《荆棘鸟》中禁欲主义下梅吉的爱情

1、AcknowledgmentsI would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Mr. Liu Zhigang, for his advice and suggestions on my thesis. Because of his careful attitude and scientific methods, I can finish this thesis so quickly. Thanks for his instruction again.In addition, I also thank classmates and o

2、ther teachers. They help me not only on my study but also in my life.At last, I have to express my appreciation to my parents. They give me their understanding and supporting. I can devote myself to finish this thesis.摘 要 HYPERLINK javascript:; 考琳麦卡洛是澳大利亚当代著名女作家。她利用业余时间创作荆棘鸟,于1977年出版，被誉为澳大利亚的飘。 HYPE

3、RLINK javascript:; 这部作品描写克利里家族三代的生活经历和情感历程，并且刻画20世纪初在澳大利亚宗教禁欲主义制度下，主人公梅吉和拉尔夫缠绵悱恻的爱情故事。全书引用了荆棘鸟的凄美传说，暗示当时人们穷尽一生，苦苦追求至最后一刻。该文总共分为五大部分。第一部分主要是对作者背景的介绍以及20世纪澳大利亚宗教禁欲主义的分析；第二部分是从梅吉的家人、拉尔夫等方面来论述对梅吉的爱情影响；第三部分顺应第二部分进一步展开论述梅吉的性格特点、爱情观与婚姻观；第四部分是通过生命的传承，来论述梅吉、拉尔夫、朱思婷以及戴恩对生命的救赎；第五部分是对在宗教禁欲主义下爱情的总结，值得人们深思。关键词：禁欲

4、主义；爱情；救赎AbstractColleen McCullough, the famous female writer in Australia, made use of her spare time to write a novelThe Thorn Birds. It was published in 1977 and was praised as important as Gone with the Wind. This novel described the life and love experiences during the three generations of the C

5、leerys and told an exceedingly sentimental story between the leading characters, Maggie and Ralph, under the religious asceticism in the early 20th century. The novel indicated that people obstinately pursued something until the last moment by citing the legend of the thorn bird.This thesis can be d

6、ivided into five parts. The first part mainly introduced the background of the author and analyzed the religious asceticism of Australia in the 20th century; the second part mainly analyzed the influences of Maggies families and Ralph towards Maggies love; the third part closely followed the second

7、parts content to explore Maggies characters, love and marriage values; the fourth part showed the redemptions of Maggie, Ralph, Justine and Dane through the lives inheritance; the fifth part was a summary of all parts, which was worth thinking more.Key Words: religious asceticism; love; redemptionCo

8、ntents TOC o 1-3 u1. Background Introduction 11.1 The Authors Information 11.2 The Religious Asceticism of Australia in the 20th century 12. The Influential Factors Towards Maggies Love 12.1 Influences of Maggies Families 12.1.1 Fionas Influence 22.1.2 Franks Influence 22.2 Influence of Ralph 22.2.1

9、 Secular Value of Ralph 32.2.2 Religious Value of Ralph 33. Maggies Love 43.1 Maggies Characters 43.2 Affective Value of Maggie 53.3 Marital Value of Maggie 64. Redemption 64.1 Dead Redemption of Ralph 64.2 Ethical Regression of Maggie 84.3 Affective Redemption of Justine 94.4 Lamb Redemption of Dan

10、e 115. Conclusion 12Bibliography 14The Love Under Religious Asceticism in the 20th Century-The Love of Maggie Under Religious Asceticism in The Thorn Birds.1. Background Introduction1.1 The Authors InformationColleen McCullough, one of the most famous female writer in Australia, was born in a Cathol

11、ic family in Willington, New South Wales on June 1st, 1937. Before Colleen McCullough entered the tertiary education, she engaged in a variety of jobs, for example librarian, teacher and journalist and so on. She was an outstanding doctor in neuroscience though she once dreamed to be a medical docto

12、r. She wrote her first two books from 1967 to 1976 when she researched and taught in the Yale Medical School. The Thorn Brids was published in 1977, which was about dream, struggle, passion and love in the Cleerys. This novel had attracted lots of readers from all over the world.1.2 The Religious As

13、ceticism of Australia in the 20th CenturyThe religious asceticism played an important role in Australia society in the 20th century. In 1901, Australia, the colony of England, made up of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Statue of Westminster was passed through England Parliament in 1931. Austra

14、lia had autonomy to manage its own affairs and had been become an independent country since then. At the same time, in term of religions, the Australians who believed in Catholicism were controlled under the religious asceticism. It strictly forbade peoples carnal desire. It held that carnal desires

15、 were the source of sins which were harmful, selfish and degrading. Of all the desires should be got rid of and only in this way could they be perfect in morality.2. The Influential Factors Towards Maggies Love2.1 Influences of Maggies Families2.1.1 Fionas InfluenceFiona was the tutor of Maggies ind

16、ividual formation in her childhood. Firstly, we should explore the influence on Maggie from her mother. Only in this way could we know what made Maggie so stubborn to wait for Ralph. Fiona came from a noble family which served for the England Churchthe Armstrong. Her father was a brave, stubborn and

17、 well-will man. Fiona inherited these qualities from her father and influenced Maggie in her childhood. As a result, Maggie gradually became a strong-will girl. In addition, the novel also described that “She was a silent woman, not given to spontaneous conversation, what she thought, no one ever kn

18、ew, even her husband. She never laughed, nor did she ever lose her temper”. (The Thorn Birds, McCullough, 12) It proved that Fiona was calm and she could control herself well. She didnt have to express her emotion or contact with neighbors. And what she could give were her loyal and love to her fami

19、lies. Maggie had also learned from her mother. She became faithful.2.1.2 Franks InfluenceBesides Fiona, Frank made Maggie brave and obstinate. Frank was Maggies half-brother, who was 13 years older than Maggie. He loved the little girl very much. So Frank played an important role in Maggies life. Th

20、e novel told that Frank was the only one who knew Maggie as well as Maggie herself. He was the only one who could get interests from their talking when they sat together. He explained everything in the world to Maggie in the way that Maggie could understand easily. Frank was not only a considerate b

21、rother but also the sole man who could communicate with Maggie. Whats more, Frank only knew to fight to get rid of anger and pain. Frank quietly needed a way to relieve his feelings in his condition where he lived with a sort of depressive sadness. Therefore, we could infer that Frank was strong but

22、 irritable. There was no doubt that he had a relentless will because he liked to challenge and seldom gave in when he solved the problem. Maggie was gradually like Frank while she contacted with Frank.2.2 Influence of Ralph2.2.1 Secular Value of RalphThe sharp contradiction between human nature and

23、religion made Ralph anxious. Priest was a special group among people. They went through a series of practices to be spiritualized in order that they could talk with God. But they were all human beings. They had desires and impulsion which belonged to man. These human natures must be awoken under a l

24、ong term control. Ralphs love towards Maggie might creep up on him unexpectedly. Ralph was 19 years older than Maggie and he was shocked by Maggies beauty at the first sight when he saw her. “The sweetest, the most adorable little girl he had ever seenAnd looking up at him with silver-grey eyes of s

25、uch a lambent purity, like melted jewels.” (McCullough, 90) He primitively regarded Maggie as a child. During Maggies growing up, he played roles as Maggies parents, a friend and a teacher. He just appreciated Maggies beauty at the beginning. Then he felt unsatisfied with Maggie growing up. At this

26、time, Maggies aunt, Marry Cason, who loved Ralph as well, forced Ralph with her wealthy. Marry envied Maggie so she made Ralph had a choice between Maggie and his ambition. Even Ralph had realized the fear brought by the contradiction between religion and love, secular love deeply hidden in Ralphs h

27、eart had awoken. The cross of life on his shoulder was heavier and heavier.2.2.2 Religious Value of RalphThe ambition of getting power finally defeated the determination of chasing love. Ralph was a Catholic father and he was loyal to God. His divinity made him a competent and excellent person. Ralp

28、h fell in love with Maggie at first sight. Ralph couldnt stop looking at Maggie for her beauty and simplicity. However, he firmly refused Maggie for the church and his future. Ralph inherited Marrys one thousand and three hundred million to acquire higher position in the church. Ralphs religious val

29、ue urged him to refuse Maggies courtship. Ralph regarded himself as a father who spread gospel of God to his believers. He thought that he was the man who gave spiritual comfort to others. He shouldnt be lost in secular love. Although he loved Maggie, he loved God more. He would never leave from his

30、 beloved church. He chose church instead of Maggie and became a great bishop as he wanted in the end.3. Maggies Love3.1 Maggies CharactersNo matter what Maggie had experienced, she still tenaciously and bravely aspired what she wanted. Maggie was a beautiful, kind and firm girl. These qualifications

31、 were shown when she was very young. The following ones were several examples. When her brothers grabbing her favorite cloth doll, she clasped the doll against her chest and shook her head. She hugged the doll closed again and in spite of the cruel grip on her wrist. She clung to the doll, sobbing a

32、nd kicking. From these, we could see that Maggie spared no effort to seek and protect what she loved; When Maggie went to school at the first time, although she was beaten cruelly by Sister Agatha, she fastened her teeth in her lower lip and bit down on it. She was too ashamed and too proud to cry.

33、These vividly showed Maggies image that she felt aggrieved after being beaten but was proud. When Ralph chose his church and left Maggie, Maggie never stopped chasing love. She met Luke, who looked like Ralph, she decided to marry Luke. “She didnt want to plod like a little automation for the rest o

34、f her life. She wanted change, vitality and love. She wanted to roll the taste of love round her tongue, get the bouquet of it into her lungs, spin it dizzying to her brain.” (McCullough, 295) These sentences were Maggies moral action. As a young girl, she was still full of desires of love, family a

35、nd child even Ralph refused her. She wanted to find someone who loved her very much. She wanted a romantic love which could last forever; she wanted a family fulling with happiness; she also wanted several children.Maggies intellect eventually triumphed over her sensibility after she found out God w

36、as undefeated. Maggie found that getting married with Luke was wrong, because she still loved Ralph. After being with a child of Ralph, Maggie resolutely chose leaving from Luke. After she met Fiona, Maggie frankly told her mother that Ralph had known her love but he would never be willing to give u

37、p his God. She stole the only part of Ralph she ever could, his child, Dane. We could see that Maggie was going to wait for Ralph all her life for a temporary happy period. Maggie had been an independent, brave, outgoing and rebellious woman instead of a simple girl. The climax was when Maggie asked

38、 Ralph to send Danes corpse back, Ralph refused her. Maggie was disappointed and angry with Ralph. The helplessness and pain of telling Ralph the truth made readers crying for her sufferings. We could see the sadness of Maggie struggling for love all her life. She once tried to defeat Ralphs God, so

39、 she told Ralph that “We stole what you had vowed to God, and weve both had to pay.” (McCullough, 647) After experiencing a series of shocks, she became rational to Ralph and she knew that God was undefeated.3.2 Affective Value of MaggieMaggies affective value was to owe the most sincere love. Maggi

40、e got less attention than her brothers from her mother during her growing up. Fiona was quiet indifference to her. However, she got the warm in coincidence from Ralph who was a priest. Ralph was liked a mother who gave Maggie his care and love. Ralph played the role as a teacher. He taught her somet

41、hing that Maggie didnt know with patience while Maggies parents ignored her. In Maggies eyes, Ralph was so gentle and affectionate that he would accompany with her forever. She relied on him and believed in him. Ralph witnessed her changes from a child to a beautiful girl. At last, the grown girl fe

42、ll in love with Ralph and followed the voice from her heart, told Ralph her love. What was worse, Maggie didnt know that Ralph loved God far more than her. She couldnt image that her rival was not a woman in the world but the superior God. Ralph left from Maggie with the reason that he had to serve

43、for the God and told her that he would never get married. So her courtship on Ralph had lasted for all her life. The love between Ralph and Maggie was just like a drama where people easily knew the ending of it without any variation.3.3 Marital Value of MaggieMaggies marital value that a family was

44、to have a husband and children was wrong. Maggie was so desirable for a family which belonged to her. She didnt think over the failed marriage about her mother, she just blindly struggled for her love with her independent character. Maggie knew that it was impossible to marry Ralph and stay with Ral

45、ph forever, so she helplessly married a man who looked like RalphLuke. Maggie didnt love Luke but she only wanted to have a child looked like Ralph as Luke could have his own farm with Maggies property. They got married with their own purposes. So, there was no love between them except plenty of req

46、uirements and intangible benefits. When Maggie had a vacation on Matlock Island after marriage, she met Ralph again. In spite of moral ethics, she was together with him driven by the most basic instinct. At this time, Maggies social condition changed. She was not only Justines mother, Lukes wife but

47、 Ralphs lover. Such a disordered relationship between Maggie and Ralph was not permitted that they would be punished by God. There was no perfect life and love. Maggie fell in love with a man, which she shouldnt have done and get married with another one whom she didnt love. It was a pity that Maggi

48、e had great sufferings on love and marriage all her life.4. Redemption4.1 Dead Redemption of RalphRalph was a false saint. The human nature included mans animal nature and social nature. Priests were special but they still couldnt get rid of original impulses which belonged to human. It was Ralphs d

49、estiny to be a priest for his family background and traditions. According to the religious doctrines and religious disciplines, Ralph had to be detached from secular matters. He neither got married nor had romantic love. Woman, love and sex were like apples in the Garden of Eden that were banned to

50、touch for him. But in the end he was temporarily been together with Maggie, which was driven by animal nature. In terms of social nature, Ralph was loyal towards God. Nobody could deny that Ralph was a saint. However, in term of the animal nature, no matter what purpose did Ralph have, he had breach

51、ed the rules of the Ten Commandments. His son was the final betray of God.Ralph realized that absolutely divinity was impossible. Church was Ralphs dream which he had to work and fight all his life. He gave up Maggie to become a perfect priest. No matter where he was, he was far too obsessed with th

52、e day when they were together. He was concerned about Maggie all the time. The long time inhibition was drastically erupted when they met again in Matlock Island. Ralph struggled to break the shackles of an ideal priest. At last he broke the promise of God and went into the Garden of Eden. They were

53、 like Adam and Eva in the 20th century. The illusory deity finally yielded to the truth of human natures as love defeated God. After experiencing the happiness of being a man, Ralph knew that one could never be a God, being a God was just a fantastic dream. HYPERLINK javascript:; Having a demand for

54、 sex was normal as a man. Ralph released himself till that moment. Thus it could be seen that religious disciplines tied human natures up and damaged them.Ralph couldnt be escaped from the punishment of God after he had made a mistake. In The Bible, human ancestor ate the forbidden fruits, which cau

55、sed sins. They were driven out of the Garden of Eden and laboriously began to atone for their crime. It was ineluctable for Ralph and Maggie to be punished after making mistakes. When Ralph went back from Matlock Island, he was successful to be a cardinal. However, he was immersed into endless penit

56、ence for what he did. He spent the rest life alone in Rome. Loneliness and missing were punishments from God. Whats worse, Dane was the lamb for their open violation of God, so Dane was arranged by God on purpose to come to Ralphs around. Ralph was kept in the dark about it till Danes death. All in

57、all, all of these were the biggest and the most destructive reprimand.We could see that one won some and lost some. We would gain something at the expense of other things. Ralph achieved what he wished, such as power and status, but he lost love and his son. His broken heart was covered by his brill

58、iant success. When Ralph knew that Dane was his son, “Ralph de Bricassart fell forward out of the chair and wept, huddled on the crimson carpet in a scarlet pool like new blood”. (McCullough, 647) Ralph was like a thorn bird in the ancient legend. He died in great pain and eventually got peace in de

59、ath.4.2 Ethical Regression of MaggieMaggie was unconcerned to her daughter, Justine, in early time. She fell in love with a man whom she couldnt love, which was same as her mother. Because she couldnt marry to Ralph, so she chose Luke as her husband. Because of Lukes selfish and the greedy towards m

60、oney, Maggie was arranged to be a housekeeper in Annys house even they were newly-married. Maggie didnt have her own house, couldnt see her husband and didnt have the happiness that she had imaged. Whats worse, the money she had earned was put into bank by Luke, but Maggie stuck to it and didnt leav