论《贵妇画像》中伊莎贝尔的悲剧婚姻.doc

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1、说 明本表需在指导教师和有关领导审查批准的情况下，要求学生认真填写。说明课题的来源（自拟题目或指导教师承担的科研任务）、课题研究的目的和意义、课题在国内外研究现状和发展趋势。若课题因故变动时，应向指导教师提出申请，提交题目变动论证报告。课题来源：导师指导下自拟题目。课题研究的目的和意义：目的：贵妇画像是美国作家亨利詹姆斯的早期代表作，也是他的杰作之一。这部作品内涵丰富，结构严谨，在小说中，女主人公伊莎贝尔这个中心人物贯穿始终，牵动全局。作者在该书序言中说，他完全是从“一个特定的、引人入胜的少女的性格和形象”着手来构思整部小说的，所有的情节、场景、其他人物等，都是根据表现中心人物的需要来安排的。

2、本文主要从作者亨利詹姆斯家庭、伊莎贝尔性格及其社会原因等几个方面来探讨伊莎贝尔悲剧婚姻的根源。意义：本篇论文主要探讨了亨利詹姆斯的著名小说贵妇画像中的女主人公伊莎贝尔阿切尔悲剧婚姻的缘由。通过对该课题的研究，我们不仅能更好地了解贵妇画像这部作品，而且能更深刻地认识亨利詹姆斯的写作手法及其对婚姻所持的悲观态度，同时我们能更深入地分析当时女性的社会地位。因此，对此课题的研究有很深远的社会意义。国内外同类课题研究现状及发展趋势：国外：美国小说家亨利詹姆斯的贵妇画像自问世以来一直受到文学评论界的关注，专家学者已从各个不同角度对女主人伊莎贝尔阿切尔作了深入细致的研究。英国作家罗路斯蒂文森曾经说过：贵妇画

3、像中的女主人公伊莎贝尔的性格缺陷预示了她的悲剧命运，使她沦为无爱婚姻的牺牲者。传统势力辗磨，现实社会的束缚以及詹姆斯矛盾的婚姻观决定了伊莎贝尔最终的回归。此外，屠格涅夫也曾对贵妇人的画像作过这样的评论，它的确是一部经得住用各种方法阅读的佳作。这部小说不仅突出了詹姆斯一举成名原因之“国际题材”，而且展现了詹姆斯对伊莎贝尔细腻、生动的心理剖析,为他后来被誉为心理现实主义作家埋下了伏笔。国内：在国内，许多学者们也纷纷从不同的角度，运用不同的文学理论及方法对其进行研究。陈丽在她的伊莎贝尔的自由观中写到，伊莎贝尔对自由有自己特殊的定义，它意味着：独立自主，选择的权利，及自我的确立。它是意识的自由，更多的

4、意味着思想的而非行为的自由。此外，伊莎贝尔对自由的追求体现出一定的矛盾性：在追求自由和知识的同时，她并不反对社会的正统权威强加在女性身上的传统价值及道德规范。张少恩，刘凤茹等分析了作品中体现出的欧美文化冲突与融合。王艳文在其贵妇人画像中隐喻的叙事功能研究中使用加拿大原型理论家诺斯弗莱的原型理论，从意象图示视角分析了这部作品中隐喻的使用。课题研究的主要内容和方法，研究过程中的主要问题和解决办法：主要内容：贵妇画像是美国作家亨利詹姆斯的早期代表作，也是他的杰作之一。本文试图从三个方面来论述女主人公伊莎贝尔阿切尔的悲剧婚姻缘由。首先论述了作者亨利詹姆斯的悲观原因即家庭影响，其次论述了女主人公伊莎贝尔

5、的性格原因,最后论述了伊莎贝尔悲剧发生的社会原因。主要问题：由于受个人能力和水平的限制，对亨利詹姆斯作品的研究还不是很深。因此在本课题的研究过程中还存在一些困难，难以达到融会贯通、运用自如的程度从而难以把这个课题彻底弄清楚，研究分析的过程中也不够深入透彻。解决方法：向老师请求帮助 充分利用网络资源 充分利用图书馆资源 吸收和借鉴他人分析成果课题研究起止时间和进度安排：1. 2010年12月1日至12月15日：选导师及撰写论文方向。2. 2010年12月16日至12月31日：与导师商榷论文题目。3. 2011年1月1日至2011年3月15日：撰写并提交开题报告。4. 2011年3月16日至201

6、1年4月25日：撰写并提交毕业论文。5. 2011年4月26日至2011年5月7日：准备并参加毕业论文答辩。6. 2011年5月8日至2011年5月12日：导师上交所有论文材料。课题研究所需主要设备、仪器及药品：无外出调研主要单位，访问学者姓名：无指导教师审查意见：本课题选题难易适中，研究目的意义清晰明确，对国内外研究现状和发展趋势有较为全面的了解，符合学士学位论文选题要求，同意开题。指导教师 （签字） 2011年3月 16日教研室（研究室）评审意见：理论教研室主任 （签字） 2011年3月 16日系（部）主任审查意见：英语系（部）主任 （签字） 2011年3月 16日GRADUATION P

7、APERFOR BACHELOR DEGREEHARBIN NORMAL UNIVERSITYTITLE: On Isabels Tragic Marriage in The Portrait of a Lady STUDENT: LIU HuaTUTOR: GAO Hong（Lecturer）GRADE: Grade 2007MAJOR: English EducationDEPARTMENT: English Education DepartmentCOLLEGE: Faculty of Western Languages and Literatures May, 2011HARBIN N

8、ORMAL UNIVERSITYOn Isabels Tragic Marriage in The Portrait of a LadyLIU HuaAbstract: Henry James is an American outstanding novelist and stylist. The Portrait of a Lady is one of his early masterpieces. It is famous for delicate psychology characterization, which is considered as a superior in Ameri

9、can literature and has much concern of critics. The essay analyses heroine Isabels tragic marriage in The Portrait of a Lady from Henry Jamess family influence, the heroine Isabels characters and the social reason. Through the study of this thesis, we can better understand this worksThe Portrait of

10、a Lady and its profound meanings.Key Words: The Portrait of a Lady; family influence; characters; the social reason1. IntroductionHenry James was one of the most prolific as well as one of the greatest writers ofAmerica. He made a great contribution to the development of modern prose fiction not onl

11、y because of the brilliant novels and stories he wrote, but also because of the literary criticism he made and the innovative techniques he used in his fiction. The Portrait of a Lady is one of Jamess masterpieces and his first mature book that fully illustrates his writing techniques and fictional

12、theory. The heroine of the book-Isabel Archer, a representative of Henry Jamess characters, enjoyed great fame in western literature and had been a research focus ever since she was created. Therefore, it is worthy to study Henry James and The Portrait of a Lady. The different ways of looking at the

13、 novel reminds us of Jamess well-known house of fiction which has not one window, but a million. Though the windows hang together, the watchers do not share the same vision. Therefore，although much has been studied on the novel, there must be something left to say. This thesis is an attempt to give

14、a supplementary analysis of the reasons leading to the tragic marriage of Isabel so that it may bring some fresh interests or insights in the novel. So this thesis focuses on the three reasons: Henry James, Isabels characters and one social reason.2. The Reason of Henry Jamess Pessimism: the Familys

15、 InfluenceBesides the womens social and cultural Zeitgeist of his time, Henry Jamess upbringing has an important influence with his view about womens marriage as well.Henry James was from a very articulate, sensitive and lively-minded family. JamessIrish grandfather made a fortune in Albanyproviding

16、 the wealth that endowed his children with the privileges of comfort, travel and social affluence. His father, an American writer and lecturer, who devoted himself to philosophical writings, disapproved of most schools and sent his five children to a variety of tutors and European schools in search

17、of the best education for them.In Henry Jamess family members, his father, Henry James Senior, exerted the most significant influence on the forming of Henry Jamess character and his vision toward marriage. Henry Senior did not get abundant love and care from his own father, William of Albany, who w

18、as in favor of pursuing religion and success in business and assets rather than of his family members, actually he was not concerned about his family. Henry Senior himself was a very responsible and caring father who was quite in opposite to his own father. He usually stayed at home, and at the same

19、 time he was committed to the education of his children. He had unique vision of his own to perfection of human beings, to be just in society, to marriage and love, and to education. Henry Senior had contradictory visions of his own toward marriage love and women. He did not think what a big deal it

20、 was to communally live with women out of marriage and advocated sexual practices with mens lovers on one hand. But on the other hand, he also held conservative and reactionary views in his time to purity marriage. He thought marriage is personal and should not be exposed in front of the public and

21、it would become a laughing stock and it would humiliate his family. Henry Senior also advocated to his sons that the satisfaction of the sexual lust in them cannot be contradictory against Gods will. He said to them they should try to restrain from all impure sexual relationship out of their legitim

22、ate marriage. At last he said that his sons had better look for some girls who can respond to their spirit, and who can give herself in chaste marriage to them and their life will take a new start. Henry Senior once says: The law is.just, and even well, though it slays me. Yes, death at its hands wa

23、s better than life at the risk of its dishonor at my hands. So I abide by my marriage bond. I see very well that the bond ought to be loosed in the case of otter people. But as for me I will abide in my chains. Henry Jamess upbringing is a very important factor in the formation of his attitude to wo

24、men and love. Particularly his fathers view about women and love have a great influence with the shaping his perspective to women and love. At the same time, his cousin Minny Temple also played a role in shaping his view about marriage and love. Minny Temple was the woman Henry James loved best in h

25、is lifetime. She was his cousin. Henry James was greatly drawn by her intelligence, her independence of spirit and slim and fair and quick, all straightness and charming tossed head. At a time when the majority of the women had no financial independence and were limited to the domestic world, Minny

26、had succeeded to be exceptional. She was well-informed and she had personal charisma. When the readers read The Portrait of a Lady, they would find Isabel Archer shared a lot with his cousin in personalities.Henry valued his liking to Minny very much: .My personal relations with her were always of t

27、he happiest.I cared more to please her perhaps than she ever cared to be pleased. Henrys own illness of his back injury restrained him from loving Minny, although they were supposed to be in love with one another. Henry had expected that some day, as he recovered from his illness, their friendship a

28、nd love at least would become more active and masculine. Henry was unlucky that his goal was not achieved in the end.Minnys unexpected death gave Henry such a heavy blow that he thought it was unbearable that he once said, I have been hearing all my life of the sense of loss which death leaves behin

29、d itnow for the first time I have a chance to learn what it amounts to. Henry decided to comfort him though planning to have her translated from this changing realm of fact to the steady realm of thought. He confirmed that There she may bloom into a beauty more radiant than our dull eyes will avail

30、to contemplate.its the living ones that dies; the writing ones that survive. Henry James wanted to have Minny remain in his novels. Minny exerted a more important influence upon his professional career as a writer than other woman in the world. It was Minny his cousin who supplied an inspiration for

31、 Henry to write the most famous international novelThe Portrait of a Lady. Minny supplied the source of his heroine Isabel Archer.3. The Reasons of Isabels Characters3.1 Isabels Romance In Isabel Archer, Henry wished to depict the character and aspects of a particular engaging young woman, and to sh

32、ow how she affronts her destiny. Admirable, intelligent and perceptive as she is at times in the novel, Isabel Archer is presented by the author as a girl with her meager knowledge, her inflated ideals, her confidence at once innocent and dogmatic, and her temper at once exacting and indulgent. A pe

33、rson who is dogmatic and exacting on the strength of meager knowledge can only be characterized as presumptuous; and there is presumption in Isabel, for all the delicacy of her feeling: presumption suggests also a strong measure of egotism. Isabel Archer, as Leon Edel suggests, is a female Christoph

34、er Newman, and like Newman, she exhibits the characteristics of being presumptuous and egotistical. Isabel Archer was a young person of many theories; her imagination was remarkably active. James tells us, She had an unquenchable desire to think well of herself. Though Isabel has a great fund of sel

35、f-awareness, her approach to life is too romantic, idealistic and theoretic.A backward glimpse of Isabel at her original home in Albany, New York, will acquaint us with the general circumstance of Isabels childhood and girlhood and provide us with an image of a young woman nurtured by book knowledge

36、. When we first see her she is reading a history of German thought. And the narrator continues to say, Her reputation of reading a great deal hung about her like the cloudy envelope of a goddess in an epic. When Mrs. Touchett offers to take her to Europe, she shows great excitement and joyance. To g

37、o to Florence, says Isabel, Id promise almost anything! She sees in this offer an escape from the loneliness of the life she has known in the great, empty, dismal house. Even so, Isabel admits that she does not hate the house or the circumstance of her early life. I like places in which things have

38、happened, says Isabel,even if theyre sad things. Readers as well as Mrs. Thouchett get impressed by Isabels particularity and romantic disposition.She romantically believes that the world lies before her to choose and to do whatever she will. And she has chosen: she has staked her whole life on her

39、need and her right to choose. It is her choice, as we will note afterwards, that leads her to tragedy. Isabels response to Europe, and to Gardencourt as it represents a larger whole, reflects the attraction of European civilization for her. Thus it is not hard to assume these things will win her for

40、 Lord Warburton since her first impression of him is blended with her impression of Europe. But one may note that Isabel sees reality as the romancer sees it. Isabel is romantic in the sense that she has too many abstractions and highly imaginative dreams which prove to be beyond the likelihood of f

41、ulfillment. A realistic young woman, or a traditionally romantic one, would not have hesitated to accept Lord Warburton as a perfect catch, for he is, an attractive man as well as a wealthy and noble Lord. Nevertheless, Isabel has higher ideals than any she assumes can come true by a life with Lord

42、Warburton. Her personal romance involves arduous abstractions that direct her to aspire to far more than the conventional romance of marrying an English nobleman. She therefore perversely and doubtless quite mistakenly regards marrying Lord Warburton as something to escape her fate. I cant escape un

43、happiness, she says. In marrying you I shall be trying to. And the romantic young woman goes on to say that by marrying Lord Warburton she would be turning away, separating her from life, from the usual chances and dangers, from what most people know and suffer. Lord Warbortons answer that I dont of

44、fer you any exoneration from life or from any chances or dangers whatever turns out to be true. He comes to have a true understanding of Isabel through her behavior, and he declares, I never saw person judge things on such theoretic grounds, and her theory is that Lord Warburton equates with a colle

45、ction of attributes and powers. But this is evidently a false theory. Though he is a hereditary nobleman who is bound to the formalities and duties of his station in life, he never presents himself as a lord who needs and desires her but as a man with perfect candor. In fact, he inspires a kind of f

46、ear in Isabel. What she felt was that a territorial, a political, a social magnate had conceived the design of drawing her into the system in which he rather invidiously lived and moved. It is perhaps less difficult at this moment to understand what Warburtons system is than what Isabel assumes to b

47、e her own. That she is a young woman of independent mind and of bold spirit is obvious enough, and we might suppose only that she does not wish to be dominated by a territorial magnate. But if we remember the stress which James places on Isabels sense of duty and on her moral bias; then it can be speculated that her rejection of Warburton is not determined by Warburtons radicalism, or his English aristocracy, but that it has to do with h