论文摘要:Edith Wharton is one of the most important female writers in American Literature. Generally speaking, the backgrounds she set her novels in can be divided into two kinds. One is in the author’s own background, the upper-class in New York. The other is about the lower-class society. This thesis selects her novels Ethan Frome and The Age of Innocence from these different kinds. And by analyzing the two heroes in the novels, Ethan Frome and Newland Archer, the purpose of this paper is to find the connection between the heroes’ characters and destines. Through the comparing and analyzing of the two heroes’ characters and lives, this thesis can find the resemblances of the two and educe these resemblances contributes to their tragic endings mainly. Although the time and social backgrounds are of great difference between the two heroes, this thesis may find many resemblances afterspecific comparing and analyzing. In such a way, this thesis elucidates the similarities of different heroes in Wharton’s two kinds of novels.
一、引言
伊迪斯•华顿是十九到二十世纪美国文学史上最重要的小说家之一。她的小说The Age of Innocence(《纯真年代》)为她赢得1920年度普利策奖——美国文学最高奖项,而她是荣获此殊荣的第一位女性。在她长达四十年的写作生涯中,出版了四十多本著作。作为一名叙事高手,她的小说具有生动的情节,诙谐与智慧,反讽,严肃的道德观念等等品质。(Murad,1983:101)。毫无争议的是,她作品中语言的高雅流畅获得了文学评论界长期一致的肯定,被认为是辞藻华丽,充满意趣的典范。(Rubin,1957: 191)在她有限的作品中存在有两个主题:个人的责任与自由。(Zorzi,1988: 211)。而在她的两部小说《纯真年代》和《伊坦•弗洛美》,都是主人公的妥协作为小说的悲剧性结尾。在小说《纯真年代》中,主人公纽兰德•阿切尔是纽约十九世纪后期的贵族律师,故事发生时,和另一位当时纽约的望族梅•维兰德订下婚约。但不久过后和梅•维兰德的堂姐艾伦•奥兰斯基相爱。故事最后纽兰德与梅在家族压力下结合而艾伦远赴欧洲。在小说《伊坦•弗洛美》中,伊坦•弗洛美是二十世纪初在新英格兰的一个破败农场的农场主。其妻子西娜在婚前照顾伊坦生病的父亲,但婚后却重病在床一直由伊坦照顾。西娜的表妹玛提这时前来投奔伊坦,之后却与他发生感情。后经变故,西娜反而承担了伊坦和已经残疾的玛提的生活。本论文将比较和分析两主人公的性格和生活环境,以其找到作者笔下两人命运的相同之处和导致相似悲剧命运的原因。
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