摘 要

亨利·大卫·梭罗(Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862)是十九世纪美国超验主义哲学家、文学家、当代环境主义运动的领跑者。他的作品《瓦尔登湖》、《在康科德河和梅里马克河上一周》和《缅因森林》等都充满了对自然景物细致入微的描写，闪烁着早期生态哲学思想的光芒。他的代表作《瓦尔登湖》更是因其优美的文字和深刻的思想内涵吸引着众多读者。《瓦尔登湖》多次在《美国遗产》杂志评选的“十本构成美国人性格的书”中位居榜首，被称为美国文学史上的“绿色圣经”。

本文通过从生态批评的角度对《瓦尔登湖》的内容进行分析理解，试图发掘其中蕴含的生态思想，探索梭罗在《瓦尔登湖》中给我们的启示，思考我们当代面临的问题：自然与人、自然与文明该保持什么样的关系才有利于整个地球生态圈的良性发展、人应该怎样生活、什么样的生活是灵性、智慧的生活。

关键词:生态批评； 梭罗；《瓦尔登湖》；人与自然的关系

Contents

Acknowledgments………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………i

Abstract (English)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….ii

Abstract (Chinese)…………………………………………………………..…………….…...........................................iii

Contents…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….iv

Chapter 1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………1

1.1Research Background………………………………………………………………………………………………………1

1.2 Significance of this Thesis……………………………………………………………………………………………….1

1.3The Structure of this Thesis……………………………………………………………………………………………..2

Chapter 2 Demonstration………………………………………………………………………………………………………….2

2.1Thoreau's Self-realization……………………………………………………………………………………………….2

2.1.1 Leading a Simple Life................................................………………………………..3

2.1.2Man as a Part of Nature……………………………………………………………….4

2.1.3 Criticizing Dominance over Nature………………………………………………….5

2.1.4Criticizing Industrial and Technological Damages to Nature………………………...5

2.1.5 Summary……………………………………………………………………………..6

2.2 Walden's Enlightenment to Eco-criticism...........................................................................7

2.2.1The Definition of Eco-criticism.……………………………………………….........7

2.2.2The Ecological Thoughts in Walden...........................................................................7

2.2.3Summary………………………………………………………………...…….…….8

2.3 The Practical Significance of Walden…………………………………………………….8

2.3.1 Awakening Environmental Awareness……………………………………………...8

2.3.2 Walden's Social Influences on Modern World………………………………….…..9

2.3.3Summary………………………………………………………………………….…9

Chapter 3 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………....10

Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………….11

The Ecological Thoughts in Walden and Its Practical Significance

Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1Research Background

In last decades, because of human beings’ desires for material comfort and their abuse of natural resources, nature has begun to take revenge on human civilization. In 2003, an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly killed 916 people worldwide, which was caused by some people eating of a kind of wild animal. In 2004, a devastating tsunami resulted in over 300,000 deaths. In 2009, the spreading of AH1N1 virus caused about 17,000 deaths for the reason that some people raised pigs in inappropriate ways. It is impossible for us to evade some natural disasters, but we can avoid some devastating errors caused by our human beings at the beginning. So how to achieve the harmonious relationship between nature and mankind is an urgent problem that we need to deal with at once. Thoreau’s experimental life in Walden and his ecological thoughts have a great significance in solving this problem. In addition, with the economic advancement of the world, many people have formed a consumptive habit to compete with others, while most consumption are not necessary but just the flaunting of their power or wealth, Thoreau advocates that we should abandon materialism, lead a simple life and enrich our spiritual life, which are beneficial to reduce the waste of resource and environmental pollution.

1.2 Significance of the Study

In our modern society, the environmental problems at home and abroad are getting worse and worse, while some researches relating to ecological thoughts have directive significances of coping with the real problems. The purpose of this thesis is to draw people’s attention to enhance their ecological consciousness so that they can make better compensations for the ecological destruction they have made to the earth. What’s more, Thoreau believes that leading a simple life can really do favor to accomplish our dreams and pursuits.

1.3The Structure of the Study

This thesis is divided into three chapters. Chapter one is the introduction, which introduces the research background, significance and structure of this thesis. Chapter two is the main body of the thesis, which indicates three parts: Thoreau's ecological thoughts, eco-criticism, Walden’s Practical Significance, and it is called the demonstration. Finally, Chapter three comes to a conclusion.

Chapter 2 Demonstration