英语本科毕业论文汤姆叔叔的小屋.doc 7页

'Abstract:UncleTom"sCabiniswrittenin1851inresponsetothepassageoftheFugitiveSlavelawbyHarrietBeecherStowe.itisconsideredasthemostinfluentialanti-slaverynovelinthatperiod.Asawomanwriter,HarrietBeecherStowepayscloseattentiontothesevereeffectoftheslavesystemonwomenandtheirfamilies.Shenotcriticizestheslavesystem,butdeeplyrevealstheStowe’sidealfamilyandidealmaternalconceptinthebook,andincisivelyandvividlydepictedthematernaltenderness,love,compassionandloyaltytofamilyandchildren.UncleTom"sCabinisnotonlyanantislaverynovel,mostimportantly,itisanovelwrittenby,forandaboutwomen.Stoweknowthatwomenarethemainreader,soshewantstotrytowakeupwomen’compassionandcallonwomeninUnitedStatesagainstslaverytosavesocialbyemphasizingwomen’moralforceanddescribingideallymaternallove.Herworkalsoshowswomencantaketheplaceofmentobecomethestrongforcetoredeemthewholenation.Takingthesocialbackgroundandlimitedexperienceanddomesticlifeofwomenasaconsideration,UncleTom"sCabinisanoutstandingrepresentativeofthewriterworksatthattime,toimprovewomen’socialstatusandgivewomenpowertochangesociety,itundoubtedlyplayedtheimportantroleofmilestone.Thispapermainlypresentsthegreatwomen’powerandmotherlylove.Keywords:UncleTom’sCabin,Stowe,women,power,redemption,motherlyloveII 摘要斯陀夫人写于1851年的小说《汤姆叔叔的小屋》,作为对美国国会通过《逃亡奴隶法》的有力回应,历来被认为是废奴文学的经典之作。斯陀夫人作为一名女性作家,更加关注奴隶制对女性及其家庭所产生的影响。斯托在书中批判了蓄奴制，但也深刻揭示了斯托理想的家庭与理想的母性观念，书中淋漓尽致地刻画了母性的温柔，爱心，同情心和忠诚于家庭和孩子。《汤姆叔叔的小屋》不仅仅是一部反奴小说,更是一部女性小说,为女性所写,为女性所读。斯托夫人知道女性是她作品的主要读者，通过强调女性的道德力量，通过对母爱的理想化描述，斯托试图唤醒美国女性的同情之心，号召美国女性反对奴隶制拯救社会。她的作品也表明女性可以代替男性成为拯救社会的力量。考虑当时的社会背景及女性作家有限的经历,《汤姆叔叔的小屋》作为女作家作品的杰出代表,在当时为提高妇女社会地位、赋予女性强大的力量以此改变社会无疑起到了里程碑的作用。这篇论文主要阐述了女性力量及母爱的伟大。关键词:汤姆叔叔的小屋,斯陀夫人,女性,力量,拯救，母爱II 1.Introduction:WhenHarrietBeecherStowe’UncleTom"sCabinwasfirstpublishedin1851,itwentstraighttotheheartsoftensofthousandsofpeoplewhohadneverbeforeconsideredslaveryexceptasapoliticalinstitutionforwhichtheyhadnopersonalresponsibility.ThesufferingsofUncleTomandthestruggleoftheHarris"forfreedomleftastrongimpressiononthereadingpublicandgreatlyappealedtotheirsympathy.ItwasthefirstAmericannovelevertoselloveronemillioncopiesanditsimpactisgenerallythoughttohavebeenincalculable.AlltheseevidencecombinestoshowthatUncleTom"sCabinwasthemostinfluentialantislaverybookinthatperiod."Sothisisthelittleladywhomadethewar"wasLincoln"scomplimenttoStoweinameetingwithheraftertheCivilwar.Sincehernovelhelpedandconvincedthenationtogotowarandtofreeitsslaves,itwasregardedbythecivilwarnovelistJohnDeForestas"theGreatAmericanNovel"inan1868essayintheNation.However,duringtheyearsintothe20thcentury.UncleTom’sCabinbecomethetargetofcriticismandismisunderstoodbymanycriticsintheliterarycircle.UncleTom"sCabinisnotlikeanordinaryslavestorywhichfocusesonthelifeandstruggleofablackslave.ItistruethatthestoriesofUncleTom,ElizaandGeorgeHarrisarethemajorplotsofthenovel,buttheyarenotsufficienttoaccountforthenovel"sspecialstrength,withoutwhichUncleTom’sCabinwouldhavegoneunnoticedlikeotherantislaverystories.Thisnovelismoreconcernedwithwhatwomenshoulddotofightagainstthelawandslaveryasawhole.Itschiefcharacteristicisthatitiswrittenby,forandaboutwomen.thegreatpowerendowedbyMrs.Stowetoitsfemalecharactersandhercallingtowomentotakeactionsagainstthegreateviloftheworld.Stowemadeagreatappealtothemotherlyloveofherreaderstoredeemtheworld.2.UncleTom"sCabin-DomesticFeminismunderthesocialbackgroundItisusefulforustodosomeresearchonthebackgroundofthenovel,whichwillbehelpfulforustounderstanditssignificance.Thenovelthatdramatizeswomen"rolesinthefightagainstchattelslaveryinAmericaowesdebttothetwocrucialevents.Oneistheorganizationofafeministmovementin1848andtheotheristhepassageofanewFugitiveSlaveLaw,forbiddingtheNorthernerstohelptherunawayslaves,andrequiringthemtocooperateinthecaptureoffugitiveslavesin1850.Beginningatthe1930s"the1stAmericanfeministmovement,reacheditspeakatthemeetingatSenecaFalls,wherefeministshadspelledouttheirdemandsforfullparticipationinAmericanlife,andtherewaspublicdebateovertheplaceofwomeninthelifeoftheyoungrepublic.Theworldinthe19thcenturyisverydifferentfromthemodernworldinwhichwomen"independenceisvalued.Womencanseekdivorceinpursuitofhappiness.Yetinthe19thcentury,atruewoman"spositionisathome.Goodwomenarefirstofallcaringmothers.Goodwomenaresubmissiveanddomestic.2.1ThecultoftruewomanhoodTheideologyoffemininityanddomesticityemergedintheperiodfollowingtheAmericanRevolution,Inagrariansociety,bothmenandwomenworkedinandaroundthehome,whichmeantthatworkanddomesticityweremoreorlessintegrated;husbandsandwivesshareddutiesandresponsibilitiesofmanykinds,includingmanagementandinstructionofchildren.Insuchasociety,motherhoodasauniquetermdidnotexist.Aroundthebeginningofthe1stcentury,asAmericawasbeginningtogrowfromanagrariansocietyintoanindustrialsociety,anewkindofideologyemerged-theideologyofmotherhood,namely,theideologyoffemininity.TheriseoftheideologyoffemininityiscloselyrelatedtotheIndustrialRevolutionandtheconsequent4 changingpatternofsocialproduction.Accordingtothecultoftruewomanhood,familyisnotonlyaprivaterealmshieldingforitsmembersfrompressuresanddangersofoutside,moreimportantly,itisaplacewheremoralsandreligionaretaught,andchildrenarebroughtup.Womenmakethehomeasafehavenfortheirhusbands,wheretheycouldspirituallyfortifythemselvesbeforeresumingthedailystrugglesofthelace,andfortheirchildren,wheretheycouldreceivethemoralguidanceneededtoeventuallyassumetheirowntraditionalrolesintheadultworld.Thisfemininemodesty,purity,piety,patience,moralsuperiorityandemotionalresponsivenessaretheperfectqualitiesformothering.Rupturethematernalbondandsocietywouldstandatrisk.Supporttheworkofmothersandamoralsocietywouldemerge."2.2TheinfluenceofthecultoftruewomanhoodonStoweFacingthepublicdebateconcerningwomen"roleinthefightagainstchattelslavery,Stoweannouncedherpositionthus:"ThefirstdutyofeveryAmericanwomanatthistimeistothoroughlyunderstandthesubjectforherself,andtofeelthatsheisboundtouseherinfluencefortheright…Aboveall,itseemstobenecessaryanddesirablethatweshouldmakethissubjectamatterofearnestprayer."Stoweheldthebeliefthatwomenshouldbelargelyrestrictedtothe"women’sphere"andtheyinfluencedtheworldbyChristianexampleandmoralinstruction.Inaword,withintheprocessofdefendingChristiandomesticvalues,StowelaidemphasisonindividualsympathyandonthedoctrineofHigherLawsinfightagainstslavery,andcelebratesmoreordinarywomenwhopracticenotfeminismandabolitionismbut"domesticfeminism".Stowe’scommitmenttotheideologyofdomesticitywasalsocloselyrelatedtoherownexperienceofmotherhood.Stowewassaidtohavelovedbeingamotherandappearedtohavebeenanunusuallycaringone.Herexperienceofmotherhoodwasdifficult.Shegavebirthtotwinswithinthefirstyearofmarriage,wentontohavefivemorechildren,oneofwhomdiedasababydespiteeverythingshecoulddotosavethechild.Stowemournedherchild"sdeath.WhenshecreatedthecharacterofEliza,theslavemother,Harrietdrewuponherownexperiences.Theconceptofdomesticfeminismisnotonlycreatedunderthesocialbackground,butalsoconsistentwiththeideologyoffemininityanddomesticityinthe19thcentury.SoIwilldiscusstheideologyoffemininityanddomesticityinthefollowingparts.3.Stowe’sDramatizationofWomen"PowertoRedeemtheFallenWorld3.1Women"moralsuperiorityovermenInUncleTom’Cabin,Stowe’scharactersaredefinedbytraitseithermasculine.feminine.Inlightoftheincompatiblemasculineandfemininetraits,theworldisdividedintotwo:masculineandfeminine.Stowestandsonthesideoffeminineline,fightingchattelslaveryasamostformidablepracticerationalizedbymasculineworld,thepatriarchalinstitution.Stowestandsonthesideoffeminineline,fightingchattelslaveryasamostformidablepracticerationalizedbymasculineworld,thepatriarchalinstitution.(Stowe8)Thebookopenswithtwomen"complicityintradeofthetwoblackslavesthatwillresultindestructionofthetwofamilies.Thiscomplicity,oncecomingoutintheopen,immediatelymeetsstrongoppositionfromawoman,Mrs.ShelbyThus,thisconflictiscastnotonlyintheconflictofslaveryandfamily,butalsomanandwoman,patriarchalinstitutionanddomesticinstitution.3.2DomesticInfluenceofWomenAccordingtotheideologyoffemininityanddomesticity,men"placeisatthemarket,whilewomen"placeisatthedomesticcenterofhome.Stoweacceptsthestandarddefinitionofwomenconfinedtothedomesticsphere,butshealsodisplaysafacilityforconvertingessentially4 repressiveconceptsoffemininityanddomesticityintoapositivealternativesystemofvaluesinwhichwomenaremoreinfluentialthanandsuperiortomen.Theessentialpartofawoman"staskismoralinstruction.StoweannouncesatthebeginningoftheAmericanWoman"sHome,"Thefamilystateistheaptestearthlyillustrationoftheheavenlykingdomandwomanisitschiefminister.Stowe’sbeliefthatwomenshouldbeabletoworkwithinthedomesticcircleisalsoreflectedinthemethodsoffemalecharactersadoptedtoopposeslavery.Itisworthwhiletoexaminewhatthewhitewomendotofightagainstslavery.theydotheirbesttoinfluencetheirchildrenandbringthemuptobeopponentsofslavery.Mrs.Shelbyisagoodexample.theyprotestagainstslaveryandarguewiththeirhusbandswhoattempttodefendthesystem,e.g.Mrs.Bird.theydowhatevertheycantoprovidecomforttotheirblackslavesandtohelpthoseindistresswhocometotheirhouseforhelp,evenifitmeansbreakingthelaw.3.3Men"failuretoredeemtheworldFacingtheevilpracticeofslaveryanditsinfluenceonthepeople,howtosolvetheproblembecomesStowe’sfocus."WhenIhavebeentravelingupanddownonourboats,oraboutonmycollectingtours,andreflectedateverybrutal,disgusting,mean,low-livedfellowImet,wasallowedbyourlawstobecomeabsolutedespotofasmanymen,women,andchildren,ashecouldcheat,steal,orgamblemoneyenoughtobuy-whenIhaveseensuchmeninactualownershipofhelplesschildren,ofyounggirlsandwomen,Ihavebeenreadytocursemycountry,tocursethehumanrace"(Stowe222).ThisiswhatStowemostdeploresinthiswhiteman,whocouldhavedonesomethingtoopposeslaverybutdidnot.Heknowsheshouldopposeslaveryindeed;buthealwaysputsoffactiontillitistoolateforhimtoregretbecausehebecomesmostunsettlingportraitofmasculinityinthenovel.Therefore,bothmenandthepatriarchalinstitutionestablishedbythemcannottakeupthejobtofightagainstthechattelslaveryandredeemthefallenworld.4.RedemptionThroughWomenWeknowthatviolenceorcommandisnotwomen"weapontoreformtheworld,instead,theyusethepowerofsympathytoenablethemtomakeabetterworld.Themethodstheyuseboildowntoonething-thechangeofheartbyChristianloveandself-sacrifice.ForStowe,Christianloveandself-sacrificeisthesoleanswertothereformationofthedegenerateworld.ChristianityisaveryimportantthemeinUncleTom"sCabin,whichturnsitintoaspiritualnovel.SincewomenaresupposedtoplayanessentialroleinthefamilysoastodefendChristiandomesticvalues,whatawomandoesinthefamilyissoimportantandthatahomelackingmotherlyloveandcarecanhardlybecalleda"home"becausedomesticritualsprovidewomenwiththeweapontoredressevil.theMotherhasthecontroloverthewholeworld.Intheenvisionednewsociety,womenarenolongerregardedasapieceofproperty,buttheirownmasters.Theyhavethestrongpowertoredeemthefallenworld.5.conclusionItisnodoubtthatStowehadlimitationsconcerningherviewsaboutwomen.Thedepictionsofwomenhaveprovokedskepticismandindignationamongmanyfeministwritersandcritics.UncleTom"sCabinisamiracleinAmericanrealism,Itreflectsdeepthinkingonthenatureofhumanidentityandresponsibility.Stoweknewthatovercominganinstitutionasfirmlyestablishedasslavery,shehadtodestroyitskeylegitimateconcepts.ThefirstoftheseissummedupbyanunnamedwomanonaboatcarryingUncleTomawayfromhisbelovedfamily.UncleTom"sCabinrepresentsagreatsuccessindomesticliterature,Thenineteenthcenturyprovedtobeaperiodofturmoilforwomenandtheroletheywouldplayinanever-changingAmerica.Women4 contendedwithnotonlyhardlivinginthedomesticsphere,butimpactedbytheundercurrentofslaveryissues.4 References:1.CharlesEdwardStowe,LifeofHarrietBeecherStoweCompiledfromHerLettersanJournals.Boston:HaughtonMifflin,1890,pp.257-60.2.EricJ.Sundquist,Ed.NewEssaysonUncleTom"sCabin.Cambridge:CambridgeUP,1986,pp.156.3.BrookThomas,Cross-ExaminationsofLawandLiterature:Cooper,Hawthorne,Stowe,andMelville.CambridgeandNY:CambridgeUP,1988,pp.126.4.JaneTompkins,SensationalDesigns:TheCulturalWorkofAmericanFiction1790-1860.NY&Oxford:OxfordUP,1986,pp.143.5.Thomas,Brook.Cross-ExaminationsofLawandLiterature:Cooper,Hawthorne,Stowe,andMelville.CambridgeandNY:CambridgeUP,1988.6.Ibid.,p.123.7..Ibid.,p.I25.8.JaneTompkins."SentimentalPower:UncleTom"sCabinandthePoliticsofLiteraryHistory.”InSensationalDesigns:TheculturalWorkofAmericanFiction,1790-1860.NewYork:OxfordUP,1985,p.123.9.Fisher,Philip.HardFacts:SettingandFormintheAmericanNovel.NY&Oxford:OxfordUP,1987.10.Thomas,Brook.Cross-ExaminationsofLawandLiterature:Cooper,Hawthorne,Stowe,andMelville.CambridgeandNY:CambridgeUP,1988.4'