《傲慢与偏见》英语专业毕业论文.doc

1、AbstractPride and Prejudice is a very popular novel written by Jane Austen and it was read widely all over the world. Different people may have different attitudes toward marriage. Someone will consider that love is the fundamental of marriage, while some people may realize that marriage can provide

2、 opportunities of class mobility and financial support; money and class are thus closely connected in their decision of marital partners. Powerful as love is, it can let the hero restrain his pride, and let the heroine abandon prejudice, and re-know and accept a person. This thesis first of all intr

3、oduces the author and the novel, followed by character analysis of the two protagonists and how pride and prejudice influence their relationship from the beginning to the end. The paper aims at proving that one has to give up his pride and prejudice and treat people rationally and impartially throug

4、h the change of the two protagonists relationship. Key words：Pride ; Prejudice; Jane Austen; marriage; 摘 要傲慢与偏见是一部由简奥斯汀所著的小说，在全世界都很受欢迎，并被广泛阅读。每个人对婚姻的看法和态度都不一样，有些人把爱情当做是婚姻的奠基石，而有人认为它可以为提高社会地位和增加财富创造机会，因此在他们选择另一半的时候会把金钱与地位与其紧密相连。爱情的力量是如此伟大，它可以让男主人公抑制他的骄傲，让女主人公摒弃偏见，并且重新认识并接纳一个人。这篇文章先简单介绍了作者和小说，之后，本文通过分

5、析两位主人公的性格来印证傲慢与偏见是如何从头到尾影响他们的关系。文章旨在通过两人之间的关系变化，证明人应该摒弃傲慢与偏见并客观公正地对待他人。关键词:傲慢；偏见；简奥斯汀；婚姻1. IntroductionJane Austen was the youngest daughter of George Austen, rector of the village of Steventon in Hampshire, southern England, where she was born in 1775. She received a good education at home and rema

6、ined unmarried all through her life. Jane Austen started writing at an early age. Living in the time of Romantic Poets though, Jane Austen is generally regarded as a realistic novelist and the first female writer of importance. She finished writing altogether six novels, leaving behind her two fragm

7、ents. Her novels are as follows: Sense and Sensibility(1811), Pride and Prejudice(1813), Mansfield Park(1814), Emma(1816), Northanger Abbey(1818), and Persuasion(1818), among which Pride and Prejudice is considered her masterpiece. Her famous six novels which mainly depict the relationship and marri

8、age of young men and women. Austen restricted her subject matter to a narrow range of society and events: a quiet, prosperous, middle class circle in provincial surroundings. However, “she treated this material with such subtlety of observation, depth of psychological penetration and delicacy of tou

9、ch that she is ranked among the best of English novelists. Her works show a wealth of character studies, and abound in wit, humor and charm. She brought the English novel, as an art form, to its maturity.” (洪流等，2007,53)“Pride” in the dictionary means “a feeling that you are proud of something that y

10、ou or someone connected with you have achieved”. “Prejudice” means “an unreasonable dislike and distrust of people who are different from you in some way, especially because of their race, sex, religion ect.used to show disapproval”Pride and Prejudice centers round the heroine Elizabeth Bennet who s

11、tands for “Prejudice ” and the hero Fitzwilliam Darcy who stands for “Pride” and a minor couple, her sister Jane and his friend Charles Bingley. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have five daughters. The marriage prospect of the girls are Mrs. Benets chief concern in life. In the beginning of the novel, Mr. Bingl

12、ey, a rich bachelor, falls in love with Miss Benet, and his friend Mr. Darcy is attached to her next sister, the lively and witty Lizzy, who was offended by his supercilious behavior. He proposes to her but was rejected. Her prejudice against him increases as further misunderstandings arise. Thus Da

13、rcys pride is pitted against Lizzys prejudice. After many twists and turns, however, things are cleared up , and the two couples are happily united. 2. The analysis of Elizabeths characterElizabeth Benet is the writers ideal of female image, is also the richest image of charming characteristics. She

14、 is a model because she is different from all the other characters, except Darcy, and she does not adhere rigidly to the standards set forth by society, she is self-reliant and independent. When Mr. Collins says arrogantly to Elizabeth, she refused him, “My feeling in every respect forbid it,” “You

15、could not make me happy, and I convinced that I am the last woman in the world who makes you so.”(Volume I, Chapter 19,111) Unlike Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth would never betray her principle and her integrity and throw away her talents by marrying Mr. Collins, a conceited, narrow-minded, and pompous

16、 fool, who shows his grateful respect towards Lady Catherine every now and then.Elizabeth looks nature because she puts her trust in her own perceptions and impressions. She demonstrates that she has great restraint even under huge pressure. Elizabeth realizes that she must take responsibility for h

17、er own life because she cannot look to either of her parents for advice, she must depend on her own experiences and judgments. So she is unconscious that she suffers from prejudice. Perfect as Elizabeth, she also has shortcoming in her character. Prejudice may be her biggest defects. Elizabeths init

18、ial prejudices against Darcy are rooted in her own quick perception, and her distorted perception of reality. It results in her misunderstandings to Mr. Darcy in the early time, just as her own saying after she refusing Darcys first proposal, “From the very beginning, from the first moment, of my ac

19、quaintance with you, your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form that ground work of disapprobation, on which succeeding events have built so immoveable a dislike; and I had not known yo

20、u a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.”(Volume II, Chapter 11,201) How firm and sharp the refusal is! She has been influenced by her prejudice and being so blind that she cannot be aware of Darcys advantage and accept his love for

21、her. Maybe she cant forget the offence given by Darcy due to his deep pride. But if she regardless of her prejudice to Mr. Darcy she will miss her destined lover let alone their happiness in the future.Elizabeth believes that Darcy is bad, so she naturally gives Wickham the benefit of the doubt when

22、 he told her about Darcys breach of agreement without hearing Darcys explanations. Elizabeth is disposed to think badly of Darcy because of his ungentlemanly behavior, but she thinks well of Mr. Wickham because he was “as far beyond them all in person, countenance, air, and walk, as they were superi

23、or to the broad”. Her prejudice renders her incapable of judging the merits of Darcy fairly and objectively. Elizabeth will find happiness because she learns to recognize her faults, when she realized the fact and her misunderstanding for Mr. Darcy, “She grew absolutely ashamed of herself. - Of neit

24、her Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd.How despicably have I acted! she cried. But vanity, not love, has been my folly. - Pleased with the preference of one, and offended by the neglect of the other, on the very beginning of our ac

25、quaintance, I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away, where either was concerned. Till this moment, I never knew myself. ”(Volume II, Chapter 13,216) Every merit of her proves that she becomes more of a lady than Lady Catherine. Lady Catherines defeat was brought about by h

26、er arrogance. Her display of selfishness not only fail to prevent Elizabeth from marrying Darcy, but led Darcy to propose the second time; Lady Catherines rude act makes Darcy realize that Elizabeth still has some feelings for him. Her action promotes the two protagonists sentiment in some way. At t

27、he end of the story Darcys words can prove it, “Lady Catherines unjustifiable endeavors to separate us were the means of removing all my doubts. My aunts intelligence had given me the hope, and I was determined at once to know everything.”(Volume III, Chapter 18,399)Elizabeths blindness of her fault

28、s was opened by Darcys long letter finally. Darcy explains two things that cause Lizzys misunderstanding. She read it with a strong prejudice against every thing he might say at first, but after her rumination over it and weighed every circumstance with what she meant to be impartiality. Then she gr

29、ows absolutely ashamed of herself and learns to judge others more accurately and not be blinded by first impressions（赵文薇，2002,78）. Elizabeth realizes that whenever she discusses Darcys faults, she unconsciously touches upon her own. Elizabeths confession that she was guilty of prejudices based on he

30、r own judgment tells us that she is superior to the other characters, but above all that she is human. She also realizes that people cannot be judged based solely by their appearance, and that the substance behind a persons appearance must also been taken into account. Elizabeth becomes a rational c

31、reature speaking the truth from her heart. Without neither family wealth nor wisdom to help her, Elizabeths success is an attribute to her inner strength. 3. The analysis of Darcys characterAs the hero in this novel, Darcy really attaches more importance than other characters, except Elizabeth. May

32、be he is the dream lover for many girls and young ladies because of his appearance, his status, and his fortune. But at first Mr. Darcys “manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company and above being pleased”.( Volume I, Ch

33、apter 3, 9) But his pride is understandable in my eyes to a certain extent. Miss Lucas has said, “His pride, does not offend me so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, everything in his favor, should think

34、 highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud.” For every ones nature is different, some people in the presence of strangers, his personality is introverted, just like Mr. Darcy. Unfortunately, he was born with a huge wealth, and gentility. But in a ball, which there is more

35、 ladies than gentlemen, “more than one young lady was sitting down in want of a partner,” hed rather sit along than dance. There are any other reasons that make him behave so except for his pride. When he wants to invite Elizabeth to dance with him, he asks the lady “Do not you feel a great inclinat

36、ion to seize such an opportunity of dancing a reel?” rather than express his true feeling to others directly and with a modesty tone what is important to a gentle man. Self-respect as Elizabeth is, no wonder she turns down his invitation without any hesitation.His pride also changes on-lookers view

37、on him, they consider, “he was clever, but at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious, and his manners, though well bred, were not inviting.” He was continually giving offence. Even he admits it, “I cannot forget the follies and vices of others as soon as I ought, nor their offences against

38、myself. My good opinion once lost is lost for ever.” It is no wonder that Elizabeth assesses him like that, “your defect is a propensity to hate everybody.” (Volume I, Chapter1, 59) After his falling in love with Elizabeth, “he wisely resolved to be particularly careful that no sign of admiration sh

39、ould now escape him, nothing that could elevate her with the hope of influencing his felicity.” (Chapter 12, 61)The scene of Darcys proposal to Lizzy is the most incisive and vivid reflection to his pridehis fatal weakness, and it is also the climax in the description of his characteristic. His beha

40、vior surprises the heroine. But she roused to resentment by his subsequent language, because he “was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride. His sense of her inferiorityof its being a degradationof the family obstacles which judgment had always opposed to inclination, were dwel

41、t on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding, but was suit.” (Volume II, Chapter11, 197 ) He expressed his feeling with a tone that he had no doubt of a favorable answer. Not only Elizabeth felt angry but also most of the female would be dissatisfied with his words. So Lizz

42、y refused him, and it made him resent. But it let him aware of his mistake, so he wrote Lizzy a long letter to explain everything all by heart. And he did it. It plays an important role in their happy ending. That is a turning point. Elizabeth eliminates her misunderstanding about Darcy and then att

43、racted by his merit. After her visiting to Pemberley with Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, she begins to comprehend that he was exactly the man who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her. Their combination is a perfect result, because “he was exactly the man who, in disposition and talents, would mo

44、st suit her by her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved, and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance.” (Volume III, Chapter 8,324) They all make a change for each other. Darcy has restrai

45、ned his pride and his understanding and opinions all please people. Lizzys uncle, Mr. Gardiner considers him want nothing but a little more liveliness, and that, if he marries prudently, his wife may teach him. This could be nothing if one really likes him. Thats true. To our satisfaction, they get

46、married with everyones congratulations after they overcoming the obstacles on the road of their marriagepride and prejudice.4. ConclusionJane Austen considers that love has a cozy relationship with marriage, and money is also an important, powerful role. If one gets love and money at the same time,

47、then he will live a satisfactory marriage. We can find that love is the fundamental of marriage through this novel everywhere. There is no doubt that Elizabeth and Darcys love is the shining pearl in the history of literary, and their love is the ideal mode which has been esteem by Austen.Pride and

48、prejudice are not only the stumbling blocks on the way of the two protagonists love, but also existing in the communication between people in reality. We have so many defects that if we want to succeed in life, no matter knowledge, love, career or education, we must fight with the trap and shadow, overcome our shortcoming and defects. We should consider things rationally and thoughtfully and not just do as we like. That is to say, we shouldnt have any pride and prejudice, or we couldnt treat things and others impartially or have a happy life.Bibliography1LO