On The Family Ethics In Hardy's "Character And Environmental Novels"

Thomas Hardy is a famous English novelist and poet in the 19 th century.The success of the novel makes him “Shakespeare in the English novel”.Among them,“character and environment novel”is the most representative novel.The most prominent problem in these novels is the family ethic.This paper is a study of the seven works of Hardy's “character and environmental novels”,and analyzes the family ethics thoughts of Hardy.Most of the seven works were completed in the Victorian era.the Victorian era attach great importance to morals,the people of the upper class were restricted by countless rules and frameworks,While the lower classes were relatively free.The world of Wessex created in Hardy's “character and environment novel”is the mapping of the underworld.In Wessex region,people of family ethics is under the influence of the upper social civilization,besides,it has it's own characteristics to against the mainstream of the family ethics thought of that time.In his works,Hardy describes his family ethics,which are influenced by the advanced ideas of that time,while also trying to establish his ideal family ethics.The present paper is elaborated into four chapters.The first chapter“introduction” introduces Hardy's status,his life and even the family ethical research at home and abroad,the paper research significance and research methods.Then the three chapters focus on the family ethics of Hardy “character and environmental novels”.The first chapter discusses the family ethics from three aspects,Hardy's mind was clearly influenced by utilitarianism,deontologyas well as evolution,identity on the basis of common values of mutual respect and love.Through shaping “dionysian spirit” against Victorian mainstream ethics advocates the “spirit of the sun”,Hardy uncovered the hypocrisy of the Victorian era mainstream ethics,and establishes His sexual ethics theory,influenced by the theory of evolution and the inner will theory.Hardy also believes that if two people have no feelings,they should be divorced bynature.The second chapter discusses the intergenerational ethics,and by showing the three modes of parental pairs in the works,hardy believes that parental love is human nature and should not be mixed with any impurities in it.It is believed that all children of this time are children,and that people should treat other children as their own children.Through discussing the relationship between children and their parents,we conclude that hardy agrees with the maintenance of their parents.The third chapter deals with the ethics of consanguinity from two aspects.In the lower class,the eldest son should shoulder the responsibility of the family,and it is legal for the siblings to have a marriage relationship.The “conclusion”is a systematic summary of the thesis,which shows the advanced and humanitarian work of Hardy's creation.