【英美文学论文】浅谈《鲁滨逊漂流记》与殖民主义.docx

AbstractDanielDefoeisagreatEnglishnovelistinthel8thcentury.RobinsonCrusoe,hismasterpiece,iseitherapioneeringEnglishadventurefictionoratypicalcolonialliterature.ltnotonlyisavividnarrativestoryaboutthesurprisingandadventuringlifeofRobinson,butalsohasthethemeofcolonismwhichisrepresentedonaseriesofbinaryoppositionalcolonialdiscourses:thecolonialcountryandthecolony,masterandslave,thewhiteandthecolored,centralcultureandmarginalculture,civilizationandSavageness5Christianityandcannibalsandallthat.Withpost-colonialcriticismasitsvisualangle,thisthesissetsonthehistoryofEuropeancolonialism,analyzesthedescriptionofcharacters,narrativewordsandthegrowingprocessofTriday,wholoseshisnationalcultureidentitytodeconstructthosecolonialdiscourses,exploresthestrategiesforcolonist,sculturalcolonizationtothosepeopleinthecoloniesandrevealsthedilemmaoflosingtheirnationalcultureidetity.Thisanalysisgivesusanewperspectiveinappreciationthisclassicalworkandatypicalcasestudyofhowthecolonistsexerttheculturalruleonthepeopleinthecolonies.KeyWordsRobinsonCrusoejcolonialismjcolonialdiscourses;culturalcolonization摘要鲁滨逊漂流记是18世纪英国作家丹尼尔笛福的代表作，是英国历险小说的源头，也是一部带有强烈殖民主义意识的文学作品。它不仅生动地讲述了小说主人公鲁滨逊开拓荒岛的详细过程，也描绘了他驯服改造原始部族人“星期五”的手段和策略。本课题着重以“后殖民主义批评”（易小斌，2004:64-68）为视角，拟从历史文化背景、人物刻画以及话语分析入手，对鲁滨逊漂流记中所建立起的宗主国/殖民地，奴隶主/奴隶，白种人/有色人，中心文化/边缘文化，文明/野蛮，基督教/食人部族等二元对立的殖民话语体系进行解构，揭示蕴涵在作品中的殖民主义意识，并阐释鲁滨逊如何以枪炮为后盾，有计划地从语言和宗教信仰两方面对“星期五”进行赤裸裸的文化殖民，使其丧失了原有的民族文化身份，从而造成自我身份丧失的窘境。本课题为读者重读经典开辟了一个新的视角，也为读者审视殖民者的文化统治提供了一个典型个案。关键词鲁滨逊漂流记；殖民主义；殖民话语；文化殖民IntroductionColonialismistheconsequenceofwesterncapitalaccumulation.ltoriginatesfromtheperiodsofDiscoveryandExplorationsince15thcentury.Somecriticsthinkthatitbreakstheseparationofthe0IdWorldandtheNewWorldandalsoencouragestheexchangeofbothCUItUreS.（李伯庚，2003）ACtUally,from15thtol9thcentury,itisalonghistoryofexploitationandinvasionamongEuropeanpowers.TheyaremotivatedbythelureofwealthinAsia,thespicetradeinlndia,thegoldandsilverinAmerica,andtheslavesofAfricaafterreadingMarcoPolo'sTravels.(Spielvogel,281)DuringthisPeriod5Europeancountriesgethandsomeprofitsandbecomegreatempires.EspeciallyforBritain,tillthereignofQueenVictoria5Shebecomes,theEmpireonWhichtheSunNeverSetsand"theMistressoftheSeasn.(Clemen,2003)0nthecontrary,whattheybringtothepeopleinthecoloniesisravagingtheirland,mockingtheirgods,banishingtheirlanguages,decimatingtheirpopulationthroughdisease5andsubjugatingtheirchildrentoasubservientanddependentstatus.(Rogers,461-519)HoweverJncolonialliterature,allthedevilpracticesofthosecolonistshavebeenerased,instead,weoftenfindthemessagesconveyedeverywherethatthewhitesarespreading,'civilization"tonon-westernersfortheyjustifiesthattheyareunderthecalloftheGodtoudelivertheinferiorraces,and"civilizethesavages".FactuaIIyJtisoneofpopularcolonialdiscoursesfortheirculturalcolonizationorinvasion.DanielDefoeisagreatEnglishnovelistinthel8thcentury.RobinsonCrusoe,hismasterpiece,iseitherapioneeringEnglishadventurefictionoratypicalcolonialliterature.ltnotonlyisavividnarrativestoryaboutthesurprisingandadventuringlifeofRobinson,butalsohasthethemeofcolonism.Withpost-colonialcriticismasitsvisualangle,thispapersetsonthehistoryofEuropeancolonialism,analyzesthedescriptionofcharacters,narrativewordsandthegrowingprocessofTriday,wholoseshisnationalcultureidentitytodeconstructthosebinaryoppositionalcolonialdiscourses:thecolonialcountryandthecolony,masterandslave,thewhiteandthecOlored1CentraIcultureandmarginalCuIturejCiviIizationandsavageness,Christianityandcannibalsandthelike,explorestheStrategiesforcolonist'sculturalcolonizationtothosepeopleinthecoloniesandrevealsthedilemmaoflosingtheirnationalcultureidentity.1.ColonialDiscoursesIncolonialliteratures,thecolonialdiscoursesareprevailing.Especiallyduringtheperiodofcolonialismandimperialism,thosenovelistspreferredtoproduceasuccessionofpowerfuldiscoursesasausefulapproachtospreadingcolonism.Thewesternersweregoodatcreating"thewhitemythology"andconstructingimaginative,'others,.lnOrientaIismjEdwardSaidpointedout,“thelong-termimages,stereotypesandgeneralideologyaboutthe'theOrienfasthe,0ther,constructedbygenerationsofWesternSchoIarsjWhichproducemythsaboutthelaziness,deceitandirrationalityofOrientals,aswellasthereproductionandrebuttalincurrentdebatesontheArab-Islamicworldanditsexchanges,particularly,withtheUnitedStates.,(Seldenetal.,223)RobinsonCrusoeisatypicalcolonialliteraturethathasathemeofColonismwhichisrepresentedonaseriesofbinaryoppositionalcolonialdiscourses:thecolonialcountryandthecolony,masterandslave,thewhiteandon-white,centralcultureandmarginalculture,civilizationandSavagenessjChristianityandcannibalsandotherdiscourses.WiththeconfidenceofBritainImperiaIismjRobinson,1herepresentativeofthosecolonistscontinuouslyclaimedhimselfasthecivilizedman,hiscultureasthecentralculture,thushehadthecompetenceofenslaving"theother"andSpreadingnCiviIization"to"theinferiorrace".A.MasterandSlaveWehavelearnedfromtheEuropeanculturethattheRenaissancederivedfromandroseinItalyandthenspreadtootherEuropeancountries.Withthecoreof,Humanism,itadvocated"HumanRight*'anduLiberty".Yet,itaswellsupportedslaverysystemandtheevilslavedeal.SincetheRenaissancewasanageofeconomyrevival,too.Thosecapitalistsgainedlucrativeprofitsfromtheslavedeal.What'smore,KarlMarxhadeverclassifiedslavedealasoneessentialfactorofcapitalaccumulation.(阿勃拉莫娃，1983:2)ThUSJHUmanRighCanduLiberty,wereonlyconfinedtotheWestthatwasconsideredas"theCenteroftheWorld".MasterandslavewasacommondiscourseincolonialIiterature.Thosescholarsoftenconstructed"thewhitemythology"andtreatedwesternersas"themaster"of"theother"intheirworks.Foranother,DanielDefoe,theauthorofRobinsonCrusoe,wasoriginallyamerchantwhowasconcernedmoreaboutowninterests.DanielDefoeonceSaidLTradeisthewealthoftheworld.Trademadethedifferencebetweenrichandpoor,betweenonenationtoanother."Jackson,82)lnthisshortbutsignificantstatementDefoeexpressedthemainideasofthemercantilisticsystemthatBritainwasdevelopingattheendofthe17thcentury.TheEnglishmercantilespiritbeganduringtheElizabethanAgewhenEnglandrealizedthattradegeneratedwealth.Inhiseyes,aswellasinRobinson'seyes,slavedealwasnothingdevilbutonetermsoftradethatcouldbringhandsomeprofits.1.SellingXuryandBuyingBlackSlavestoWorkforHisPlantationInRobinsonCrusoejDefoenarratedthatRobinsononcebecameaslavehimselfoftheMoorsbutlater,whenhewasafreeman,hesoldalittleboyandboughtaslaveforhisplantation.RobinsonalsoexplainednonchalantlytohisfriendsinBrazilthatblackslavescouldeasilybeboughtontheAfricancoast.AsXuryoncebeingenslavedwithRobinson,later,thelittleboywasenslavedtoRobinsonagainunderthethreatofbeingthrownintotheseawhenRobinsonescapedfromslavery.Somecriticswouldarguethatuaskinghimswearotherwisethrewhimintoseahadnoviciousintentionbutforprudence.Inaddition,RobinsonhadeverpromisedthathewouldmakeXuryagreatmanifXurywouldbetruetohim.Nonetheless,wehadlearnedthatthefateofXurywasoncemoresoldtothecaptainwhohelpedthemoutoftrap.DefoedescribedthatuRobinsonwasreluctanttogivetheboytothecaptainatfirstforhewasloathtoselltheboy,sliberty,butafterbeingofferedamedium,thecaptainhadhimbecausehewouldgivetheboyanobligationtosethimfreeintenyearsifheturnedtobeaChristian.,(Defoe,26)lttoldthatitwasthecivilizedreligiousfaithChristianitythatdeliveredXuryandhisliberty.Herewasanotherexpressionofthewhite'smythology.Meanwhile,Xurywaswrittentobewillingtogotohim,whichreducedthedevilpracticeofslaverysystem.Asamatteroffact,athistimes,hehadnorighttodecidehisfateandincolonialliterature,'theother,'wasalwaysdescribedasvoiceless.Hence,itjustifiedfortheslaverysystem.2.EnslavingtheSavage-FridayWiththerisingofBritainEmpire5BritishpeoplewereconfidentintheirraceandCUltUre.(陈兵,2006:71)Theybelievedthattheyweresuperiorto,theother".TheyheldthefaiththatGodwasontheirsideandcalledthemtodeliverthesavagesandcivilizethem.Consequently,enslavingthesavage-FridaywasoneessentialstepinRobinson'splantorealizethetask.Furthermore,theformerpartofthenovelprovedthatowningaslavewasreasonable.FridayIivedinaprimitivetribewiththenatureofman-eatingandalsoavictimofthebloodycustom.Robinsonrepresentedthe',CivilizedWesternMan",whodroveawaytheIndieswithadvancedarms-gunandpowder,andthenhewasjusttodeliverFridayfromthecannibals.WhenhemetFriday,hesaidFridaywasmeanttobehisservant.HeclaimedthathewouldmakeFridayleadauhappy,1ife.lnordertothankforhisdeliverance,Fridaybecamehisservant.Butfromthatmoment,thelibertywasdeprived.Fridayhadlefthishornetownandhisrelativesforever.Hewasforcedtosuffertheextremelyagonyofhomesickandmissingrelatives.Asweknow,Fridaywasamanwholovedhisrelativesverymuch.Inthenovel,whenhemethisfather,theaffectionhetreatedhisfathereventouchedRobinson.ltdepictedthat:.butwhenFridaycametohearhimspeak,andlookinhisface,itwouldhavemovedanyonetotears,tohaveseenhowFridaykissedhim,embracedhim,huggedhim,cried,laughed,hallooed,jumpedabout,danced,sung,thencriedagain,wrunghishands,beathisownfaceandhead,andthensungandjumpedaboutagain,Iikeadistractedcreature.ltwasagoodwhilebeforeIcouldmakehimspeaktome,ortellmewhatwasthematter;butwhenhecamealittletohimselfhetoldmethatitwashisfather.Itisnoteasyformetoexpresshowitmovedmetoseewhatecstasyandfilialaffectionhadworkedinthispoorsavage,atthesightofhisfatherandofhisbeingdeliveredfromdeath;norindeedcanIdescribehalftheextravagancesofhisaffectionafterthis;forhewentintotheboatandoutoftheboatagreatmanytimes.Whenhewentintohim,hewouldsitdownbyhim,openhisbreast,andholdhisfather'sheadclosetohisbosom,halfanhourtogether,tonourishit;thenhetookhisarmsandankles,whichwerenumbedandstiffwiththebinding,andchafedandrubbedthemwithhishands;.,(Defoe,191-192)FromtheversionofFridaymethisfatheragain,wecanfindthatFridayrathermissedhisownmotherlandandrelatives.Thewhitedidn'treleasehimfromdisasterbuthadhimintoanotherone:losinglibertyandlongingforrelatives.AlthoughDefoetriedtopersuadethatitwasreasonabletoenslave"theother",wecanstillreadthemiserablelifeofTriday,.ThelatterwelltellusthattheirlivesneverturnedouttoeasierwhentheychangedintotheslavesofthewesternersandChristiansjinstead,theywerereducedtomuchworseconditionssincethecolonistsneverplantobringblesstothembutfortheirowninterests.Theyweresheermerchantsonlyconcerningmoreaboutprofits.Wheitturnedtothehistory,wewouldfoundthattheevilpracticesofslavedealwereprovedprettywel3.TheHistoryofEvilSlaveDealandSlaverySystemDuringthisperiodofhistory,slaves,particularlyblackslaveswereborntobeingcommoditiesthatcouldbeeasilyboughtandsoldatslavemarkets.Theslavetradebecameahuge,lucrativebusinessthatdidnottakeintoaccounttheimmensesufferingandhumiliationofthesepoorhumanbeings.TheEngIishjFrenchandPortuguesehadtradedinslavessincethemiddleofthel6thcentury.SirJohnHawkins,oneofqueenElizabeth'sprivateers,becamethefirstEnglishmantotradeinAfricanSlaves.Englishseacaptaintradedcloth,gunsandcheapirongoodsforWestAfricanslavescapturedbylocalslavetraders.Thesewretchedpeoplewerebrutallycaptured,crammedintoshipsandchainedtothelowerdecksfortheirentirejourneyacrosstheAtlanticOcean.Fromthe1500stothe1800s,about12millionAfricanswereshippedacrosstheAtlantic.Someoftheslavesdidnotsurvivetheordeal.Abouttwomilliondiedduringthejourney.Thosewhosurvivedweresoldtotobaccoandsugarplantationowners,mainlyinJamaicaandBarbados1Wheretheyworkedincrediblylonghoursinaveryhotclimate.Theirlivingconditionswereappalling.HoweverJnRobinsonCrusoe,theseconditionswereerasedcompletely.GreatBritainhadsetupcoloniesontheeastcoastofmainlandAmericaduringthefirstpartofthe17thcentury.TheNewEnglandcoloniesengagedina',triangularslavetrade",whichinvolvedslaves.SugarcanewasbroughtfromtheWestIndiestoNewEnglandwhereitwasrefinedandmadeintorum.TherumwasthentradedontheWestCoastofAfricaforblackslaves.TheslaveswhoenduredtheextenuatingjourneyacrosstheAtlanticweresoldtoplantationownersintheWestIndies.Tobacco,cottonandsugarcanewerethemostimportantproductsoftheBritishcoloniesofthesoutheasternAmericanmainland.Blackslavesonhugeplantationscultivatedthem.ThemiseryandsufferingoftheplantationslavesinspiredtheAmericanauthor,HarrietBeecherStowe,towritethenovelUncleTom'sCabin,atouchingstorythatintensifiedanti-slaverysentimentintheNorth.SlaveryintheSouthwasoneofthereasonsthatledtotheAmericanCivilWarof1861.In1865theSouthlosttheWarandSlaverywasabolishedintheUnitedStates.InRobinsonCrusoejRobinsonwasthespokesmanofDefoeaswellasthosemerchantsandcapitalistswhosupportedslavetradeandslaverysystem.AlthoughtherewerenofuriouswordsasirritatingasinUncleTom'sCabin,theevilpracticeofclaiming"theother's*'humanrightandlibertywasobvious.B.TheSuperiorRaceandtheInferiorRaceIfthecolonialdiscourseofmasterandslavewasonaccountofeconomicfactor,thewhitemythologyofthesuperiorraceandtheotherpeoplesastheinferiorraceswasthebasiccontextthatWesternscholarsoftenConstructed.EspeciallywhenBritishfromasmallislandcountryrosesharplyandbecameanEmpire5Suchaccepteddiscoursewasdominatedtheirculture.Besides,EnglishscholarEllekeBoehmerhadeverpointedoutthat:”BlitiShareanationthatinherentlyidentifiedtherestoftheworldas,theOther陈兵，2006:72)Geographically,Britainwasfeaturedasalongandnarrowislandsurroundedbythesea.Yetintheirmind,providedthatthoseraceswerebelongtonon-whiteswhoseimageswerelikelytosuffertwistedas"theother"tostressthecivilizationandjustofBritishPeople.InRobinsonCrusoeJikemanyothercolonialliterature,thewhitesweredescribedasthe"thesuperiorrace"andclicheasthejustandkindpeople;bycontrast,"theother"-theblacksalongtheAfricancoastandtheAmericanIndieswereidentifiedas"theinferiorrace"andstereotypedasthebarbarouscreaturewithprimitivelifestyle,uncivilizedbehavior,awkwardanduglywayofdancingandthemostinhumaneconventionofeatingman'sflesh.1 .TheJustandKindWhitesInthestoryofRobinson'sadventuringlife,hemetfourcaptainsandanEnglishwidow,allofwhorepresentedthecivilizedandjustwesterners.Thefirstcaptainhemetwasthefatherofoneofhisfriends,whoservedhimtogotoseaforthefirsttime.Thefirsttrialwasafailure:theirshipmetterriblestormandsank,thoughtheyweresaved.Despitehewasatagreatloss,hestillturnedtoRobinsonwithaverygraveandconcernedtonelikehisfathertopersuadehimnevertogotoseaanymore.ThesecondmasterhefellacquaintedwithwasthemasterofashipinLondon.Thiscaptainwasanhonestandplaindealingman.Althoughthiscaptaindiedsoon,theybuiltastrictfriendship.Withthecaptain'sintegrity,honestyandhospital,helearnedalotandsetupforatrader.Later,thecaptain'swidowcontinuedtosupporthimaskindasthecaptain,evenifshewasinunfavorableconditions.ThethirdkindcaptaindeliveredRobinsonfromtheseawhenheescapedoutofslavery.Hewasnotonlykindtosavebutalsogenerousdeliveredgoodsforhimwithouttakinganythingfromhim,forhebelievedthat,ulhavesavedyourlifeonnoothertermsthanIwouldbegladtobesavedmyself,anditmayonetimeorotherbemylottobetakenupinthesamecondition;besides,'saidhe,'whenIcarryyoutotheBraziIsjSOgreatthatawayfromyourowncountry,ifIshouldtakefromyouwhatyouhave,youwillbestarvedthere,andthenIonlytakeawaythatlifeIhavegiven.No,no,SeigniorInglese,sayshe(Mr.Englishman),lwillcarryyouthitherincharity,andthosethingswillhelpyoutobuyyousubsistencethereandyourpassagehomeagain.(Defoe,25)Defoealsodepictedthatthismasterwascharitablenotonlyinhisproposal,b