation 83.2 The Loss of Self: the Crisis of Spiritual Ecology 93.2.1 Catherines Identification with Nature 103.2.2 Ca

13、therines Betrayal of Her Identification 114.Rehabilitation through Returning to Nature 134.1 Heathcliffs and Catherines Eventual Return to Nature 134.2 The Second Generations Identification with Nature 144.3 Return to Nature: The Way Out for Civilization 15Conclusion18Bibliography201. Introduction L

14、iterature Review and the Current StudiesEmily Bronte is remembered and extolled chiefly as the author of one novel, WutheringHeights, which is regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces in the world literature. It is well-known that since “Emily heat” and “WutheringHeights doctrines” formed in the

15、 twentieth century, new interpretations of Emily and WutheringHeights have come into a continuous stream. The Belgian essayist and poet, Maeterinck, says Emily is a woman who is expert in meditation and she is highly skilled in experiencing and observing what she has seen and heard. She has never fa

16、llen in love with anyone but she has already understood love and talked about it and got into its most incredible myth. (Cecil, 2002:139) At that time many people judged this novel from the theme, the characters, the plot and the motif, such as these common factors. It involves a lot of themes to ta

17、lk: passion, love, clash of elemental forces, the clash of economic interest and social classes, the striving for transcendence, the abusive patriarch and patriarchal family, study of childhood and the family, the effects of intense suffering, self-imposed of self-generated confinement and escape, d

18、isplacement, dispossession, and exile, communication and understanding, the fall.The universe is made up of two opposite forces, storm and calm. WutheringHeights and the Earnshaws represent the storm; while Thrushross Grange and the Lintons, the calm. Catherine and Herthcliff are elemental creatures

19、 of the storm.That is David Cecils theorya principle of calm and storm. The single principle that ultimately directs them sooner or later imposes equilibrium.His interpretations trying to prove the novel had a unified structure. Surveying these myriad efforts, J. Hills Miller challenged the assumpti

20、on that the novel presents a unified, coherent, single meaning: The secret truth about WutheringHeights, rather, is that there is no secret truth which criticism might formulate in this way It leaves something important still unaccounted for The text is over-rich.”(Miller, 1998:204) Perhaps F.R. Lea

21、vis penned the most quoted modern interpretation of WutheringHeights when he excluded it from the great tradition of the English novel because it was a “sport,” i.e., had no meaningful connection to fiction which preceded it of influence on fiction which followed it. (Leavis, 1988:132) Eco-criticism

22、 as A Literary ApproachEco-criticism is one of the most recent interdisciplinary fields that have emerged in literary and cultural studies. It began in the 1970s, burgeoned in the late 1990s and is still experiencing its booming development at present. Stressing the linkage between the literary text

23、s and the natural world, or environment, it is developed against the background of the increasingly severe environmental crisis and the development of global movement of Environmentalism.Due to its broad scope of inquiry and vision, Eco-criticism cannot be limited to one single methodology, but rath

24、er is required to be integrated with other literary theories and disciplines. For instance, while interpreting the texts, Eco-criticism often applies to the close reading approach of new criticism. With the appearance and formation of Eco-criticism, it is possible to see the book in the light of the

25、 new theory. It not only offers new and elaborates frameworks in which the book might be discussed, but also raises questions about the very motivations that have driven critics of earlier decades to write so persistently about the novel.Eco-criticism emerges as a response to a growing worldwide env

26、ironmental pressure and the need for humanistic understanding of our relationships with the natural world. Because of this unprecedented ecological crisis, many disciplines of humanities, such as history, philosophy, law, sociology, and even religion, have been felt by scholars of literature, who ha

27、ve realized the necessity and importance of environmental concern and revising the critical focus of their studies. The word “eco-criticism” traces back to William Rueckerts 1978 essay “Literature and Ecology: An Experiment in Eco-criticism” and apparently lay dormant in critical vocabulary until th

28、e 1989 Western Literature Association meeting, when Cheryll Glotfelty not only revived the term but urged its adoption to refer to the diffuse critical field that heretofore had been known as “the study of nature writing.” Cherylls call for an “eco-criticism” was immediately seconded at that same WL

29、A meeting by Glen Love in his Past Presidents speech, entitled “Revaluing Nature: Toward an Ecological Literary Criticism”. Since that meeting in 1989, the term “eco-criticism” has bloomed in usage.2. Confliction between Nature and Culture2.1 The Symbol of the WildernessThe word “wilderness” derives

30、 from the Anglo-Saxon “wilddeoren”: where “deoren” exists beyond the boundaries of cultivation. So the useful part is “wild” which has been endowed with different meanings. In the course of humans conquering nature, wilderness gradually loses self-discipline and its value. Particularly, with the roa

31、ring of anthropocentrism, wilderness is enduring disaggregation and reference being read. Generally speaking, the symbolic idea of wilderness presents two complex archetypes: the result of humans moral desolation and spiritual degenerateness, and the place of moral returning and spiritual purifying.

32、 In literary history, it is regarded as the shadow of civilization connecting with evil as well as the synonymy of civilization relating to spiritual purifying, which is tinted with different cultural colors. The wilderness is also associated with Satan. In Judaco-Christian conception, wilderness co

33、mbines trial and danger with freedom redemption and purity; and furthermore, is the place nearer to God. American environmentalist Nash Roderick argues that wilderness is not only the title for desert and droughty places, but also the symbol of moral evil; as a result that God usually chastises diso

34、beyed and evil people in wilderness.About the idea of wilderness, Greg Garrard, an eco-critic, in his book Eco-criticism, wrote: The idea of wilderness, signifying nature in a state uncontaminated by civilization, is the most potent construction of nature available to New World Environmentalism. It

35、is a construction mobilized to protect particular habitats and species, and is seen as a place for the reinvigoration of those tired of the moral and material pollution of the city. The wilderness question is also central to eco-criticisms challenge to the status quo of literary and cultural studies

36、. In that it does not share the predominantly social concerns of the traditional humanities. (Garrard: 59)The Green Studies Reader, Laurence Coupe pointed out:Wilderness doesnt mean chaos; it “alludes to a process of self-organization that generate systems and organisms, all of which are within the

37、constraints of and constitute components of larger systems that again are wild, such as a major ecosystem”(Laurence Coupe 127). Eco-critics stand by the concern that wilderness is the essence of nature, and is very essential to man, especially to his spirit.2.2 Description of the Wilderness that Ref

38、lects the Confliction between Nature and CultureA symbolic image means concrete representation, as in art, literature, that is expressive or evocative of something else, a personification of something specified. In this novel WutheringHeights, nature becomes one of the indispensable elements in symb

39、olism-symbolic image. With regard to the power of nature, it “plays a much larger part in Emily Brontes book than it does in most novelists.”“Emily often uses symbolism to express the enormous serene passion instead of the simple words and actions since they fail to powerfully convey it. One of Emil

40、ys writing craft is that nature images function as symbols to show the characters psychological activities. Emily describes the natural images as if they can communicate with people and as if they have feelings and sagacity like human beings. Nature has become the symbol of characters. Especially in

41、 the confliction between nature and culture, it implies in this symbol: wilderness.2.3 Nature as WutheringHeightsIn Emily Bronte novel WutheringHeights, there are two places where virtually the characters all the actions take place. From the symbolic description of the settings, the readers can lear

42、n clearly the characteristics of the owners of the two houses and foresee the hideous conflicts between the two families. These two places, WutheringHeights and Thrushcross Grange differ greatly in appearance and mood. These differences reflect the universal conflict between storms and calm that Emi

43、ly Bronte develops it as the theme in her novel WutheringHeights. Emily associates the symbolic settings with the novels characters. And the meaning and the suggestiveness of these symbolic settings increase the readers understanding of the theme. WutheringHeights is always in a state of storminess

44、while Thrushcross Grange always seems calm. David Cecil maintains that, “On the one hand what may be called the principle of stormof the harsh, the ruthless, the wild, and the dynamic; and on the other the principle of calmof the gentle, the merciful, the passive and the tame.”WutheringHeightshas th

45、e same mood as Heathcliff and Catherine. The symbolic setting accords with their intrinsic natures. The title of the bookWutheringHeights involves the meaning, “Wuthering may be viewed as a premonitory indication of the mysterious happenings to be experiences by those inhabiting the edifice.” (p.2).

46、 Its main characteristic is to expose to the power of the wind, which makes it appear fortress-like. The name of the place itself is symbolic of his nature. Heathcliff is described as a storm, living as he does in the tumult of a tempest. The Heights and its surroundings depict the coldness, darknes

47、s, and evil associated with Hell. This parallels Heathcliff: In addition, the author depicts specific parts of the house as analogues to Heathcliffs face. Emily Bronte describes the windows of the Heights as “deeply set in the wall.” Similarly, Heathcliff has deep-set dark eyes. This symbolizes that

48、 Heathcliff has the very spirit of WutheringHeightsthe cold, dark, wild dismal dwelling.2.4 Culture as Thrshcross Grange“WutheringHeights suggest a tumult of winds and warping of nature of Heathcliff-his vengeful, hellish policy of torturing and degrading others of his own end. Thrshcross Grange, th

49、e name of which suggests something cultivated and Christian is less bleak and elemental than WutheringHeights.”(Pinion, 1975)The geographical feature of Thrushcross Grange is quite different from WutheringHeights. Grange is a more cultivated and calm house and no harsh elements threaten the very exi

50、stence of it. “The two houses show us two possible ways of living: the one rock-like, built on the Heights, a bastion against the weather yet perilously close to the wild elements, the other crouched in the cultivated valley and standing a sheltered park.”(Goodridge, 1968)” The alley and the shelter

51、ed park have formed natural barrier for Thrushcross Grange, which is thus protected against the harsh winds on the moors. As a result, the effects of weather are always gentler, filtered, and weaker. In a word, the setting of Grange shows that its dwellers have the upper class of Victorian lifestyle

52、, which represents civilization in the society.Therefore, the Linton children are the strangers of fierce wind and any other kind of wild life outside of warm house. They are beautiful in appearance and gentle in behavior, but compared with the vigorous children of Heights, they are weak in constitu

53、tion and lack the freshness and spirits of the healthy youths. Both Edgar and Isabella die young, as Nelly says, “Her (Isabella) family were of a delicate constitution: she and Edgar both lacked the ruddy health”(Bronte, 2002:237). Linton is a typical example, facing Heathcliffs threatening, and he

54、is defenseless and impotent and only shows his coward weakness. For example, in Chapter Eleven, there is the face-to-face confrontation between Edgar and Heathcliff. Edgar shows apparent fears, which is laughed at by Heathcliff.3. The Distorted Relationships in WutheringHeights: The Crisis of Social

55、 Ecology3.1 Alienation In the two houses, people are estranged and alienated from each other though they are related to each other. First, there is the estrangement between parents and children. Old Mr. Earnshaw cannot understand his children. So he and his daughter Catherine always irk each other w

56、henever they have any conversations. He reprimands Catherine, saying why she cannot be a good girl, and only getting the reply that why he cannot be a good father. His son Hindley even resents him. Later Hindley also is unable to establish intimate relationship with his son Hareton. Instead, it is t

57、o his antagonist Heathcliff that Hareton has a deep emotional attachment. Then there is estrangement between husband and wife. The most typical examples are the estrangements between Edgar and Catherine as well as between Heathcliff and Isabella. Edgar does not understand Catherine all his life. The

58、y seem like a happy couple, yet they are strangers to each other in truth. To save their relationship, Edgar chooses to walk away to appease their fury whenever they quarrels. However, the problem remains there. Heathcliff cheats Isabella into marriage in order to revenge. Then he treats his life ab

59、ominably and his cruelty finally drives Isabella to run away. The estrangement and alienation between Heathcliff and Catherine is shocking since Heathcliff and Catherine have been so intimate that even Hindleys punishment could not separate them. However, after Catherine accepts the values represent

60、ed by the civilized Grange, estrangement arises (Burns 31). Heathcliff has a humble status and is dismissed quickly from the presence of the Linton house. Catherine is decorated from head to toe for the first time. Now she is no longer the hatless and bare-footed small girl. As a result, Edgar “stoo