An Interpretation Of As I Lay Dying From The Perspective Of Ethical Literary Criticism

William Faulkner, the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1949, is hailed as one of the most important writers in world literature. As I Lay Dying is one of his magnum opuses as well as a significant work in his Yoknapatawpha Series. His innovative writing techniques, profound themes and multifaceted characters have drawn much excavation from critics both at home and abroad, whereas few of them have done systematic research in terms of ethical literary criticism. Ethical literary criticism is a research method on the study of literary works in respect of ethics. The concept and theoretical frame of this research method is put forward by Professor Nie Zhenzhao for the first time in a national academic seminar on the theme of “Study on British and American Literature Research in China: Retrospect and Prospect” in 2004. In consideration of the profound ethical factors in the work, the thesis attempts to analyze it by using the method and provide systematic interpretations of the writer’s ethical ideology on the basis of close reading.The thesis mainly consists of four chapters. Chapter One discusses social transformation caused by the Civil War and mainly expounds the living status of the poor whites in decaying agrarian economic situation based on the literary term of ethical situation. Chapter Two analyzes the ethical relationship between man and others by means of probing into the disordered ethical choices in the Bundrens. Then, it unfolds the benevolence among countrymen to reveal the ethical pursuit of good. Chapter Three explores the struggles between man and self through a detailed analysis of several main characters to further reveal the negative consequences by deviating social ethics and ethical responsibility. Chapter Four expounds the ethical order in the novel to expose the fact that deviation of social ethics will cause ethical confusion, ethical confusion failing to return to ethical order will lead to tragedy inevitably, indicating the importance of reconstruction of ethical order.The thesis not only contributes to the objective and systemic illumination of the ethical relationships, but also possesses practical significance in the construction of current ethical system. The author maintains Faulkner attempts to admonish readers that irrational ethical choices will result in ethical chaos; additionally, he reminds readers to shoulder ethical identity and the corresponding ethical responsibility and break through the chaotic ethical order to reconstruct a harmonious society.