第四讲_Charles_Dickens_and_Oliver_Twist.ppt

Critical Realism: (1). Time span: the 40s and the beginning of the 50s of the 19th century, the early Victorian Age; (2). Its aim: criticizing the capitalist society from a democratic viewpoint and delineating the crying contradictions of bourgeois reality. (3). Its significance: The realists of this period not only satirized the bourgeois society and exposed the greed and hypocrisy of the ruling class but also demonstrated profound humanism which is revealed in their sympathy for the laboring people. (4). The representative writers: Charles Dickens, with his description of the misery and suffering of the common people; William Makepeace Thackeray, with his satirical portrayal of the upper strata of the society. Dickens’ life experience His major works Olive Twist a. Early period (1836- 45): Period of youthful optimist: fun, high spirit, na?ve optimism Believing that all the evils of the capitalist world would be remedied if only men treated each other with kindliness, justice and sympathetic understanding. Thinking that the whole social question would be solved if only every employer reformed himself according to the model set by the benevolent gentlemen in his novels. Works 1) Sketches by Boz 《博兹特写集》the first book 2) Pickwick Papers 《匹克威克外传》 3）Olive Twist 《雾都孤儿》 4）The Old Curiosity Shop 《老古玩店》 Works A Tale of Two Cities (1859): selflessness; Great Expectations (1860- 61): praise of honest labour; Our Mutual Friend (1864- 65): criticism of corruption selfishness in the society/ materialism, c. Complicated fascinating plot -- major plots+ minor plots or parallel major plots, happy ending (esp. earlier works) Oliver Twist (1837-1838) Main Characters Oliver Twist- The main character of the story, Oliver is an affection-starved little boy who will not commit crimes. He was abused as a young child, and only wants to be loved. His adventures make him the best of friends and the w