摘 要

爱·摩·福斯特在20世纪英国文坛及世界文坛上占有重要地位。“联结”主题是福斯特小说中永恒不变的主题。他的小说反映了在旅行故事中的跨文化交流。不同国家、年龄、性别的人们通过旅行，改善发育不良的心，达到真诚的联结。

短篇小说《离开科罗诺斯之路》描写了主人公卢卡斯的希腊之旅。在旅行之中主人公与不同人和事物进行了不同的联结。从他和历史的联结来说，福斯特模仿希腊神话故事，通过分析卢卡斯与俄狄浦斯的相似之处建立了他与历史的联结。从卢卡斯和他女儿的联结来说，联结的主要方式是解除因为对文化的不同理解和不当的交流而造成的误解。从他和自己的联结来说，精神上的联结需要通过沉思以及自我实现来达到。

福斯特通过“联结”体现了人际关系中真实完全的理解和关爱、温暖、智慧和灵魂会在这个逐渐疏离的世界融合。

关键词：离开科罗诺斯之路；福斯特；联结

Abstract

E.M. Forster played an important role both in the British literature and the world literature in the 20^th century. The connection theme is the ever-lasting theme in Forster’s novels. His novels reflect the cross-cultural communication through travelling stories. People of a particular country, age, gender improve "undeveloped heart" by travelling to achieve sincere connection.

Short story The Road from Colonus described the protagonist Mr. Lucas’ travelling experience in Greece. Forster illustrated connection of the protagonist with different people and objects. The connection between Lucas and history was established by the discussion of the similarities between him and Oedipus in Greek mythology. For Lucas and his daughter, they tried to break the barriers raised by variant cultural understanding and their inappropriate ways of communication. For Mr. Lucas and himself, the spiritual connection was enhanced by meditation and self-realization.

Forster referred connection as a true, complete understanding and loving in human relationships, from which, warmth, intelligence and soul could be infused into the alienated world.

Key Words: The Road from Colonus; E.M. Forster; connection

Contents

1 Introduction 1

1.1 The Author and His Works 1

1.2 Literature Review 2

2 Connection between Lucas and History 5

2.1 Connection through Images 5

2.2 Connection through Experiences 6

3 Connection between Lucas and Ethel 8

3.1 Connection through Language 8

3.2 Connection through Spirit 9

4 Connection between Lucas and Himself 11

4.1 Connection through Meditation 11

4.2 Connection through Self-realization 12

5 Conclusion 14

References 15

Acknowledgements 16

The Theme of “Connection” in

The Road from Colonus

1 Introduction

1.1 The Author and His Works

E.M. Forster was regarded as one of the most important British novelists in the 20^th century (Forster, 2011, p.2). His reputation is highly dependent on his short stories, novels and the large-scale critic essays. His novels reflect the cross-cultural communication between people. They are of different countries, ethnicities, social statuses, genders and sexual orientations. Through travelling stories, they get together by communication. By these stories, he appeals people to perfect their “undeveloped heart” (Forster, 1936, p.68) and look at differences reasonably in order to achieve sincere connection. He is also well-known for his humanistic impulse toward understanding and sympathy (Crews, 2016), which makes him stand out from many of his contemporary writers. Furthermore, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 13 different years.

Forster (January 1, 1879, June 7, 1970) had a fantastic and academic way of thinking. The family and education background generated him a sort of unique individuality, and moderate skepticism. (Bloom, 1987) When he was only a baby, his father’s death and mother’s irresponsibility put him in tension. Furthermore, the education he received shaped him and his writing style. The responsibility of his later criticisms of the English public school (private) system lay largely on the Tonbridge School. Later on when he was at King’s College, Cambridge, he enjoyed the feeling of liberation at the campus. At this time, he was able to pursuit his own intellectual inclinations. There he became successful under scholarly tutors’ guidance and with lifelong friends’ companionship.