敬畏生命 梭罗《瓦尔登湖》的主题分析.docx

敬畏生命 梭罗《瓦尔登湖》的主题分析.docx

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敬畏生命梭罗《瓦尔登湖》的主题分析

敬畏生命：

梭罗《瓦尔登湖》的主题分析

2012届分类号:

I106

单位代码:

10452

某某大学

毕业论文（设计）

敬畏生命:

梭罗《瓦尔登湖》的主题分析

姓名某某某

学号200804690943年级2008级10班专业英语

系（院）外国语学院指导教师某某某

2012年4月20日

ReverenceforLife:

AThematicAnalysisofH.D.Thoreau’sWalden

AThesisSubmitted

toForeignLanguagesSchoolofxxxxUniversity

inPartialFulfillmentoftheRequirements

fortheDegreeofBachelorofArts

By

Xxxx

Supervisor:

xxxx

April20,2012

Acknowledgements

Manypeoplehavecontributedtothewritingofthisdissertationbyprovidingmetheirinvaluabletime,feedbacks,commentsandcritiques.

Firstandforemost,IwouldemphasizemygreatestdebttoProfessorGuHuiping,myadvisor,whopainstakinglywentthroughtheearlydraftsandprovidedgenerouslydetailedcriticism.Withoutheradviceandconstantencouragement,itwouldbeimpossibleformetoachievethecompletionofthisdissertation.Herexpertiseandpatiencegivesthisthesismorechancestobeimprovedandpolished.Deeplyimpressedbyherkindnessandstrictstyle,IbelievethatherinfluenceonmewillbelifelongIwouldalsoliketoexpressmyappreciationtomyclassmatesfortheirselflessassistanceandpatienceinhelpingmeatanytimeAtlast,Ifeelmuchobligedtomydearparents,whohavebroughtmeandsupportmeallthetime.Nowordscanfullyexpressmysincereloveandgratitudeforthem.

Abstract

Atpresent,theecologicalcrisisisbecomingmoreandmoreseriousanditisafactthatpeoplearechasingmaterialwealthblindlywithnoattentiontotheneedsfromheart,therefore,itisofgreateducationalsignificancetoexploreThoreau’sattitudestowardslifeembodiedinhisworksWalden.HerethepaperattemptstoilluminateThoreau’slifephilosophyfromthreeperspectives:

returningtosimplicity,eco-centricequalityandpursuitofspiritualindependence,whichpointsoutthatThoreau’sideaofagoodlifeistoliveasimple,freelifeandtolivewithnatureharmoniously.Thus,itprovidesagoodwayforpeopletogetridofspiritcrisesandtodealwithnaturecorrectly.

KeyWords:

Thoreau;Walden;simplicity;equality;spiritualindependence

摘要

面对生态危机日益严重以及人们只顾追求物质利益忽视心灵需求的现实,探讨梭罗《瓦尔登湖》中所蕴含的对待生命的态度具有重要的教育意义。

本文通过回归简单,万物平等,精神独立三个方面阐述梭罗的哲学人生观,指出梭罗所追求的理想生活是简单自由,与自然和谐共处的生活,这为当代人摆脱精神危机,正确处理好人与自然的关系指明了道路。

关键词:

梭罗;《瓦尔登湖》;简单;平等;精神独立

TableofContents

Acknowledgementsi

Abstractii

摘要iii

Introduction1

ChapterOneHenryDavidThoreauandWalden3

1.1Thoreau’sLifeExperience3

1.2ABriefIntroductiontoWalden4

ChapterTwoThoreau’sViewsofLife6

2.1ReturningtoSimplicity6

2.2Eco-centricEquality8

2.3PursuitofSpiritualIndependence9

ChapterThreeTheLegacyofWalden12

3.1InfluencesonEcologicalLiterature12

3.2InfluencesonPeople’sLifeConcept14

Conclusion16

WorksCited17

Introduction

HenryDavidThoreau1817-1862isanoutstandingAmericannaturewriter,philosopher,andenvironmentalscientist.Hismasterpiece,Walden,depictsthebeautyofnatureandisnotonlyapersonalexperimentwithanaturallifebutalsoaholisticphilosophyoftherelationshipbetweenmanandnature.Atpresent,theecologicalcrisisisbecomingmoreandmoreseriousanditisafactthatpeoplearechasingmaterialwealthblindlywithnoattentiontotheneedsfromheart;therefore,itisofgreateducationalsignificancetoexploreThoreau’sattitudestowardlifeembodiedinhisWaldenAfterthemid-1990s,someimportantresearchmonographsonecocriticismwerepublishedinAmerica,suchas,RebeccaStefoff’sTheAmericanEnvironmentalMovement,LawrenceBuell’sTheEnvironmentalImagination:

Thoreau,NatureWriting,andtheFormationofAmericanCultureandTheEcocriticismReader:

LandmarksinLiteraryEcologycollaboratedbyCheryllGlotfeltyandHaroldFrommandJonathanBate’sRomanticEcology:

WordsworthandEnvironmentalTradition,ChristopherBelshaw’sEnvironmentalPhilosophy:

Reason,NatureandHumanConcern,WhichpointsoutthatThoreauistodayconsideredasthefirstmajorinterpreterofnatureinAmericanliteraryhistory,andthefirstAmericanenvironmentalistsaint.TheresearchdevelopmentonecocriticisminEnglandcouldberepresentedbyLaurenceCoupe’sTheGreenStudiesReader:

FromRomanticismtoEcocriticism.AndrecentcriticalworkincludesDavidM.Robinson’sNaturalLife:

Thoreau’sWorldlyTranscendentalism2004andGregGarrard’sEcocriticismandDavidMazel’sACenturyofEarlyEcocriticism.Notuntil1949wasWaldenintroducedintoChina.ItsfirstChineseversionwastranslatedbythefamousChinesewriterXuChi,whoregardeditasbothabookfulloflifewisdomandabookembodiedwithvividandbeautifuldescriptionaboutnature.ThoreauvianstudyinChinamainlyfocusonThoreau’sideaaboutnature,highlypraisinghisrespectfornatureandfurtheraffirminghisimportantroleineco-literaturesuchasChenKai’sTheEcologicalIdeology:

Thoreau’sViewonNature,andGuanChunhua’sThoreauandNature:

ReflectionsonThoreau’sWaldenPound.ThefirstmonographonEuro-AmericanEcologicalLiteratureinChinabyWangNuowaspublishedin2003byBeijingPressUniversity.However,uptonow,mostofthestudiesarejustfocusontheinterpretationofThoreau’sworksonecologybutdonotmakedeepexplorationconcerningthelifephilosophyinhisWalden,whichcangivepeopledirectionofthewayoflivinginwhichpeopleshouldtakeinthefutureandhowtorespecthumans’lifeandnature,So,thepresentpaperwillspecificallyanalyzethispointinWalden.

Thisthesisisdividedintofivechapters.ChapterOneistheintroduction.ChapterTwodealswiththegeneralknowledgeofThoreauandhisWalden.ChapterThreeismainlyaboutThoreau’slifephilosophyfromthreeaspects:

returningtosimplicity,eco-centricequalityandpursuitofspiritualindependence.ChapterFourisananalysisofthelegacyofWalden.Thelastchapteristheconclusionofthethesis.

ChapterOneHenryDavidThoreauandWalden

1.1Thoreau’sLifeExperience

HenryDavieThoreauwasborninConcord,Massachusetts,onJuly12,1817,inwhathethought“themostestimableplaceintheworld,andintheverynickoftime,too.”Harding,1982:

3Concord,sometwentymilesnorthwestofBoston,islocatedontheplainssurroundingthejunctureoftheAssayedandSudburyRiverswhichformstheConcordRivers,oneoftheprincipaltributariesoftheMerrimack.In1817,itwasaquitelittletownoftwothousand,devotedchieflytoagriculture.Thetown’scitizensknewneithergreatwealthnorextremepovertyandthetownwasessentiallyademocracy,nomanfelttheneedofkneelingtohisneighbors.

Thoreaugrewupveryclosewithhisolderbrother,John,Jr.,whofirstshowaninterestinornithologyandThoreaulaterlearnedmuchofhisbirdfromJohn’snotebooks.Theyopenedaprivateschoolwiththeprincipleof“learningbydoing”anddevotedaconsiderablepartofitsprogramtofieldtrips,whichprovedsuccessful.BecauseofJohn’spoorhealth,theschoolwasbroughttoanabruptcloseonApril1,1841.theworstthingisthatJohndiedbecauseoflockjawinhisbrother’sarmsinJanuary1842.SoonafterJohn’sdeath,ThoreaureturnedtolivewithEmerson,andeventuallyheresumedhisnormalpatternoflife,Thoreaulivedthereformorethantwoyears.HetutoredEmerson’schildren,keptEmerson’sgardenandalsocontributedtoTheDial,animportantmagazine.InspiredbyEmerson,hebegantowritehisjournal.In1845,hemovedtoacabinbuiltbyhimontheshoreofWaldenPoundandstayedthereformorethantwoyears.Helivedaverysimplelifeinitandenjoyedthegreatesthappinessinspirit.Hedevotedmostofhistimetoreading,writingandhekeptadetailedjournalofhisobservationsofnature,activitiesandthoughts.Yethewasquiteenjoyingthatlifeandsolitude.Andthere,hefinishedhismostfamousbookWaldenorLifeintheWoods,whichwascommonlyregardedashismasterpiece.

Thoreaulovednatureverymuch.Heenjoyedwalkinginthewoodsandstudiedvariousbirds,animals,treesandflowers.Hecollectedvariousinterestingthingsinnature,whichwassenttohismotherandyoungsisterSophia.Inhislatelife,hemadeseveraljourneystoMaineWoodsandCapeCod.HeadmiredIndianandlikedorientalphilosophyverymuch.Hediedoftuberculosisin1862,attheageof44,afterhisdeath,heandhisbookgotaprofoundunderstandingandwidelyattention.Helefttenbooks,numerousessaysandahugejournal,publishedlaterin20volumes.

1.2ABriefIntroductiontoWalden

Walden,writtenbyHenryDavidThoreau,waspublishedin1854,itdetailsThoreau’ssojourninacabinbesideWaldenPoundwherehelivedformorethantwoyears,butWaldenwaswrittensothatthestayappearstobeayear,withexpressedseasonaldivisions.Waldenconsistsof18chapters.

ChapteroneisanattackontheAmericanlifestylealongwithThoreau’salternativesolution.Hedoesthis,hesays,inordertoillustratethespiritualbenefitsofasimplifiedlifestyleandheeasilysuppliesthefournecessitiesoflifefood,shelter,clothing,andfuel.InChaptertwoandthree,Thoreaudescribeshiscabin’slocationanddiscussesbooksandwhathefeltthatpeopleshouldbereading.InChapterfour,ThoreaucontinuedhisdescriptionofhislifeinthewoodanddescribesthesoundsofnaturearoundhishomeanddescribeshissolitudeinthewoodsandendswithhisrecipeforgoodhealthinChapterfive.InChaptersixandseven,Thoreauwritesaboutthevisitorstohiscabinandexplainshisworkinthebean-fieldindetail.InChaptereight,ThoreauvisitsthesmalltownofConcordeverydayortwotohearthenews,whichhefinds“asrefreshinginitswayastherustleoftheleaves.”InChapternine,inau