【作者】 步健；

【导师】 程爱民；

【作者基本信息】 南京大学 ， 英语语言文学， 2012， 硕士

【摘要】 作为世纪之交的女作家,伊迪丝·华顿(1862-1937)在文学界的地位倍受争议,有人认为她不过是模仿了前辈亨利·詹姆斯的写作风格,也有人认为华顿是具有女性主义思想的先驱。随着二十世纪下半叶女性主义的发展,华顿的作品得到了学术界的广泛关注。在我国,大多数学者的研究集中于华顿的代表作如《欢乐之家》,《纯真年代》,《夏》而对其它小说的讨论相对较少。小说《国家风俗》以女主人公多次离婚而又再婚为主线,全面展现了一个在资本主义经济浪潮下产生的置道德礼仪于不顾的拜物女郎的形象。这部小说并未像《欢乐之家》和《纯真年代》那样得到批评家们的关注,很大程度上是因为小说中的女主人公金钱地位至上的行为远远超出了当时社会道德理念所能容忍的程度。与其说这部小说是华顿对女性向往自由平等的夸张式的表达,不如说这是华顿对资本主义扩张所带来的社会问题的思考与批判。本文通过文本细读,仔细研究小说中人物的行为与心理活动,试图找出小说中主要人物炫耀式消费倾向的社会原因,探讨处于新旧价值观交替时期的贵族有闲阶级在身份认同及道德感上所处的尴尬境地,分析了当时资本主义商品化经济下人与人之间物化了的关系以及人们自我迷失的状态和被打破的道德观。在小说中由于消费主义的入侵,人们对原有的价值观提出了质疑,传统的绅士教育已被以物质利益为先的价值观所取代,人际交往中的道德最终沦丧。更多还原

【Abstract】 There have been many disputes concerning Edith Wharton’s (1862-1937) literary achievements:some critics argue that she is but imitating her predecessor Henry James while others believe that Wharton is a pioneer in starting the thoughts of Feminism. As feminism flourishes in the second.half of the twentieth century, Wharton’s works have been given much attention. In China, the study of Wharton is still focused on her representative works like The House of Mirth, The Age of Innocence, and Summer.The Custom of the Country focuses on the multiple marriages and divorces of the female protagonist and presents a fetishistic girl under capitalism who disregards the traditional morality.The novel did not draw as much attention as novels like The House of Mirth, The Age of Innocence partly because the relentless behaviors of the female protagonists go too far beyond the conventions of the society. Some critics regard it as Wharton’s exaggerated expression of her desire for freedom and equality. But I think the novel reflects the author’s deep worry about the fetishistic attitude brought by capitalism and consumerism.Through a close reading of the novel, this thesis attempts to explore the social cause of the main characters’ consumption-oriented attitudes and discuss the dilemma in which the aristocratic are trapped. The thesis analyzes the materialization of personal relationships, people’s sense of lost identity and the shattered morality.Due to the invasion of consumerism and market economy, people begin to question their original values and feel lost about their identity. The traditional gentlemen-patterned educational system has been replaced by the priority given to material benefit and the moral principles in personal relationship are overlooked.更多还原