摘 要

《远大前程》是查尔斯·狄更斯晚年的代表作。相比之前的作品，这部小说在思想上更加深刻，写作手法和技巧也更加娴熟。虽然狄更斯一直被认为是英国文学史上批判现实主义的最伟大的代表作家之一，但浪漫主义元素在这部作品中也被广泛地应用。狄更斯在揭露社会现实的同时，也倾注了对经历苦难的社会底层人物的同情，在作品中也透露出对美好希望的追求和希冀。

本论文从现实主义小说中的浪漫主义元素这一新颖的角度入手，主要从背景、人物刻画、戏剧性转折以及主题四个方面，细致而全面地分析了浪漫主义元素在查尔斯·狄更斯代表性的长篇小说《远大前程》中的体现，让读者对《远大前程》中的浪漫主义特点有了更深入的了解。正是由于这样的独特的创作思想和艺术手法，这部小说才成为了狄更斯晚年成熟的代表作，具有深刻的时代意义。

关键词：查尔斯·狄更斯；《远大前程》；浪漫主义元素；写作手法

Contents

1. Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------1

2. Demonstration --------------------------------------------------------------------------------3

2.1 Romantic elements reflected in the setting --------------------------------------------- 3

2.1.1 The picturesque descriptions of countryside ------------------------------------------4

2.1.2 Simplicity of countryside against darkness of the metropolis London-------------4

2.2 Romantic elements reflected in the characterization -----------------------------------5

2.2.1 Pip with a romantic childhood: his intimacy with nature ---------------------------5

2.2.2 Pip’s return to innocence after his experiences in London --------------------------6

2.2.3 The guardian angels of Pip — Joe and Biddy ----------------------------------------7

2.3 Romantic elements reflected in the dramatic plot --------------------------------------8

2.3.1 The dramatic turning points in Pip’s life ----------------------------------------------8

2.3.1.1 Pip’s going to London -----------------------------------------------------------------8

2.3.1.2 Pip’s return to the countryside --------------------------------------------------------8

2.3.2 The romantic love between Pip and Estella and the happy ending ----------------9

2.4 Romantic elements reflected in the themes --------------------------------------------10

2.4.1 The romantic theme — “back to nature” -------------------------------------------10

2.4.2 Focusing on the healthy growth of children -----------------------------------------11

1. Conclusion -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------12

Works Cited -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13

Bibliography ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14

On the Romantic Elements Reflected in the Realistic Novel Great Expectations

1. Introduction

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) is one of the most famous British novelists in the 19^th century. He has created many well-known fictional characters and is usually defined as the greatest representative of critical realists of the Victorian era. In his early years, his father, John Dickens, worked as a clerk in the Navy Pay Office, which provided Charles Dickens a few years of private education. However, when Dickens was 12, his father was thrown into prison due to debt crisis. As the practice at the time, the whole family joined the father there. To support his family, Dickens was forced to leave school and work ten-hour a day at Warren’s Blacking Warehouse where he earned six shillings a week pasting labels on pots of boot blacking. The harsh experience impressed Dickens with darkness of the society and fickleness of human nature, which made Dickens pay more attention to the living conditions of those civilians at the bottom of the society. Then, Charles Dickens was eventually sent to Wellington House Academy in Camden Town, where he lived for two years, although it was not a good school. After graduating from that school, Dickens worked as a junior clerk at the law office of Ellis and Blackmore, attorneys, of Holborn Court, Gray’s Inn. During this period, he developed much interest in theaters and learned monopolylogues from his favorite actor Charles Mathews. Then, with Thomas Gurney’s system of shorthand he learned in free time, he left the office to become a freelance reporter.

In 1833, he began his career as a writer with submitting his first story “A Dinner at Poplar Walk” to the London periodical Monthly Magazine. William Barrow, a brother of his mother, offered him a job at The Mirror of Parliament and he began to work as a political journalist. He published editorials in many periodicals, which later formed his first collection of pieces, Sketches by Boz. What made him become a celebrity is The Pickwick Papers in 1836. And in 1838, one of his well-known stories, Oliver Twist, came out. Dickens didn’t receive much normal education; instead, he achieved a lot mainly by self-study. During his lifetime, Dickens edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, which enjoy eternal popularity and reputation. His works mainly give a vivid description of the miserable life of the poor who live in the bottom of the society in the Victorian period. Dickens accuses the incompetence of British bureaucracies, child labor system, the darkness of private schools and etc. From his novels we can easily find his humanity, especially his deep concern and sympathy for the underclass. Dickens is an indefatigable writer who has devoted lifetime fighting for children’s rights, education and other social reforms.