Analysis of Tragedy in A Rose to Emily from Perspectives of Realism and Feminism 《献给艾米丽的玫瑰花》之悲剧解析——现实主义与女性主义视角文献综述

 2023-05-16 09:37:25

文献综述

文献综述：1. Introduction1.1 Research backgroundWilliam Faulkner is an American male writer with an international reputation in contemporary literary circles for his novels about Yoknapatawpha Saga. He has won Nobel Prize and The Pulitzer Prize and many other literary awards. William Faulkner himself is a powerhouse in the trend of Southern Renaissance, thus his Yoknapatawpha Saga series mainly focus on one themethe postbellum American south. With his rich imagination, Faulkner turns the land, the people and the history of the region into a literary creation and a mythical kingdom. The Yoknapatawpha stories mainly talk about people in a stratified society, the aristocrats, the new rich, the poor white, and the blacks after World War〡. A Rose to Emily is a typical short story written by William Faulkner, happens in his Yoknapatawpha County, with the social background of postbellum American south. Compared with other famous works written by Faulkner, for example, the Sound and Fury and As I Lay Dying, this piece of short novel is more compact, understandable for common people. It describes a woman of old nobility in southern America that finally becomes the sacrifice of the new era. As a result, the novel has become an allegory of the Old South, with which Faulkner has managed successfully to show a panorama of the experience and consciousness of the whole Southern society after being encroached by the North. Since its publication, many literary critics interpret it from different perspectives such as stylistics, psychoanalytic criticism and ecofeminism. Also, there are some critics who try to explore its themes, writing techniques, ways of narration and images. In my research, I will analyze this novel from two aspectsrealism and feminism, which is not quite often presented by scholars but of great importance if we want to understand the tragedy well. I hope that through my research, scholars of Faulkner could find a new way to decipher his novels. 1.2 Research purposesThis paper will illustrate the tragedy of the protagonist in A Rose to Emily from two perspectives of disciplinerealism and feminism: On the one hand, the strikingly true revelation of life and vivid depiction of the postbellum American south make the work realistic, confirming to the true historical background. On the other hand, Emilys tragedy in some extent reflects the living dilemma of woman in that era, during which womans right has been neglected and their identity overlooked. The research of Emilys tragedy in that old era has some significance for women in contemporary times, giving them more spiritual power to confront with dilemmas in real life. 2.Literature reviewWilliam Faulkner is a well-known American writer. His works are mostly about the survival difficulties of the remaining residences in American south. Thus, his works are usually considered as elegies to the old southern American culture and life. A Rose to Emily is a novella written by William Faulkner that describes the predicament faced by this woman of old southern aristocracy.Since the publication of A Rose to Emily in 1930s, many scholars at home and abroad have conducted various studies. Domestic scholars mainly use the theories of ecologism and ecofeminism to analyze A Rose to Emily.Zhu Xiaoguang (2011) interprets the work as revealing the consistency between males rule over nature and females rule under patriarchy, and aiming to help eliminate the mode of thinking of binary opposition, and finding a way out for the other in the patriarchal society.Many scholars use Freuds psychological theory to analyze this novel.Luo Zhenshan (2011) finds that the protagonist of A Rose to Emily has been overcontrolled by her father during most of her life, thus her id has been pressed too hard. So, after her fathers death, her id begins to burst and gnaw her, which explains for her grotesque behaviors and mysterious lifestyle during the remaining years of her life.Song Meimei (2016) views the protagonist Emily from another branch of Freuds psychological theorythe consciousness, subconsciousness and unconsciousness theory. She claims that because Emily is an aristocracy of the old tradition, in her consciousness, she shuns society during her life deliberately. Also, because of the eagerness for love beneath her inner heart, unconscious drives her to pursue love bravely. Unfortunately, while her father is still alive, her subconsciousness prevents the unconscious pursuit of love, because it has encroached her notable status as a member of old aristocracy. Some scholars use Jungs psychological theory to analyze this novel.Luo Lin (2017) finds that Emily has been immersed in her fathers dignified and noble personality mask all her life, trying to wear such a personality mask, which has already become the center of Emilys life pursuit. When her personality mask is challenged, the shadow in her heart erupts to defend the dignity of her personality mask. However, the bitter and violent qualities her father left her hinder her life as a normal woman. In fact, she, herself is also a victim, oppressed and discriminated by the patriarchal society, bound by the southern aristocratic view and feudal system, and finally is reduced to a executioner.Lin Youhong (2009) claims that through the analysis of the protagonist based on Jungs 'collective unconsciousness' theory, we can clearly see how Emily, a beautiful rose growing in the southern plantation, finally withers after being gradually destroyed on the one hand by the 'collective unconsciousness' of the southern 'patriarchy', and on the other by 'individualism' and 'romanticism', the conceptions which are well accepted in the old American south.There are also earlier scholars who interpret the narrative perspective in A Rose to Emily.Wang Minqin (2002) finds that the novel is narrated in a unique way. The narrative time and story time mimic the hot knight embedded framework theory. The change of views and the alternation of narrator lead to the ambiguity of personal pronouns in this story. The problem of the implied author and narrator leads to the nameless voice ' during the narration.Some scholars analyze A Rose for Emily mainly from its nostalgic atmosphere.Lin Youhong (2009) believes that the glorious past of southern America has cultivated the good nature of 'individualism' and 'romanticism', while these characteristics couldnt be able to lead the southerners to examine the true causes of the souths failure or to analyze the darkness of Southern society. So, the 'individualism' and 'romanticism' of the old Souths tradition finally develop into emotional traits characterized by blind pride, obstinacy, self-deception and nostalgia for the past. Other scholars interpret A Rose to Emily use the perspective of Wolfgang Isers Reader Response Theory. Sura M. Khrais (2017) reveals to us that the unnamed narrator of Faulkners story remains a mystery to readers. Bits of information at the beginning of narration lead us to believe that he is a member of Emilys town. However, the narrator is never given a name or clearly identified. The role of gaps in understanding the text is crucial in Isers theory. Through blanks, communication between reader and text develops. The importance of gaps stems from Isers notion that they provide a variety of textual perspectives, leaving some space for contemplation.Some scholars analyze the gender and authorial limitation in A Rose for Emily. Sun Huaxiang (2018) claims that Faulkners extensive authorial power in A Rose for Emily looms evidently in the design of a large Southern gothic house, in the outline of three complex generations of a Southern community, and in the development of a plot that dutifully weaves and unweaves a mystery through a limited omniscient point of view.There are many scholars who analyze this work from the perspective of tragedy.Based on the definition of tragedy raised by Aristotle, Fuhua Liu (2020) believes the story is a serious one with a theme of magnitude. Unlike postmodern novels, the details are all delicately and purposefully selected. With a complete and complex plot, the short story is well-constructed. And with the use of reversal and recognition, the ending really shocks the readers. Readers feel pity for Emilys suffering and misfortune, and also fear they may experience what has happened to Emily. Thus, after reading the short story, readers can enjoy the catharsis of its emotions that the story has brought to them.Considering the social causes of Emilys tragedy, Fang DU (2007) holds the view that Faulkner senses that corruption in religion and culture is responsible for the tragic downfall of his characters, thus he is inspired to depict in his novels the human tragedy made by social evils. This work is Faulkners portrayal of the reason why Emily is twisted into a devil by males and by the southern social system. Other scholars study the gothic depiction of this novel.Shaojun Duan,Yuanchun Ou (2017) and Sura M. Khrais (2017) believe that in this short story, Faulkner makes the best use of the Gothic devices in narration. The reader is impressed and horrified by the gloomy atmosphere as well as the grotesque behavior of Emily. Besides, some scholars find the reflection of Realism in A Rose for Emily. Wang Ning (2012) believes that Homer Barrons attraction to Emily can be more deeply understood as the conquer of the northern civilization over the southern tradition. The fact that Homer Barron abandons Emily after winning her love seemingly due to his betrayal of Emilys infatuation, but the deeper reason is the rift caused by the collision of different cultural concepts between the north and the south. The failure of their relationship highlights the irreconcilable nature of the north-south conflicts. Therefore, Emily ends up destroying her lover and herself. Tuo Ying and Hou Tao (2016) finds the reason why a woman has given up her normal life has all been left to the readers imagination. Although the novel uses the technique of flashback and the sequence of narration is not in accordance with the sequence of events, the following technique of 'exposition -- development -- climax -- ending', as well as the thought-provoking space in the ending, all conform to the traditional writing framework of realistic novels.ReferencesFang DU. (2007). Who Makes a Devil out of a Fair Lady? An Analysis of the Social Causes of Emilys Tragedy in A Rose for Emily [J]. Canadian Social Science. Fuhua Liu. (2020). An Analysis of William Faulkners A Rose for Emily in the Perspective of Aristotles Definition on Tragedy [J]. International Journal of Social Science and Education Research.Shaojun Duan,Yuanchun Ou (2017). The Gothic Style in A Rose for Emily [C]// Proceedings of 2017 2nd EERES International Conference on Transportation, Biomedical Research and Social Sciences (EERES-TBS 2017).Sura M. Khrais. (2017). 'An Eyesore among Eyesores': The Significance of Physical Setting in Faulkners A Rose for Emily [J]. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature.Sura M. Khrais. (2017). Rereading A Rose for Emily from the Perspective of Wolfgang Isers Reader Response Theory[J]. International Journal of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies.林有鸿（2009），南方种植园里的集体无意识再读《献给艾米丽的一朵玫瑰花》[J]. 湖北经济学院学报(人文社会科学版)。 罗玲（2017），从荣格原型理论解读《献给艾米丽的玫瑰》[J]. 南昌教育学院学报。 罗震山(2011)，《献给艾米莉的玫瑰》中艾米莉的悲剧分析. 赤峰学院学报(科学教育版)。 宋梅梅（2016), 从弗洛伊德精神分析批评解读艾米莉的诡异人生. 牡丹江大学学报。 孙华祥 （2018）, 强化主题:《献给艾米丽的一朵玫瑰》中的叙事人称[J]. 牡丹江大学学报。 脱颖,侯涛（2016），现实主义向现代主义过渡时期文学作品的特点兼比较《献给艾米丽的玫瑰》和《理查德科里》[J]. 太原理工大学学报(社会科学版)。 王敏琴（2002），《献给艾米丽的玫瑰》的叙事特征[J]. 外国语(上海外国语大学学报)。 王宁（2012），三棱镜下,透视玫瑰之殇《献给艾米丽的玫瑰花》探析[J]. 河北工程大学学报(社会科学版)。 朱刚（2019），新编美国文学史[M]. 上海外语教育出版社:外教社新编外国文学史丛书。 朱晓光（2011），男权文化铁蹄下的他者从生态女性主义视角解读《献给艾米丽的玫瑰》[J]. 淮海工学院学报(人文社会科学版)。 资料编号：[580199]

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