【作者】 杜娟；

【导师】 聂珍钊；

【作者基本信息】 华中师范大学 ， 比较文学与世界文学， 2008， 博士

【摘要】 在18世纪的英国文学史中,亨利·菲尔丁是一位承上启下的重要人物。由他开创的“散文体喜剧史诗”,不仅继承和革新了此前的欧洲传奇文学,亦开启了英国文学关注社会问题的现实主义传统。而作为一位对伦理问题有着特殊兴趣的小说家,菲尔丁也在对于传统文学的创造性转换中,宏阔又不失准确地反映了英国社会的伦理现实,同时也艺术性地传达出了作家自身的道德理想。在菲尔丁笔下,那些剖析人物道德动机、呈现他们冒险经历和道德完善过程的故事情节,深刻反映了作家对于伦理问题的基本认识。而这些被讲述出来的故事情节,以及贯穿其间的评论性文字,就是菲尔丁作品中的“伦理叙事”。为阐明其中的思想内涵和艺术特点,本文从作品自身的叙事逻辑出发,对菲尔丁的三部长篇小说——《约瑟夫·安德鲁斯的经历》、《弃儿汤姆·琼斯的历史》和《阿米莉亚》进行了文本细读,以期就作品中所传达的伦理思想展开讨论。全文分三章。第一章本章以菲尔丁小说男性英雄的道德特质作为主要研究对象,在一种比较研究的视野中,试图阐明其人物塑造对于传奇文学的创造性转化,并从中探讨了菲尔丁的人性论和感性的道德起源论。尽管作为一种文学潮流,传奇叙事在18世纪的文学语境中业已衰微,但其影响力却一直存在。体现于菲尔丁的作品中,即为小说人物的传奇化特征。大致从创作《约瑟夫·安德鲁斯的经历》开始,菲尔丁便精心塑造了一系列具有传奇色彩的道德英雄形象。与骑士文学中的英雄人物相比,菲尔丁将出身高贵的英雄置换为了品德高尚的道德英雄,他们不仅相貌俊美,而且具有非凡的道德勇气。凡此种种,均能证明作家借助传奇文学表达道德主题的叙事意图。此外,由于菲尔丁对传奇文学进行了创造性转换,因此他也在将骑士英雄置换为道德英雄的同时,充分表达了自己对于人性问题的关注。不过在论及人性问题时,菲尔丁却十分审慎,他认为人性并非十全十美,而是处于一种善恶杂糅的状态,即便最善良的人也有一些“小小的人性所防备不了的瑕疵”。而这些道德瑕疵,恰恰是主人公在踏上冒险旅程后所要克服的首要问题。因此可以说,菲尔丁从自身的人性观出发,为主人公的道德完善设计了明确和具体的道德要求。但问题的复杂性却在于,尽管人可以凭借道德追求去克服人性的弱点,但隐含于人性中的某些自然因素,诸如情感、欲望和本能等等,势必会在道德探索的过程中有所显现,由此造成的后果,很有可能与讲求理性的道德规范发生冲突。为解决这一创作难题,菲尔丁在作品中生动描绘了驱使人们行善的道德情感问题。他通过对伪善品格的批判,试图说明人一旦背离自然人性的道德情感,将会沦入怎样的罪恶深渊。其间隐含的道德思考,充分反映了菲尔丁注重道德主体行为动机的伦理认识。第二章本章以菲尔丁小说中的爱情与冒险故事为研究对象,通过考察主人公所经历的各种道德考验,具体阐述了这些人物的道德完善历史。作为促成主人公踏上冒险之旅的基本动力,男女主人公的爱情故事在菲尔丁笔下十分醒目。可以说正是为了追求理想爱情,约瑟夫·安德鲁斯、汤姆·琼斯和威廉·布思等英雄人物才会义无返顾地踏上冒险旅程。在这个意义上说,爱情成为了菲尔丁笔下英雄人物成长过程中的第一类受戒仪式。尽管在菲尔丁看来,真正的爱情理应建构在男女双方的理智与情感之上,但由于他对人性弱点的洞悉,因而在讲述男女主人公之间的爱情故事时,也秉承了一种真实反映人性的现实主义精神。由此形成的一种叙述模式,便与传奇文学中常见的浪漫爱情有所不同。在菲尔丁笔下,尽管男性英雄相貌俊美、勇武过人,但由于他们自身具有的性格弱点和对手的百般阻挠,从而也不得不遭遇在追求理想爱情时屡受挫折的窘境。这一叙述模式的形成,固然与菲尔丁借助爱情考验英雄人物道德状况的创作意图有关,但也恰切反映了作家书写真实人生的现实主义精神。相较于男性英雄的人性弱点,女性英雄则以其完善道德起到了拯救男主人公的作用。因此可以说在爱情故事中,男女英雄人物的道德状况均得到了形象展示。而作家有关忠贞、伪善和自律等道德问题的思考,则大大强化了爱情故事的道德内涵。与爱情这一道德试验场相比,冒险故事在菲尔丁小说中是最为主要的情节线索。实际上,这一线索也是主人公在自身道德完善过程中所要面对的第二类受戒仪式。按作家的情节设置,英雄人物的冒险旅程被划分成了两种形式,一是他们道昕途说的冒险故事,二是他们亲身经历的艰难险阻。前者以插入式情节的叙事方式传达了作家对于道德经验的重视。在这些情节中,菲尔丁通过讲述小说次要人物的人生经历,对主人公提出了明确的道德警示。后者作为磨练英雄人物道德完善的主要试验场,无疑构成了小说冒险故事的情节主线。而在讲述主人公的亲身经历时,菲尔丁则重点描绘了以英雄人物为冒险主角的道德历练故事。在一定程度上说,作家对于道德问题的持续探询其实就来自于小说主人公的以身犯险:惟有将自己置身于艰难困苦的存在险境,并通过永不屈服的英勇抗争,这些英雄人物才能真正闪现道德光辉,从而通达作家向往的理想境界,即为情理相融的人生和谐。第三章本章以菲尔丁小说中美德有报的伦理思想为研究对象,通过分析主人公身边的密友和女性英雄形象,以及主人公自身的仁善之心,试图阐明上述因素对于主人公道德完善的辅助功能。在讨论密友形象时,本章首先分析了密友作为主人公父亲代理人和伦理权威的多重身份,指出他们对于主人公的重新接纳,本身就预示了个人美德的社会认同。而这一点恰恰是主人公美德有报的一个具体表现,即经过道德历练后的主人公,最终凭借着个人道德的社会认同重新回到了社会价值体系的中心位置。在此过程中,菲尔丁有关密友形象道德困境和宗教救赎问题的描写,则充分显现出他对于宗教和道德关系的辨证理解。与密友形象相比,菲尔丁精心塑造的女性英雄形象,不仅以财产馈赠的方式解救了男主人公,而且更为作家美德有报的伦理思想注入了一种现实价值。但值得注意的是,由于菲尔丁本人持有一种男尊女卑的传统性别观,因此在书写女性英雄对男主人公的解救时,也不可避免地将其视为了男性财产的隐喻符号。值得注意的是,由女性英雄与财产的同质关系出发,还可以清楚反映出菲尔丁在道德观察中所进行的某种经济思考。在他看来,主人公的道德完善不仅要经过重重考验,与此同时还必须承受巨大的经济压力:假如主人公的美德追求必须以物质利益为回报,那么他个人的道德历练就有可能背离美德的某些价值规范,从而在一种经济压力下造成美德的世俗与功利;反之,若一味追求抽象高蹈的美德观念,那么主人公的冒险旅程便缺少了一种现实的利益回报,这在讲求经济个人主义的资产阶级社会,显然不具备让人群起效仿的足够感召力。这就是说,在人们的物欲(追求现实利益)和人情(追求道德的向善本能)之间,其实构成了一个难以平衡的悖论关系。而菲尔丁对此问题的描写,则充分体现出一种努力追求两者平衡的辩证伦理思想。除了身边密友和女性英雄的帮助,主人公自身的仁善之心也在其道德完善中发挥了重要作用。在菲尔丁小说的叙事模式中,主人公帮助他人的美德善行,最终都会以不同的形式反过来帮助自己脱离了险境。主人公看似利他的助人行为,其实具有某种利己的美德后果。尽管他们在帮助别人时并不贪图回报,但美德有报的行为后果却的确推动了主人公自身的道德完善。在这个意义上说,主人公的仁善之心是因,获得回报是果,而他们的助人行为从本质上讲就是助己,这一叙事逻辑同样反映了菲尔丁美德有报的伦理观念。由于这一伦理观念在菲尔丁作品中具体表现为一种伦理正义,因此本章亦对此问题进行了深入辨析,认为在菲尔丁笔下,实际存留着伦理正义和现实正义的偏差,由此也充分反映了作家伦理观念的某种历史过渡特征。更多还原

【Abstract】 In the 18th-century Britain, Henry Fielding played an important role by bridging between the preceding and the following literature. The comic epic in prose he initiated inherited and renovated the traditional European romances on one hand, and started the realistic tradition in British literature which shows great concern with social life on the other hand. As a novelist with a special interest in ethical issues, Fielding, in his creative transformation of the traditional literature, represented the ethical reality of British society in a magnificent and accurate way while conveying his own moral ideals artistically. In Henry Fielding’s novels, those stories about characters’ moral motives, life adventures, and moral consummation reflects Fielding’s basic view of ethical issues. It is quite secure to say, the plot and comments which described in those stories is the "narrative ethics" in Fielding’s works. This dissertation is aimed at exploration to the ethical ideas embodied in Fielding’s three novels—The Adventures of Joseph Andrews, The History of Tom Johns: A Foundling, and Amelia—by means of analysis of the narrative function of the realization of the traditional romance narrative in the author’s moral construction, and of investigation into the artistic methods and ideas of the ethical narrative, based on a close reading of the three novels and respect for their own narrative logic. This dissertation is composed of three chapters.ChapterⅠfocuses on the moral characters of heroes in Fielding’s novels, makes an effort to illustrate Fielding’s creative transformation of romances from a perspective of comparative study based on a detailed analysis of the romance qualities of his novels, and explores Fielding’s concepts of human nature and the origin of the moral. Romance narrative, though declining as a literary trend in the 18th century literary context, still held its influence, which is embodied in Fielding’s novels in a form of the romanticization of characters in the novels. Approximately when he wrote The Adventures of Joseph Andrews, Fielding began to create many legendary moral heroes. Unlike the heroes in chivalry romances, Fielding replaced the heroes of noble blood with heroes of noble moral, who are not only physically handsome but also morally courageous. This indicates the author’s narrative purpose of expressing the moral theme in the form of romance. Meanwhile, Fielding’s creative transformation of the romance by substituting moral heroes for chivalrous heroes also demonstrates his concern with human nature. He was quite prudent in dealing with human nature. He believed that human nature is perfect but is in a state where good and evil mix. Even a person of the best nature has "those little blemishes quas humana parum cavit natura," which are just what the protagonist should overcome immediately when he took his adventurous journey. So to speak, Fielding, based on his own view of human nature, designed a set of definite moral codes for the protagonist’s moral consummation. But the complexity of this question lies in that, though human beings can overcome their defects by means of moral pursuit, such natural elements as emotion, desire and instinct hidden in human nature will still come in the way of the moral pursuit, and may even conflict with the rational moral codes. In order to solve this problem, Fielding gave vivid description of the issues concerned with moral sensibility which would drive people to do good. Thus he criticized hypocrisy to reveal that man would fall evil once he betrayed the moral sensibility of human nature. The moral considerations in his ethical narrative reflect Fielding’s ethical idea with its emphasis on the motive of the moral subject.ChapterⅡfocuses on the love and adventure stories of Fielding’s novels and explores the history of moral consummation of the heroes by examining a variety of moral tests they have experienced. The love between the hero and heroine usually works as a basic impetus towards the protagonist’s adventures, stories about which are quite eye-catching in Fielding’s novels. So to speak, just in order to seek their ideal love the heroes like Joseph Andrews, Tom Johns and William Booth took on their adventurous journey without hesitation. In this sense, love serves as the first ceremony the heroes would go through in their growth. Fielding understood that ideal love should rest upon sense and sensibility, but at the same time, he had a profound insight into human defects and thus followed a realistic spirit of faithfully mirroring human nature in his account of love stories. This leads to a narrative paradigm quite different from that of romances. In Fielding’s novels, the heroes, usually handsome and valiant, had to suffer from frustrations in their pursuit of ideal love due to their own weak points in character and to the obstructions from their rivals. The formation of this narrative paradigm, on one hand, is related with Fielding’s intention of testing the hero’s moral stand by means of love, and, on the other hand, accurately reflects the author’s realistic spirit in making a faithful record of life. Compared with the hero, the heroine usually demonstrates a perfect moral image, which serves the salvation of the heroes. So the moral status of both the hero and the heroine is artistically demonstrated. The author’s thinking about the moral questions such loyalty, hypocrisy and self-discipline greatly enhances the moral meaning of the love stories. Compared with love the testing field for morality, adventure stories are the main clues of plot in Fielding’s novels. To a great extend, adventures form the second ceremony the hero must go through in his moral growth. According to the setup of plot, the adventures of the heroes in Fielding’s novels can be categorized into two types: the adventure stories they heard, and the adventures they experienced. The former, usually in a narrative mode of interposing a plot, conveys the author’s concern with moral experience. This kind of plot is usually about the life experience of some minor characters of the novel, constituting a kind of definite moral warning against the protagonist. The latter serves as a major test field for the hero’s moral consummation, undoubtedly forming the main thread of the adventure stories. When accounting the adventures the hero experienced, Fielding put emphasis on the protagonist’s moral growth. In a sense, the author’s persistent exploration to moral issues lies in the protagonist’s personal adventurous experiences: only when the hero puts himself in an extremely difficult situation of existence can he display the moral splendor through his brave resistance, can his image demonstrate the author’s ideal of harmonious life with reason and emotion in balance.ChapterⅢ, having the ethical idea of "virtue deserves reward" embodied in Fielding’s novels as its research object, attempts to reveal the auxiliary function of such elements as the protagonist’s benevolence, his intimate friends and heroines in the protagonist’s moral consummation based on a detailed analysis of these elements. In discussing the images of intimate friends, this dissertation firstly analyzes the multiply role of an intimate friend as an agent of the protagonist’s father and an ethical authority, claiming that these friends themselves foreshadow the social recognition of personal virtues in terms of the protagonist’s re-identification. This is an embodiment of the ethical idea of "virtue deserves reward" cherished by the protagonist. That is, the hero will eventually return to the centre of the social values with his personal moral recognized by society after a series of moral tests. In this process, Fielding offered descriptions of questions like religious salvation and the moral dilemma relevant to the images of the intimate friends, which demonstrates the author’s dialectic understanding of the relationship between religion and morality. In terms of the images of the heroines created by Fielding, they usually rescued the heroes by means of giving possessions away as gift, but also add a practical value to Fielding’s ethical idea of "virtue deserves reward." However, just because Fielding held a traditional view of sex that male was superior to female, he inevitably saw heroines as a metaphorical sign of men’s possession in his account of the heroines’ rescue of the heroes. What deserves further consideration here is that the homogeneity of heroines and possessions clearly reflects Fielding’s certain economic considerations when making his moral observations. For him, the hero’s moral consummation involves not only a series of tests but also great economic pressure. If the hero’s moral pursuit is aimed at material reward, his moral tests would go against certain values of the virtues, and thus making the virtue worldly and utilitarian; if he pursues exclusively the abstract and lofty virtues, his adventures would turn out to be a shortage of practical material reward, which is not inspiring or worth learning from by the popular in the bourgeois society resting on economical individualism. That is, there exists a paradoxical relationship between material desire (pursuit of practical interests) and feelings (instinct of pursuing moral good), which is hard to keep in balance. However, Fielding’s dealing with these questions greatly demonstrates his dialectic ethical idea of seeking a balance between the two elements. Besides the intimate friends and heroines, the protagonist’s own benevolence also plays an important role in his moral consummation. In Fielding’s novels, the protagonists’ good deeds and virtues in helping others would, in return, eventually help themselves pull through danger. The protagonists’ seeming altruistic deeds, in fact, contain the result of benefiting themselves. In this sense, the protagonists’ benevolence is the cause of their reward, and their helping others is essentially helping themselves. This narrative logic is also reflected in Fielding’s ethical concept of "virtue deserves reward". In his novels, this ethical concept is embodied as a ethical justice. Based on a careful examination of this question, this chapter believes that there is in his novels a deviation between ethical justice and justice in reality, which fully reflects certain historically transitional features in his ethical ideas.更多还原