论雾都孤儿的社会意义

1、精选优质文档-倾情为你奉上精选优质文档-倾情为你奉上专心-专注-专业专心-专注-专业精选优质文档-倾情为你奉上专心-专注-专业Analysis the Social Significance of Oliver TwistAbstract: Charles Dickens is the major representatives of Britain realistic literature in 19th, who is one of the most influential novel masters in the European history of modern literature

2、. In Oliver Twist, he uses the exquisite brushwork and rich life experience, recreating the real life of the poor children in bourgeois culture, revealing the hypocrisy and dark of the poor relief in that capitalist society at that time. It produces huge influence on the political, educational and c

3、ultural and other aspects.This paper introduces the personal information and achievements of Charles Dickens, as well as the content and background information of Oliver Twist, and from two aspects of home and abroad presents research situation about Oliver Twist, involved in literature, religion an

4、d moral aspects of human nature, then making detailed description about the social significance of Oliver Twist. Based on the social background at that time, the thesis analyses the social significance of Oliver Twist from four aspects. From the political aspect, this part reveals the darkness of wo

5、rkhouses, describing the miserable life of poor children who live in London underworld. From the educational aspect: Nancy, for example, analyzing the influence of education for the childrens growth. From the moral aspect: according to the description of different characters, reflecting the heros pu

6、rity and good. From the cultural aspects: This part is from three aspects - realism, romanticism and humorous art to reflect the literary value of the novel. This paper aims to make readers have a more profound understanding on Oliver Twist in combination with the social background and the authors p

7、ersonal experience, Key Words: Charles Dickens; Oliver Twist; Significance; Workhouse论雾都孤儿的社会意义摘要: 查尔斯狄更斯是19世纪英国现实主义文学的主要代表，是欧洲近现代文学史上极具影响力的小说大师之一，在雾都孤儿中，他用及其精湛的笔法和丰富的生活阅历，再现了资产阶级文化下贫穷儿童的悲惨而真实生活，揭露了当时资本主义社会下，贫民救济所的黑暗和虚伪。对当时的政治、经济、文化等方面产生了巨大的影响。本文介绍了查尔斯狄更斯的个人信息和获得的成就，以及雾都孤儿的内容和创作背景，并从国内国外两个方面陈述了关于雾都孤

8、儿的研究状况，涉及到文学、宗教以及人性道德等方面，接下来对雾都孤儿的社会意义进行了详细阐述。本文根据当时的社会背景，重点从四个方面分析雾都孤儿的社会意义。政治方面，小说揭露了贫民救济所的黑暗，描写了了伦敦下层社会贫困儿童的悲惨生活；从教育方面：以南希为例，分析了教育对当时儿童成长的影响；道德方面：根据人物性格的对比描述，体现主人公的纯真和善良；文化方面：从现实主义，浪漫主义和幽默艺术三个方面来体现这部小说的文学价值。本文的目的在于让读者结合当时的社会背景和作者的个人经历，对雾都孤儿有更深刻的认识。关键词：查尔斯狄更斯；雾都孤儿；社会意义；济贫院Contents TOC o 1-2 h z u

9、1. IntroductionCharles Dickens is one of the greatest novelists in Victorian England. In his early years, He works as a reporter and this kind of experience gives him a good knowledge of the political life of England at that time. As a result of the ability to keenly notice the social situations in

10、London, he writes many famous novels that describes the dark sides of the society. As a famous British critical realism novelist，Dickens pays special attention to describe the “somebody” that lives at the bottom in the UK, which deeply reflects the complex social reality at that time, making the out

11、standing contributions for the exploration and development of English critical realism literature. Oliver Twist is one of the most important social novels in Dickens early works, which marks the beginning of Dickens literary life. The novel writes the true colors of people at the bottom of British s

12、ociety, which vividly shows the readers the picture of peoples real life and social condition at that time. In Oliver Twist, Dickens merciless satirizes the influence of industrialism on 19th century in England and harshly criticizes New Poor Law. In the novel, Dickens also makes a social commentary

13、, which attacks the hypocritical and defective f institutions, including the government, the laws and criminal system. He points out that it is the deep injustice of these systems that inflicts too much suffering of the poor people. The social reality and the realistic view of the terrible life of t

14、he poor people that Dickens describes encourage most of the readers to deeply think about the social reform which can remove the inequality and discrimination. And especially its social significance is very important for the citizens who live in the modern society. This paper aims to talks about the

15、 Oliver Twists significance through the deep analysis of social reality in Victorian Age and modern society. In order to make people have a better understanding about this novel, to make people find the real social value of this novel and its contributions to the world literature.1.1 An Introduction

16、 of the Society BackgroundVictorian Age, which Charles Dickens lives in is also the heyday of British Empire. With the increase of the countrys military forces, further expansion plunders a lot of treasure that provides rich fund for primitive accumulation of capital. The whole British society prese

17、nts a prosperous scene.In the aspect of economy, the industrial revolution can be defined as application of powerful-driven machinery to manufacturing and the consequent massive social, economic and technological changes that marked the transition from a rural and agricultural society to an urban an

18、d manufacturing one(Wang Qingming 2008:90). It makes great contributions to the development of Britain. However, every coin has two sides. There is a growing gap between the rich and the poor. In order to accumulate capital, the bourgeoisie brutally exploits the working class, which creates a great

19、number of dilapidated slums. A lot of underprivileged people are still living in the unbearable poor and misery. Meanwhile, the wandering orphan in the city becomes a big social problem.In the aspect of politic, Oliver Twists publication is a great shock to the political system of Britain when The P

20、oor Law has just passed. Because there is a huge gap between the poor and the rich, more and more poor people are struggling in the edge of death. And the whole Britain society is in a disorder. In order to solve the social problem, the Bill establishes a Poor Law Commission to oversee the national

21、operation of the system(He Qinxin 2000:36). It forces the poor people into workhouse instead of giving them sufficient money to survive in their hometown. There is no doubt that they fail. The New Poor Law can not deal with the cause of poverty-chronic unemployment and naturally low wages. In the 18

22、90s many people in the towns can not keep themselves healthily fed and clothed. Meanwhile, the major contradiction between labor and capital in the political arena becomes more definitely. The working class wants more political right and freedom. While factories put ruthless exploitation on workers

23、who live in a bad condition, in order to survive, women and children must go to work in dirty factories. As class contradictions become more and more serious, the working class starts to unite, leading to the Charter Movement. And it means that the working class begins to wake up. 1.2 An Introductio

24、n of Charles Dickens Charles Dickens was born on 7 February 1812, in Landport, Portsmouth, in Hampshire, the second of eight children. His father, John Dickens (17861851), was a clerk in the Navy Pay Office at Portsmouth. His family early has enough wealth to provide Dickens with some private educat

25、ion at William Giles school, in Chatham. However, this time of prosperity ends very abruptly. His father is imprisoned at Marshalsea debtors prison because he spends beyond his means in entertaining and in retaining his social position. Just before his fathers arrest, the 12-year-old Dickens begins

26、to work ten-hour days at Warrens Blacking Warehouse, on Hungerford Stairs, near the present Charing Cross railway station. He earns six shillings a week pasting labels on jars of thick shoe polish. This money has to be paid for his lodgings at the house of family friend and helping support his famil

27、y.Dickenss experiences serve to influence his later fiction and essays, which are the foundation of his interest in the reform of socioeconomic and labor conditions. The rigors of which he believes are unfairly borne by the poor, in pre-Industrial-Revolution England. His childhood experience contrib

28、utes to his views on social reform, and his mercy for the lower class, especially the children. He criticizes many aspects of 19th century Britain, including the temperance movement, the prison system, the Parliamentary election process, and the practice of imprisonment for debt. Meanwhile, he also

29、criticizes the abuse of responsibilities in the Court of Chancery, the philanthropists organization, and also home. During his lifetime, Dickens is viewed as a popular entertainer of fecund imagination. His endless invention of memorable characters and his powerful social criticism are championed by

30、 many later critics. The popularity of his novels during his lifetime and to the present is demonstrated by the fact that none of his novels has ever gone out of primHis writing style is humorous and poetic，with a strong comic sense and magnificent imagination. The Encyclopedia Britannic states that

31、 he and Shakespeare are the two unique popular classics that England has given the world，and they are alike in being remembered not for one masterpiece but for a creative worldAlthough he was born in a poor family and lack of further education，Dickens is still enthusiastic about reading and studying

32、，which offers him profound knowledge.1.3 A Brief Introduction of Oliver TwistOliver Twist is one of the most enduringly popular stories written by Dickens. The story is mainly about the difficult life changes of little hero-Oliver. Oliver himself was born in a workhouse and treated cruelly. There is

33、 the norm for pauper children at the time, which is particularly by Bumble, a parish council official. The story follows Oliver as he escapes from the workhouse and runs away to London. Here he is controlled by Fagin (the leader of criminal gang, which includes the brutal thief Bill Sikes, the famou

34、s artful Dodger, Nancy and so on). They want to teach Oliver to commit and make the little boy become the member of them. However, Oliver is rescued by his benefactor- Mr. Brownlow, but Monks(Olivers older half-blooded brother) makes the evildoers kidnap the boy again. Nancy intervenes him but is mu

35、rdered merciless by Sikes after she has discovered Monks sinister intention. The story ends happily and with justice for Bumble and the cruel Monks who has hidden the truth of Olivers parentage out of malice. The purpose of Dickens who writes Oliver Twist is clear, which is evident from his letter-w

36、ritten preface: “I wished to show, in little Oliver, the principle of Good Surviving through every adverse circumstance and triumphing at last”(Lu Jiangguo 2004:7) The companions among whom he is to be tried are the criminals of Londons underworld. The author describes it not in a romantic mood just

37、 as his contemporary novels, showing much miserable reality. That reality is the great and enduring strength of the book. Dickens knows it a lot by close observation about the real life of the poor that lives at the bottom of British society, which he has demonstrated in, has newspaper sketches of L

38、ondon streets and criminal court. Also, there is another reason that he knows it by his own reason. He knows those kinds of feelings, so of course he can share the childrens suffering, for he bewilders in those years when he hands labored hopelessly in the blacking-warehouse. Maybe it is the main re

39、ason that why he pays too much attention to common peoples lives and their feelings.2. Literature Review 2.1 The Status of Abroad ResearchOliver Twist has been researched abroad for a long history. Dickens is the main research object in the field of Victoria culture. The foreign scholar Gilbert Keit

40、h Chesterton publishes a collected works, which names Appreciations and Criticisms of the Works of Charles Dickens in 1991. Many people think that Dickens has many classical works which has great influence on the whole society and he should be praised. But, Chesterton has his own distinct idea about

41、 Dickens, that the great people Dickens also should be criticized. Dickens plots are often dismissed in many different points of view. For example, in Parentage and Inheritance in the Novels of Charles Dickens, released by Anny Sadrin, he argues that they should rather be seen as the embodiment of o

42、ne of Dickenss central preoccupation: dramatic rituals of succession. According to the readings of individual texts, Professor Sadrin shows how the simple pattern of quest for father which characterises Oliver Twist develops in Dickenss later novels into an extended exploration of the triple inherit

43、ance of appearance, name and property. Dickens is using plot to explain the complex procedure of reinstatement and revaluation which enables rightful heirs to take their rightful place in the family and society. It is obvious that a unique perspective is adopted by Anny Sadrin to find the something

44、new.As it is mentioned above, the range of studies on Oliver Twist is not very integrated and the studies focused too much on the writer-Dickens rather than the book-Oliver Twist. However, we have to say that those researcher make a lot of contributions to the continue studies on the writer and this

45、 book.2.2 The Status of Domestic ResearchIn China, the studies on Oliver Twister started to be prosperous from 1980s to now. And there are hundreds of the books and works published. In the 1980s, the study about the author of Oliver Twist has been a concern. For example, Luo JingGuo who publishes th

46、e book named A Critical Biography of Charles Dickens. In this book, he collects some relevant critical papers about Charles Dickens, who written by the famous writers and critics from Europe and America. All of his critics have his own different and unique ideas and this book is a masterpiece withou

47、t doubt.The second period is in1990s. An Analysis of Nancy in Oliver Twister is written by Liu Jingxiang, who is in South-Central University for Nationalities. The writer focuses on a series of actions from Nancy to analyze her character and factors. No matter how cruel the surrounding is, goodness

48、will never be eliminated. He advocates the nature of goodness and criticize the education system in England. The analysis of Nancy makes readers sympathize with this woman who realizes her errors and correct mistakes in her own way, and help people to know the true features of that society. Nancy is

49、 a girl, this is not just a signal of simple figure but a unique and vivid character which makes readers impressive. It is clear that the character of Nancy is playing a significant role in the studies on Oliver Twist.During this time, there are many scholar research the novel from another point of

50、view. Pan Mingyuan, whose work is the strong vitality of Oliver Twist. In this work, he explains the reason why Oliver Twist is so famous in the whole world and he proves that the vitality of a literature and artistic work is based on the intrinsic value. Through the detailed and deep description of

51、 the social background and brutal reality, he thinks the little Oliver is a very strong boy who has never been conquered by the social darkness.The research of coincidences is another means of study. The Brief Analysis of Coincidences in Oliver Twist is written by Yan Xiaoru who is a student in the

52、English Department of Qingyang Teachers College. The author considers that Oliver Twist is characterized by a few coincidences especially happy encounters, about which some reviews are unfavorable. Sharing quite opposite opinions to the unfavorable ones, the author proves to people that coincidences

53、 have advantages by means of systematic analysis from the following four points: background of production and publication, Dickens radical idea and his unique artistic style. As a matter of fact, the coincidence is very important to the further study.At the beginning of the 21st century, the study o

54、f Oliver Twist has new development. For instance, Oliver Twist: Look up at the Heavens in misery was published by Tang Xicheng. The author mainly does some deep researches into the setting of the 19th century of England, who makes readers have a good understanding of Oliver whose fate is so hard. Th

55、is is the battle of a little boy, without any weapons, just using his kindness and mentality to fight for his freedom. This kind of analysis provides an insight for readers to keep a positive attitude towards life.Glory of Conscience-a Character Analysis of Oliver, Nancy and Rose in Oliver Twist, wh

56、ich is written by Zhang Sainan in 2012.The author tries to do a further study of the glory of conscience from the character analysis of Oliver, Nancy and Rose in Oliver Twist, trying to elucidate the effect of the conscience on human, society and nation. His research produces the following findings:

57、 whether Oliver having a tragic life experience, whatever Nancy or Rose, they all has a common characteristicconscience. Furthermore, touches of conscience can be sensed with ease in their deed and manner. People are good in nature. No matter how dark that society is, how cruel the system is, and ho

58、w harsh the environment seems, people can till find the bright spot of human nature-conscience, and find the silver lining to a lackluster life, which can encourage them to move on. As for the significance, the authors thesis would be helpful to explore the meaning of conscience, to cause the thinki

59、ng of conscience, to carry forward the glory of conscience, and to call the return of conscience.About this novel, some people begin to concern the Judaism problem. The Anti-Semitism in Charles Dickens Oliver Twist, whose author is Qiao Guojiang in Central China Normal University. According this art

60、icle, people can know Dickens anti-semitism. He insists that Jew was born with the character of evil and they should not be a part of the mankinds civilization society. In Oliver Twist, Fagin is the classical represent of Jew. From the point of racism, it is believed that the studies on Oliver Twist