英国文学简史-常耀信-Chapters-11-12

EnglishLiteratureChapters11-12KeyPointsinChapter11TheVictorianPeriodTimeRangeSocial,CulturalandPoliticalLifeThomasCarlyleJohnStuartMillTheVictorianPeriodTimeRangeTheVictorianperiodspanswelloverhalfacentury(1837-1901).TheVictorianPeriodSocial,CulturalandPoliticalLifeThegrowthofthemiddleclassThedevelopmentofaveryconservativekindofmoralityThepredominanceofthemoralaestheticthatprovedbindingtomostVictorianwriters.ThewidecurrencyofutilitarianismTheadventofthetheoryofevolutionFaithinprogressandasenseofearnestnessThomasCarlyle(1795-1881)InhislifetimeCarlylewasadominantforceinVictorianpoetryandprose.Hewasanangryman.Allhislifehefretted,fumed,lamentedandself-tortured.Hismostfamousworksare:SarterResartus,PastandPresentandOnHeroandHeroWorship.JohnStuartMill(1806-1873)Millwasawell-knownutilitarianphilosopher.Hisrevisionofutilitarianismismainlyrecordedinoneofhismostsignificantworks,Utilitarianism.Hisemphasisonindividualfreedomconstitutedanimportantpartof19th-centuryEnglishliberalism.Hehasbeenseenasachampionofwomen’sliberationandexplainshispositioninhisfamousessay:OnWomen.KeyPointsinChapter12TheVictorianFictionThreePhasesofthePeriodSomeSalientFeaturesofVictorianNovelsCharlesDickensIntroductionWorksGreatExpectationsWilliamMakepeaceThackerayIntroductionVanityFairTheVictorianFictionThreePhasesofthePeriodFirstPhase:1830stothemiddleofthecenturyLifehadnotbecometotallyimpossible.WriterswhowrotethensuchasDickenswerebasicallyoptimistic.SecondPhaseorHighVictorianPhase:the1870sThecountryhadchangedfromanagriculturetoanindustrialnation.Thiswasaperiodofdichotomyandhighcomplexity.WriterssuchasGeorgeEliotdealtwithitwithsubtledexterity.ThirdPhase:fromthelate1880sonwardDramaticchangeshadoccurred.TheageofnaturalismhadarrivedTheVictorianFictionSomeSalientFeaturesofVictorianNovelsTheyalltrytoteachaswellastoentertain.Theyareessentiallyurban,reflectingthevaluesofthemiddleclass.Theyexhibitastrongsenseofhistory,andseehomeandmarriageassacred.AllgreatVictoriannovelsfollowsthemoralstandard.SocialrealismremainstheVictoriannovelists’predominantmodeofpresentationoflife.ThemainpointofviewemployedinVictoriannovelsisthethird-personomniscient,theunlimitedvisionofwhichhelpstopaintthebroadcanvasoflife.CharlesDickens(1812-1870)IntroductionIDickenscamefromapoorbackground.Inthefirstperiodofhiswriting,Dickensisseensmilingthroughthepages.Thelatterphaseofhiscareerseeshimpaintingasocialpicturedisconcertinglydismalandagonizing.LondonisthelocaleformanyofDickens’works.Heisasocialhistorian.ThearchetypalDickensianheroorheroineisoftenanorphanorachildwhoseparents,thoughstillalive,areaswellasdeadtothem.CharlesDickens(1812-1870)IntroductionIIHisprotagonistscomecloseintypetothemodernexistentialistheroexceptfortheirhappyending.Spontaneitywashistrademark.Dickens’geniusisbasicallycomic.Onenotablefeatureofhiscomicnarrativesishisadroitnessatcreatingthegrotesqueeffect.Themelodramaticisanothernotablefeatureofhishumorousnarratives.Socialcriticismisahallmarkofallhisworks.CharlesDickens(1812-1870)WorksLittleDorritDavidCopperfieldThePickwickPapersNicholasNicklebyTheOldCuriosityShopOliverTwistGreatExpectationsHardTimesATaleofTwoCitiesBleakHouseDombeyandSonOurMutualFriendMartinChuzzlewitEdwinDroodAChristmasCarolCharlesDickens(1812-1870)GreatExpectationsIthasbeenseenbysomepeopletobeDickens’masterpiece.Majorcharacters:Pip,Magwitch,Havisham,Joe,EstellaWilliamMakepeaceThackeray(1811-1863)IntroductionHewasoneofthetwooutstandingearlyVictoriannovelists,secondonlyashewastoDickens.Hewrotemainlyabouttheupperanduppermiddlesociety.Hehasbeenvaluedasagreatsocialrealist,moralist,andsatirist.WhereasDickensoftenemploysthegrotesqueandthemelodramaticandappearssentimental,Thackerayfirmlykeepstosocialrealismandtakesuponhimselftopainttheimmensepanoramaofreallife.WilliamMakepeaceThackeray(1811-1863)VanityFairMajorcharacters:Rebecca(Becky)Sharp,AmeliaSedleyVanityFaircensuresthephilistinehypocrisyandshamoftheVictoriansociety,itssnobbishnessandvanity,anditsruthlesssocialclimbing.Intermsofnarrativestrategies,itsbasicfeaturesincludetheomniscientthird-personpointofview,theauthorialcomments,andthesmoothproseofaretrospectivesoliloquy.