Romantic Feature Of Lost Horizon

Lost Horizon by James Hilton was published in September,1933; taking theeconomic crisis and confused social order of the nineteenth century as the background,Hilton expresses his dissatisfaction and worry about modern western civilization. Hecontrasts the boisterious western civilization with the innocent and utopia Shangri-Laof China, which retains its primitive and traditional culture, far away from moderncivilization. Hilton invented the word “Shangri-La”, arousing a real craze of seekingfor Shangri-La in contemparary and succeeding generations. Through the narration ofConway, the novel reveals a distant and remote paradise, with its beautiful naturalscenery, abundant resources, harmonious human relationship and eternal youth.Shangri-La, hidden in unknown scenery free from the governance of any religionand politics, is an idyllic pastoral in the mountains, advocating moderate principlesand the Confucian spirit. The locals lead a stable, comfortable and easy life, who takethe responsibility to provide a shelter for all the world for the forthcoming World WarII, namely, a Noah’s Ark in modern society.This thesis aims to interpret Lost Horizon from the view point of Romanticism,to introduce the author’s desire for an ideal life in a kingdom of freedom, byanalyzing the background of its creation and other elements. This thesis is composedof five parts:Introduction is a general introduction of Lost Horizon and its author JamesHilton, while providing critical reviews from all over the globe on the novel.The first chapter analyzes the Hilton’s expectations of the ideal kingdom, and thenecessity for Hilton to place the ideal kingdom—Shangri-La in Tibet, China; it alsostudies the prototypes of the Karakal Mountains, the Valley of Blue Moon andLamasery.The second chapter analyzes respective characters in the novel, discusses thecharacters’ change in attitude as they go through peculiar experiences, from theperspective of the Byronic Hero in romanticism.The third chapter emphasizes on the analysis of eastern culture especially the religions and cultures in Shangri-La.Conclusion is a summary of the thesis.