从《月亮与六便士》中月亮意象的变化看英雄的理想主义_英语论文

An Analysis Of The Hero’S Idealism Based On The Change Of Moon Image In The Moon And Sixpence

摘要

20世纪初，英国涌现许多著名的现实主义作家，威廉·萨默塞特·毛姆就是其中之一。《月亮与六便士》是毛姆的代表作之一，根据画家保罗·高更的生活所写的一部小说，描写了主人公查尔·思特里克兰德,一个中年的证券经纪人放弃优越的生活条件以及家人，独自一人去追寻理想，投身于画画之中的故事。学界对《月亮与六便士》的研究主要在小于主题、艺术特色、象征主义和现实与理想的矛盾等方面。本文旨在以题目中的月亮为载体，以主人公的理想主义为核心，根据月亮的阴晴圆缺分析主人公在不同时期追求理想的状态。本文共分为五个部分进行论述。第一部分是引言。第二部分主要是对作者毛姆的生平简介，总结学者对《月亮与六便士》的研究角度和主要故事情节及其重要性。第三部分提出月亮以及六便士虽然恰巧都是闪闪发光的圆形，但却有着截然不同的蕴意。六便士是英国的流通货币，代表现实。月亮是世界上遥不可及的形体，代表崇高。渐渐地，月亮变成了理想的代名词，追逐心中的月亮意味着追逐理想。本文以圆形为出发点引出月亮以及月亮的阴晴圆缺变化被人们所赋予的涵义，将月亮与理想主义相结合。第四部分探讨月亮的阴晴圆缺变化与主人公思特里克兰德追逐理想的变化的关系。最后，第五部分根据以上三个部分得出总结，由毛姆在书中对主人公的描写得出其在这本书中体现的理想主义思想。虽然文学界一直把毛姆定义为现实主义作家，但在《月亮与六便士》中却可瞥见毛姆的理想主义思想。

关键词：理想主义，梦想，月亮，毛姆

Abstract

In the early 20th century, many famous realistic writers were springing up in England. William Somerset Maugham is a one of them. The Moon and Sixpence is one of his representative works based on the life of the famous painter, Paul Gauguin, which describes a story that the protagonist, Charles Strickland, a middle-aged stockbroker who abandons his wife and children abruptly to pursue his dream of becoming an artist. The study of The Moon and Sixpence is mainly about themes, artistic characteristics, symbolism and the contradictions between reality and ideal etc. The purpose of this paper is to take the moon image as the carrier and the hero’s idealism as the core to analyze the change of the moon and the hero's status and characters in different periods of chasing idealism. This paper is divided into three parts. The first part is the introduction. The second part is mainly about Maugham's biography, summary of previous researches on The Moon and Sixpence and the main plot of the book and its importance. In the third part, both the moon and the sixpence in the title are the sparkling rounds by lucky coincidence, but they contain different meanings. The sixpence is the circulated currency in the United Kingdom which represents the reality while the moon is on behalf of the sublime which is out of reach. Gradually, the moon has become synonymous with dream and chasing the moon in people's mind means chasing people's own ideals. This paper takes the circular as the starting point of the moon and the moon will lead to the combination of idealism. The forth part is based on the changes of the moon corresponding to the way that Strickland chases his ideal. At last, in the fifth part, making a conclusion through the above three parts based on Maugham’s description of the protagonist, which embodies Maugham’s idealist ideas. Although Maugham has been defined as a realistic writer, The Moon and Sixpence reflects his idealism.   

Keywords: idealism，dream，moon，Maugham

Contents

Acknowledgments1

Abstract ( Chinese )2

Abstract ( English )3

Introduction.5

Chapter One The Circle, the Moon and Idealism7

    1.1 The Image of the Circle.7

    1.2 The Connotation of the Moon8

    1.3 Brief Introduction of Idealism8

Chapter Two Strickland’s Idealism and the Change of the Moon9

    2.1 The Dim Moon: Strickland Worked as a Stockbroker in London9

    2.2The Bright Moon: Strickland Painted on the Island10

    2.3 The Waned Moon: Strickland Left His Families and Lived Alone11

    2.4 The Waxed Moon: Strickland Got Married on the Island12

Chapter Three Pursuit of the Moon12

    3.1 Strickland’s Release and Escape12

    3.2 Strickland’s Redemption and Sublimation 14

Conclusion15

Bibliography.17