艰难时世人物分析.doc

(完整版)艰难时世人物分析

中国地质大学江城学院

阅读A4课程（论文）

评析艰难时世中的功利主义

姓 名： 刘文超
专 业: 英语（英日方向)
班 级：
41301201
学 号:
4130120120
评阅老师:
潘婷婷

论文外文题目： Analysis of Utilitarian in Hard Times

论文主题词： 艰难时世 功利主义 人性的摧残 悲剧根源

外文主题词： Britain Industrial Revolution Utilitarianism destroy humanity root cause of tragic fate

Jiangcheng College， China University of Geosciences
English

Title：Analysis of Utilitarian in Hard Times

Student: Liu Wenchao
Teacher: Pan Tingting

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of
requirements for the course of
Reading A4 in Jiangcheng College,
China University of Geosciences
June 16th, 2014

摘 要

查尔斯·狄更斯（1812—1870），英国19世纪杰出的批判现实主义小说家.他的代表作之一《艰难时世》反映了他对18、19世纪英国工业革命后社会及人们状态的理解与担忧.小说通过生动的现实生活描写和细致的人物形象刻画，向读者展示了英国资产阶级社会的道德现状与社会图景。 通过分析小说《艰难时世》中两个典型的功利主义者一葛擂硬和庞得员以及其他主要人物的命运，指出资产阶级信奉的极端功利主义对人性的摧残，并且是造成这些人物命运悲剧的根源。
关键词：艰难时世 功利主义 人性的摧残 悲剧根源

ABSTRACT

Charles Dickens (1812—1870）， a distinguished British critical realism novelist in19th century . One of his masterpiece， Hard Times reflects his understanding and concern about the state of society and the people after the British Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th century 。This Novel through depict real life vivid and portray characters detailed， to show readers the moral status of the British bourgeois society and the social picture. By analyzin-g the novel ”Hard Times" in a two typical utilitarian Gradgrind and Bounderby, as well as other characters around them, it is concluded that the extreme utilitarianism destroys humanity and is the root cause of these characters’ tragic fates。

Key word： Industrial Revolution Utilitarianism Destroy humanity Root cause of tragic fate

目 录
1 引言……………………………………………………………………………1
2 功利主义的简介………………………………………………………………2
2。1 创立背景…………………………………………………………………………………2
2。2 理论与原则………………………………………………………………………………2
3 艰难时世中的人物……………………………………………………………4
3.1 功利主义的捍卫者………………………………………………………………………4
3。2 功利主义的受害者………………………………………………………………………6
3。3 功利主义下的幸存者……………………………………………………………………8
4 功利主义造成的悲剧…………………………………………………………9
4。1 婚姻失败…………………………………………………………………………………9
4。2 名利双失…………………………………………………………………………………9
4.3 生命逝去…………………………………………………………………………………9
结束语……………………………………………………………………………14
参考文献…………………………………………………………………………15
CONTENTS
1 Introduction 1
2 Brief Introduction of Utilitarianism 2
2。1 Forming background 2
2.2 Theories and Principles 2
3 The description of characters in Hard Times 4
3。1 The defender of utilitarianism 4
3。2 The victims of the utilitarianism 6
3。3 The survivors of utilitarianism 8
4 The tragedy of utilitarianism 9
4.1 Failed marriage 9
4。2 Lose fame 9
4。3 Lose life 9
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………..。.14
References……………………………………………………………………………………….15

IX

1 Introduction
Charles Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime. He has achieved popular recognition to a degree rarely equaled in English men of letter since the publication of his first novel. And he created 15 novels in his lifetime, and Hard Times is one of it. The Lesvis wrote： "in all the works of Charles Dickens ， Hard Times is the book， which contains his all genius , and there is an advantage only this book have， that is, it is a serious art completely。"（Lesvis，2002)
In ”Hard Times”, the Dickens shows us a wealth of characters， such as the defense of utilitarianism， mercenary Mr。 Bounderby； such as the man who believes the truth philosophy hard， and hurts his daughter’s Mr. Gradgrind； and kind Rchael…… These flesh-and—blood characters constitute "Hard Times” this great work。 Through depicts these figures, Dickens expressed his criticism of the utilitarian forcefully. Hard Times makes a special and important role in the creation of Dickens, the former Soviet literary critic An• W • Lunacharsky called this novel " On contemporary literature and art for the capitalism， is generally given it one of the most powerful hit ”. ”（ English literature,1986）
The first half of novel is the groundwork ， describing the "utilitarian” form of existence, while the latter half， highlight the adverse effects of utilitarianism. From three parts of the novel's title can also be seen, such as the first part is called "Sowing”, second part is called ”Reaping" and third part is called ”Garnering". It is with the intention of providing the readers with a better understanding of Hard Times that I have decided to write this paper .（Dickens,1994）

16

2 Brief Introduction of Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism as a whole is considered to be any moral theory corresponding to which an action is right if and only if it conforms to the principle of utility， or productiveness。 Utilitarianism represents an extension into moral theory of an experimental， scientific mode of reasoning because it involves the calculation of causal consequences.
2.1 Forming background
The utilitarianism， is an ethical system which formed based on the modern western industrial revolution. It originated in ancient Greece， through the depression in Middle Ages, recovered in the age of enlightenment,  formed the theoretical system of systems in eighteenth Century 。 Jeremy Bentham was an English philosopher who founded the principle of utilitarianism。 The utilitarianism that he founded is known as the classical utilitarianism， with the development of capitalism, has experienced prosperity and height period。
2.2 Theories and Principles
The theory of Utilitarianism states that actions should be judged as right or wrong depending on whether they cause more happiness or unhappiness。 It weighs the rightness and wrongness of an action based on consequences of that action。 Actions are to be judged right or wrong mainly by their own consequences. Nothing else matters。 Right actions are those that have the best consequences. The only thing that matters is the amount of happiness and unhappiness that is caused。 Therefore the right actions are those that produce the highest ratio of happiness over unhappiness. So in judging the consequences only the wants of happiness and pain are relevant morally。 When finding happiness and unhappiness that's caused ones own happiness is to be looked at more important than anyone else’s. Every person is equally important as the next when it comes to happiness.
Jeremiah bentham said that utilitarianism is：”When we agree or disagree to any kind of behavior ， we are watching the behavior is increasing or decreasing the happiness of those involved； in other words, in order to enhance the behavior of those involved or in violation of happiness prevail。” .People use utilitarian principle to guide action, they are mercenary, interests become the foundation and source of happiness， anything can satisfy personal interests is reasonable and desirable, otherwise, it is unreasonable and undesirable； social and moral standards become unlimited pursuit of happiness, and the root of happiness lies in the self-interest of the greatest satisfaction.
However, Manchester economists are believers and inheritance of utilitarianism， they believe that people are the material things， is the economic animal, is a money making machine, is the pursuit of self-interest of productivity, that some data and some sheet could be sufficient to explain all the problems of a society.

3 The description of characters in Hard Times
Dickens depict many people in Hard Times， this paper classify them into three types:defender、victim and survivor。
3。1 The defender of utilitarianism
3.1.1 Mr。 Thomas Gradgrind
Mr. Thomas Gradgrind is a man of realities， a man of facts and calculations。 Fact is the principle on which he brought up his own children and his students。 He taught his children science and thought hardheaded men lived very comfortably without music、poem and other art. The house called Stone Lodge is their prison， the blackboard is their oldest memory 。Like his name’s meaning about grinding , he wiped out the nature of the child, killing their motion, ruined their lives。（Jiang,2006） His children has no happiness。 They can’t feel any warm from family。 But Mr. Gradgrind doesn’t care, he still teach them in the way what he think right.
When he want Louisa marry to Mr。 Bounderby， he said： "according to those statistics about marriage from Wales, is actually very important。 When referring to these figures, I find both sides of age is not suit in majority of marriages， and in these marriages， the older party， almost three—quarters is the groom。 That is the fact in India, in England and in China. The tourist supply the best estimation method to us， also got the same conclusion, which is worthy of attention because it shows this 'law' is extensive。”(Dickens，1994）After study thousands of facts， Louisa married to Mr。 Bounderby, even though she doesn’t love he.
And he also treated his son， Tom， very hard。 He delivered all facts into Tom’s head， that made Tom became very selfish. He persuaded his sister to married with a man she dislikes， just because he want have a good career in Mr. Bounderby’s bank。 After left Stone Lodge, he found funny all day as revenge of the past time. And he drinking alcoholic and gambling, but good luck not belongs to him. He lost his money， and had a heavy debt 。He had no idea but stolen money in Mr. Bounderby’s bank， and frames Stephen Blackpool.
3。1。2 Josiah Bounderby
In the novel, Mr。 gradgrind is the representative of utilitarian in thought field； and businessmen Bounderby is known as “hard scalp， iron fist” vicious character， is a staunch supporter and follower the philosophy of Gardgrind. They banded together, hand in glove, dominates the symbol of Great Britain ——Coketown,which covered by the smoke all days。 （Lai，1981)
Bounderby shamelessly abused his mother abandoned him。 He often blow his own horn about personal talent and struggle experience of self—made success stories， to cover up his evil deeds of exploite workers 。 He secretly bullying and banned his mother appeared， and only give she 30 pounds a year for live in a village in 40 miles outside of the Coketown, The old woman live a miserable life in the poor country, lonely and helpless. Only once a year, walk a long distance, in a sneaky way for looking her son. Bounderby not only has no flesh and blood, but also loss human nature, give the women who love he with great pain。 This lamentable relationship is caused by the extreme selfishness thought of Bounderby. Bounderby represents the vulgar， stubborn naked individualism in Victorian era’s.（Lesvis,2002)
He deals with money and status， married 20 year old Luisa， as his wife。 The marriage without love， eventually led the marriage tragedy to Luisa. Bounderby live a single life, he also is a loser in marriage. If Mr. Gradgind recognized the error in education method in front of the ruthless fact， then, Bounderby will never change his opinion even to death, he will ever admit defeat. Bounderby preach a merciless philosophy， he thought the world was ruthless to he， so he has many reason to treat world heartless. He remained a heartless attitude, aggressive. This characteristic is embodied in his speech style： synthetic—aperture， powerful， heavy, assertive, but without a little sympathy and friendship。 Because of understand and identify things without emotion, he can easily to conclude， subjective and arbitrary。
Mrs. Sparsit is a ruined nobility， in order to feed her families, she work as a housekeeper in Mr. bounderby’s family。 Bounderby always plays himself down and plays Mrs. Sparsit up in his remarks， in order to fool the public。 When Mrs. Sparsit cause his lie exposed by mistake, he fired her immediately.
Bounderby tried to buy Stephen， draw him to his side, destroy the unit of worker。 Stephen refused him， and suffered his bullying and persecution lately。 This forced him to the road of ruin, he had to left his home， and died in misery。
Bounderby's relationship with all of them are a kind of the relationship between exploit and exploited， the reason why he break off relations with the people around he， just because he can't get benefit from them.（Wang,2012)
3.2 The victims of the utilitarianism
3。2.1 Louisa
Thomas Gradgrind's daughter, has been brought up to only consider life in Utilitarian terms. She tries to see everything numerically, either through the hard sciences or through statistical evaluation of human behavior。 This is a disaster。 She becomes trapped in a loveless marriage， almost has an affair, and spends the rest of her life trying to learn to be a normal human being with feelings. When James Harthouse met Louisa, the Mrs。 Bounderby, in her home， he looked around the room。 And found， “It containd nothing that suggested a woman’s hand and thought， there was no cheer， no comfort， and no happy in it。 The room was just heavy, rich and——ugly."（Wu,2006)
3。2。2 Tom
Tom is Louisa’s brother, and is raised in the same manner that she is。 He ends up a degenerate gambler who robs Bounderby’s bank to pay his debts. Tom then has to be smuggled abroad in order to avoid going to prison. After many years in exile, he becomes remorseful， but dies on the trip back to England. If Louisa is the kid who could have turned out differently, Tom is the worst-case scenario for what happens when morality and emotional maturity are skipped over in favor of facts in early childhood. In other words， when we first meet him， he starts out a cowardly jerk。 Later， when he is shipped off abroad to escape prison, he has become a cowardly， jerky， selfish thief. In a way, Tom might be an even better argument than his sister about why facts-only educational systems are such a bad idea. Let's work it out together。 To make a reasonably well—adjusted human being, the natural inclinations that a person is born with need to be molded carefully by that person's environment and education. Take Louisa for instance. She's just naturally caring。 Unfortunately， she does end pretty badly as a result of her upbringing， but she doesn’t hurt anyone in the process。 Unlike his sister， Tom’s natural tendency is to only look out for himself。 The education his father molds him with only gives Tom an exc