败坏了赫德莱堡的人读后感
败坏了赫德莱堡的人>读后感
拉布曾说过：幽默是生活波涛中的救生圈。
何尝不是呢？现代社会中的幽默，难道只是那种粗俗的漫画，无聊的笑话吗？自从看了这本书以后，我完全可以否定这种观点。马克·吐温用他的作品告诉我什么才是真正的幽默！
读完整本书以后，我最有感触的是这篇《败坏了赫德莱堡的人》，它主要讲述的是一位路过赫德莱堡的陌生人，因为被这个市镇的人无意冒犯而绞尽脑汁想报复这个市镇居民的>故事。他拿着一袋有一百六十磅四盎司的金币去诱惑赫德莱堡的人们，想让赫德莱堡的人们引以为傲的诚实的好名声受到玷污。结果那位陌生人成功了，他假借一个死去的人来虚拟了一个故事，让十九位首要居民受到了金钱的诱惑而撒了谎。最终当谎言被揭穿时，那些人都成为了众人的笑柄。
看完这篇小说，我有很多感触。那些感触用一句话来概括的话，那就是：诚实是人类最美好的品质！
在我看来，马克·吐温不只是一位小说家，在他的精神与风格上，他更像一位思想家，一位哲学家，他的作品不单单是引人发笑，更引人深思，他的确像一颗闪烁的星星照亮了我的心灵！
石家庄经济学院本科生毕业论文
On Satirical Features in Pride and Prejudice and
The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
1. Introduction
Jane Austin is the first important woman novelist in English literature. She was born in Hampshire, England. She received no regular education. But her father, George Austen, who was rector of local parish, taught her much at home. Influenced by her father, she began writing at an early age. From 1811 to 1818, she published six excellent works in succession: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. The appearance of these excellent works broke the depressed atmosphere of sentimental literature and paved way for realism. So this woman writer was praised as incomparable Jane Austin by critics. Through years of test, these works were favored by generations of readers and critics, especially her masterpiece Pride and Prejudice. Irony is known as the European literary tradition. With her high artistic consciousness, Austen shows a more mature art of irony. In her novel irony is not only reflected in the tone of satire, sarcastic letters but also in character portrayal, and organization of plots as well as the theme of the works. Irony is Austin?s way of understanding and evaluating life becomes her novel's tone and style. In Pride and Prejudice, the use of this artistic style reached a point of consummation
Mark Twain is an excellent, humorous and satiric master. His writing career began at the period of the transition from American Romanticism to Realism. From 1867, the publication of his first short novel The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, to1874, and the publication of his long novel The Gilded Age, the tone was optimistic, humorous and jocular and the style of writing was relaxing. After 1980s, his creation came into mature period. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889), The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson (1889), The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg(1900 ) were all created in this period. At that time American?s social contradictions were very sharp and American was also in the period of 1
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economic crisis. In literary creation, Realism began to take place of Romanticism. At that moment, Mark Twain obviously changed not only in thought but also in writing style and in his works relaxing humor turned into spicy satire. The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg is just an acute social satirical novel. In the Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, he changed his earlier humorous style and turned to bitter irony to criticize American society?s corruption and the phenomenon of moral hypocrisy, as well as the evil generated by money.
Researches about Jane Austen have always been a hot topic in western academic circles. Many researchers at home and abroad study the marriage attitude, education, property and so on in Pride and Prejudice. Many people studied Jane Austen?s satire art. Similarly, some people study Mark Twain?s humor features and satire art. This paper will analyze and compare the use of satire in Jane Austen?s Pride and Prejudice and Mark Twain?s The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg from aspects of satire meaning, character portrayal, the organization of plots and their languages.
2. General View of Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen?s masterpiece. The central character is Elizabeth, the most intellect daughter of Bennet family. The story begins when a young and wealthy bachelor, Charles Bingley rents the manor of Netherfield in the nearby village of Longbourn. It causes a great stir there, and especially attracted the Bennets. Mrs. Bennet was permanently distracted by the issue of marrying off her five daughters (ranging in age from twenty two to fifteen) at any cost. Because after Mr. Bennet's death, their estate and property would be passed on by law to his closest relative: his cousin, William Collins, who is a fatuous, tactless and pompous man. In order to make amends for inheriting the family?s estate, William Collins proposes to Elizabeth. Of course, he is refused by the rational and wit girl. Later on, Charles Bingley?s friend, Darcy is attracted by Elizabeth?s charm and intelligence. So he proposes to Elizabeth too. But Elizabeth has prejudice against him, so she rejects him at the beginning. After many twists and turns, misunderstanding between them disappears and they are united happily. In this novel, there are also Elizabeth?s sisters? romantic adventures. This story shows that at Austen? 2
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time, there were a lot of different attitudes toward marriage.
2.1 Stylistic Features in Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen is a realistic novelist. In Pride and Prejudice, she draws vivid and realistic pictures of people?s everyday life at her time. When she creates figures, she makes the characters have people?s true personality. “Her figures are like real living persons with faults and virtues mixed as they are in real life.” (Guo Qunying, 2001) These figures participate in the plots as much as they can, and have close relation with the plots? progress. All these make the novel full of social significance and real sense of life.
The novel shows a wealth of humor, wit and delicate satire. Like the simple-minded and vulgar Mrs. Bennet, she displays herself obdurately all the time. Her appearance always adds the sense of humor. The author represents figures? words and actions like making reports. Then she makes a sharp contrast between the figure?s serious but abnormal expression and the reader?s normal concept about appreciation of the beautiful. Thus it strongly produces satirical effect. The section about William Collins proposing to Elizabeth is a good illustration. When William Collins shows his will to marry Elizabeth, he just like a clergyman makes sermons devoutly and orderly. Anyone who sees that scene will get bored and tired with William Collins?s behaviors. At the same time, humor and delicate satire spring from it.
2.2 Satirical Meaning of Pride and Prejudice
In this novel, Jane Austen?s marriage attitude is that marriage should not be built on money and wealth, but on mutual understanding in spirit. At last, Elizabeth discards his prejudice against Darcy. And Darcy overcomes his pride. They both find their true love and have a happy marriage. After experiencing ups and downs, the true lovers, Elizabeth?s sister Jane and Charles Bingley also get united happily. There are also some minor characters that all marry for the wrong reasons; Charlotte for status, Lydia for sex and Mrs. Hirst for money. But the Bennett sisters are manipulated by Austen to marry for the only thing worth marrying for—love."
Both happy marriages and unhappy ones contribute to the theme that a happy and strong marriage takes time to build and must be based on mutual feeling, understanding, 3
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and respect. Hasty marriages acting on impulse, and based on superficial qualities will not survive and will inevitably lead to unhappiness.
3. General View of The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
An omniscient narrator opens the story with a description of Hadleyburg. It is the most honest town in the state. The citizens there are very proud of its "honest," "upright," reputation. The town enjoys national renown for protecting every citizen against all temptation from infancy through death. And the town motto even reads "Lead us not into temptation.''(Xian Yijing，2001) But the residents of Hadleyburg see their virtues tested when a sack of gold worth﹩40,000 arrives. The sack of gold with a note attaching on it is delivered by a stranger. The notes say that it is repaying for a loan of 20 dollars from the town. And the gold will be the Hadleyburg citizen who once helped a poor stranger passing through a town. Whoever can write down the exact words uttered to that poor stranger wins the sack of gold. The temptation proves too great for most Hadleyburgers. With the temptation of the sack of gold, none of the “honest" "upright" residents, especially the nineteen prominent residents, can resist the temptation. In order to strive to be the winner of the bag, they are ignorant of their conscience to deceive and fabricate evidences. A series of farces are put on, leading to the notoriety of the “honest”, “upright” Hadleyburg.
3.1 Stylistic Features in the Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
In this novel the hypocrisy of bourgeois soul is the target of satires. But we cannot see simple and clear words on the criticism and verbal abuse in the whole text. The author with ironical strokes, exaggerated way to describe and tease those figures that cannot be more foolish and consider money as important as life. The inner world of characters can be exposed more deeply in this way. Mark Twain's ironic way, both humorous and spicy, makes readers cannot help laughing. When getting pleasure in the laughter they get more disgusted about those ugly souls. Irony often cannot be separated from exaggeration, because exaggeration can enhance the artistic effect. At this point, ironic novels and comic books are similar to each other. But the exaggeration must be rooted in the life, or else it will be art without life. Let us look at how Mark Twain makes 4
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use irony in the novel.
The stranger named Stevenson wrote a letter to Richards saying that, the dead Goodson was his benefactor, who was also the lawful owner of the sack. Mr. Richards once has helped Goodson, so he would like to give this sack of gold to Mr. Richards to express his gratitude. Thus this sack of gold belongs to Richards with no choice. Immediately, Richards? imagination like the windmill turns up quickly. He thought hard and contemplated seriously what kind of thing he had done for Goodson. For a moment, he thought once he volunteered to persuade Goodson to convert to save his soul, but he also recalled that Goodson told him to “go to thunder and mind his own business.” “He wasn?t hankering to follow Hadley burg to heaven.”(Xian Yijing，2001) Then, he may save Goodson in water but he is suddenly reminded that he simply could not swim. His help also became ridiculous. Later, his fantasy went to a worthwhile thing to show that he really helped Goodson. After it he could sleep peacefully. This shamelessly self-deceiving illusion was obviously exaggerated, but it corresponded with People's thinking and real life, so it is credible. Richards clearly did not help Goodson, but he eagerly wanted to find even fabricate so-called foundation to prove that he indeed gave grace to Goodson. Mark Twain described those ridiculous and detestable figures vividly.
3.2Satirical Meaning of the Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
In The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, the author exposes the bourgeois? hypocrisy and greediness incisively and vividly. The darkness of capitalist society and the shameless and greediness of bourgeois is in contrast with their superficial gentleness and moral integrity. This sharp contrast exposes their hypocrisy more deeply. The nineteen prominent residents and their wives represent the ruling class. On the surface, they are honest, upright and generous. But before gold, they all show their desire for money, greedy, shameless and cheating with each other. The most prestigious residents of the nineteen prominent residents, Mrs. Richards, lays bare the truth with one remark. “it is artificial honesty, and weak as water when temptation comes,? It is a mean town, a hard , stingy town?”(Xian Yijing，2001)Here, Mark Twain?s humor is very natural. The satire naturally permeates into the lines. In fact, the most possible person 5
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who really helps the stranger may be Goodson. He has already been dead at the beginning of the story. And he is hated by the residents because he is only person who tells the truth about the town. Until his death, he “said it right out publicly….. The village was honest, narrow, self-righteous, and stingy.” (Xian Yijing，2001)The author deliberately reverses beauty and ugliness , uprightness and hypocrisy. As for the nineteen prominent residents, the author? purpose is to debase them, but he praises them firstly. Similarly, the author wants to praise Goodson, but he debases him at first. These sharp contrasts can make readers see their sanctimonious behaviors more clearly and understand capitalist society?s hypocritical humanity corroded by money more deeply.
4. Features of Satire in Pride and Prejudice and the Man that Corrupted
Hadleyburg
4.1Character Portrayal
4.1.1 Character creation with satire in Pride and Prejudice
Among a group of "fool” described in the novel, Bennett wife left the deepest impression on people. The author described her as “she was a women of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. the business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.”（Wang Chuang﹠Wang Liping,1998）To illustrate the personality of Mrs. Bennett, the author used a lot of satirical description. For example, after Lydia and Wickham eloped, Mrs. Bennett worried about her daughter's whereabouts and also troubled by her daughter?s wedding clothes. She is tortured by this two intertwined feelings in turn. “As soon as Jane had read Mr. Gardiner? hope of Lydia? being soon married, her joy burst forth, and every following sentence added to its exuberance. She was now in an irritation as violent from delight as she had ever been fidgety from alarm and vexation. To know that her daughter would be married was enough. She was disturbed by no fear for her felicity, nor humbled by any remembrance of her misconduct。”“my dear, dear Lydia! She will be married! she will be married at sixteen !??but the clothes ,the wedding clothes!??Lizzy, my dear, run down to your father ,and ask him how much he will give her。Stay ,stay, I will go myself??.” 6
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(Wang Chuang﹠Wang Liping，1998)Through this section?s lifelike description, the moody image of Mrs. Bennett was represented vividly.
Another example, Elizabeth rejected Collins?s propose, as a result “the wealthy bachelor.” Robbed by her neighbor sir William Lucas? daughter, Mrs. Bennett fell down by this attack — at least she thought she was sick. She was more worried for her daughter's marriage; we might as well say that she was frustrated. At this time her daughter-in-law came to visit her, making her sadness changing to happiness. In her own words, “however, your coming just at this time is the greatest of comforts, and I am very glad to hear that you tell us of long sleeves.” (Wang Chuang﹠Wang Liping，1998)Just imagine, at first lamenting on her daughter?s marriage ,then switching to long fashionable sleeves and she also got comforted from it ! This kind of butt resulting from this disharmony can be found everywhere in Pride and Prejudice.
Besides Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Collins was another good example described by Austen. He was confused, contradictory and full of illusion. The author?s sarcasm to him is merciless. On the one hand, he was all submission and obsequious to his patroness Lady Catherine. Let us look at the scene of playing cards at Rossings: “Mr. Collins was employed in agreeing to everything her ladyship (Lady Catherine) said, thanking her for every fish he won, and apologizing if he thought he won too many.” (Wang Chuang﹠Wang Liping，1998)On the other hand, He is blindly self-confident and puts on airs. Faced with an uncle, he is condescending. As the benefactor of charity declares himself ready to marry a daughter of Bennett family to make up for the loss of them because of his inheriting the estate and property. First of all, he determines to eldest sister Jane as the goal. Mrs. Bennett hinted to him that Jane was likely to be very soon engaged. Then,” Mr. Collins had only changed from Jane to Elizabeth, and it was soon done- done while Mrs. Bennett was stirring the fire.” (Wang Chuang﹠Wang Liping，1998).
Before Elizabeth opens his mouth to speak, Mr. Collins declares the reasons why he decides to get married in one breath —one of which was to please his lady Catherine,“ it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honor of calling patroness.” (Wang Chuang﹠Wang Liping，1998)—till he guarantees “I shall be uniformly silent, and you may assure yourself that no ungenerous 7
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reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married!” (Wang Chuang﹠Wang Liping，1998)Although Elizabeth refuses him with the clearest words, Mr. Collins firmly believes: “because I know it to be the established custom of your sex to reject a man on the first application, and perhaps you have even now said as much to encourage my suit as would be consistent with the true delicacy of the female character.” (Wang Chuang﹠Wang Liping，1998)While Mrs. Bennett was even more inconceivable which daughter dared to disobey her and refuse his proposal. So these two perverse fools congratulated to each other. Isn?t this a perfect irony?
4.1.2 Character creation with satire in The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg
In this novel, we do not always know actually what kind of person the stranger is and we have no idea of what the 19 prominent residents, including Mr. Richards and his wife look like, but the author depicts distinctive and rounded characters one by one through vivid and detailed description of the action and the penetrating psychological portraits. Mrs. Richards receives a sack and a paper attached to it. Out of curiosity, “she went straight to the sack and brought away the paper.” After reading the paper, “Mrs. Richards flew to it all trembling and locked it, then pulled down the window-shades and stood frightened, worried.” Later, she thought of “But it is gambler money! The wages of sin: we could not take it; we could not touch it”, so “she moved to a farther chair …” (Xian Yijing，2001) On the one hand, she hoped that we should not be tempted; on the other hand she felt that “we are so poor, so old and poor!”(Xian Yijing，2001) If they secretly detained this sack of gold, “nobody would be hurt by it, no one will know.”( Xian Yijing，2001)The ambivalence of not only hungering for gold, but also fearing of hindering decent was vividly portrayed.
Mark twain also created a common resident, Jack Halliday, who is a “loafing, good-natured, no-account, irreverent fisherman, hunter, boy?s friend stray-dogs? friend.”(Xian Yijing，2001)It is he who witnessed the Hadleyburg citizens, especially the 19 prominent residents “a look of peaceful, holy happiness” at the beginning, and then “a ghastly anxiety was beginning to show up in a good many faces.”(Xian Yijing，2001)At last, “everybody becomes so moody, thoughtful and absentminded.” From the perspective of spectators the author reproduces people? ecstasy in the face of the 8
石家庄经济学院本科生毕业论文
temptation of this sack of gold and then to the tremendous loss and regret after the dream shattered, making the various characters more real. His humorous on people and the whole town become an "empty and bleak Desertification "and formed a sharp contrast. He gives readers a big laughter; meanwhile makes satire into character?s inner world. Thus it greatly enhances the degree of exposure and criticism.
4.2 The Organization of the Plot
4.2.1 Satire in the dramatic scene in Pride and Prejudice
In terms of plot, the whole story in Pride and Prejudice seems to be formed by many ironies. At the beginning of the story, Darcy and Elizabeth both held negative attitudes to each other. Since then irony appeared one after another: a mutual dislike became something that were attracted: verbal quarrels changed into their own self-blame; intentional blench turned to unexpected, just wished encounter; Pride became humility; misunderstanding became repentance. Irony also can be seen in other figures. Mr. Collins proposed to one but got married with another. Miss Bingley stigma her rival in order to win her lover?s affections, which stirred Darcy?s, more attachment to Elizabeth. Mr. Bennett?s neglecting of her daughter's discipline, particularly impatient with his youngest daughter, resulted in his youngest daughter?s elope, which was a punishment to him. Wikham?s lies led to the exposure of his nature. Lady Catherine de Bough?s interferes in the marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy rekindled Darcy?s hope and helped to bring about their final marriage.
Austin?s satirical art can also be seen throughout the theme of the novel. She let the reality ridicule people's subjective conjecture. At first, Darcy was sure that the Bennett family had many adverse factors. It was difficult for her daughters to find decent people, and then it was he and his friends Bingley who married the eldest and the second daughter of Bennett family successively. Elizabeth had vowed never to marry Darcy, but at last she was pleased to be Mrs. Darcy. And also that domineering Lady Catherine de Bough, in order to make nephew Darcy get married with his daughter, prevented the integration of Darcy and Elizabeth. She spared no pains and went in person, firstly to threaten Elizabeth and then rebuke Darcy. When Elizabeth and Darcy needed communication, Lady Catherine de Bough acted as a go-between in time, which 9
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contributed to Darcy?s second time proposal to Elizabeth and Elizabeth's pleased promise. Readers can imagine how regretful Lady Catherine de Bough was. When these “wise men” were mocked by the reality, Mrs. Bennett, the most ridiculous "fool” was at last proved to be the most correct. After all, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”(Wang Chuang，Wang Liping1998) This ridiculous change between absurdity and truth, although beyond the general sense of right and wrong concepts, reflects the author's profound experience of life. Jane Austen's style of the use of irony is to show rational thinking to her readers. Her irony reflected her disdain, and her humor reflected her frustration. Her novels had a unique charm with the ideological and artistic value.
4.2.2 Satire in unexpected plots in The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg
The plots of Mark Twain?s novels are famous for “surprise”. This kind of surprise is beyond common sense and conventional life. When such “accidental” plots are more true than “commonsense”, it will create a satirical effect. This novel began with a suspension, echoing to the end. At the beginning, the author showed that Hadleyburg was famous for its honesty, integrity and good reputation, overshadowing other towns. “a young man hailed from Hadleyburg was all the recommendation he needed when he went forth from his natal town to seek for responsible-employment”. (Xian Yijing，2001) The reader cannot help asking what kind of response of the people in this village will have, which is full of reputation under the temptation of money which was schemed by a stranger mischievously. At the end of the novel, after gold coins storm, the incorruptible Hadleyburg became notorious. Who corrupted Hadleyburg? On the surface, it was the stranger who took revenge. In fact, it was the nineteen prominent citizens of Hadleyburg. At the end of the novel, Hadleyburg changed his name, “leave one word out of the motto that for many generations had graced the town?s official seal.”(Xian Yijing，2001) “lead us not into temptation” was changed into “lead us into temptation”, so “it is an honest town once more”. Here is the author?s irony. As a matter of fact, no matter how it was renamed, or the motto changed, the official seal revised, it is impossible for Hadleyburg to be an honest town, because lies and deceit were clearly shown at the temptation of money.
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The plots in the novel were interwoven together, one climax after another and full of accidents. The first climax was that, according to the stranger, Richards asked the town newspaper editor Cox to disclosure this matter in the newspaper and found the warm-hearted person in public who gave a passer-by 20 dollars with a maxim. As soon as the letter was sent, he and his wife regretted coincidently: they should not submit the money easily but monopolize it easily. He immediately returned to ask for the letter and met Cox who could not stand the temptation by chance. They were so familiar with each other that their ideas chimed in easily. So they were hurried to stop John and detain the letter. Unfortunately, John had sent it out just now. They were too late to repent. They exasperated and flew to a rage, only to reprimand john who did not know the truth. From this, the novel was pushed to the first climax. The letter had been sent out and would be well known by people the next morning, which made the readers full of curiosity about what would happen tomorrow.
4.3 Language Style
4.3.1 Language features of Austen
In Jane Austen's novels, her language was clean, beautiful, delicate, which displayed the writer's rich feelings. In the section of the first encounter of Elizabeth and Darcy in the dance ball, the author successfully pushed the two characters into our vision with exquisite technique, personalized language and movements. At the same time a lot of words used to describe the magnificent party and various people's performance showed Austin?s uncompromising attention to artistic skills. In the section of Elizabeth?s taking care of Jane at Netherfield leading to Miss Bingley? hatred, with delicate strokes, the author penetrated into young men and women?s emotional world. By describing a variety of accidental incidents, the author vividly portrayed jealousy of Bingley, coolness of Elizabeth and solicitousness of Darcy. All these scenes clearly presented their relationships before our eyes.
Elizabeth and Darcy?s quarrels in Collins?s family were the most exciting section of the book, and also a turning point in the development of their feelings. Their refined language, the outbreak of emotions and the environmental foil were so harmonious, natural, and worthy of appreciation. Austin, who was also particularly good at mining the 11
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inner world of women, used circumbendibus and beautiful euphemism to explore the heroine Elizabeth?s psychological journey of self-discovery from love to marriage. In the section of Elizabeth?s self-reproach after knowing the truth of Lydia?s marriage, Austin demonstrated Elizabeth?s psychological activities with delicate strokes. Her actions, language and inner monologues were appropriate to display her regretful feelings. From these we found the author's description of human nature was very lifelike. The ups and downs plot arrangements, the humorous diction and sophisticated ideas achieved a very high artistic effect, thus fully demonstrated the writing talent of Austen.
4.3.2 Language features of Mark Twain
Based on the humor of western people, refining the civil oral language, Mark Twain created realist language with a strong flavor of life. The language in his short stories was plain, subtle, witty, and exaggerated, which formed his unique, humorous and ironic style. In The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg, Mark Twain's Language was easy on the surface, but serious in meaning. The words were simple on the surface but they have implication in meaning. Bitter irony was hinted in meaningful language.
The unexpected arrival of a big money was in everyone?s mind. The author depicted the 19 prominent citizens? faces changing three times with wit and subtle language, which just liked Peking Opera?s faces in China in order to reveal their vanity and selfishness. The first time: As the stranger?s letter was published in a newspaper, the Hadleyburg?s good reputation speeded overnight and people there were all complacent,” all faces bore a look of peaceful, holy happiness.”(Xian Yijing，2001) (Implication: the dirty and restless soul under the sanctimonious appearance). The second time: A few days later, “everybody became so moody, thoughtful, and absent-minded.”(Xian Yijing，2001)(Implication: they cannot be completely indifferent to the sack of gold.)” He could rob the meanest man in town of a cent of the bottom of his breeches pocket and not disturb his revelry.” (Xian Yijing，2001) (Implication: every penny?s importance to these people in daily life.) The reason why they got depressed was that everyone was unable to resist the temptation and started to think hard about the maxim that could bring them enormous wealth. The third time: three weeks later, the 19 prominent citizens all received the stranger?s letter telling them the maxim. “He noticed that the faces of the nineteen 12
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chief citizens and their wives bore that expression of peaceful and holy happiness again.” ，2001)(Implication: these people?s hypocrisy and greedy). They were sure this money would belong to them. The author let a on-looker jack Halliday to conjecture the reasons of their happiness, maybe, “her cat has had kittens.”(Xian Yijing，2001)(Implication: they idling away their time, being occupied with nothing), maybe “ some neighbor of Billson?s had broken his leg”(Xian Yijing，2001)(Implication: these people?s narrow-mindedness), maybe “he was a mother-in-law short”(Xian Yijing，2001)(Implication: these people's selfishness and unfilial); or maybe “Pinkerton-he was collected ten cents that he thought he was going to lose”(Xian Yijing，2001) (Implication: their haggling over every ounce, stingy and selfish nature.)
At the beginning of the novel, after the stranger left the sack of gold at Richards and went away, Mrs. Richards knelt down beside the sack, touched it greedily and fancied this sack of gold belonging to their own. But she understood her husband well “But it was not my Edward; no, it was not he that gave a stranger twenty dollars. It is a pity, too; I see it now...”(Xian Yijing，2001) (Implication: they understood that people should do good deeds, more good things, because those who do good will receive good rewards and sow the wind will reap the whirlwind.) All those subtle and sharp language above made those selfish souls more vividly and exposed their mean spiritual world.
5. Conclusion
5.1 Discussion
In Jane Austen? novels, most stories took place in a quiet and peaceful rural Britain. So was Pride and Prejudice. It was about the lives of middle-class people's courtship and marriage. The opening line of the book is an unforgettable satirical thrust; it gives you an insight into the social and marriage issues of Jane Austen?s time, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife”, (Wang Chuang，Wang Liping1998)which appeared to be the standard of her time. But Jane Austen was not in agreement with this statement. Darcy and Elizabeth?s realization of mutual and tender love seemed to imply that Austen viewed love as something independent of those social forces, as something that can be captured if only 13
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an individual is able to escape the warping effects of hierarchical society.
The author took the daily chores as her object and observed life with woman's sensitive perspective and expressed it with uncompromising writing skills. All these showed her unique writing style. Austin?s ironic art was reflected not only in certain figures? dramatic character, or many dramatic plots, but also mixed in the whole story?s ironical idea. In Pride and Prejudice, the descriptions of the characters, dialogue and story, all exhibited incisively and vividly the author?s talent of great humor. When readers could not help laughing, they also sighed with complex feelings. In all Jane Austen?s novels, she was accustomed to observing those figures with sneering attitude and great interest. Jane Austen's purpose of using irony was to show her readers her rational thinking and her aim to find some proper form for her critical attitudes. Her irony reflected her disdain, and her humor reflected her helplessness. The more thorough and meticulous we read Jane Austen's works, the more she evoked people?s resonance and imagination. Maybe this is why Jane Austen?s works have been so popular for centuries.
Mark Twain?s story The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg took place in a fabricated town—Hadleyburg. So some critics also interpret “The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg” in terms of the Eden myth, in which Hadleyburg represents Eden. Edward and Mary become Adam and Eve figures; the offended stranger becomes the snake or Satan, and Goodson represents God. In “The Role of Satan in ?The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg,? Rule describes Hadleyburg as an “ironic Eden” — a paradise already “fallen” into sin — which an ironic Satan visits in order to restore rather than condemn. Rule asserts that American society became “diseased by hypocrisy and money-lust,” similar to immoral Babylon rather than wholesome New Canaan, the model for America?s early settlers. Hadleyburg symbolizes the status of humankind after the fall into sin. At the end of the novel, the author reached the indisputable truth: the bourgeoisie worship money and they could not stand the temptation.
As a master of critical realism, Mark Twain's humorous irony was built on profound insight into capitalist society and the worldly wisdom of human. His various writing skills such as, the use of unexpected accidents, vivid and detailed description of actions, contradictions of people?s appearance and inner heart and clarifying the truth 14
石家庄经济学院本科生毕业论文
under false impressions, exposed and criticized the greed and hypocrisy of bourgeois humorously and spicily. This made readers can not help laughing. When readers were in laughter, they also had a deep reflection. All these showed Mark Twain?s superb art of irony. It is precisely because of his unique ironic humorous art, rich and profound ideological connotation, that Mark Twain's works are so appealing and popular.
5.2 Summary
Both Jane Austen and Mark Twain are realists, so they successfully expose the social reality of their time and have a moral influence on people.
The tone of Jane Austen is gentle mocking, while Mark Twain lays emphasis on exposure and criticizes. During the creation of these two works, they both pay much attention to three aspects: character portrayal, the organization of plots and their languages.
However, the two writers? writing styles are different in these three aspects. Jane Austen portrays vivid characters through subtle discrimination and shrewd perceptiveness; while Mark Twain shows the contradictions between human?s appearance and inner-heart through psychological portrayal. In the respect of the organization of plots, Jane Austen makes up a series of dramatic scenes and satire is blended in the plots; while Mark Twain makes up unexpected plots to create special effect of satire. As for the style of language, Jane Austen?s language is fresh, beautiful, delicate, which shows woman writers? rich feelings. Mark Twain?s language is based on humor, mixed with colloquial style and has the features of plainness, implicitness, witness and exaggeration.
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石家庄经济学院本科生毕业论文
References
[1]Chang Yaoxin，A Survey of American Literature. Tian Jing：Nankai University Press，2003
[2]Chen Jia , A History of English Literature. Beijing: The Commercial Press, 2004
[3]Guo Qunying，British Literature .Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2001
[4]Wang Chuang﹠Wang Liping, Pride and Prejudice. Xi An：世界图书出版公司，1998
[5]Wu Weiren, History and Anthology of English Literature. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 1988 [6]Xian Yijing， Mark Twain Selected Stories. Tian Jin：Tian Jin People?s Publishing House, 2001
[7]白敏 ,“论傲慢与偏见的魅力”.重庆：《三峡学院学报》，2004（4）
[8]国向东,“论傲慢与偏见中反讽艺术的应用”.哈尔滨：《哈尔滨师专学报》1997
（4）
[9]何东燕,“马克 吐温小说的幽默艺术”. 重庆：《培陵师范学院学报》，2002(3)
[10]刘洪涛,《外国文学作品导读》.北京：中国人民大学出版社，2004
[11]朱虹,《简 奥斯汀研究》.北京：中国文联出版公司，1985
1. Introduction
2. General View of Pride and Prejudice
2.1 Stylistic Features in Pride and Prejudice
2.2 Satirical Meaning of Pride and Prejudice
3. General View of The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
3.1 Stylistic Features in the Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
3.2Satirical Meaning of the Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
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石家庄经济学院本科生毕业论文
4. Features of Satire in Pride and Prejudice and the Man that Corrupted
Hadleyburg
4.1Character Portrayal
4.1.1 Character creation with satire in Pride and Prejudice
4.1.2 Character creation with satire in The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg
4.2 The Organization of the Plot
4.2.1 Satire in the dramatic scene in Pride and Prejudice
4.2.2 Satire in unexpected plots in The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg
4.3 Language Style
4.3.1 Language features of Austen
4.3.2 Language features of Mark Twain
5. Conclusion
5.1 Discussion
5.2 Summary
References
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