赛普蒂默斯的生存困境-试析《达洛维夫人》中的弱势群体_英语论文

The Survival Predicament of Saptimus——Analysis of the Disadvantaged Groups in Mrs. Dalloway

摘要

弗吉尼亚·伍尔夫（1882-1941）是二十世纪英国作家和文学评论家，也是意识流文学流派的代表人物之一。伍尔夫见证了维多利亚时代英国的由盛至衰。一战后，英国渐渐丧失全球独霸的地位，经济低迷，越来越多的社会问题也显露出来，社会矛盾日益突出。伍尔夫关注人性、反思社会问题，潜心创作出一系列经典的文学作品，如《达洛维夫人》、《奥兰多》、《到灯塔去》等。

在作品《达洛维夫人》中，弗吉尼亚·伍尔夫用意识流的手法叙述了上层社会的贵妇人达洛维夫人的一天。同时，她另起一条故事线，描写了退伍军人赛普蒂默斯饱受战争创伤的折磨和压抑，最终走向自杀。赛普蒂默斯被塑造为多种边缘化群体的代表，通过塑造赛普蒂默斯这一弱者形象，伍尔夫揭露了一战后英国尖锐的社会矛盾，以及当时人们，尤其是边缘化群体的精神和心理状态。 

本文将着重分析《达洛维夫人》中造成塞普蒂默斯逐步走向死亡的社会环境原因，根据该人物所代表的三种不同的弱势群体，将主体部分分为三章。第一章从赛普蒂默斯的退伍军人这一身份出发，关注战后这一群体的经济窘况，基本生活难以得到保障。同时分析战争给这些退伍军人带来的心理创伤。第二章聚焦赛普蒂默斯的病人身份，结合福柯的权力话语，探究在医生和病人关系中病人群体话语权的缺失问题。第三章主要分析赛普蒂默斯的同性恋角色，并以其为例，指出书中其他有同性恋倾向的人物同样不被社会理解，被迫接受异性婚姻。同时这些人往往具有雌雄同体的思想或性格特征，这类人的生存困境值得探索和研究。

在当今社会，阶级分层、社会矛盾以及边缘化群体的存在一直是长期被关注及讨论的话题，在中国也不例外，因此，对文本中弱势群体的分析将有利于学者和读者反思我国当今的社会现实，引导读者关注和帮助改善处于社会边缘的隐形人的生存状态，关爱弱势群体。

关键词：弗吉尼亚·伍尔夫；《达洛维夫人》； 赛普蒂默斯

Abstract

Virginia Woolf（1882-1941) is a British writer famous for her wide use of the technique stream-of-consciousness. She witnessed the period when Great Britain waxed and waned. After World War I, Britain gradually lost its colonies. The severe depression of economy and the flaws in the social system led to more social conflicts.Virginia Woolf, with the spirit of freedom and equality, created outstanding novels, such as Mrs. Dalloway, Orlando and To the Lighthouse, all of which presents her concerns about the social problems in reality. 

In Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf presents a whole day of Mrs. Dalloway by using the technique of stream of consciousness. Simultaneously, another story line about the character Saptimus reveals the process how a veteran suffers from war trauma and social depression and finally dies. Saptimus, as a representative of disadvantaged groups, shows the social conflicts and the repressed mental states of the public in Britain after World War I.

This thesis, with the post-war society of Britain as its background, attempts to analyze the social causes that contribute to the tragedy of Saptimus, and the three main vulnerable groups represented by him. The main body of the thesis is divided into three chapters. The first chapter discussed the post-war situation of veterans from economical and mental perspectives respectively. The second chapter places emphasis on Saptimus’ identity as a patient and analyzes his lack of discourse power in the communication with other social groups, especially the doctors. The third chapter regards Saptimus as a typical figure of the depressed homosexual group and points out how they were treated unfairly at that time.

Social stratification, social conflicts and the existence of marginalized groups have long been the focus. This analysis will help researchers and common readers to ponder over contemporary society and enlighten them to help improve the situation of marginalized groups in the society.

Key Words: Virginia Woolf; Mrs. Dalloway; Saptimus

Contents

Acknowledgments i

Abstract ii

摘要 iii

Introduction 1

Chapter One Post-War Situation of Veterans 5

1.1 Life Security of Saptimus 5

1.2 Trauma of War 7

Chapter Two Voiceless Patients 10

2.1 Patients Weak Voice in the Society 10

2.2 Lack of Discourse Power in the Doctor-patient Relationship 11

Chapter Three Repression of Homosexuality 13

3.1 Compulsory Heterosexuality and Repressed Homosexuality 13

3.2 The Salvation Road to Androgyny 14

Conclusion 16

Works Cited 18