狄更斯远大前程

AComparativeStudyofFiguresinDickens‟GreatExpectationsandThackeray‟sVanityFair

Abstract

GreatExpectationsandVanityFairarethetwomasterpieceworksin19thcenturyin

realargescale

themhaveadetailedconcerned

aboutsocietyandciviliansbythecomprehensiveanalysisonthefateofcharacterismthe

efigureschon,thefigureofGreatExpectationsisaninnocentchildwho

areeasilytobeaffectedbytheoutsideenvironmentofsociety;thefiguresofVanityFairare

pertries

tohation,the

papeitations

intheaspectofofsocial,culturalandpoliticalarethefundamentalcausforthedifferentlife

offigures.

Keywords:GreatExpectations;VanityFair;figures;criticalrealism;caus

摘要

《远大前程》和《名利场》作为19世纪英国的两部旷世之作，是分别由狄更斯和

萨克雷两位大师级的作家完成的。两部作品存在着大量的相似点和差异。两部作品都不

约而同的通过对主人公命运的展示表现了对平民和社会深沉的关注。至于角色选定，《远

大前程》用容易受到社会环境影响的天真儿童作为作品的主人公；《名利场》所选择的

的任务大部分来自于上流社会，萨克雷对这类群体采取十分消极的态度。

本文将尝试从评判现实主义的角度对两部作品中的不同人物进行对比分析。同时本文将

探析造成文中角色不同命运的多种原因。并得出在社会，经济和文化方面的限制才是造

成不同任务的不同命运的根本原因。

关键词：《远大前程》；《名利场》；人物；评判现实主义；原因

Content

Introduction..............................................................................................................................4

BriefIntroductiontotheAuthor.........................................................................................4

BriefIntroductiontotheWork...........................................................................................5

SignificanceoftheThesis..................................................................................................6

OrganizationoftheThesis..................................................................................................6

ticalRealism.............................................................................................................6

1.1Criticalrealismineconomics.......................................................................................6

alrealismandMarxism.......................................................................................7

porarycriticalrealism.....................................................................................7

gicLivesofMainCharacters.................................................................................9

2.1EstellaHavisham:ImprisonmentofMarriage,SlaveofMoney..................................9

2.2Sharp:BreakofDream...............................................................................................10

softheFormationforDifferenceFigures.......................................................11

3.1Self-destructionCaudbytheDeficiencyinPersonality.........................................11

3.1.1EstellaHavisham‟sSelfnessandSuperficiality..............................................11

3.1.2Sharp‟sVanityandIgnorance..........................................................................12

3.2TheVictimofPatriarchalSociety..............................................................................13

3.2.1Pirrip‟s“Materialization”ofEstellaHavisham...............................................13

3.2.2Compeyson‟sImprisonmentofEstellaHavisham..........................................14

3.2.3Osborne‟sToyingwithSharp..........................................................................14

3.2.4Crawley‟sIndifferencetoSharp......................................................................15

sion...........................................................................................................................15

References...............................................................................................................................16

Introduction

BriefIntroductiontotheAuthor

tedsomeoftheworld's

mostmemorablefictionalcharactersandisgenerallyregardedasthegreatestnovelistofthe

hislife,hisworknjoyedunprecedentedfame,andbythetwentieth

cenelsand

ghhehadlittleformaleducation,hiarly

scareerheeditedaweeklyjournalfor20years,

wrote15novels,5novellasandhundredsofshortstoriesandnon-fictionarticles,lecturedand

performedextensively,wasanindefatigableletterwriter,andcampaignedvigorouslyfor

children'srights,education,els,mostpublishedinmonthly

orweeklyinstalments,pioneeredtherialpublicationofnarrativefiction,whichbecamethe

talmentformatallowedDickensto

evaluatehisaudience'sreaction,andheoftenmodifiedhisplotandcharacterdevelopment

badonsuchfeedback.

amousforhis

satiricalworks,particularlyVanityFair,hing

theageof21,hecameintohisinheritancebuthesquanderedmuchofitongamblingandby

fundingtwounsuccessfulnewspapers,TheNationalStandardandTheConstitutionalfor

lostagoodpartofhisfortuneinthecollapoftwo

toconsideraprofessiontosupporthimlf,heturnedfirsttoart,which

hestudiedinParis,butdidnotpursueitexceptinlateryearsastheillustratorofsomeofhis

evedmorerecognitionwithhisSnobPapers,butthe

workthatreallyestablishedhisfamewasthenovelVanityFair,whichfirstappearedin

foreVanityFaircompletedits

rialrun,Thackerayhadbecomeacelebrity,soughtafterbytheverylordsandladieswhom

hesatirid;1860Thackeraybecameeditorofthe

newlyestablishedCornhillMagazine,butwasnevercomfortableasaneditor,preferringto

contributetothemagazineasacolumnist,producinghisRoundaboutPapersforit.

BriefIntroductiontotheWork

VanityFair:Thebook'stitlecomesfromJohnBunyan'sallegoricalstoryThePilgrim's

Progress."VanityFair"referstoastopalongthepilgrim'sprogress:anever-endingfairheld

inatowncalledVanity,whichismeanttoreprentman'ssinfulattachmenttoworldlythings.

ThestoryopenswithMissPinkerton'sAcademyforYoungLadies,whereBeckySharpand

AmeliaSedleyhavejustcompletedtheirstudiesandarepreparingtodepartforAmelia's

sportrayedasastrong-willedandcunningyoungwoman

determinedtomakeherwayinsociety,andAmeliaSedleyasagood-natured,lovablethough

utlivedhisbrotherbyevenadayhewouldhavebecome

SirRawdonCrawleyandBeckywouldhavebecomeLadyCrawley,atitlesheusanywayin

salsoafinalappearanceforBecky,ascockyaver,llingtrinketsatafair

owlivingwellagainasherson,thenewbaronet,

hasagreedtofinanciallysupportherhoweverhedeclinesanyfurtherrelationshipor

communication.

GreatExpectationsisabildungsroman,oracoming-of-agenovel,andthestorygenreis

tamongthemarshesofKentandinLondonintheearlyto

eoutt,thereaderis"treated"bytheterrifyingencounterbetweenPip,

theprotagonist,andtheescapedconvict,xpectationsisagraphic

book,fullofextremeimagery,poverty,prisonships,"thehulks,"barriersandchains,and

eforecombinesintrigueandunexpectedtwistsofautobiographical

lessofitsnarrativetechnique,thenovelreflectstheeventsof

thetime,Dickens'concerns,

Expectationshasacolorfulcastthathasremainedinpopularculture:thecapriciousMiss

Havisham,thecoldandbeautifulEstella,Joethekindandgenerousblacksmith,thedryand

sycophanticUnclePumblechook,MrJaggers,Wemmickandhisdualpersonality,andthe

eloquentandwifriend,HerbertPocket.

SignificanceoftheThesis

Becauofthelimitationofculturalandsocialfactors,therearesomedifficultiesin

haeof

alrealismisthetheorythatsomeofourn-data

cananddoaccuratelyreprentexternalobjects,properties,earchfromthe

perspectiveofcriticalrealismcanrevealthetrueesnceofhumanbeingsastomanifest

humanbeings‟consciousnessandfantasyandexplorethetruthofhuman‟

meansofanalyzingthefiguresinGreatExpectationsandVanityFair,andtheclear

understandingaboutsimilaritiesanddifferencescanbebuild.

ThefiguresinDickens‟GreatExpectationsandThackeray‟sVanityFairremindsusthat

undertheprosperityofmateriallife,

paperwillgivereaders,whofancyDickensandThackeray,developingunderstandingofthe

warningsignificanceofthetwofictionsinmodernsociety.

OrganizationoftheThesis

Sofar,ithasprentedthebriefintroductionaboutDickensandThackeray,andGreat

rd

partisthesimilaritiesanddifferencesoffiguresinGreatExpectationsandVanityFair.

Finally,itwillintroducethecausoftheformationofdifferentfatesinthisplay.

TheCriticalRealism

1.1Criticalrealismineconomics

Accordingtocriticalrealisteconomists,thecentralaimofeconomictheoryistoprovide

sitioncombinestranscendental

esthatmainstreameconomics(i)

reliexcessivelyondeductivistmethodology,(ii)embracesanuncriticalenthusiasmfor

formalism,and(iii)believesinstrongconditionalpredictionsineconomicsdespiterepeated

sworldis

"outofpha"(Lawson)

mainstreamviewisthusalimitedrealitybecauempiricalrealistspresumethattheobjects

ofinquiryaresolely"empiricalregularities"—thatis,objectsandeventsatthelevelofthe

experienced.

Thecriticalrealistviewsthedomainofrealcausalmechanismsastheappropriateobject

ofeconomicscience,whereasthepositivistviewisthattherealityixhaustedinempirical,

wsonarguesthateconomicsoughttoembracea"social

ontology"toincludetheunderlyingcausofeconomicphenomena.

alrealismandMarxism

AdevelopmentofBhaskar'scriticalrealismliesattheontologicalrootofcontemporary

listphilosophydescribedby

BhaskarinARealistTheoryofScienceiscompatiblewithMarx'sworkinthatitdifferentiates

betweenanintransitivereality,whichexistsindependentlyofhumanknowledgeofit,andthe

alistlogicisclearly

prentintheMarxiantheoryofideology,accordingtowhichsocialrealitymaybevery

y,AlexCallinicoshas

arguedfora'criticalrealist'ontologyinthephilosophyofsocialscienceandexplicitly

acknowledgesBhaskar'sinfluence(whilealsorejectingthelatter's'spiritualistturn'inhislater

work).TherelationshipbetweencriticalrealistphilosophyandMarxismhasalsobeen

discusdinanarticleco-authoredbyBhaskarandCallinicosandpublishedintheJournalof

CriticalRealism

porarycriticalrealism

CriticalrealismisprentlymostcommonlyassociatedwiththeworkofRoyBhaskar.

Bhaskardevelopedageneralphilosophyofsciencethathedescribedastranscendental

realism,andasp

twotermswerecombinedbyotherauthorstoformtheumbrellatermcriticalrealism.

Transcendentalrealismattemptstoestablishthatinorderforscientificinvestigationto

takeplace,theobjectofthatinvestigationmusthavereal,manipulable,internalmechanisms

whatwedowhenweconduct

andsincontrasttoempiricistscientists'claimthatallscientistscandois

empiricism,

andpositivismmoregenerally,locatecausalrelationshipsatthelevelofevents,Critical

Realismlocatesthematthelevelofthegenerativemechanism,arguingthatcausal

relationshipsareirreducibletoempiricalconstantconjunctionsofDavidHume'sdoctrine;in

otherwords,aconstantconjunctiverelationshipbetweeneventsisneithersufficientnoreven

necessarytoestablishacausalrelationship.

Theimplicationofthisisthatscienceshouldbeunderstoodasanongoingprocessin

whichscientistsimprovetheconceptstheyutounderstandthemechanismsthattheystudy.

Itshouldnot,incontrasttotheclaimofempiricists,beabouttheidentificationofa

coincidencebetweenapostulatedindependentvariableanddependentvariable.

Positivism/falsificationarealsorejectedduetotheobrvationthatitishighlyplausiblethata

mechanismwillexist,,non-realisation

ofapositedmechanismcannotbetakentosignifyitsnon-existence.

Criticalnaturalismarguesthatthetranscendentalrealistmodelofscienceiqually

r,whenwestudythehuman

worldwearestudyingsomethingfundamentallydifferentfromthephysicalworldandmust

alnaturalismthereforeprescribessocial

scientificmethodwhichekstoidentifythemechanismsproducingsocialevents,butwitha

recognitiont

particular,wemustunderstandthathumanagencyismadepossiblebysocialstructuresthat

themlvesrequirethereproductionofcertainactions/r,theindividuals

thatinhabitthesocialstructuresarecapableofconsciouslyreflectingupon,andchanging,

theactionsthatproducethem—apracticethatisinpartfacilitatedbysocialscientific

rearch.

gicLivesofMainCharacters

ThesuccessofGreatExpectationsandThackeray‟sVanityFairhaveaclorelationship

aleimagesarethebestreflectionforthespecialsocialand

r,themainimagesdidnotleadaveryhappylife,allofthem

ghtheyhavethesimilarfate,greatdifferencescanbefoundin

theirrespectivetragedies.

2.1EstellaHavisham:ImprisonmentofMarriage,SlaveofMoney

EstellaHavishamisanangel,snodoubtthatEstellaHavishamisthe

hemotivationwhyPirripcanbeso

wasfallinginlovewithEstellaHavishamatthefirst

eenage,EstellaHavishamwassobeautifulandinnocent,that‟swhyshecan

y,authoralwaystiesEstellaHavishamandallthethings

relatedtoherwithbeautifulflowers,r,

gicmarriageandthemisunderstandingaboutmoneyresultedin

hertragedy.

ehadabeautifulthinkingaboutherfuture.

Shedidnottakethephysicalmattersintoconsideration,allshewantedistobewithher

auofthespecialhistoricalcondition,Shedidnotspendtoomuchtimein

otrightwrongtoputherfateintheunknownfuture.

Butshedidnotknowclearlyaboutherhusband,pinesslifedidnotembrace

d,herhusbandstilllivedinhisownlifestyleanddidnotpaytoomuchattentionto

Compeyson‟sopinion,marriagemeansnothingtohim,EstellaHavishamisnomore

soncouldnotstepintothehoumorethanone

month,realotofsufferings

eoftheexistenceofmarriage,Estella

HavishamcouldnotmaintaintherelationshipwithPirripwhenheappearedinfrontofher.

Astomoneyconcept,shewascontaminatedbymoney.”Thenwearthegoldhat,if

thatillmoveher;ifyoucanbouncehigh,bounceforhertoo,tillshecry„lover,gold-hatted,

highbouncinglover,Imusthaveyou‟”.Wecannotdenythattherewasaloverelationship

betweenEstellaHavishamandPirrip,thereasonsforwhytheydidnotbethecouplesisthat

Piore,she

ingwithmoney,thefriendshipandlove

aHavishamisnottheimageinPirrip‟smind,thechangeshavebeen

ryridiculoustotalkaboutinvisiblethings

withher,ldnot

lly,sherealizedthatmoneycan

makepossibilitiesforhertoenjoythe“invisiblecomfortable”.Thatisthemainreasonforher

ormalrelationshipwithPirripandtherentmenttoCompeysonandhis

loveraredominatedbyhermoneyconcept.

2.2Sharp:BreakofDream

Sharpiscomingfromthebottomofsocietywhocannotwintoomuchattentionfromthe

alotofsimilaritieswithPirrip,shehadastrongdesireforherfuturelife.

amwasbrokenwhenencounterwiththetoughreality,

troubledbyrealityanddream,the

qualityinsocialstatusindicatesthattherearethingwill

arpfirstlymetOsborne,“she

wasfallinginlovewithOsborneimmediately”.Itnotonlyhasthedispensablerelationship

withindividualfeelings,butalsothehastherelationshipwiththesocialbackgroundof

sidered

eOsbornehas

advantagesinwealthandsocialstatuscanlayasolidfoundationforthefulfillmentofher

dream.

AfterSharpbecametheloverofOsborne,shesparednoeffortstoimitatethelifestyle

sdonthegloriousclothes,tookthenewcarriageandevenboughta

ndofbehaviorsmadeherinvisibledreammuchspecifiedthan

nottheprimarythingforSharptotakeintoconsideration,thefulfillment

ore,shetriedherbesttoshowwhat

njoyedenviousopinionfromothers,she

ommonn,loverisnotagoodidentity

ontrary,Sharpattachedgreatimportance

toit,eisthephysicalfoundation

tbeimpossibleforhertofulfillherdream

nbetheexplanationforwhyshewasmadwhenOsborne

conquence,e‟s

leavemeansthebreakingofherdream.

softheFormationforDifferenceFigures

realargescaleof

causfortragediesofthreefemaleimages.“Theinternalandexternalfactorscanlayasolid

foundationforthetragedies”.

3.1Self-destructionCaudbytheDeficiencyinPersonality

Becauofthedifferencesineducationlevel,socialbackgroundandsocialidentity,there

icienciesinpersonalityare

theinternalcausofthefemaletragedies.

3.1.1EstellaHavisham’sSelfnessandSuperficiality

The

notputalltheresponsibilitiesonEstellaHavisham,thedefectsofCompeysonshouldbetaken

lknow,“EstellaHavishamhadahostileattitudetowardstohis

husband”.solfishthattakingrevenge

ndofrevengedirectly

theesnceof

EstellaHavisham‟stragiclife,notrealizethefaults

nocentforthedeathofPirrip,ust

fallinginlovewithEstellaHavisham,butEstellaHavishamtookadvantageofthislovetokill

Pirrip,thofCompeysonandPirripmeansthatEstella

tthecapitaltostayintheupper

ten,tion,EstellaHavisham‟ssuperficialitycanbe

maryreasonwhyEstellaHavishamwantedtobuild

therelationshipwithPirripisthatthewealthPirripownedbeyondherimaginationatthesame

not

hasthedesiretopursuitmentalfulfillment,whichisthefundamentalstrengthtosupportone‟s

tion,shedidnothingwhenshealready

knewsomethingaboutherhusband‟lrighttobebetrayedbyherhusbandandto

eswithoutsoulanddesire,sheisjustdoing

“theroutinework”snopassionanddesireforhertosurvive,deathmaybe

thebestlectionforher.

3.1.2Sharp’sVanityandIgnorance

Inreality,ehadahappinessfamily,

r,Sharpdidnotsatisfywhatshe

pinion,enteringintouppertenandleadacosylifearethemostcharmingpartsin

ywantedtobeamemberofthe

ebeginning,rocessofvanitypursuit,she

erearesomeimprovementsinherphysicallife,butnoone

licknewclearlyaboutwhySharpcouldbeapartofthem,thedisrespect

neknewclearlythatsheisjusta“pet”of

‟swor,sheabandoned

astotally

relyingonOsborne,shemeansnothingtootherswithoutthe“dirtyrelationship”with

Osborne.

Beingamemberoftheupperten,sheknewnothingabouttherulesintheupperten.

Firstly,shewassourgetoshowthe“gloriouslife”inupperten,shedidnottakeother‟s

eappreciatedisverycommontoothers,peopledidnot

eantime,shewassolonelythatnoonewantedtobefriendswithher.

What‟swor,herignorancemadeherbelievethatshehadtrulybecomeamemberofthe

pinion,mthe

perspectiveofothers,ore,peopletriedtostay

awaywithher,hasbeenputhimatthe

cornerofsocietyandwasnotendingtotakecareofSharp.

3.2TheVictimofPatriarchalSociety

otdenythatmales

nsideredfemaleastheirsubordinationanddid

ushedfemaleintoadisadvantageous

andsoffemalewouldneverbemet,thefeelingsofthemhavebeenignored

ivesahandtorelievefemale‟ssufferingsandchangefemale‟stough

situations.

3.2.1Pirrip’s“Materialization”ofEstellaHavisham

ThematerializationofEstellaHavishamisthebiggestmisunderstandingaboutEstella

ip‟sopinion,thecauwhyEstellaHavishamwouldmarryCompeysonis

ore,hetriedhisbesttoearn

ip‟straditionalconcept,thematerializationofEstella

Havishamisveryobvious.“Themoremoneyhecanearn,themucheasierforhimtogether”.

ely,lfishand

realotofchangeshavebeentaken

placeinher,thefulfillmentsonherphysicalworldcannotguaranteethecomingbackof

quence,EstellaHavishamwastiedwithmoneyandcosylife,

pymemoriesfromPirripdeepen

kafulladvantageofPirriptotake

eofthedeathofPirrip,Compeysonandhis

lover,thematerializationconcepthasdrivenEstellaHavishamtoaisolationposition.

3.2.2Compeyson’sImprisonmentofEstellaHavisham

ThefactisthatEstellaHavishamandCompeysonarecouple,theyshouldberesponsible

llaHavisham‟shusband,itisCompeyson‟sdutytogiveahappiness

idnotmakeit,hestilllivedinhisownlife

‟swor,ily,EstellaHavishamcannotgetlove

atriarchalsociety,maleisthedominatorinfamily,theyhadrightsto

risonmentofEstella

eoftherelationshipwith

Compeyson,‟s

more,ebetrayingtotheir

quence,evenEstellaHavishamasverylonely,she

asnomorehappinessfamilylifeforher,letalonethe

umulationofnegativefeelingsinEstellaHavisham

laidafoundationforthedeathofCompeysonandthetragiclifeofherlf.

3.2.3Osborne’sToyingwithSharp

Osbornedidnotshowtoomuchattentiontoherwife,

patriarchalsociety,efirstbeginning,Osborne

Sharpwantedtogetsomething

fromher,asconsideredasanexcellentsubjecttomeethis

e‟sphilanderwithSharphintedthatshewouldloeverythinginthe

eofbeingtheloverofOsborne,herfamilywasdisappeared,sodidtheloveofhis

ime,shemightgetsomethingintheupperten,

snothingleftwhenOsbornedied,becau

Osbornewastheonlymanshecould“relyon”‟swor,therewasno

possibilitiesforSharptocomeback.“Shewasabandonedbythewholesociety,therewasno

placeforhertosurvive”.

3.2.4Crawley’sIndifferencetoSharp

Atthefirstbeginning,CrawleywasveryfondofSharpandwasfallinginlovewithher.

EventherearesomedefectsinSharp‟spersonality,butshewasstillthememberoftheupper

rewasabigdifferencewhenCrawleyfoundtheesnceofSharp,heleftaway

y‟

patriarchalsociety,erealot

impossibleforthemtowinattentionfromothersandgettherespectiveattitudefromthe

sonandPirripalwaysinthedominatingpositionintherelationshipwith

aHavishamandSharpwerenottrulyacceptedbysociety.

sion

Grea

doubtthatthe

thorough

analysisaboutit,wecaneasilyknowthatthefamalefiguresinthetwonovelshaveatragic

enotonlythevictim

ofpatriarchalsociety,ar

understandingaboutthefigurecanlayasolidfoundationtoknowbetteraboutGreat

ExpectationsandVanityFair,andWesternculture.

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Acknowledgments

Intheprocessofwritingthisthesis,Ihaveprofitedgreatlyfromtheassistanceand

liketotakethisopportunitytothankthemall.

Firstofall,thisthesisinvolvesmuchgenerousAssistancefrommyteachers,friendsand

ratefultomysupervisorXXX,whohelpedmetorestructurethewhole

thesiswithastrategicshiftofemphasisattherevisionstageandencouragedmethroughthe

atlybenefitedfromherufulcommentsandcritical

reflection.

Secondly,mysincerethanksgotoallotherteacherswhogavemecomprehensive

rofitedsomuchfromtheircours,

lecturesandconstantencouragement.

Ialsowanttoextendmysincereappreciationstothehelpofsomeofmyclassmateswho

donemesomefavorinmycollegetimeandwhohaveprovidedmewithufulreferences

neededinmythesis.