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Abstract: By contrasting Emilia and Becky’s different mentality and conduct to love, marriage and children, analyze the two heroes’ distinct character and destiny and reveal its underlying social causes, so that to get a deep understanding of the author’s theme and social backgrounds.
Key words: character; fate; patriarchal society
Introduction: Thackeray, like Dickens, was a representative of critical realism in 19th century England. His first literary success came with a series of satirical sketches entitled The Snobs of England. The book draws a galley of snobs from different walks of life. In Thackey’s view a snob is a person who fawns upon his social superiors and looks dawn with contempt upon his inferiors. The book may be regarded as a prelude to his major literary career, as it contains all the important ideas that constitute the contents of his later works. In the forties his realistic writing method became mature and firmly established. A brilliant example of this method and one of the greatest masterpieces of critical realism is Vanity Fair. Vanity Fair was the peak of his literary career. At last, he abandons the noise and unrest of city life to find happiness and peace in country life.
1.Love and Marriage
Superior growth environment, mother care shapes a gentle, pleasant Emilia, giving her innocent love and selfless dedication. She bet the fate of love and full pressure on George Osborne. “He was her Europe, her emperor; he was her sun and her moon." As soon as George came to the square, she seemed to shine the sun, her face suddenly illuminating. She lightly flied, falling into George Osborne's chest, as if this place is her home. "She looks forward to Osborne’s love and relies on him; she was looking forward him to make her happy, get her lifelong rely on; she completely devoted herself to her husband, and derive maximum satisfaction and enjoyment." She put her future to a person who has mastered all values, so she gave up her beyond, letting this go beyond being dependent on that person outside the main person, letting her become his vassals and slaves. " Emilia put all her dreams entrusted to Osborne, but Osborne was impossible to give her this kind of happy.
Beck origins in humbles, his father was a poor painter, her mother was a dancer. She grew with all social hardships. She received a negative impact on her father, "poor life has led her to adopt gloomy temper, much more sensible than with other children." She lived everywhere in the wary cunning mercenary habits, dreaming out of the woods, into the upper class. When she lived in Emilia’s home, she had affection on Emilia’s brother Joseph, but unfortunately was thwarted by the plan to marry Joseph. Then she won the wealthy single woman - Miss Crawley’s favor relying on her wisdom. Back in England, Becky entered the palace to see the king by the help of Rodin’s congressman brother and her sister-in-law. "One patron, then worth ten times". She finally became a charming star of the upper-class society. However, fate was unstable. Becky's fate worsened, more and more isolated, hanging out with gamblers and crooks. From the two heroes’ different attitude towards love and marriage, we can see further two distinct personalities. Tracing back, Emilia’s self-sacrifice and Becky’s unscrupulous mercenary are the product of the patriarchal society. These are not the truth but male’s fantasy and distortion to female.
2.Children
Thackeray believed Motherhood is the most wonderful arrangement of God. There is always this kind of love which is far more sensible in a woman’s nature. Emilia is a typical wife and mother of patriarchal society. After her husband’s death, his son became the only spiritual sustenance of her life. After the bankruptcy, she sent her son back to his grandpa’s considering her son’s future. She had always taken her son as her hero and pride. Becky had a son of the same age as Emilia’s. But she treated her son in a completely different attitude. After giving birth to little Rodin, she put him in a village of Paris’s suburb. She could not even figure out her son’s age and her son’s hair’s color. After living together with his son, when her son was crying in the attic, she was joking with her lover downstairs.
3.Same and different fates
The author arranged almost same steps to these two heroes. They got married at almost the same time, their husbands went to the front at the same time, and they had a son in the same year. However, their life orbits are completely different. When Emilia enjoyed her family’s great care, Becky was struggling to run into the upper classes of society and dreamed with all kinds of manners; when Becky realized her dream and entered the upper-class society, Emilia was bringing her child lonely and endured the mouthful of her husband who was full of lies; finally, when Becky stumbled from the cloud and abandoned by the upper class, Emilia fortuned true love. The great contrast between the two characters force us to think and explore deeply, making us find out surprisingly that these differences are in relation with the social background and the author’s patriarchal ideology closely.
Conclusion
It is said that history is a mirror, by reading Vanity Fair, we can analyze the two characters of Becky and Emilia, find out the social and historical factors behind the values of life. And this is of great value to the analysis of history.
作者簡介:张瑞芳,1995年4月16日出生,女,汉族,河北省邢台市广宗县人,现就读于陕西师范大学外国语学院2017级学科教学英语专业,主要研究方向:英语教学。
Key words: character; fate; patriarchal society
Introduction: Thackeray, like Dickens, was a representative of critical realism in 19th century England. His first literary success came with a series of satirical sketches entitled The Snobs of England. The book draws a galley of snobs from different walks of life. In Thackey’s view a snob is a person who fawns upon his social superiors and looks dawn with contempt upon his inferiors. The book may be regarded as a prelude to his major literary career, as it contains all the important ideas that constitute the contents of his later works. In the forties his realistic writing method became mature and firmly established. A brilliant example of this method and one of the greatest masterpieces of critical realism is Vanity Fair. Vanity Fair was the peak of his literary career. At last, he abandons the noise and unrest of city life to find happiness and peace in country life.
1.Love and Marriage
Superior growth environment, mother care shapes a gentle, pleasant Emilia, giving her innocent love and selfless dedication. She bet the fate of love and full pressure on George Osborne. “He was her Europe, her emperor; he was her sun and her moon." As soon as George came to the square, she seemed to shine the sun, her face suddenly illuminating. She lightly flied, falling into George Osborne's chest, as if this place is her home. "She looks forward to Osborne’s love and relies on him; she was looking forward him to make her happy, get her lifelong rely on; she completely devoted herself to her husband, and derive maximum satisfaction and enjoyment." She put her future to a person who has mastered all values, so she gave up her beyond, letting this go beyond being dependent on that person outside the main person, letting her become his vassals and slaves. " Emilia put all her dreams entrusted to Osborne, but Osborne was impossible to give her this kind of happy.
Beck origins in humbles, his father was a poor painter, her mother was a dancer. She grew with all social hardships. She received a negative impact on her father, "poor life has led her to adopt gloomy temper, much more sensible than with other children." She lived everywhere in the wary cunning mercenary habits, dreaming out of the woods, into the upper class. When she lived in Emilia’s home, she had affection on Emilia’s brother Joseph, but unfortunately was thwarted by the plan to marry Joseph. Then she won the wealthy single woman - Miss Crawley’s favor relying on her wisdom. Back in England, Becky entered the palace to see the king by the help of Rodin’s congressman brother and her sister-in-law. "One patron, then worth ten times". She finally became a charming star of the upper-class society. However, fate was unstable. Becky's fate worsened, more and more isolated, hanging out with gamblers and crooks. From the two heroes’ different attitude towards love and marriage, we can see further two distinct personalities. Tracing back, Emilia’s self-sacrifice and Becky’s unscrupulous mercenary are the product of the patriarchal society. These are not the truth but male’s fantasy and distortion to female.
2.Children
Thackeray believed Motherhood is the most wonderful arrangement of God. There is always this kind of love which is far more sensible in a woman’s nature. Emilia is a typical wife and mother of patriarchal society. After her husband’s death, his son became the only spiritual sustenance of her life. After the bankruptcy, she sent her son back to his grandpa’s considering her son’s future. She had always taken her son as her hero and pride. Becky had a son of the same age as Emilia’s. But she treated her son in a completely different attitude. After giving birth to little Rodin, she put him in a village of Paris’s suburb. She could not even figure out her son’s age and her son’s hair’s color. After living together with his son, when her son was crying in the attic, she was joking with her lover downstairs.
3.Same and different fates
The author arranged almost same steps to these two heroes. They got married at almost the same time, their husbands went to the front at the same time, and they had a son in the same year. However, their life orbits are completely different. When Emilia enjoyed her family’s great care, Becky was struggling to run into the upper classes of society and dreamed with all kinds of manners; when Becky realized her dream and entered the upper-class society, Emilia was bringing her child lonely and endured the mouthful of her husband who was full of lies; finally, when Becky stumbled from the cloud and abandoned by the upper class, Emilia fortuned true love. The great contrast between the two characters force us to think and explore deeply, making us find out surprisingly that these differences are in relation with the social background and the author’s patriarchal ideology closely.
Conclusion
It is said that history is a mirror, by reading Vanity Fair, we can analyze the two characters of Becky and Emilia, find out the social and historical factors behind the values of life. And this is of great value to the analysis of history.
作者簡介:张瑞芳,1995年4月16日出生,女,汉族,河北省邢台市广宗县人,现就读于陕西师范大学外国语学院2017级学科教学英语专业,主要研究方向:英语教学。