Image Interpretation Of The Forsyte Saga From The Perspective Of New Historicism

As one of the masterpieces of Galsworthy, The Forsyte Saga represents the peak of the writer's profession. The trilogy includes The Man of Property, In Chancery and To Let. It revolves around the feud of three generations of Forsytes. The family experience the process from prosperity to degeneration. The images of two or three generations in an extended family are accurately depicted under the extensive historical background. The plots of the trilogy are originated from the historical contexts, and the novels reflect the complexity of human nature and the tendency of historical development in a capitalist society, revealing the writer's attitudes towards the society.The interrelationship between The Forsyte Saga and the Victorian historical contexts is explored under the approach of New Historicism. New Historicism emphasizes the functions of literature ----Subversion, Containment and Negotiation. Based on these functions, the images in the trilogy are interpreted to reveal the social and historical significance of The Forsyte Saga. Firstly, the images of the Forsytes family represented by Soames are explored to reveal the sharp criticism in the novels. The trend from prosperity to degeneration accurately gives expression to the literary function of Subversion. It is a kind of subversion or negation of the established discourse and social order. Secondly, the marginal images represented by Irene are under the containment of the Forystes family. The elements of Beauty and Nature are marginalized in this historical period. These images can be interpreted by the literary function of Containment, reflecting the suppression and exclusion of the alien elements by the mainstream discourse. Thirdly, the newborn images represented by Young Jolyon and the transition of Soames connote the collapse of Forsyteism. The"men of property"have experienced regeneration.The first chapter explores the theoretical basis: New Historicism. It summarizes the theory developed by Stephen Jay Greenblatt and Michel Foucault. Meanwhile, the functions of literature are briefly introduced: Subversion, Containment and Negotiation. The relationship between the novel and history is explored to prove the Circulation between The Forsyte Saga and its historical context at the turn of 20th century. The dynamic mode between the literal texts and historical contexts is illustrated in the textual analysis.Chapter Two discusses the concept of subversion reflected in the images of the Forsytes family. It is concluded that the criticism behind the degenerative images of the Forsytes is, in fact, the attack at the Victorian society. Therefore, they are the subversive factors to the historical mainstream discourse. It reveals that the degenerative images of the Forsytes signify the decline of an age. The very existence of the Forsytes is a kind of negation to the dominant power and to the established social order.Chapter Three discusses the concept of containment reflected in the marginal images which are suppressed by the Forsytes. Beauty and kindness endanger the position of the upper middle class, so they are controlled by them. The conflicts between them represent the battles in the social energies. The contradiction between two sides are ever increasing, representing conflicting ideologies among different classes. The competition is extraordinarily intense, which requires reasonable balance, or negotiation.The last part introduces the concept of negotiation reflected in the new-born images of Forsyte family. The images of Soames and Old Jolyon experience gradual transition from profit-seekers to men with more morality and responsibility. The society built on morality will become harmonious. This is the writer's wishes to reestablish the social values and ideology after his reflection on society. This transition is consistent with the concept of Negotiation in the New Historicism.The thesis concludes that the depiction of the images in The Forsyte Saga is consistent with the basic concepts of New Historicism. And the trilogy is full of ideological and social connotations. It is clear that in the interwoven web of texts and history, the images in the novel demonstrate the process of subversion, containment and negotiation. The thesis tries to create the interrelationship between the literary text and the social-historical contexts of literature. The new historicists'perspective from New Historicism will provide a preference for further research in this field, and will make contribution to future study of Galsworthy.