A Study Of Academic History Of Anglo-American Dickensian Criticism:1836-1939

Charles Dickens is regarded as "the most outstanding novelist in Victorian era". The researches made on him are beyond calculation. There are many magazines and journals specializing in Charles Dickens studies. Besides, there are nearly one hundred biographies, almost one thousand monographs and more than ten thousand academic essays in Anglo-America. These researches have shown the depth and breadth of Dickens studies. However, there is no relevant monograph on The History of Anglo-American Dickensian Criticism in China and Western countries. The present research aims to conduct a historical study on the academic receptions of Charles Dickens in Anglo-America before WWII. Its theoretical and realistic significance not only traces the researches having been done on Charles Dickens, but also lays a solid foundation for future investigation. By reviewing different academic responses from different periods and various theoretical schools, the present research will also try to provide readers and scholars with comprehensive and in-depth understanding of Charles Dickens.The dissertation consists of "Introduction," four chapters, and "Conclusion.""Introduction" mainly analyzes the present situation of research at home and abroad, the value and significance of the dissertation, the research contents and research methods.Chapter One reviews the critical reception of Dickens in his lifetime. Dickens's literary creation was strongly concerned by critics in his lifetime. He was regarded as a "rising rocket" with the publication of Pickwick Papers. Due to his reputation, each of his subsequent novels caused a huge response and debate among critics. These criticisms not only included scholarly comments from contemporary novelists but also amateur interpretations from ordinary readers. Some criticisms explored the themes, characters and language of Dickens's single novel, some made in-depth comparison among Dickens and other writers, some made comprehensive reviews by taking Dickens's novels as a whole. These comments laid wide foundations for later researches on Charles Dickens.Chapter Two reviews the history of Anglo-American Dickensian criticisms from1870to1914. Critic Lyn Pykett used "Dickens Industry" to describe Dickens studies in this period. Generally speaking, the academic researches on Dickens include five aspects. Firstly, Studies of Dickens's biographies and letters. Secondly, Many scholars published their papers on Dickens's themes, narrative strategies and artistic skills, instead of merely exploring the social value and moral consciousness in his novels. Thirdly, some important monographs emerged. Works like George Gissing's Charles Dickens:A Critical Study and G. K. Chesterton's Charles Dickens influenced the following critics greatly. Forthly, the form of Dickens Fellowship and the launch of The Dickensian promoted the development of Dickens studies. Lastly, to celebrate the centenary of Dickens's birth in1912, Dickens critics paid homage to him in several publications. These tributes in many reputable publications consolidated Dickens's historical position.Chapter Three reviews the prosperous Anglo-American Dickensian criticism from1914to1939. Approaches of Western literary theory like Russian formalism, Marxism Criticism, New Criticism and Psychological Criticism were used in Anglo-American Dickens studies. Formalists examined the form, design and composition of Dickens's novels and mostly derogated him. Some critics explored Dickens from psychological perspective and concluded that Dickens was guided by love and other emotions. Marxist critics linked the Victorian novelist to the radical political tradition and considered Dickens as a socialist.Chapter Four is the reflections on the academic history of Anglo-American Dickensian receptions. Among these abundant Dickensian criticisms, some comments are contradictory. While Zweig mourned over Dickens's inability to become a true revolutionary, T. A. Jackson celebrated Dickens's success at having been one; Henry James thought Dickens's characters were grotesque creatures, while others appreciated that Dickens's characters were honest reflections of reality; Mrs. Margaret Oliphant and Aldous Huxley categorized Dickens novels into "Sensational Novels", George Gissing considered Dickens as a "Romantic Realist", while Dickens was entitled "Critical Realist" by Other critics. This chapter analyzes critics'different critical backgrounds and critical methods which influenced their comments on Dickens. The purpose of these reflections is to provide readers and scholars with a comparatively comprehensive and in-depth understanding of Dickens's writing themes and writing skills."Conclusion" points out that The History of Anglo-American Dickensian Criticism before WWII manifests two kinds of acceptional value orientation: social political acceptation and academic level acceptation. Charles Dickens was accepted from a popular novelist to a classic writer in the long critical history.