美国文学史浪漫主义二_200907

HawthorneandMelvilleNathanielHawthorne1804-1864Americannovelistandshort-storywriterwhowasamasteroftheallegoricalandsymbolictale.OneofthegreatestfictionwritersinAmericanliterature,heisbest-knownforTheScarletLetter(1850)andTheHouseoftheSevenGables(1851).Allegory:asymbolicfictionalnarrativethatconveysasecondarymeaningnotexplicitlysetforthintheliteralnarrative.Allegoryencompassessuchformsasfable,parable,andapologueandmayinvolveeitheraliteraryoraninterpretiveprocess.NotableexamplesareJohnBunyan'sThePilgrim'sProgress(1678)andthemedievalmoralityplayEveryman.SalemWitchTrial(1692)ExaminationofaWitch“Iamnowitch.Iaminnocent.Iknownothingofit.”---AnnHibbinsMajorWorksTheScarletLetterTheHouseoftheSevenGablesTheBlithedaleRomanceTheMarbleFaun“YoungGoodmanBrown”“TheMinister’sBlackVeil”“TheBirthMark”NathanielHawthorne(1804-1864)“CelestialRailroad(1843),strongallegoricalquality(p.49)raisedthequestionofthedifficultyindealingwithdoubtandsininhumanlifethepsychologyofhischaracters,secretguilt,problem,pride,envy,orthedesireforrevengeNathanielHawthorne(1804-1864)MadScientiststory--“TheBirthmark”(1843),“Rappaccini’sDaughter”(1844)theproblemofsin--“YoungGoodmanBrown”(1835),“EthanBrand”(1851)thePuritanPast–TheScarletLetter(1850)–raisesthequestionofwhetherHesterandherloverDimmesdalewerereallysinfulAssessmentFirst,hewasaskillfulcraftsmanwithanimpressivesenseofform.ThestructureofTheScarletLetter,forexample,issotightlyintegratedthatnochapter,noparagraph,even,couldbeomittedwithoutdoingviolencetothewhole.Thebook'sfourcharactersareinextricablyboundtogetherinthetangledwebofalifesituationthatseemstohavenosolution,andthetightlywovenplothasaunityofactionthatrisesslowlybutinexorablytotheclimacticsceneofDimmesdale'spublicconfession.ThesametightconstructionisfoundinHawthorne'sotherwritingsalso,especiallyintheshorterpieces,or“tales.”Hawthornewasalsothemasterofaclassicliterarystylethatisremarkableforitsdirectness,itsclarity,itsfirmness,anditssurenessofidiom.AsecondreasonforHawthorne'sgreatnessishismoralinsight.HeinheritedthePuritantraditionofmoralearnestness,andhewasdeeplyconcernedwiththeconceptsoforiginalsinandguiltandtheclaimsoflawandconscience.HawthornerejectedwhathesawastheTranscendentalists'transparentoptimismaboutthepotentialitiesofhumannature.Insteadhelookedmoredeeplyandperhapsmorehonestlyintolife,findinginitmuchsufferingandconflictbutalsofindingtheredeemingpoweroflove.ThereisnoRomanticescapeinhisworks,butratherafirmandresolutescrutinyofthepsychologicalandmoralfactsofthehumancondition.AthirdreasonforHawthorne'seminenceishismasteryofallegoryandsymbolism.Hisfictionalcharacters'actionsanddilemmasfairlyobviouslyexpresslargergeneralizationsabouttheproblemsofhumanexistence.ButwithHawthornethisleadsnottounconvincingpasteboardfigureswithexplanatorylabelsattachedbuttoasomber,concentratedemotionalinvolvementwithhischaractersthathasthepower,thegravity,andtheinevitabilityoftruetragedy.HisuseofsymbolisminTheScarletLetterisparticularlyeffective,andthescarletletteritselftakesonawidersignificanceandapplicationthatisoutofallproportiontoitsliteralcharacterasascrapofcloth.Hawthorne'sworkinitiatedthemostdurabletraditioninAmericanfiction,thatofthesymbolicromancethatassumestheuniversalityofguiltandexploresthecomplexitiesandambiguitiesofman'schoices.HisgreatestshortstoriesandTheScarletLetteraremarkedbyadepthofpsychologicalandmoralinsightseldomequaledandneversurpassedbyanyAmericanwriter.HermanMelville1819-1891Americannovelist,short-storywriter,andpoet,bestknownforhisnovelsofthesea,includinghismasterpiece,MobyDick(1851).HermanMelville(1819-1891)manlivesinaworlddividedintotwowarringparts:goodagainstevil,GodagainstSatan,theheadagainsttheheart(p.51)heldatragicviewoflife–theuniverseisworkingagainsthumanhappinessandpeaceofmindMobyDick(1851)--thesymbolofwhitewhale,CaptainAhabtornbetweenhishumanityandhisdesiretodestroythewhitewhaleMelville’sfamousshortstories:“BartlebytheScrivener,”“BenitoCereno,”“BillyBudd”Moby-DickMobbyDickAhab['ehæb]standsonthedeckatsunset,talkingtohimselfaboutthetaskahead.HeknowsthattocatchMobyDickisadoomedendeavor.Butdoeshecomplain?Whine?Giveup?No,hespitsinthefaceofthegods(p.53).CaptainAhabpursuesthewhitewhale,MobyDick,whichfinallykillshim.Atthatlevel,itisanintense,superblyauthenticnarrativeofwhaling.InthepervertedgrandeurofCaptainAhabandinthebeautiesandterrorsofthevoyageofthe“Pequod,”however,Melvilledramatizedhisdeeperconcerns:theequivocaldefeatsandtriumphsofthehumanspiritanditsfusionofcreativeandmurderousurges.Inhisprivateafflictions,Melvillehadfounduniversalmetaphors.“Ahabscanstheseaforthewhitewhale”.1.NathanielHawthorne(1804-1864)1.1Life●HewasborninaprestigiousNewEnglandfamilycloselyrelatedwithPuritanchurch;hisancestorsattendedthepersecutionofpeoplebelongingtodifferentchurches,suchasQuakers.●Whenhewasborn,hisfamilydeclined.Hewasawareofhisancestors’misdeedsandthus“blacknessofHawthorne”formed.Hethoughtthatthereasonofhisfamily’sdeclineishisancestors’misdeeds.Andhedidn’tagreewiththeoptimismheldbyTranscendentaliststowardshumannature.Hewr