HumanityA Moral History.docx

HumanityA Moral History.docx

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HumanityAMoralHistory

Humanity:

AMoralHistory

【Abstract】Duringthemid-18thcenturytothemid-19thcentury,theindustrialrevolutionstraightlytroopedintoGreatBritain,leadingthewholesocietytostrideintoanewera.However,whenallpeoplehighlyappreciatedthegreatchangesthatitbroughtabout,thenovelTheRainbowwrittenbyD.HLawrenceappearedasarepresentationofrevoltagainstindustrialization.ThenovelgetsthroughthelifeofBrangwen’sthreegenerations,engaginglynarratestheabruptchangesofthetraditionalvillagetriggeredbyindustrialrevolutionandprofoundlyexplorestherelationshipbetweenmenandwomen.Lawrencebelievedthatindustrializedwesternculturewasdehumanizingbecauseitemphasizedintellectualattributestotheexclusionofnaturalorphysicalinstincts.Thus,heseverelycondemnstheviolentimpactofindustrializationonhumanity.Gettingintohisnovel,hisskillfuldepictionofmaincharactersfurtherepitomizesthedehumanizationofindustrialization.Theverytruthofindustrialrevolutionturnsouttobedefinitelyshocking.Ithasruthlesslydestroyedtheharmonyofnature.Ithasimmenselyrepressedanddistortedhumanity.Ithasinevitablyledtotheperishofsocialmorality.Thus,Lawrencecomesfullcircletoargueforindividualregeneration,whichcanonlybeachievedthroughtheconcordantrelationshipbetweenmenandwomen.

【KeyWords】industrialrevolution;industrialization;humanity;dehumanization

Duringthemiddleofthe18thcenturytothemiddleofthe19thcentury,theindustrialrevolutionsprangtothewholeGreatBritain.ItmarkedthetransitionofBritainfromastableagriculturalsocietytoamodernindustrialsocietyrelyingoncomplexmachineryratherthantools.Then,drasticchangesinthesocialandeconomicstructuretookplaceasinventionsandtechnologicalinnovationscreatedthelarge-scalemachineproductionandgreateconomicspecialization.Undoubtedly,thenationaleconomygrewbyleapsandboundswhichentitledGreatBritaintotheWorldFactory.Additionally,withthechangeofpeople’sconceptionandwayoflifewhichsprangfromindustrialrevolution,alargenumberofruralpopulationpouredintourbanfactorycenters.Itseemedthatthewholesocietywasencircledwiththenovelmachinery,entitledtotheconvenience,enchantedbythefancylife.

Nevertheless,therumblesofthemachineindeedoverwhelmedtheyellsofhumannature.Withtheacceleratedprocessofcapitalisticindustrialization,humanbeingsbecamethemodernmechanicalappertaining.Thehighlyindustrializedsocietyurgedpeopletoobtainhigherstatusandmorewealthdependingonwillpowerandintelligence.Absolutelythosemechanizedandexanimate“puppets”derivedformindustrialcivilizationwerebeingengulfedbyironsandcoals.Naked“cashnexus”amongallsocialstrataputanendtoharmoniousinterpersonalrelationshipsespeciallyvibrantonesbetweenmenandwomen.Thus,wecandrawaconclusionthatasmodernmachinerycivilizationsweptthewholeworld,peoplehavebeenrelentlesslythrownintoalienationandhumanityhasbeenruthlesslydepressedanddistorted.Allthenewcivilizationatlengthwouldgiverisetotheseparationofbodyandsoul,shapingintomoderndiseasecharacterizedwithdepressedspirit,desperateattitude,desolatesenseanddisregardedpersonality.

Underthebackgroundofindustrialization,thenovel,TheRainbowrepresentsarevoltagainstthiskindofdehumanizationoflifelesssocietyinthe19thcentury,completelycapturingtheattentionofthepublic.WrittenbyD.HLawrence,acelebratedEnglishnovelist,itvividlydepictsthethreegenerationalstoryofBrangwenlivingontheMarshFarm.GettingthroughthelifeofBrangwens,Lawrencepresentsacross-sectionoftheBritishsocietyrangingfromantraditionalagriculturalsocietyinthemiddle19thcenturytothemodernindustrialsociety,withalongstretchofmorethanhalfacentury.Hedevelopshispenestrationintomen’sdrasticchangeofinnerworldthattheindustrializationbringsabouttoBritishsociety.Whatiscalledmachinerycivilizationbrutallydestoriesthenature,andevenaggravatesthehumandissimilation,whichissharplycriticizedinthenovel.Lawrenceindeedseessexasawaytorespondtoinhumanityoftheindustrialcivilization.

ThebookopenswithaviewoftheMarshFarm,overlookedbythechurchspireinthedistance.Thereappearstobeasenseofpermanence,anEden-likeconnectiontotheland,theChurchsuggestingpermanentbeliefs.Lawrencesharesuswithapicturesquescenery:

“Inautumnthepartridgeswhirredup,birdsinflocksblewlikesprayacrossthefallow,rooksappearedonthegrey,wateryheavens,andflewcawingintothewinter.Thenthemensatbythefireinthehousewherethewomenmovedaboutwithsurety,andthelimbsandthebodyofthemenwereimpregnatedwiththeday,cattleandearthandvegetationandthesky…”Peoplelivinginsuchwonderlanddeeplyrelyonthegreatnature.Lawrencehighlyadvocatesthiskindofharmonycherishedintheunityofmanandnature.Beforethealienationofindustrializationinvadingintothistraditionalagriculturalsociety,thehumanitycomesinthewhole.

Onbehalfofthefirstgeneration,TomBrangwenisastrongmanwhomarriesthePolishwidowLydiaLensky.Theyarebothdescribedtobequitesimple,diligentandkind-hearted,keepingaharmoniousrelationshipwithnature.Aftermarriagetheywelcometheperfectcombinationwitheachother,togetherhavingseveralchildrenandbuildingaworldoftheirownontheirfarm.Sometimeintheirmarriage,theyhaveintenseconflict,butafteraperiodoftimeforcoordination,theycometopeace.TheharmonioussexleadsTomtoknowperfection,andLydia,likeafreshflower,standsreadytoacceptdew.Theybothenjoythehappiness,nolongerwanttoexplorethedeepersignificanceofinteraction.

Asisknown,TomandLydiaBrangwencomefromdifferentculturesandhaveadifficulttimeunitingasamarriedcouple.Theirmarriageisgenerallyconductedinsilencelackingspiritualcommunication.However,theyhaveaverysatisfyingsexualrelationship.Then,theyacceptit.

Actually,theportrayalofthefirstgenerationforeshadowingstheduskofagriculturalcivilization.“AcanalwasconstructedacrossthemeadowsoftheMarshFarm,connectingthenewly-openedcollieriesoftheErewashValley.Ahighembankmenttravelledalongthefieldstocarrythecanal,whichpassedclosetothehomestead,and,reachingtheroad,wentoverinaheavybridge.”wroteLawrenceinthenovel.Thuswecanfigureoutthattheunbridledcapitalistmechanicalcivilizationisstealthilypenetratingintothiswonderkland.Theancientcivilizationiscomingtoanend.

Sincethefirstgenerationmerelytakethingsastheyare,WillandAnnaBrangwen,representingthesecondgeneration,assumetheresponsibilitytomakefurtherexploration.AnnaisthedaughterofLydiaandherfirsthusband,aPolishphysicianwhodiedyoung.Inherteenageyears,Annahasalreadyexpressedherdifferencewithothergirls.Sheisvibrantwithenergy,confidence,arroganceandstrongdesiretoconquer.HermarriagewithWillisblissfullatthebeginning.However,afterabriefromanceandsweety,AnnarealizesthatwhatWillcanbringherissomekindofunendurableexternalforce.Thedivergenceintheirconceptionandbeliefdefinitelyputupawallbetweenthem.WillsincerelyworshipstherainbowuphighonthedomeofchurchwhileAnnastronglyarguesagainstit.Contrarily,shebelievesintherealrainbowbestridinginthesky.Therefore,theyhavebeentrappedinafiercebattledeepinthesoul.Atlength,theygiveinbutseemly.Theirpersonalitiesandnaturalvitalityaregraduallyconsumedup.InLawrence’sdescription,Annadancinginthenudeduringapregnancy,Willpainfullyexperiencessomekindofpowergoingtodevourhim----“Againshetookoffherthingsanddanced,liftingherkneesandherhandsinaslow,rhythmicexulting…Hestoodawaynearthedoorinblacknessofshadow,watching,transfixed.Andwithslow,heavymovementssheswayedbackwardsandforwards…dancinghisnon-existence,dancingherselftotheLord,toexultation…havingnorelationtohimself.”Asaresult,wemaycometotheideathatnevertheycanregaintheharmonyandunityanymore.

Actually,theyencounterwithanewperiodinwhichthewholesocietyisundergoingradicalchanges.Theyaredoomedtofailinfrontofpowerfulindustrialization.ItturnsoutthatWill,infact,isaverysuperficial,mediocreandunambitiousbread-winnerwhodevolteshimselftowood-cavingandtheworshipoftheGod.Hisspiritualworldistotallydevastatedbytheoverloadofinduatrialsociety,becomingazombiewithoutsoulandthought.Heonlyposesinterestsinwomen’sbody.Forhim,itisbeautyofsupreme,lewdnessandabsolute.Anna,inhiseyes,isjustforhimtogiveventtohispassionsandevenamachineofprocreation.Apparently,Annahastriedhardtoshrinktherestraints,butultimatelysheyields.Sheturnsouttobeanordinaryhousewifewhoissatisfiedwithraisingbabies.Nomoreexploration.Thus,inthesencondgeneration,throughtheconflictbetweenthecouple,Lawrencepoignantlyexposesthatthesuppressionandtramplingofhumanityimposedbycapitalistmechanicalcivilization.Ithasindeedturnedmenintoinhumanmachinesleadingtothedistortionoftherelationshipbetweenmenandwomen.Withalienationinhumannature,therecomesneitherunitynorharmony.

Ofthethirdgeneration,UrsulaistheoldestdaughterofWillandAnna.Sheisashygirlwhoblossomsinthenovel.ShehasabriefbutpassionaterelationshipwithAntoSkrebensky,thesonofaPolishpersonwhowasafriendofhergrandmother.Af