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The Road to Maturity-Isabel’s Quest for Harmony in the Portrait of a Lady

Author: ZhaoYanHong
Tutor: SunHuaXiang
School: Qufu Normal University
Course: English Language and Literature
Keywords: Henry James Portrait of a Lady Bildungsroman Age of Innocence Epiphany Harmony
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Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2010
Downloads: 288
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Abstract

Henry James is a British / American modern writers. \Works of a detailed psychological description vividly illustrate the heroine Isabel, a step-by-step from the naive to mature complex psychological process. This paper attempts to \Bildungsroman, also known as the Enlightenment novel concept was originally from Germany, is a type of modern Western literature is quite important and common. Simply put, the performance of such novels hero works in early childhood or juvenile to adult, from naive to mature, sophisticated experience process: or enter social disadvantage hardship gradually understand that the World passers difficult, misunderstandings; experienced a or some of the major events so life senses and change; Zhefan comprehend and change on the occasion of the completion of the story near the end. This article in accordance with the the Bildungsroman creation mode to show the heroine's psychological growth process: naive - into the temptation of society (experienced) - epiphany. The thesis comprises seven parts, in addition to the introduction and conclusion is divided into five chapters. The first part is the Introduction. This section first describes the background and novels of Henry James's \The first chapter is a review of the literature, an overview of the current overall situation at home and abroad, \These studies are mainly divided into three categories: The first category is the novel as the author of the self-coming research; second major category of the structure of the work and creative skills as research subjects; final category is the hero of the work, especially in the last explore the reason of the return of their unhappy marriage. Through literature review found that few researchers analyzed the dynamic process of growth of the heroine in the works in the current study, which centered the papers interpret Bildungsroman mode to interpret the works to provide a breakthrough. Chapter II around the Bildungsroman study to explore the origins of the Bildungsroman, the definition of its basic characteristics. Based on these studies, it is found that the \The third chapter analyzes the character of the the heroine Isabel naive era. Her the freedom and independence of the firm belief of the world and knowledge intense curiosity, and their rich imagination decided she just an idealist. Her understanding of the world and their own knowledge is limited to those good things, but with a natural fear of the dark side of the world. Chapter IV study heroine started his experience of European society. Experience the world on the road of growth, Isabel met has an important influence on the growth of her boot, these guiding people, both positive and also negative. The front guide people trying to add a bit of wind for her life boat, while the opposite guide though she caught in unhappy marriages, but also let her life have a more realistic and comprehensive experience. Complex experience of entering the European social high angel flying above in reality Isabel landed to the earth. The fifth chapter Bildungsroman typical \First Isabel on the understanding of pain: she will be painful as a positive factor, not get negative, but the power of action. Secondly, Isabel abandon the extreme individualism ideological, start thinking and respect for social norms as well as the sanctity of marriage. In addition, she began to realize that the individuals themselves, and others, as well as social responsibility. Based on the above understanding, Isabel eventually choose to return to that pile unfortunate marriage, to assume responsibility for their own share of real. The last part of the paper's conclusions. Naive Isabel on the whole world, the future is full of curiosity and imagination, she insisted on a deep understanding of the world, of life through their own personal experience. Her experience in the complex European society, she encountered in life, positive and negative, to guide people to make her continue to grow and begin to think comprehensively about life, society, and the responsibility, to her from a blind worship of personal freedom of naive and conceited young girl, and gradually grow into a mature female ideal of individualism. This paper argues that Isabel's a sign of maturity is her responsibility into the previously pure individualism, the moral consciousness of the ingredients, in order to achieve self-personality perfect harmony with the community. Finally, novels, she chose the courage to accept the test of life, to assume their responsibilities. This is not the life of a passive subservient concessions, but a beyond self, beyond the instinctive desire, rational and intelligent choice. Her the heroic spirit of courage to be responsible for their own behavior and diligent pursuit of harmonious life are admirable, her growing up to give people living in a complex society is full of competition and conflict, especially the blind emphasis on individual freedom, complete set of social standardize the expense of young people with a profound inspiration. As a social individual, one person at the same time adhere to their own personality, should also assume their social responsibility to comply with certain social ethics, and only this, to strike a balance between individual freedom and social order to maintain a harmonious state of existence, it is a complete and positive life.

The Road to Maturity-Isabel’s Quest for Harmony in the Portrait of a Lady

Abstract

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