An Interpretation Of The Forsyte Saga From The Perspective Of Ethical Literary Criticism

John Galsworthy is a representative realist writer in the early-twentieth Britain.In 1932,Galsworthy was awarded Nobel Prize for Literature for his distinguished narrative skills in The Forsyte Saga.The trilogy criticizes the man of property in the upper-middle class by describing social and family life in late-nineteenth Britain.The Forsyte Saga is rich in ethical factors,therefore the thesis explores The Forsyte Saga from the perspective of ethical literary criticism.By interpreting human-other relationship,human-society relationship and human-nature relationship,the thesis reveals ethical connotations included in the trilogy.The thesis is made up of five parts.Introduction includes John Galsworthy's life,his literary career,main story of The Forsyte Saga,literature review of The Forsyte Saga,and ethical literary criticism.The first chapter elaborates the pursuit of goodness in human-other relationship in The Forsyte Saga.In the trilogy,goodness is expressed in different types including love,understanding and concerning.Couples can maintain sweet marriage when they love each other.Parents and children can minimize conflicts and maintain a good inter-generational relationship when they understand each other.Siblings can get on well when they are concerned with each other.The second chapter explores the pursuit of truth in human-society relationship in The Forsyte Saga.There exist many social evils in late-Victorian Britain.Extreme individualism destroys normal interpersonal relationship and social stability so Galsworthy indicates that the benefits of others and society should be cared for.Unhappy couples can not make an end of their marital relationship easily because of unreasonable marriage law,therefore the author appeals for reasonable marriage law.Prevailing of hedonism makes people lead an idle life,therefore Galsworthy appeals for the virtue of hard-working and thrifty life.John Galsworthy appeals for establishing a harmonious society by criticizing unreasonable social phenomenon.The third chapter illustrates the pursuit of beauty in human-nature relationship in The Forsyte Saga.The trilogy describes many nature-lovers.Fond of natural scenery,They believe that landscape can purify human beings.According to them,animals are equal to human beings,so animals should be respected and protected.Far from the madding crowd,people can lead a simple and quiet life.Apparently,human beings should establish a pleasant relationship with nature.The conclusion makes a brief summary of three chapters.Through analysis and research on the trilogy,the conclusion is that Galsworthy's pursuit of goodness,truth and beauty are discussed by depicting different ethical relationships in the late-nineteenth Britain.