Morality And Freedom:the Mors’ Moral Quest In The Sandcastle

Iris Murdoch (1919-1999) is one of the most influential British writers in the20th century. She has created novels, plays, and essays. She is also famous for her moral philosophy. She believes that writers should keep a watchful eye on the moral issues in the society. She inquires in her works into morality, the relationship between morality and literature, the relationship between morality and freedom, the idea of the Good, and the influence of religion on moral life.The Sandcastle is a novel about morality and freedom, in which Murdoch describes the process of the Mors’ moral quest. Through the analysis of the change of the relationship between the Mors, the author of this thesis attempts to reveal the influence of morality and freedom on people’s life by discussing how the Mors approach the Good after acquiring moral freedom.This thesis consists of four chapters besides the introduction and the conclusion.The introduction gives a brief account of Iris Murdoch and her novel The Sandcastle. It provides a literature review of the researches abroad and home that have been done on Iris Murdoch, The Sandcastle and other works.Chapter One presents the ideas on morality, freedom and their relationship. Murdoch’s moral philosophy puts human beings’quest for morality into three stages as the stage of amorality, the stage of (knowing) morality and the stage of the Good. As the prerequisite of moral quest is freedom, the three stages of human beings’ moral quest can be realized through natural freedom, social freedom and moral freedom respectively. That means:the stage of amorality is realized by means of natural freedom; the stage of (knowing) morality can be reached by social freedom; and the stage of the Good is realized by moral freedom.Chapter Two discusses the original state of the Mors’quest for morality:the stage of amorality. In this stage, the Mors pursue natural freedom, i.e. the freedom to do whatever they want. They are obsessed with their selfish ideas, and concern only for themselves. They are self-centered, neglecting other people. Therefore, they are unable to tell the difference between moral behaviors and immoral behaviors. The natural freedom makes them care only for their own needs, and ignore other family members’existence and needs, which leads to their family problems and serious marriage crisis.Chapter Three studies the second stage of the Mors’moral quest:the stage of (knowing) morality. Based on social freedom, the Mors act rationally and shift their attention to other people. They begin to rationally reflect on their past behaviors, and realize other family members’ existence and needs. Guided by rationality of social freedom, they are capable of differentiating moral behaviors and immoral ones, and they come to the stage of (knowing) morality. Their family problems and marriage crisis have been lessened ever since.Chapter Four probes into the last state of the Mors’ moral quest:the stage of the Good. In this stage, the Mors voluntarily follow moral principles by showing respect for other people and for their ideas and needs. It is respect that leads them to the Good. They stop being selfish and self-centered. Finally their family problems and marriage crisis are solved, and the Mors get their real freedom---moral freedom.The final part points out that the Mors’ relationship goes from conflict to harmony after they start to pursue moral freedom. Replacing natural freedom with moral freedom, they finally finish their moral quest. The thesis comes to such a conclusion that only when one respects other people and abandons self-absorption and selfishness, can he/she live harmoniously with other people, and lead a moral and free life, and finally approach the Good.