Rebirth Of The Faun-Donatello’s Awakening Of Ethical Consciousness

Nathaniel Hawthorne(1804-1864), the famous American romantic writer of 19 th century, has a pivotal position in the world literary history. Under the background of Italy, this exotic romance, The Marble Faun is the last full-length work published before Hawthorne’s death. By using ambiguity and symbolism, this romance tells two couples’ friendship and love stories as well as the process of Donatello’s awakening of ethical consciousness.This thesis intends to interpret this work in the fresh perspective of Ethical Literary Criticism. By analyzing Donatello’s Sphinx-like image and the whole process of his awakening of ethical consciousness and discussing the ethical environment of the romance, the thesis reveals Hawthorne’s special moral and ethical thoughts in his creation of late period.The thesis consists five chapters. Chapter one is a brief introduction to Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Marble Faun, the Ethical Literary Criticism theory, the existent studies of The Marble Faun at home and aboard, and the feasibility and significance of the study. To prove the Faun-like protagonist, animal factor and free will in Donatello’s“animal-like” character are explored in Chapter two. Chapter three focuses on the discussion of the process of Donatello’s awakening of ethical consciousness, including three stages: the sprout of ethical consciousness, ethical confusion and psychological struggle, the awakening of ethical consciousness and the right ethical selection. Chapter four examines the importance of portrayal of “ethical environment”. Chapter five gives a conclusive analysis, pointing out that Donatello’s awakening of ethical consciousness is a kind of self-awakening which is caused by “sin” and influenced by external ethical environment. The process of this kind of awakening is tortuous, but as the essential stage of humankind evolution, in other words, from innocence to maturity, the process is of profound importance.