A Study On The Carnivalization Of Wolf Hall And Bring Up The Bodies

The British woman writer Hilary Mantel was honored with Man Booker Prize twice for her Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies respectively in 2009 and 2012.The two novels have attracted attention widely since their publication.In China,after their Chinese version went into the market,they have intrigued hot discussion among readers and scholars.Being based upon the Tudors in the 16th century,the story spreads from Henry Ⅷ’s first divorce case,being narrated from the perspective of Thomas Cromwell,third person narrative and present tense.What he experiences is presented in front of readers.The writer has subverted traditional writing techniques,the logic of cause and effect,and the stereotyped image of Thomas Cromwell,who is a humanistic person in these two novels.On the other hand.from Boleyn’s rise and fall to Seymour’s thriving,the process is filled with love and hatred,and life and death,which tends to exposed the positive and dark side of human nature.Previous studies on these two novels have mainly adopted New Historicism and narratology as theoretical base,with Bakhtin’s carnivalization theory being paid no attention.Therefore,the study aims to give an analysis of the novels with Bakhtin’s carnivalization theory as theoretical basis,discussing the features of carnivalization reflected in characterization and plot of the novels and its deep carnival senses of the world.It is expected to provide a new perspective for the studies on these two novels and promote the appearance of much more valuable researchers.In the end,it is concluded that Mantel’s writing has gone beyond the history and politics,and set Utopian ideals for all human beings,calling for equality,freedom and sincerest love.Five chapters are included in the dissertation.The first chapter is an introduction of the writer Hilary Mantel and her Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies,carnivalization theory,literature review of the researches on the novels as well as significance and structure of the study.Chapters from the second one to the fifth are major parts of the thesis.With the basis of duality from carnivalization theory,the second chapter discusses the characterization of the novels.The third chapter tries to explore the plot from perspective of carnival celebration.The fourth chapter aims to dig out the hidden carnival senses of the world,which involve spirits of subversion and renewal.The writer is found to have expressed her Utopian ideals for man and women.The final chapter is conclusion,which makes it clear that Wolf Hall and Bring Up zhe Bodies involves mainly the feature of duality of carnivalization theory to a large extent,and finally reflect the carnival sense of the world such as spirit of subversion and renewal,calling for a subversion of patriarchal orders and equality among human beings and respect for them.