红字海斯特形象
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摘要:海斯特·白兰是长篇小说《红字》中的女主人公——一位坚强、勇敢、善良并具有一定叛逆性格的女性形象。
本文将从她的勇敢和善良来分析这个人物.进而本文着重论述了海斯特对真爱的不懈追求和她在同时代女性中所独有的叛逆性格。
Hester prynne is the heroines in the novel the scarlet letter- a strong, brave, kind and have a rebellious character image of womenLike. Her courage and good will come from analyzing the character. In this paper Hyster heavy discussed in constant pursuit of true love and she in contemporary women Unique rebellious character.关键词:勇敢,善良,追求真爱,叛逆一、引言自古以来.男尊女卑的传统思想在人们的观念中根深蒂固。
传统的文学作品中也不乏对女性的藐视。
19世纪美国女权运动高涨,女权斗争进行得如火如荼。
20世纪.女权主义文学批评诞生于欧美。
霍桑以其小说《红字》中海斯特.白兰的新女性形象,吸引了女权主义者。
小说讲述的是一个发生在17世纪中叶早期马萨诸塞殖民地波斯顿的恋爱悲剧。
在小说中.随着故事情节的展开.主人公海斯特的反抗精神也随之强烈.并以其独特的反抗方式展现给世人。
二、女性中的勇敢者1、勇敢面对凌辱海斯特因通奸罪而被惩罚入狱、被当地村民唾弃.她并未因此而表现出任何脆弱。
就如文中所描述:“现在我们认为贵妇人的特征是纤巧、空灵和难以描写的优雅.而在当时却是某一种庄严的仪态。
如果按照过去对于贵妇人的解释,那么可以说,海斯特从不曾像从监狱里走出来时那么更似贵妇人。
AbstractAs one of the world’s most famous writers and “the Shakespeare of American” Nathaniel Hawthorne played a critical role in the highlight of romantic novel. As a trailblazer of writing romantic novel with psychology analysis, His representative work Scarlet Letter boosted him in the literary creation. And The Scarlet Letter has wined the world-wide attention. Especially the female protagonist Hester Prynne has attracted large numbers of scholars to analysis her characters. This paper is determined to detect the characters of Hester through three approaches which are her life experience, her daughter and the social environment she lives in. The result we get is that Hester is a pure, courageous, and kind-hearted woman whose spirit has enlightened a generation of women who lived in the dark corner of the world.Key words: pure; courageous; kind-heated摘要作为世界著名作家之一和“美国的莎士比亚”,霍桑在将浪漫主义文学推向了高峰。
红字中海斯特的形象分析(2)三、海斯特对生活的追求“红字”在清教徒的眼里是罪恶和耻辱的标志,而在它面前,海斯特却依然展示了她的人性魅力和尊严,她艰苦的抗争和对生活的追求是冲破旧的道德枷锁的充分体现。
海斯特顽强的生活意志和善良的本性感动了人们,许多人都不再以原有的意义去解释那鲜红的A字,(abie)“能干”(angei)“天使”却成了A字新的寓意。
“海斯特凭借着与生俱来的性格力量和不同寻常的能力在生活中得到了一个自己扮演的角色。
人们来到她的小屋,将他们的悲哀和困扰倾诉给她,寻求她的忠告。
”“海斯特竭尽所能去安慰劝导她们,并郑重告诉她们:坚信当世界渐臻成熟,某个更加光明的时代到来时,会在一个更为可靠的保证相互幸福的基础上,建立起男人和女人之间的整个关系。
”正是因她这种对美好生活的强烈的热情,使她实现了自己作为一个女人的存在价值。
结语正如尼娜贝姆所说:“在海斯特这个形象中,霍桑塑造了美国小说中的第一个真正的女主角,同时也是其中永远的英雄之一。
”海斯特以她的行动告诉女性应该怎样在逆境中求生存,怎样才能赢得自身的平等和自由的权利,怎样才能真正找到自己的价值和存在的意义。
这种敢于斗争的形象和反抗命运的精神鼓舞着成千上万的女性为实现这一理想而奋斗。
也正因为如此,她胸前的红色A是女性意识觉醒的标志,具有永恒的意义,至今仍闪耀着耀眼的光辉。
红字中海斯特的形象分析 [篇2]<红字)思想深邃.想象丰富.表现手法独特,引起了人们一个多世纪的关注与评论.它被公认为是霍桑最杰出的作品。
在整部小说中.海斯特被描写成一个聪明、漂亮、能干。
极富同情心但又很平凡的女人.特定的环境造就了她这样的形象.在她的性格中同样蕴含着强烈的反叛精神和独立自我精神。
在霍桑的笔下。
海丝特是一个敢于反抗命运、敢于为争取人生权利而斗争的勇敢女性。
她一出场.便显示出生机勃然的个性。
当沉重的狱门拉开.当狱吏把她拉出狱门示众时,虽然一种本能的荣辱感使她感到耻辱.然而她并没有丝毫的畏怯。
《红字》女主人公海丝特·白兰性格特征探析李儒寿(襄樊学院,湖北襄樊441053)[作者简介]李儒寿(1955一),男,湖北鄂州人,湖北襄樊学院英语系副教授,主要从事英美文学和中西文化比较研究。
[摘要]《红字》的女主人公海丝特·白兰的性格一直是评论界关注的中心,但又众说纷纭,褒贬不一。
海丝特·白兰的性格特征不是单一抽象的,而是勇敢性、反抗性中包含着妥协性,并以妥协性为基础,携带着丰富的历史文化底蕴。
[关键词]《红字》;海丝特·白兰;勇敢性;反抗性;妥协性[中图分类号]1106.2[文献标识码]A[文章编号]1671—881X(2005)04—0486—04自1850年美国浪漫主义作家纳撒尼尔·霍桑的代表作《红字》问世以来的一百多年,一代又一代的 评论家们为之呕心沥血,试图探究它那幽微高深、扑朔迷离的思想,精巧细密、浑然天成的艺术和内涵丰富、匠心独运的人物。
就人物形象言,《红字》中的主要人物一直是评论界关注的中心。
对于小说中的女主人公海丝特·白兰,众说纷纭,褒贬不一。
应该怎样看待小说中那个因“犯通奸罪”而饱受凌辱的女人呢?她是勇于反抗的英雄抑或是屈从命运的弱者?是一位富于反抗精神的典范,还是一个不彻底的反抗者?作为《红字》的主人公,从作品中所透露的迹象看,海丝特·白兰主要是一个勇敢而具有强烈反抗精神的女性。
年轻的海丝特,“身材欣长,体态优美绝伦。
她的秀发乌黑浓密,在阳光下光彩夺目。
她的面庞皮肤滋润,五官端正,在清秀的眉宇间还有一双深邃的黑眼睛,使之极为楚楚动人”。
不幸的是,在她还不懂得选择爱情的时候,就嫁给了一个畸形、衰老的学者齐灵沃斯,由此开始悲剧性的人生历程。
他们之间有婚姻关系,却不存在爱情,更没有情感共鸣。
海丝特与齐灵沃斯之间的这种不和谐、不自然的婚姻关系,对于海丝特的心理是一种伤害,对于她作为女人的本性是一种侮辱。
它无法满足海丝特对真正爱情的渴望,最终导致她对美好爱情的大胆追求。
《红字》中海斯特的性格症候论析纳撒尼尔?霍桑是19世纪美国杰出的浪漫主义作家,他的代表作《红字》是美国浪漫主义小说中最有声望的权威作品之一。
他在小说中象征手法的运用使得《红字》这部小说成为世界经典名著,也使得霍桑成为享誉世界的作家。
他在小说中探索人性的罪恶,用犀利的笔锋去讽刺邪恶,揭露道德的伪善,抨击宗教的狂想,揭示真理。
这使得看似简单的爱情悲剧之后却蕴含这丰富的思想内容。
女主人公海斯特是一个美丽善良的女人,但在婚姻上却很不幸。
年轻时嫁给了身体畸形的学者齐灵沃斯,但他们之间并没有爱情。
婚后两人移居波士顿。
齐灵沃斯先将妻子送到了那里,令人没有想到的是,在这之后的近两年间,他却杳无音讯,生死不明,海斯特孤独的过着日子。
这时英俊的青年牧师丁梅斯戴尔闯入了她的生活。
他们真诚的相爱,并有了爱情的结晶。
这件事的暴露使海斯特处于水深火热之中。
在殖民地的独居生活中,她犯下的通奸罪是为清教教义所不容的,按照当时的教规,海斯特只有交待了奸夫的姓名,才能得到宽恕,但是她却独自承受了这一切。
海斯特站在刑台上独自受罚,胸前戴着醒目的红字“A”。
毫无疑问,这字母一定有一种隐含的意义,而这种含义仿佛从这种神秘的象征中自然地涌现出来。
海斯特是一个饱受舆论和宗教谴责的犯下通奸罪行的少妇,她胸前的大红字母“A”是英语单词Adultery(通奸)的缩写。
海斯特犯下的罪行是不可饶恕的,是让人难以启齿的。
然而这却是小说表达的表层含义。
作者用近似褒奖的语言对红色字母作了这样的描绘:“以精细的红布作底,四周饰有雅致的刺绣和金线织成的奇巧花样,融汇了瑰丽的奇思妙想与精美的手工技艺。
”当海斯特站在刑台上时,她的第一个举动就是抱紧孩子,她这么做与其说是出于母爱的激情,不如说她想掩盖身上的标记,但当她意识到孩子也是一个耻辱的符号,用一个耻辱的标记去掩盖另一个,根本无济于事时,她用胳膊架着孩子,脸上露出了“高傲”的微笑。
“倘若在这群清教徒中有一个天主教徒,在看到这个怀抱婴孩,风采如画的盛装美妇人时,他也许会想起无数名画家竞相描绘的圣母像。
《红字》女主人公性格分析摘要:《红字》不仅是美国浪漫主义小说的代表作,也是美国精神分析小说的开创者。
纳撒尼尔·霍桑不同于常人的生活和经历使他形成了独特的世界观、创作思想和技巧。
他巧妙地运用隐喻、象征等细腻的艺术手法,不断探索人类灵魂最深处的柔软,成功地塑造了《红字》女主人公海丝特·白兰这一复杂的人物形象,也形成了海丝特独特的性格特征。
在这本书中,海丝特意志坚定、勇敢而又矛盾。
一次次的羞辱和愤怒让她承受了许多别人无法理解的痛苦,同时也让她变得更加坚强和独立,她的这一特点让人感触良多。
与此同时,她那许多令人称赞的优点和积极的行为又值得我们每个人去学习。
关键词:性格分析勇敢孤独坚强独立善良女主人公海斯特是一个淑女。
在第二章中,海斯特首次亮相时,那令人惊艳的外表和独特的气质无不使她立刻就吸引了众多的目光。
她不但没有蓬头垢面的挫败面容,而且焕发着普通妇人所没有的气质,举手投足尽显当时女性的优雅风范。
颀长的身材,优雅的体态,浓密的头发,在阳光的照耀下显得熠熠生辉,分外夺目。
匀称的五官,莹润的肤色,秀密的眉眼,深邃的眸子,令人印象深刻无法忘怀。
她的身上散发着某种尊严和高贵,难以用语言来表达,却令人难以忘怀。
当所有人都以为她会因为自己的罪行黯然憔悴的时候,她却依旧光彩照人,就连那不幸的遭遇和无尽的耻辱都变成了耀眼的光环,衬托着她的淑女姿态和她的端庄优雅。
海斯特是一个勇敢的女人。
那种勇敢不是胆大包天,不是目无一切,也不是男人性情里的勇敢,而是一种从内心散发出来的无畏。
当别人用冷峻而严厉的声音逼迫她说出孩子的父亲是谁的时候,她坚贞不屈,坚定又从容地说:“决不,我不会说的!”无论其他人对她怎样好言相劝,或者是威逼恐吓,她都无动于衷,也没有一丝一毫的犹豫,只是保持着自己的坚定和勇敢,心甘情愿地承担所有需要遭受的痛苦。
那种无畏不是强装出来的,也不是别人给予的,是从骨子里透露出来的。
在当时那种时代背景下,倘若不是拥有这样无比的勇敢,海斯特可能一分钟也无法在世间生存。
《红字》女主人公海丝特·白兰的个性分析摘要《红字》是19世纪美国作家霍桑的第一部长篇小说。
小说女主人公海丝特美丽动人、敢爱敢当,勇敢地冲破婚姻的枷锁。
但由于19世纪清教严格戒律的禁锢,海丝特的爱情理想并不是一帆风顺的,而是历经了由生发、破灭、沦落的过程。
面对世俗和清规戒律的压抑,海丝特选择了反抗,她勇敢地追寻自己的爱情,在嘲讽和辱骂中,刚毅不屈地生活着。
尽管最后她的生命在各种压力下沦落了,但她勇敢、坚强、百折不挠、反叛的个性依然熠熠生辉。
关键词:海丝特个性红字勇敢中图分类号:i106.4 文献标识码:a《红字》是美国浪漫主义作家纳撒尼尔·霍桑的长篇代表作。
小说自1850年出版,就吸引了全世界无数读者青睐,并在近年引发了各种富有新意的读者解读。
小说《红字》以17世纪美国东海岸马萨诸塞州波士顿镇上早期移民生活为题材,以殖民时期的严酷教权统治为故事的大背景,讲述的是一个违背清教(加尔文教)教规而犯下通奸罪并处以终身胸前佩带红色字母“a”的女子海丝特·白兰一生坎坷的爱情悲剧故事。
霍桑从人性论出发,介绍了女主人公海丝特勇敢地冲破婚姻的枷锁,试图从这一女性形象来讲述人性在政教合一的社会制度下的脆弱和悲哀。
海丝特和年轻的牧师丁梅斯代尔秘密相爱,生下一名叫珠儿的女孩;结果触犯清教严禁的通奸罪,被判处示众受辱,并终生佩带象征通奸耻辱的红色“a”(adultery,意为通奸)字母。
人性与宗教、社会的冲突与摩擦贯彻在小说当中。
《红字》大力颂扬了人性和人类道德行为中的真善美,无情地揭露和鞭笞了人性和人类道德行为中的假恶丑,对残酷地压抑人性的宗教统治进行了批判。
一海丝特·白兰勇敢地追寻爱情爱的力量是自然人与生俱来的,是人类共同的精神产品和情感结晶,而爱情永远是人类生活中最美好的情感之一,是最为重要,最为可贵,最值得推崇的。
《红字》中的女主人公海丝特就是一个为了爱情永不放弃,勇敢追求的人。
《红字》中珠儿在海斯特形象塑造中的作用摘要:在《红字》中,纳撒尼尔·霍桑刻画了一个深入人心的形象---珠儿。
该人物在展现该作品主人公海斯特的形象中发挥了重要作用。
本文通过对珠儿在小说中的身份的分析,探讨了她的多重身份对于海斯特形象的刻画和小说中多重信息传递的作用。
关键词:珠儿;激情;罪孽;信仰;论文下载《红字》是美国伟大的浪漫主义作家霍桑的代表作。
作者通过讲述了一个爱情与罪恶的故事入木三分地刻画了人性中的各个方面,也塑造了一组形象丰满生动的人物,其中女主人公海斯特·白兰这一女性形象早已深入人心。
而海斯特·白兰的女儿—--珠儿这一人物更是在丰富海斯特这一主人公形象以及增加作品艺术手法等方面起到了不可替代的作用。
本文即尝试对珠儿在作品中扮演的多重身份进行分析,探讨珠儿在刻画海斯特的多重特质上所起的作用。
一、珠儿—-海斯特激情的化身在《红字》中珠儿是海斯特和牧师丁梅斯代尔的私生女,因此,她实际上是她的父母激情的产物。
她的出生代表着她的母亲海斯特天性中无法压抑的热情和奔放。
在通奸事发之后,海斯特成为了一个罪人。
从监狱释放之后,海斯特带着珠儿住在了简陋、狭小且远离大众的茅屋中,过着简朴、节制且离群索居的生活。
她自己的衣服是用最粗糙的布料制成,颜色也是最为暗淡的,唯一的装饰就是代表通奸的红字。
从表面看来,海斯特实践着清教徒所秉承的教义—--崇尚节俭、艰苦的生活和自我克制、扼杀一切享乐的思想并以自己的行动祈求上帝的宽恕。
然而,当她给珠儿制作衣服的时候,却“充分发挥了华丽的倾向,用鲜红的天鹅绒为她剪裁了一件式样独特的束腰裙,还用金丝线在上面绣满新奇多样的花样”。
这样的装扮使得珠儿成为了“世上前所未有的活跳跳的一小团火焰”。
珠儿是海斯特生命的延续,也是她激情的产物,作者将珠儿比作代表生命力和热情的火焰暗示着海斯特的激情在珠儿的身上得到了体现和延续。
珠儿的服装是华丽夺目的,完全背离了清教对于简朴着装的要求,因此,珠儿恰恰象征着不容于清教社会的海斯特的激情。
试论从中国女性主义文学批评视角看《红字》的海斯特形象论文摘要:纳撒尼尔・霍桑在《红字》中塑造的海斯特・白兰吸引了无数读者并在近年来引发了诸多富有新意的解读。
女性主义文学批评要求以女性的视角对文学作品进行全新解读,为重新欣赏《红字》提供了参考。
基于女性主义文学批评的基础上,讨论海斯特形象的创造而挖掘小出说中反女性主义的因素。
论文关键词:文学批评;女性主义;海斯特《红字》于1850年出版后吸引了来自各方位诸多种类的评价,其中包括对作者本人的家庭出身、作者的理想信仰、作者与小说的关系、小说的写作风格与特点、《红字》的多重含义、故事中的各种寓意、文中所出现人物的特性心理、小说的社会文化意义等等多角度多方面的分析和评论。
在劳伦斯(D.H.Lawrence)看来,《红字》不是一本让人愉悦的心灵罗曼史。
相反,这是“一篇精彩的寓言。
我认为这是所有文学中最伟大的寓言之一”。
“蓝眼睛的神童纳撒尼尔赋予本书绝对的双重意义”,并认为作者本人具备超凡的洞察力。
巴特莱特(Fred―ericC.Bartlett)则应用弗洛伊德的心理分析理论重新诠释了这部小说,探索了欲望的宣泄以及自我压抑。
在一篇名为《鲜红的A字,霍桑的投影――《红字》海斯特形象与霍桑之思想》的文章中,作者将文中的圣母形象与美国精神联系起来,认为“霍桑心中的‘美国梦’与‘美国精神’都集中地体现在海斯特形象的塑造上”。
在中国文学史上,20世纪初西方女权主义理论的引人,无疑是唤起现代女性意识觉醒的重要因素,对中国现代女性文学创作产生了重要影响,虽然这种影响不是完全意义上的女性主义文学观的影响。
但是,它为中国当代社会对女性主义文学观念在中国文学创作中的消化和理解提供了许多经验。
中国当代文学向女性精神与心灵的深处拓展,体现强烈的女性价值感与女性主体性更是得益于西方较为成熟的女性文学观念。
中国女性主义文学观的形成是带有本土特色,具有阶段性特点,流动变化的过程。
一、中国女性主义文学批评观的产生与发展女性主义理论是20世纪中期以来,西方理论界最重要的文艺理论之一。
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A Brief Analysis of the Image of Hester inthe Scarlet LetterA Thesis SubmittedTo Foreign Language DepartmentOf College of Information & Business,Zhongyuan University of TechnologyIn Partial Fulfillment of the RequirementsFor the Degree of Bachelor of ArtsByStudent ID Number:Supervisor:May 29th, 2011论文摘要霍桑的《红字》,是美国19世纪文学史上的经典作品,这篇著作反映了清教思想对人生活思想的影响。
本篇著作的背景发生在波士顿一个小镇上,介绍了这个地区的人是如何被清教所影响的,其中女主角海斯特·白兰和镇上受人尊敬的牧师丁梅斯代尔通奸并生下女儿珠儿,作为惩罚,她被戴上红字“A”——“Adultery”的象征。
本文通过分析海斯特的性格,也展现了清教法规苛刻无情的刑罚,在清教社会,不管谁犯罪都要接受惩罚。
本文还涉及到霍桑的清教观,他对清教价值观和思想的肯定以及对其消极方面对人民思想控制的批评,这也决定海斯特最后的命运是在经过艰苦工作、自我提升后得到救赎。
霍桑通过塑造海斯特这个形象向读者展示了他的清教观,以及清教思想对他的影响。
海斯特最初是勇敢坚强的,最终却在清教社会的压迫下,承认了自己的罪过并通过赎罪得到了社会的认可。
通过红字“A”象征意义的变化反映了海斯特的形象变化。
关键字:清教影响; 海斯特性格;原罪;救赎AbstractThe Scarlet Letter,Nathanie l Hawthorne’s representative wo rk, is a classical novel in American literature in the 19th century. The novel displays Puritanism’s great impact on people’s life and thought. This thesis of the Puritan town Boston, and introduce how the communities in the town are deeply influenced by P uritanism. The heroine Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, the town’s reverend priest, engages in the act of adultery and produce a baby girl named Pearl.Meanwhile, by analyzing the main character Hester, the thesis aims at presenting the harshness and the strict punishment in Puritan society. In puritan communities, whoever commits a sin will be punished. The thesis also presents Hawthorne’s attitude towards Puritanism. On one hand, he appreciates the puritan thought and value; on the other hand, he condemns the negative impact of puritan society on people’s spirit. And this thought influences Hester’s final fate—to get salvation through self—improvement and hard working. Hawthorne explains his puritan thoughts through creating Hester. Hester is brave and strong, as a sinner, Hester finally get salvation by working hard.key words:Puritanism; Hester’s characteristic; sin; salvationTable of ContentsAbstract(Chinese) (Ⅰ)Abstract(English) (Ⅱ)1.Introduction (1)2. Hawthorne’s Intention of Creating Hester. (1)2.1 Puritan Infulence on Hawthorne (1)2.2 Hawthorne’s Own Thought on Puritanism (2)3. Original Image of Hester: Strong and Brave (4)3.1 A Graceful and Beautiful Lady (4)3.2 Eager for True Love (5)3.3 Protecting Dimmesdale (5)4.As a Sinner, W orking Hard to Get Salvation (5)4.1 Being Shamed for “Adultery” (5)4.2 Working Hard As a Mother and Sinner (7)4.3 Final Image of Hester: Angle, Bearing the Pain of Losing Lover (8)Conclusion (10)Bibliography (12)Acknowledgements (13)1.IntroductionThis novel happened in Boston, which was a colony of England in 17th century. At that time and at that place, the doctrine of Puritans was looked as the rule of people’s daily life. Hawthorne was born in a puritan family, whose grandfather was an authority. That made him was deep influenced by Puritanism. On one hand, he received the doctrine of hard working and thrifty, on the other hand, He thought that the Puritan religion was too strict and harsh. We can see how he disliked them by the way people act, talk, and live.Hester Prynne is a woman, who has great courage to devote to real love and a woman who experiences hard life and longs for freedom. She loves her life no matter how difficult it is. She tries her best to struggle against the adversity. She is a beautiful, virtuous, brave and tough woman. Because of being as a sinner, she is forced to wear an ―A‖ on her breast to shame her. She showed extreme strength and courage to resist the bias of the Puritanism by her good deeds and finally is received and being respected by the society and get salvation through hard working.2.Hawthorne’s Intention of Creating HesterHawthorne was born in a puritan family so that he was deep influenced by Puritanism, but the strict punishment and the control of people’s spirit also made him antipathy. Thus he created Hester, who was sinned and punished by puritan authority, but finally got salvation by hard working. Hawthorne created her sinned but also praised her braveness and strength.2.1 Puritan Influence on HawthorneThe story tells about the life of the resident under the surrounding of persecution derived from the ineradicable religion in Massachusetts of Boston in New England in public. Boston, which was a colony of England at that time, the local Boston people was the representative of puritans. From the political authorities to thekids playing before the church, their characteristics are the same. The thesis aims at any differences from others are hereto. At the early cultures of Boston, ages and experience are emphasis; there is no culture of younger. That’s why Hawthorne makes the story happens there. To the puritans, any person or thing which is different from them will be punished or be banished. To the puritans, the laws are sacred; anyone who breaks the law should be punished strictly, that’s the special environment which Hester lived in.All his life, Hawthorne seems to be haunted by his sense of sin and evil in life. Reading his tales and romances, one cannot but be overwhelmed by the ―black‖ vision which these works reveal. Evil exists in the human heart as is evident, for instance, in the short story, ―Earth’s Holocaust,‖ which tells us that, though all symbol of tradition and the past have been burned in the bonfire of the life of the New World, the source of evil—the human heart—remains intact. Everyone seems to cover up his black veil (―The Minister’s Black V eil‖). Evil seems to be man’s birthmark (―The Birthmark‖).A. H. Quinn perceptively states that Hawthorne is at his best when dealing with sin, the supernatural, and New England past, The Scarlet Letter is set in the seventeenth century. (Barlow,2000,3)It is en elaboration of a fact which Puritanism ruled. Hester was sinned adultery, which cannot be forgiven and must be punished at that time, this reflects Hawthorne’s thought of sin, everyone has sin and they must use their whole life to expiate themselves. But he also thought the punishments are too harsh. Thus why he made Hester sinned, but didn’t admit her sin.2.2 Hawthorne’s Own Thoughts on PuritanismIn this novel, Hawthorne uses the repressive, authoritarian Puritan society as an analogue for humankind in general. The Puritan setting also enables him to portray the human soul under extreme pressure. Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth, while unquestionable part of the Puritan society in which they live, also reflect universal experiences. Hawthorne speaks specially to American issues, but he circumvents the aesthetic and thematic limitations that might accompany such focus. His university and his dramatic flair have ensured his place in the literary canon, tolerant and cruel. He thinks that the Puritan religion was too strict and harsh. Readerscan see how he disliked them by the way people act, talk, and live.Meanwhile, he also shows how he thought the Puritan people would react to the manner in w hich Hester stitched the ―A‖, and he d oes not make them look very pleasant. By showing them as being ruthless, and evil, Hawthorne is able to reveal his views of the Puritan people, and how he dislikes them through the townsfolk (the woman in particular). He makes them come across as people you would love to hate. Throughout the entire book, Hester is looked down upon though slightly less as the story progresses, and is treated like a second class citizen. Hawthorne shows his distaste of the Puritan culture by expressing himself through the characters and their actions. Not one person in this novel is truly good, and all the characters sins. It is impossible to have a perfect society, and Nathaniel Hawthorne explains to us in The Scarlet Letter, that one is ruled by the Puritan religion, proves this true.(Gao,2000,4) Nevertheless, although he is shocked by the Puritan injustice, he is convinced that there is both good and evil in Puritanism. He thinks a lot about the conflict of God as omniscient and omnipotent on one hand, and vengeful and cruel on the other. He sees that religion is able to produce evil. Things like the witch trials, where innocent people have to die, can happen in his Puritan hometown of Salem, which leads him to the opinion that the fusion of religious dogma and political authority is the worst evil. His ancestors and all the other Puritans maybe think to have found the devil when prosecuting witches, but Hawthorne is of a different opinion. Hawthorne’s answer is that devil existed in everybody. It makes people blind so they are not able to recognize the evil in themselves.In a whole, Hawthorne’s attitude towards Puritanism is split. There are things he is absolutely in favor of and things he condemns from the depth of his heart. And to some extent, Hawthorne is a Puritan because of his Puritan origin. It is Puritanism that has led to today’s American achievement oriented society. But Hawthorne describes the Puritan society of the 17th century as narrow and relentless. He does not share the dogmas and delusions of the people who are condemned, because he has little interest and less belief in doctrines and theological debate. His imagination is repeatedly drawn the subjects of temptation, guilt and shame. He seeks the depth ofthe human things.Of course Hawthorne’s p oint of view is that of the 19th century, not that of 17th century, where his short stories are settled. He is aware of his roots and history, but he questions these roots and history from his modern point of view.Back to his attitudes towards the Puritanism of ancestors, when Hawthorne read the accounts about his first American ancestors, he was reported to have read them with fascination and horror. He was different from his ancestors.The way Hawthorne makes Hester’s fate goes with the Puritans. She sins, is forced to wear a letter ―A‖ on her breast, is isolated by the townspeople, but finally is respected because of her kind-hearted. This can be assigned the origin to .Hawthorne’s experiences that he has isolated from the outside after he graduates from university. Hawthorne has ever said to Longfellow, the most fearful thing is that you can not share your happiness or sorrow of your daily life to others. One who is deprived the right of join the society, is an audience but not a participant, Max said that one is a social man because man has to live in the society, or he will lose the meaning of exiting. (Chang,2009,76)Hawthorne thinks Hester should resign the punishment of Alienation, which is seen as the cruelest one. Hester should turn over a new leaf by expiating herself.Hester’s fate is designed; she has no choice because she lives in a puritan society and Hawthorne’s puritan thoughts also determine her fate. The next chapter aims to describe the original image of Hester and the typeface meaning of her original image.3.Original Image of Hester: Strong and BraveHester’s entrance is an attractive and graceful lady like a lady of quality, which makes her different from the town people. Although she sins, she acts brave and dare to admit her sin, dare to get salvation through her acts.3.1A Graceful and beautiful LadyHester is attractive when she appears. She is a slender lady who herself with a deliberate grace. She has a beautiful face with deep black eyes. To most people, shelooks more like a graceful lady from the upper class. But Hawthorne’s female characters tend to fall into two broad categories, the blond and effete, and the dark-haired and sensual Oriental type. To the latter belongs Hester Prynne, attractive, appealing, and mildly aggressive, she represents sexual guilt as love with her is fatal, but she is really pure and innocent. Y oung Hester borders on being licentious. Her drive is sexual. One need take just a casual look at her luxuriant head of black silky hair to understand this of her. But she lives a rigorous life; only once does she let loose her lovely hair. (Barlow, 2000, 21)3.2 Eager for True LoveHester Prynne leaves a deep impression to the readers. Hester is a woman, who has great courage to devote to real love and a woman who experiences hard life and longs for freedom. She loves her life no matter how difficult it is. She tries her best to struggle against the adversity. She is a beautiful, virtuous, brave and tough woman. Hester marries with an unloved ugly old man, nothing but having great knowledge admired by all fools. However, when Hester goes to Massachusetts of Boston, She falls in love with Dimmesdale who is her true lover. It should be a good matter, so to speak, if she could divorce from the oldest Chillingworth and then marry Dimmesdale it would be a romantic love story. Unfortunately, it is disgraceful of a married woman to love another man even if that is her beloved one in that abnormal time. So, what a disgraced thing it is that she has to be set up to public shame and wore a mark of shame upon her bosom letter A stands for adultery that makes her bring sermon against sin, until the ignominious scarlet letter be engraved upon her tombstone .But that does not impact on her life even if all dwells give a wide berth to her and use the most incautious words to aggress her later. Because of her benevolence, the inhabitants accept her gradually though they insult her sometimes. Hester does not mind it, because what she concerns is Whether Dimmesdal e’s life is good or not.3.3 Protecting DimmesdaleWhen being put into prison, Hester refuses to confess who the father of the baby is, she protect Dimmesdale though Dimmesdale is too recreant to admit the sin. After Hester commits the sin, the Puritan society immediately enforces its law againsther. ―Hester betrayed her husband and went against the principle of honesty on Puritan, so she must accept the severe penalty in the Puritan society at that time.‖ Apart from wearing the red letter ―A‖, she has to suffer public shame on the scaffold.Though the love between Hester and Dimmesdale is true, Hester is a woman who is married. Both of them sin, they have to be punished and get salvation through their acts.4. As a Sinner, Working Hard to Get SalvationIn puritan’s doctrine, one should get salvation by hard working, Hester must be tortured until she receives forgiveness from God, and all that she can do is to bear until she gets salvation.4.1 Being Shamed for “Adultery”The authorities of puritan pu t an ―A‖ on her dress to shame her, to let her remember her sin and to alien her from the mental and physical. Originally, ―A‖ stands for adultery, that’s the sin Hester violate. Because of this letter, she is looked down upon by the villagers and is isolated.Hester Prynne suffers not only bec ause of mankind’s original sin, but also, and more decided by her adultery with Dimmesdale. Adultery is an offense towards God so she must be pun ished severely. In fact, Hester’s life is full of misery after the exposure of her crime. The first time Hester Prynne walks out of the prison with her baby, she is punished to be set in the market-plac e where ―stern-browed men‖ and ―unkindly-visaged women‖ and ―a crowd of eager and curious schoolboys‖ may ―have a fair sight o f her brave apparel.‖ This kind of public exposure is not considered sympathetic in local people’s eyes. Instead, it is ―a blessing on the righteous colony of the Massachusetts, where iniquity is dragged out into the sunshine!‖(Maibor, 2004, 6) Although it is no great distance from the prison-door to the market-place, to Hester Prynne, a prisoner, it is reckoned a journey of some length. However haughty she is, ―she perchance underwent an agony from every footstep of those that thronged to see her, as if her heart has been flung into the street for them all to spurn and trample upon.‖When Hester Prynne finally stands on the scaffolds, she is crowded by people who are somber and grave. She does her best to support herself under the heavy weight of a thousand relenting eyes, all fastened upon her, and concentrate upon her bosom. People do not insult her with terrible words; however, Hester feels much more suffocating in ―the solemn mood of the popular mind‖. She is so uneasy that she even wants to be insulted by venomous words rather than to bear all those rigid countenances. She can repay with a bitter and di sdainful smile at the multitude’s scornful la ugh. But encountered with such ―leaden infliction‖, she feels that unless ―shrieking out with the full power of her lungs, and cast herself from the scaffolds down upon the ground, or else go mad at once.‖(Maibor, 2004, 10)Although Hester Pr ynne tries to make the scarlet ―A‖as beautiful as an ornament and herself like a graceful grandeur dame, as one woman in the crowd describes: ―the pang of it will be always in her heart.‖ (Hawthorne, 2009, 368) If all the things make Hester feel humiliating, the recognition of her husband in the market-place aggravates her bad feeling and even frightens her severely. Then whe n she is sent back to the jail, she is exciting, can’t control her and even hurt her poor little baby. When the doctor---in fact Hester’s real husband comes in, she immediately become as still as death. After their talk, Hester promised to keep his real identity. This makes her not only guilty, but also crisis-ridden.Hester P rynne’s term of confinement ends, but not so as her sufferings. She comes out of the prison-door and comes forth into the sunshine, which ―falling on all alike, seemed, to her sick and morbid heart, as if mint for no other purpose than to reveal the scarle t letter on her breast.‖ She knows that a more real torture, when she begins the daily custom, comes. For the guilt she has committed, she is shut out from ―the sphere of human charities‖. (Chang, 2009, 78) Hester earns her living by her excellent needlework, which is rather popular among people in the following years. However, it is never used to embroider the white veil which is used to cover the pure face of a bride. This exception indicates the ever vigor with which society frowned upon her sin. In all her intercourse with society, however, there is nothing that makes Hester Prynne feels as if she belongs to it. Every gesture, every word, and even thesilence of those with whom she comes in contact, implies and often expresses, that she is banished. The token---the scarlet ―A‖never grows callous; it seems, on the contrary, to grow even more sensitive with daily torture.All these sufferings intend to remind Hester that, as a sinner, a betrayer of God, she must be tortured until she receives forgiveness from God. All that she can do is to bear until she gets salvation.Sin is unpleasant and painful. No one in the world wants to suffer. All of us hope that we can stop every kind of suffering some day. That is not just a wish that is far away and can’t be achieved. God’s love is universal and lenient. God has a soft heart, which doesn’t want to see people who are tortured. ―Praise the L ord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.‖(Song, 2001, 23)4.2 Image of Being a MotherAs Pearl’s name suggests, she comes from sin, but she is pure. She is also a constant reminder–to Hester and to the townspeople–of Hester's sin. Hester dresses her with bright color and named her pearl, and that shows her love to her baby. Though Pearl is regarded as the result of Hester and Dimmesdale’s adultery, she is still a pearl to Hester. Hester gives all her hope to Pearl. She is still a brave mother and a protector of Pearl.Through Pearl, Hester becomes a n image of ―Divine Maternity‖(Hawthorne, 2009, 451). But though so s ignally a mother, she is not a ―mother figure.‖By detaching her from the social milieu that defines and supports the concept of motherhood, Hawthorne is able to concentrate on the relation of Hester to her child without any social implications. In fact, society in this instance wishes to separate the mother and child. By giving her a recalcitrant daughter as child, Hawthorne has even more cleverly set his depiction of motherhood apart from Victorian ideology. What remains is an intense personal relation that expresses Hester’s maternal nature in a remarkably role-free way.This chapter aims at Hester’s changes from ―Adultery‖to ―Alien‖, and then being ―Able‖. As a sinner, Hester works hard to get salvation. Next chapter intends to tell Hester’s final image.4.3 Final Image of Hester: Angle, Bearing the Pain of Losing LoverHester is th e only person who wears the ―A‖in the whole article. Puritan authority’s power forces her to wear it all day long after the punishment of three hours standing on the scaffold. Hester can leave the Massachusetts colony, but she does not flee. She regards the place as her home living as the type of shame. It is love, which is the only reason for her to live in that place. The kind of love is declared guilty according to the puritan religion, which takes the asceticism as the local law at that time. ―There trod the feet of one with whom she deemed herself connected in a union….would bring them together befo re the bar of final judgment, and make that their marriage-alter, for a joint futurity of endless retribution (Hawthorne, 2009,489 ). May be at that time, Hester’s choice seems a little innocent. Just for the faith for love, which can also be regarded as the passion in a short while though wild nature as she has, she restrains her be behavior from then on for she thinks herself commit an offence. She swears of keeping the secret of the relationship between her and her husband Chillingworth shows that she is in blame at that time and puzzled with her love.Hester decides to expiate herself because she is eager to integrate into the society. Hawthorne’s puritan thoughts make this ending. And Hester her own characteristic makes her final choice.The later seven years consume her a lot from spirit to body. The scarlet letter does not change her from appearance but from the inside of her, on the contrary it lets her grow strong and think deeply the guilty of herself. She finds that the problem happens between her and Dimmesdale is not solved. Nothing changes. The free thinking temperament does not make her atone from her crime but be more puzzled. Hester tries her best to insist on and protect her love, her lover, and she struggles with the hard environment. Hester’s counterattack to Chillingworth identifies that she has a kind of more strong power at that time. This power comes from her love to Dimmesdale. Then the meet between Hester and Dimmesdale in the forest describes one possible way of resolving the problem. They plan to flee away to live a happy life and shake off the so-called sin here. The plan of fleeing reflects the human nature oflooking for happiness. Hester has already known how to get what she wants and how to realize love. She stands for the thought of releasing from the original, sin and the possibility of happy life of female. She completes the discussion of significance of love through the scarlet letter.The love between Hester and Dimmesdale is true. However, their end is a tragedy. Because of the long inner torture, Dimmesdale dies and then Hester comes back to her home England and memorizes their love. After Pearl married, she goes to Massachusetts and stays with Dimmesdale. Their love is great, but because of this love, Chillingworth hates Dimmesdale and tries his best to revenge him, at last, it results in the tragedy.ConclusionThrough the discussion above, the thesis can conclude that Hester Prynne is resurrected by her pious atonement. The process can be found clearly in the c hanges of the meaning of the scarlet letter ―A‖. At the beginning the letter ―A‖, worn on Hester’s bosom is a symbol of her adultery against Roger Chillingworth. This is the puritan way of treating her as a criminal, for the crime of adultery. The puritan treatment continues, because as Hester walks through the streets, she will be looked down upon as if she is some sort of demon from hell that has committed a terrible crime. This letter is meant to be worn in shame, and to make Hester feel unwanted. The sc arlet letter ―A‖ also stands for Hester’s lonely life in New England. After she is released, Hester lives in a cottage near the outskirts of the city. Hester’s social life is virtually eliminated as a result of her shameful history. Hester has no friends in the world, and little Pearl is the only companion of her lonely life, so the scarlet letter ―A‖ also is a symbol of the words ―alone‖ and ―alienate‖. Later, the scarlet letter ―A‖ changes its meaning into being able, angel, and admirable. The townspeople who condemned her now believe the scarlet letter to stand for her ability to her beautiful needlework and for her unselfish assistance to the poor and sick. At this point, a lot of townspeople realize what a noble character Hester processes. Hester overco mes the shame of her sin through the purity and goodness of her soul. Unselfishly, offering hertime and love to those who need her most proves that she is not worthy of the fate which has been dealt to her.Being a religious sinner who has severely profaned God and thus considered as a betrayal, Hester Prynne, like all the others, also enjoys God’s universal love. We can find out through her words and deeds that, although she has made a terrible mistake, she doesn’t separate herself from God consequently. Instead, she accepts all the punishment society forces upon her and behaves gently and kindly. What she acts is just good evidence as her atonement for her sin, she is brave when love with the clergy. She is hard working as a sinner. She is hopeful as a mother. She is regarded as an angel after getting salvation.BibliographyBarlowe Jamie. (2000). the Scarlet Mob of Scribblers: Rereading Hester Prynne. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP, 3—21.Maibor Carolyn R. Labor Pains NY: Routledge, (2004) Emerson, Hawthorne, and Alcott on Work and the Woman Question. 6—10.McFarland Philip. (2004). Hawthorne in Concord.中央编译出版社。
从女性主义角度看《红字》摘要本文从女性主义文学批评角度出发,对美国著名作家霍桑的代表作《红字》的主人公海斯特的女性形象进行评论。
霍桑将处于社会边缘人的海斯特塑造成为与命运抗争的叛逆女性,她颠覆了男权社会将女性作为客体的传统观念,把自己提升到了主体的位置。
作品中也融入了霍桑的女性主义意识。
关键词边缘人主体女性意识在十九世纪的美国社会中,女性被鼓励享有政治、经济、社会、教育平等的权利,并且支持她们进行独立思考、参与社会活动。
因此以女性意识为基调的具有女性价值的女性主义批评在蓬勃发展,女性主义批评在文学批评理论中成为最具活力,最有影响力的一种批评理论。
近年来女性主义批评转向肯定女性自身价值即肯定女性的尊严、对社会做出的贡献。
女性主义的批评没有理论基础,借助了其他批评理论的一些方法,以女性经验为基础,改变在男权社会中对女性的压抑和迫害的印象,恢复她们在社会中应有的地位。
本文从女性主义角度分析美国著名作家霍桑在他的代表作《红字》中融入的女性主义意识。
小说的主人公海斯特以一个饱受舆论、世俗观与宗教谴责唾弃的犯有通奸罪行的女性出场,她虽然忍辱负重,却敢于面对人生。
她对自己犯下的罪行毫不后悔,她的坦然、坚强、勇敢与超脱刻画了她不俗的性格。
强烈的抗争精神颠覆了女性处于男权社会的客体地位,将自己提到了主体位置。
通过对海斯特这一女性人物的塑造,表现了霍桑本人潜在的女性意识。
一、霍桑的家庭背景对他女性意识形成的影响霍桑是新英格兰地区清教徒移民望族的后裔,他出生在北美马萨诸塞州的塞勒姆镇。
自幼对清教徒祖先相当崇拜的霍桑却因为父亲的早逝而成为一个社会边缘人。
在《红字》中他也精心刻画了海斯特这位妇女在当时社会中的边缘地位。
他的父亲在一次航海途中不幸病逝,由于当时妇女在社会中处于无权地位,他的母亲为了生计,带着三个孩子回到娘家。
于是年幼的霍桑过上了寄人篱下的生活,然而她娘家一家人对人非常善良,使他有一个幸福快乐的童年生活。
可是日渐成人的霍桑却越来越对自己处于社会中尴尬境地的敏感。
浅析小说《红字》中的人物道德象征小说中,作家分别通过详细刻画海斯特、齐林沃斯、丁梅斯代尔和珠儿,塑造了四种不同形象的人物,不仅给读者留下了深刻的印象,更丰富了世界小说史中的人物。
这四位人物形象,都寓含着深刻的道德含义:海丝特是“善”的道德象征。
她与青年牧师丁梅斯代尔相爱,并犯了通奸罪和生下了珠儿。
虽然作家并非要刻意地宽恕她的罪恶,但他深知与丁梅斯代尔及齐林渥斯所犯下的罪恶相比, 海丝特的罪恶就显得轻得多。
首先, 海丝特是夫权的牺牲品,在年纪尚幼、难辨是非的情况下,丑陋变态、谙于世故的齐林渥斯把她娶占为妻,但却不关心她,更不爱她。
齐林渥斯极其愚蠢且不负责地将一个年轻貌美的女子送往北美大陆的殖民地去孤单地生活,而自己却留在了;在送走妻子之后,齐林渥斯在航行中又成了印第安人的俘虏, 杳无音讯,人们都以为他早已葬身于鱼腹。
此外, 就丁梅斯代尔而言,他明知自己不可能或者说不愿意娶她的情况下,仍让他们之间的恋情不断发展。
更重要的是, 海丝特所犯下的罪过是因爱而引起的,而非蓄意之举,这一点仍有别于齐林渥斯的罪恶。
与此同时,她敢于袒露自己的罪行, 真诚地负罪行善而不是将罪恶隐藏在心中,这一点又将她与丁梅斯代尔截然区别开来。
海丝特从未故意地制造过罪恶,也从未刻意地去伤害他人。
她的不足之处在于,她的爱和激情让她忽视了清教社会中严厉苛刻的道德准则。
正如她所言:“我们所做的事本身就是一种奉献。
我们就是这样认为的! 我们彼此间都这么说过!”虽然她不是清教徒,人们也完全可以怀疑她是否真的遵从清教戒律, 但是,她确实坦然彻底承认了自己的罪孽并勇敢地将它展示在公众面前。
她始终将象征着罪恶与耻辱的红“A”字佩带在胸前,并有意地将“活着的红字”——珠儿的服饰打扮成鲜红色。
她的美德在于诚实, 她在真诚中得到了升华,成了美的象征。
而她的丈夫齐林渥斯则是“恶”的代表。
他与海丝特形成了鲜明的对比。
他的第一个罪恶在于他违反了自然法则。
这个罪恶在他娶回海丝特的那天就犯下了。
毕业论文开题报告中文题目:红字中海斯特的心里分析英文题目:A Brief Analysis on the Pof Hester in the Scarlet Letter 系别:外语系专业:英语班级:学号:学生姓名:指导教师:2011年03 月04一、选题依据:(背景与意义、国内外研究现状与发展趋势)背景与意义:霍桑的代表作《红字》是美国文学发展史上的第一部象征主义小说,是美国浪漫主义小说的代表作。
在作品中,霍桑集中了创作个性与经验,成功地运用了象征手法,使《红字》成为一部不朽的世界文学名著。
《红字》以十七世纪的新英格兰为背景,描述了清教的残酷和它对故事中女主人公人性的扼杀。
小说创造性地演绎了当时社会对海斯特的压迫,但海斯特并没有屈服,她没有屈服于压抑人性的宗教道德,而是以种种勇敢的行为向愚昧的传统挑战,证明了自身存在的意义。
她是反抗不合理的婚姻制度、争取真正美好爱情的勇敢典型,但霍桑创作这篇著作的母的仅仅是颂歌这位女人的新生吗?他把自己的清教人文主义思想灌注在对海斯特的形象描写上,事实上海斯特最后赎罪重生是对清教制度对清教社会的妥协,是由叛逆到妥协的转变。
国内外研究现状与发展趋势:对于美国浪漫主义作家纳撒尼尔.霍桑的作品《红字》中的女主人公海斯特.白兰,很多学者都把她解读为是经过苦难的磨炼后获得了新生的女权主义战士,但细读小说可发现,文字表层虽然支持上述见解,表象下却另有隐藏:海斯特在理想和现实的矛盾中煎熬着,生活在边缘地带,经过命运残酷的打击后最终屈服了,接受了清教社会对她的审判。
由此看出,霍桑并不是个彻底的女权主义者。
对于霍桑的著作《红字》,历来文人对之的解析都侧重在象征手法以及对伟大爱情的歌颂,对海斯特勇敢的肯定,但没有结合霍桑本人对清教的理解,对当时社会的复杂心理,而海斯特的性格本身就带有复杂性,我认为尽管相关研究成果丰硕,但《红字》作为“经典”所具有丰富的当代意义并没有在前述研究中形成系统性的论述。
论文摘要:纳撒尼尔·霍桑在《红字》中塑造的海斯特·白兰吸引了无数读者并在近年来引发了诸多富有新意的解读。
女性主义文学批评要求以女性的视角对文学作品进行全新解读,为重新欣赏《红字》提供了参考。
基于女性主义文学批评的基础上,讨论海斯特形象的创造而挖掘小出说中反女性主义的因素。
论文关键词:文学批评;女性主义;海斯特
《红字》于1850年出版后吸引了来自各方位诸多种类的评价,其中包括对作者本人的家庭出身、作者的理想信仰、作者与小说的关系、小说的写作风格与特点、《红字》的多重含义、故事中的各种寓意、文中所出现人物的特性心理、小说的社会文化意义等等多角度多方面的分析和评论。
在劳伦斯(D.H.Lawrence)看来,《红字》不是一本让人愉悦的心灵罗曼史。
相反,这是“一篇精彩的寓言。
我认为这是所有文学中最伟大的寓言之一”。
“蓝眼睛的神童纳撒尼尔赋予本书绝对的双重意义”,并认为作者本人具备超凡的洞察力。
巴特莱特(Fred—ericC.Bartlett)则应用弗洛伊德的心理分析理论重新诠释了这部小说,探索了欲望的宣泄以及自我压抑。
在一篇名为《鲜红的A字,霍桑的投影——《红字》海斯特形象与霍桑之思想》的文章中,作者将文中的圣母形象与美国精神联系起来,认为“霍桑心中的‘美国梦’与‘美国精神’都集中地体现在海斯特形象的塑造上”。
在中国文学史上,20世纪初西方女权主义理论的引人,无疑是唤起现代女性意识觉醒的重要因素,对中国现代女性文学创作产生了重要影响,虽然这种影响不是完全意义上的女性主义文学观的影响。
但是,它为中国当代社会对女性主义文学观念在中国文学创作中的消化和理解提供了许多经验。
中国当代文学向女性精神与心灵的深处拓展,体现强烈的女性价值感与女性主体性更是得益于西方较为成熟的女性文学观念。
中国女性主义文学观的形成是带有本土特色,具有阶段性特点,流动变化的过程。
一、中国女性主义文学批评观的产生与发展
女性主义理论是20世纪中期以来,西方理论界最重要的文艺理论之一。
“女性主义文学批评产生于女性对自身的历史存在与日常生活的反思。
”女性主义文学批评在中国的兴起给中国文坛注入了新的生机和活力,使人们从全新的视角来审视传统的文学史,追溯女性文学传统,寻找女性特有的文学表达方式,并批判文学中的男性中心主义,从而建构起具有鲜明女性意识的文学创作与批评理论。
进入20世纪90年代以后,在西方女性主义理论的观照下,中国许多女性作者、学者都在积极探寻女性问题,并以自己的方式参与到女性问题的讨论中。
20世纪60年代以后,女权运动再度掀起高潮,广大女性真正对父权制思想文化本身提出质疑,才有了理论化的女性主义文学批评,相应地出现大量女权主义的论著,为妇女言论提供了阵地。
1970年,凯特·米勒特的《性政治》的出版,标志着女权主义文学理论形成。
西方女性主义文学观念在形成和发展的同时,也开始其向世界其他国家的传播。
在中国,特别是新文化运动以来,也有许多思想家和作家把西方的女权主义理论及女性主义文学观念引进来。
这些引入,促进了中国女性意识的觉醒,并使中国的女性主义文学观念得以形成,并在中国现当代文学创作和批评实践上产生了重要影响。
19世纪末20世纪初,中国知识界出现了介绍西方资产阶级学说的热潮,其中斯宾塞的《女权篇》等也开始传人中国,资产阶级的女权主义理论为中国妇女解放提供了思想武器。
“五·四”新文化运动中“人”的发现也带来了“女性的发现”“,启蒙”激发了一些女知识分子女性意识的觉醒和文学创作的热情。
尤其是“娜拉热”以后,一些女性作家很快地从娜拉身上得到了女性自我意识的印证。
从而也催生了带有群体女性意识觉醒的中国第一批女作家。
她们主要有陈衡哲、谢冰心、庐隐、萧红、张爱玲等。
冰心的《斯人独憔悴》等触及了妇女解放和鞭挞五四时期家长制的黑暗;庐隐的《海滨故人》等小说书写了当时年轻女性苦闷彷徨的心理;白薇的自传体小说《悲剧生涯》等女作家的作品都表现出鲜明与独特的女性体悟,这些群体创作是中国女性自我意识觉醒的最初
标志,也在中国文学史上醒目地树起了女性文学的旗帜。
二、女性的反抗意识
男人正是通过不断排挤、压抑女性这个他者来稳固自己的中心地位。
在男权社会中妇女总是处于社会的边缘,女性被男人视为劣等的性别,而她们自己也甘愿顺从于这种性别支配。
在这种思想的支配下,女性只有学会等待、服从、接受。
软弱、无用和温顺的所谓“女性气质”成了女性的一种美德。
应用女性主义观点来进行分析主人公海斯特的形象也是方兴未艾。
在传统女性主义的眼巾,女主人公海斯特·白兰“反抗命运的不公,在残酷的清教统治下,她仍没有停止对爱的追求,对生活的追求”;“她始终忠实于爱情,大胆追求爱情,保护爱情结晶,以极大的勇气和坚忍不拔的精神与宗教和现实作斗争,体现了对女性平等权利追求和对人权的基本追求”。
总之,在很多女性主义学者看来,海斯特是一个追求独立自主的女性典范,她通过自己漫长卓越的抗争,最终赢得周围人的认同,肯定了独立新女性的自我意识以及生存价值。
三、海斯特形象的反抗与妥协的纠结
这个阶段的海斯特一面继续着与清教社会和现实生的反抗,一面却开始慢慢展现出对她所反抗的一切的妥协反抗与妥协逐渐纠结,形成了第二个阶段的“迷失的斗士象”。
海斯特生下珠儿后便与孩子在海边开始了她们相依命的日子,在她们的生活中没有男权意识的涉足。
柏拉图经探讨过一种神秘的、无形的、类似子宫的空间(ehora),且认为这个空间存在于一切思想产生前。
法国女权主义者朱莉娅·克里斯蒂娃将其重新定位,认为它存在于每个身上,是母性的、前俄狄浦斯的冲动,是孩子与母亲共享的问。
海斯特与珠儿两母女之间存在的这种相互的认同关正是否定父权制度的一种象征。
为了保证这一空间的继存在,所以当世俗和权威欲夺取珠儿的抚养权时,海斯特敢地向教会和世俗统治者公开挑战,在贝灵汉的总督府里出了自己“狂野而独特的吁请”,誓死保护她抚养女儿权利。
但是面对珠儿一次又一次对红字的触摸及质问,她会有无限痛苦与罪恶涌上心头。
海斯特渐渐用围绕着她权意识价值和衡量自己,开始觉得自己犯了错,成了一个得患失的负罪形象。
这种强烈的罪恶感甚至会让她觉得前的不是自己的女儿,而是“像有一个邪恶的精灵附在了子身上”,以至于语气严厉威胁珠儿说“别缠我了,要我就将你荚进橱柜里去了”。
另一方面,我们看到海斯特在离群索居的日子里靠的针线女红来维持生计。
她用自己精巧的手工为A镶上金边为珠儿缝制最显眼精美的衣服。
很多学者认为海斯特将个代表着自己耻辱的标志如此修饰,使它更加醒目,这是斯特反抗清教道德、顽强表现个人欲望的标志。
此处的女意象能够让人联想到法国女权主义者埃莱娜·西苏的“女写作”理论。
西苏认为,在男权主义社会里,女性在二元对的关系中处于劣势,权利被压制甚至是被剥夺。
海斯特·白兰在大多数人看来是女性主义顽强抗争的代名词,认为她通过自己的抗争争取到了世人的尊重。
可是小说中海斯特由抗争到妥协的鲜明比照的对立形象却实实在在地表明了她的消极化变化。
随着故事情节的进一步发展,她身上所有的女性主义品质在不断消失,取而代之的是男权社会的同化。
这样的变化也恰恰反映了霍桑本人的思想。
他的清教主义庭背景以及对先祖们矛盾而复杂的情感,使得霍桑心目中一直萦绕着负罪感,同时也在一定程度上接受了革命意意识。
但是个体中保守的因素以及现实中革命的狂乱又使得他对这种革命所保留。
在女性问题上,他一方面推崇女性的自我实现,同时另一方面又对这种追求又感到困惑。
虽然,霍桑同情女性所遭受的不幸,但是他透露在小说中的他自己保守思想中固有的反女性主义因素,也就注定了海斯特不可能真正地脱离男权制的压抑。