英语专业论文英语谚语中的别歧视研究 12页

英语谚语中的性别歧视研究作者：赵俊学号：09080230指导教师：刘萍摘要：语言如同一面镜子，真实地反映了各种社会习俗、价值观念。谚语作为语言的精髓，浓缩了文化的内涵。它源远流长，历经一代又一代的传承。它来源于人们日常的生活经验，故能清楚地显现生活中的种种社会现象。因此，透过英语谚语探索性别歧视这一社会现象更具代表性和说服力。本文从社会语言学角度出发，运用总结归纳法从三大方向和七个小点阐述了性别歧视在英语谚语中的具体体现，并从历史、生理和心理三个方面探究这一现象产生的原因。关键词：英语；性别语言；谚语；性别歧视 OnthePolyphonicFeaturesofTotheLighthouseAuthor:HuYanlingNumber:09080605Tutor:GuoXiaochunAbstract:TotheLighthouseisoneofthemostprominentworksoftheBritishnovelistVirginiaWoolf.Previousstudiesonthenovelhavefocusedonherfeministthoughts,poeticstyle,andstream-of-consciousnesstechniques.Infact,Woolfhasmadefulluseofthesynchroniccharacteristicsofpolyphony,bringingasymphonicsoundeffectofmultiplevoicepartstothenovel.ThetheoryofpolyphonyisproposedbyMikhailBakhtinwhenheresearchestheworksoftheRussianwriterDostoevsky.AccordingtoBakhtin,manyindependentandunmergedvoicesandvaluableconsciousnessinaworkcomposethetruepolyphony.Heborrowsthemusicaltermpolyphonytodescribesuchmultiple-voicedphenomenoninthecreationofthenovel.Thisthesisbeginswithanalysisofthepolyphonictheory,anddiscussesemphaticallythetypicalpolyphonicfeaturesdialogism,heteroglossiaandunfinalizability,whichareembodiedinTotheLighthouse,thenrevealsthepolyphonyofthestructure,themeandtheimageofMrs.Ramsayinthenovel,soastoexcavatetheartisticvalueofthenovel.Keywords:VirginiaWoolf;TotheLighthouse;polyphonyIIntroductionVirginiaWoolf,adistinguishedfemalewriter,isregardedasoneoftheliterarygiantsinthehistoryofEnglishliteratureofthe20thcentury.Sheisagreatpioneerandinnovatorinthefieldofmodernfiction.TotheLighthouseisgenerallyregarded,alongwithJacob"sRoom,Mrs.DallowayandTheWaves,asoneofWoolf’sformallyexperimentalnovels.Sinceitspublicationin1930s,ithasbeenthefavouriteofboththeauthorherselfandliterarycritics.Whenshefinishedit,Woolfsaid,"Mypresentopinionisthatitiseasilythebestofmybooks"(Evans,1989:101).Overthepastthreedecades,TotheLighthousehasbeenstudiedfromvariedtheoreticalperspectives,includingpostmodernism,feminism,newcriticism,psychoanalysis,andhistoricalandsocialcontext.IIABriefSurveyofPolyphonyThewordpolyphonyoriginatesfromanancientGreekwordpoliphonia,andpolireferstomany,phoniameansvoice,andthustheinitialmeaningofpolyphonyismanyvoices.Atthebeginning,itisusedasamusicalconcept,whichdescribesthemusiccomposedofseveralindependenttunesormultiple—voice,eachdistinctwhileconnectedharmoniously,andeachvoicesharestheequalposition.Itisquitedifferentfromthemonophonywhichcharacterizestheonlyonedominantvoiceaccompaniedbychords.Borrowedfromthemusic,thetermpolyphonyisadoptedasapossiblefictionalmode,whichiscompletelydifferentfromthemonologic authoritativediscourse.2.1MikhailBakhtinandTheoryofthePolyphonicNovelAsoneofthegreatestRussianideologistsinthe20thcentury,MikhailBakhtin"scontributiontotheliteratureissogreatthatthestudyonhisliteraryheritagehasformedaworldwideacademicactivity.Toresearchhimandhisideologyfurther,evenanindependentschoolhasbeenestablishednamedasBakhtinstudies,orbakhtinology.Bakhtincreatesandproposesalargequantityofgoldenandsignificantideasallhislife,andthepolyphonycanbeconsideredasthemostrepresentativeandbrilliantone.Nowadays,manyBakhtinschooltheoristsstarttoemphasizetheirstudyfocusontheconcreteutterancesofpeopleinspecialsocialcontexts,andtheyareinterestedinthestudyofwordorlanguageinrealsocialbackground.Actually,thewordisalwaysaccompaniedbyadialogue,whilethedialogueandthestretchofdiscourseisjustthebasicelementoflanguageinBakhtinology.Forthemostrepresentativefeatureofpolyphonyisdialogism,thetheoryofpolyphonictheorycanbeinterpretedandsupplementedunceasinglybymanyothergreattheorists.WiththepublicationoftheProblemsofDostoevsky"sPoetics,thetheoryofpolyphonywasintroducedformally.AccordingtoBakhtin,thepolyphonicnovelcanrepresentamultiplicityofvoicesorideastoalargeextent,anditisonlythepolyphonyownstheabilitytogivethecharactersfreedom.Thatistosay,Bakhtinhasfoundawholenewpolyphonicrealm.2.2TheTypicalFeaturesofthePolyphonicNovelAccordingtoBakhtin,thereadercanhearmanycompetingvoicesinthepolyphonicnovel,andthesevoicesalljoinedthedialogues.Theyannouncedtheirownopinionsequally,andthereisneverfinalwordinthestory.Thevoicesowntheirrighttoopposetheauthor"scontrol.Theyarefreeandstandswiththewritertogether,thentheauthorhereismorelikeanotherhero,heknowsnothingaboutwhatthecharactersdonext,sometimes,hemightevenbesurprisedbythehero"swordsanddialoguesnowandthen.Bakhtinpointsthat"Dostoevsky,likeGoethe"sPrometheus,createsnotvoicelessslaves(asdoesZeus),butfreepeople,capableofstandingalongsidetheircreator,capableofnotagreeingwithhim,andevenofrebellingagainsthim"(Bakhtin,1984:6).Inordertomakethesubstanceofpolyphonyclearer,Bakhtindefinesseveralcharacteristicstodistinguishthepolyphonicnovelfromotherliteraryforms.Amongthesefeatures,themosttypicalonesaredialogism,heteroglossiaandunfinalizability.2.2.1DialogismDialogismasthemostrepresentativecharacteristicofthepolyphonicnovel,especiallydisplaysBakhtin"spointofviewontheworld"sexistingstate,composingcodeandthewhole processofitscreation.AccordingtoBakhtin,thetruthwaspresentedinthedialogicrelationshipbetweenthecharacters.Thedialogiccommunicationexistshereandthere;theyappearinthehumandailylifeandalltheconsciousness.Inotherwords,whentheconsciousnessbegins,thedialoguebeginswithit,andalltherelationshipsamongtheinternalandexternalpartsaredialogic.Itcanbesaidthatawholepolyphonicnovelisagreatdialogue.2.2.2HeteroglossiaInthepolyphonicnovel,thevoiceorthelanguageistherealsymbolofthecharacter.Thereaderscanonlyhearthem,butnotreadthem.Thesevoicesandlanguagesnotonlyrepresentthehero"sopinionsonsometriflesinthedailylife,theyalsoexpressthe"convictions"or"pointofviewontheworld"(Bakhtin,1984:78).Thismany-voicednessisnamedasHeteroglossia,anditisanabsoluteindispensablecharacteristicforanypolyphonicnovel.2.2.3UnfinalizabilityInapolyphonicnovel,dialogueexistseverywhere,andthedialogicrelationshipisunfinished,withnogenuineend,suchcharacteristicsthusmakethereadersnoticeanotherfeatureofpolyphony,thatis,unfinalizability.Asthelastcharacteristicofthepolyphonicnovel,itisactuallydeterminedbytheprevioustwofeatures,thatistosay,unfinalizabilityistherequirementfordialogismandheteroglossia,especiallyfordialogism.Bakhtinonceclaimedthatthedialogueistheminimumrequirementforexistingofpeopleandtheirconsciousness,andifthedialoguecontinues,theneverythingcannotend.IIITheEmbodimentofPolyphonyinTotheLighthouseInthispart,thepolyphonicfeaturesofTotheLighthousewillbediscussedindepth,andI"dliketogiveadetailedanalysisofitthroughthreeaspects,theyarethepolyphonyofthestructure,thethemeandtheimageofMrs.Ramsay.3.1ThePolyphonyoftheStructureInTotheLighthouse,Woolfabandonsthetraditionallineartime-spaceframework,andchangesthepositionoftheauthoritariannarratorswiththeunilateralandlimitednarration.Sheadoptsauniquesymphonicstructuretoleadthereadersintoarelativefreesubjectiveworld.ThephenomenonofheteroglossiainthenovelismainlycomposedofthenarrationsofMrs.Ramsay,Mr.Ramsay,theatheistTansley,LilyBriscoe,andWilliamBankesandtheirmonologuesaretheunmergedvoicesinthepolyphonicrealm.Therearemanyvoicesformthedistinguisheddialogueswhichhappeninginaspecialtime-spacekingdomandsuchuniquecarnivalesquechronotopehasreallyprovidedthesoundbackgroundofthisnovel.Thus,differentnarrator"svoicesandconsciousnessappearandcollideinthepolyphonicrealm,fortheconsciousnessofthemisonlyonevoiceoftheunfinishedgreatdialogue.It eventuallyleadstotheopenendofthenovel.Inthisway,thepolyphonicfeaturesembodiedandinterpretedinthismeticulousstructuraldesign.Thepolyphonicprotagonistsowntherighttothinkbythemselvesandspeakforthemselves,andthewriteronlydiscusseswiththemequallyinthenovel.Therefore,itisveryhardforthereaderstounderstandtheauthor"srealintention.WhenwereadTotheLighthouse,wemayfeelthatvariousvoicesaroundus,andwemayatalossimmediately.Tobreaksuchmist,weshouldinterpretallthesevoicesasawhole,agreatsymphony.Thestoryiscomposedofthreeparts.Inthefirstpart,TheRamsaysareonvocationwithsomefriendsintheirvillabythesea.TheyoungestchildJamesputsforwardarequest"goingtothelighthouse"thenextday,whichreceiveswarmresponsefromhismother,butcoldandrationaldisapprovalfromhisfatherwiththeweatherbeingpossiblybadastheexcuse.Withtheflowofconsciousness,thepictureshiftsfrommotherandsontoothermembersandfriendsofthefamilyandthentofamilydinnerpartywithbeautifulhostessMrs.Ramsayasthecenter.Inthesecondpart,thewarbreaksoutandtenyearspassesinwhichMrs.Ramsaypassesawaysuddenly,herbeautifuldaughterPruegetsmarriedbutlaterdiesofchildbirth,andhercleversonAndrewdiesonthefront.Inthethirdpart,thebrokenfamilyreturnstothevillabythesea,andundertheleadershipofMr.Ramsay,togetherwithhistwochildrenCamandJames,theysetoutforthelighthouse.InTotheLighthouse,Woolfgivesprominencetothecharacters"consciousness,makingthevoicesofthemresoundthroughthewholework,andshe,herself,fadesouttothebackstage.Itdoesnotmeanthelosingofhervoice,foractually,theobjectivenarrationfromtheauthorandthesubjectiveinnermonologueproceedalternately.Asaresult,thevoiceoftheauthorisreflectedclearly,andatthesametime,charactershavetheopportunitiestouttertheirownvoices,performingasymphonyofthecommontheme:searchingfortruemeaningoflife.Thevoiceoftheauthorisembodiedintheconstructionoftheframeofthenovel,theprosepoemlikelyricsentences,andtheoccasionalcomments.Theauthorplaystheroleofconductorinthewholework.First,astheconductorofanorchestra,theauthorholdsthepieceofmusicasawhole.Shebuildstheframeofthenovelinphysicaltime.Wordsreflectingthephysicaltime,like"tenyears","evening","dinner"and"morning",areusedtounfoldtheplot.However,thedepictionsofthespecificsarecomparativelyfaintandcompendious.Therealitiesoflifeasbirth,oldage,illnessanddeath,war,peace,andmostofthecontentsrecordedatlargeintraditionalrealisticliteraryworksarebrieflynarratedbytheauthor.Someofthemarelabeledinthebracketsasiftheyaredispensable.Thisnarrativestylefullyreflectstheauthor"srenovatingandrevoltingvoiceto realism.Whattheauthorconcernsisthespiritualworldofpeople.Throughsomanysentenceslike"she/hesaid","she/hethought"and"she/hefelt",sheconductsthecharacterstouttertheirownvoices.Second,thenarrationinthenovelisfullofpoeticquality,especiallyinthesecondpart,Timepasses.Theauthorfastensheremotionsinthelyricwords,inwhichhervoiceisrepresentedbestofall.Forexample:Sowiththelampsallputout,themoonsunk,andathinraindrummingontheroofadownpouringofimmensedarknessbegan.Nothing,itseemed,couldsurvivetheflood...(Woolf,2011:97)Sowiththehouseemptyandthedoorslockedandthemattressesrolledround,thosestrayairs...blusteredin,…metnothing...butonlyhangingsthatflapped,woodthatcreaked,thebarelegsoftables,saucepansandchinaalreadyfurred,tarnished,cracked.(Woolf,2011:100)Thesedepictionsaredrearyandgloomy.Bythisstyle,theauthorwithemotionthatthenightscannotbeobstructed,andtimepasseswiththesituationchanged.Sheconductstheorchestratoperformhereinadolorosotonecolor.Butwhatafterallisonenight…Night,however,succeedstonight.(Woolf,2011:99)Lovelinessandstillnessclaspedhandsinthebedroom...reiteratingtheirquestions-"Willyoufade?Willyouperish?"...Asifthequestiontheyaskedscarcelyneededthattheyshouldanswer:weremain.(Woolf,2011:100)Inspringthegardenurns,casuallyfilledwithwind-blownplants,weregayasever.(Woolf,2011:105)Throughthesenarrations,theplaintoftheauthorisheard:timeneverceasesandlifeneverstops;thewholelifeofhumanbeingscirculateswithoutanend;onlymeltinginthewholelifeofhumanbeings,canindividuallifeobtainitseternity.Itistheauthor"sprofoundunderstandingtowardslife.Third,theauthor’svoiceofcommentcanoccasionallybeheardinthedescriptionsofthestreamofconsciousnessofthecharacters.Forexample,inthenovel,whenMrs.RamsayshowsherfriendlinesstoMr.Carmichaelbutencountershisrejectionandobviation,shebeginstodoubt.Forherownself-satisfactionwasitthatshewishedsoinstinctivelytohelp,togive,thatpeoplemightsayofher,"OMrs.Ramsay!DearMrs.Ramsay…Mrs.Ramsay,ofcourse!"andneedhersendforherandadmireher?Wasitnotsecretlythisshewanted,andthereforewhenMr.Carmichaelshrankawayfromhe...shedidnotfeelmerelysnubbedbackinherinstinct,butmadeawareofthepettinessofsomepartofher,andofhumanrelations,howflawedtheyare,howdespicable,howself-seeking,attheirbest.(Woolf,2011:32) Ifthereaderacceptsthisautocriticismasareality,theperfectfigureofMrs.Ramsaywouldbedestroyedimmediately,becauseoncethereaderfindthatthevirtueofhertogivehelptoothersproceedsfromthesatisfactionofherownvanity,theimageofherwouldbesointolerable.However,thenarrationoftheauthorhaseliminatedthepossibledanger.Throughtheinterrogativesentence,thereadercanknowallofthesethoughtsarenottherealinnerthoughtsofherownbutherplainttotheselfishnatureofthewholehumanbeings.So,theauthor"spraisetothecharacter"scourageofmakingautocriticismhasbeenreflectedobviously.Examplesofthiskindareplenty.Spacelimited,unnecessarydetailsarenotgiven.Charactersinthenovelallinterpretthemeaningoflifeintheirownways.Theauthorusestheindirectinteriormonologuesonalargescaletoleadthemutteringtheirvoices,formingrespectivevoiceparts.3.2ThePolyphonyoftheThemeThethemeofanovelmaybeexpositedinmanyways,andinTotheLighthouse,Woolfadoptsauniqueframeworktopresentthethematicmaterials,thatis,thesonata.Inthenovel,allthecharactersmakedialogueandallofthemtrytoexpressthethoughtsfromtheirownanglesandprovethattheiropinionsareright,buttheyinevitablyexplorethesametheme.Thisuniquedesignthusmakesthethemefullofpolyphoniccolor.Thefirstpartofthenovel,TheWindowplaystheroleofexpositioninsonataforminthethematicpresentation,inwhichMrs.Ramsay"sGoddess-likebeauty,benevolenceandactiveattitudetowardslifemakeupthefirsttheme.TimePassesinthenovelcorrespondswiththedevelopmentofthesonataform.Inthispart,themeexposedintheexpositionistreatedinnewways.Theyarebrokenintofragmentsthatcantakeondifferentandunexpectedemotionalmeanings.Thefragmentsarequiteenoughtoembodytheprogressingofthethemeandsetsharpcontrastwiththefirstpartofthenovel.Theopeningofthedevelopment,TimePasses,correspondswiththeendoftheexpositioninadarkenedtone.Thetwochaptersatthebeginninghaveplayedtheroleofanintroductorypartindevelopment.Witheveryoneretiringinhisorherroom,thehousesinksintofloodeddarkness.Thewindcreepsindoorsandistheonlymovement.Theairplaysacrossobjectsofthehouse―wallpaper,books,andflowers.Itcreepsupthestairsandcontinuesonitsway,andthesameisthemelodyitself.Fromthethirdchapteron,thethemeexpositedinTheWindowareprogressinginfragments.However,theycanbeseizedfromthemuchquickenedpassageoftime.Mrs.Ramsay,therepresentativeofthefirsttheme,theGoddess-likehostess,thepeacemaker,diessuddenly.However,thethemehasnotceasedprogressing;onthecontrary,thefirstthemegathersgreatenergyhere,pushingforwardthemelody.Onadisorderedbackground,itappearseverandagain. Thereisno"imagebringingthenighttoorderandmakingtheworldreflectthecompassofthesoul"again(Woolf,2011:99)."Thehanddwindlesinhishand;thevoicebellowsinhisear"(Woolf,2011:99)."ThethemeinthispartisrecollectedmostinMrs.McNab"smemory.Whilecleaning,theoldwomancomesacrossthegraycloakthatMrs.RamsayusedtowearwhilegardeningandshecanimagineMrs.Ramsaybentoverherflowerswithoneofherchildrenbyherside.Toher,Mrs.Ramsay"swordsarestillalive:"Good-evening,MrsMcNab"(Woolf,2011:105).ShehasapleasantwaywithMrs.McNabandthegirlsalllikeher.Sheiswellrememberedinhergraycloak."...Faintandflickering,likeayellowbeamorthecircleattheendofatelescope,aladyinagraycloak,stoopingoverherflowers,wentwanderingoverthebedroomwall,upthedressing-table"(Woolf,2011:106).Faintasitis,thethemehascollectedapotentialpowertodeclarethatthedarkness,chaosanddeatharetemporal;allofthemwilltickaway;andwithanewcantobeginning,itisdestinedtodominatethemelodyagain.ThethemeofthewholenovelisenlightenedinthethirdpartTotheLighthouse.Thispartcorrespondswithrecapitulationinsonataform.Inmusictheory,therecapitulationisoneofthesectionsofamovementwritteninsonataform.Therecapitulationoccursafterthemovement"sdevelopmentsection,andtypicallypresentsoncemorethemusicalthemesfromthemovement"sexposition.Thismaterialismostoftenrecapitulatedinthetonickeyofthemovement,insuchawaythatitreaffirmsthatkeyasthemovement"shomekey.Itconsistsofthereturnofthefirsttheme,transition,thereturnofthesecondtheme,andashortcodetta.Thereturnedfirstthemeisnormallygivenprominenceashighlightofarecapitulation,anditisusuallyinexactlythesamekeyformasintheexposition,yetitundergoessomevariation.Mrs.Ramsay"sGoddess-likebeauty,benevolenceandactiveattitudetowardlifemakeupthefirstthemeinexposition,whileinrecapitulation,herindeliblespirituallightisshiningallthesame,thoughitundergoesvariationanditdoesnotcoincideexactlywithwhatitappearsbefore.Mrs.Ramsayhasbeendead;herspirituallightisbrightlyshinedinLily"smemorytowardher,whichdoesnotlessenitsbrightness,instead,setsoffitsraysoflight,justenlighteningthefirsttheme.Memoryisthevitalsteptowardthereturnofharmony.ItisMrs.RamsaywhohastaughtLilyavaluablelessonaboutthenatureofart.WhenLilyresumesherpaintingofMrs.Ramsay,sheremembersadayonthebeachwithTansleyandMrs.Ramsay,andisamazedbyMrs.Ramsay"sabilitytocraftsubstanceoutofeven"sillinessandspite"(Woolf,2011:124).Thereis,toher,onlythememoryofMrs.Ramsaymakinglifeitselfanart.LilyfeelsthatsheoweswhatshehasinthismomenttoMrs.Ramsay,whohasdemonstratedthatartistheabilitytotakeamomentfromlifeandmakeit"permanent"(Woolf,2011:125).Withthisgoalinmind,Lilybeginstopaint.Mrs.RamsayandthepastsofherguestsandchildrenhauntLily"smind.Lilycalls outtoMrs.Ramsayasifthewomanmightreturn,butnothinghappens.SheimaginesMrs.Ramsay,radiantwithbeautyandcrownedwithflowers,walkingacrossthelawn.Theimagesoothesher.Lily"slongingforMrs.Ramsayisaresultofunderstandingherasamorecomplicated,flawedindividual.LilycallsoutMrs.Ramsay"sname,asifattemptingtochantherbackfromthegrave.Mrs.Ramsay"sbeautyhasalwaysrenderedLilyspeechless,butLilynowrealizesthat"beautyhadthispenalty-itcametooreadily,cametoocompletely.Itstilledlife-frozeit"(Woolf,2011:137).ShemimicsMrs.Ramsay"spsychologicalgestureofsmoothingawaylife"scomplexitiesandflawsunderaveneerofbeauty.Backonshore,LilylosesherselfinherintensememoriesofMrs.Ramsay.BesideLily"smemory,thereturnedfirsttheme,Mrs.Ramsay"sspirituallight,shinesbrightlyinJames"memory.Heremembershismother,wholefthimsittingwiththeArmyandNavyStorescatalogueafterMr.Ramsaydismissedtheirinitialtriptothelighthouse.Mrs.Ramsayremainsasourceof"everlastingattraction"(Woolf,2011:145)toJames,forhebelievesshespokethetruthandsaidexactlywhatcameintoherhead.Finally,withMrs.Ramsay"sunderstandingofthetruemeaningoflifeandtherevelationonart,Lily"spaintingofMrs.Ramsayhasbeenfinished,andatthemeantime,thereturnofthefirstthemehasbeencompletedsuccessfully.3.3ThepolyphonyoftheimageofMrs.RamsayTotheLighthouseconsistsofthreeparts,andthefirstpartoccupiesmorethanonehalfofthewholenovelinwhichMrs.Ramsayisthecentralfigure.Inthesecondandthirdparts,althoughMrs.Ramsaydiesofasuddendeath,herimageappearsinotherpeople’sreminiscenceandimaginationagainandagainasifshewerestilllivinginthenovel.Infact,Mrs.Ramsayiscertainlytherealheroineofthenovel,whiletheauthorseldomdescribeherimagedirectly,beingthefocusandobsessionofothercharacters’world,Mrs.Ramsayisindirectlydepictedthroughtheeyesofotherfigures.InMr.Bankes"simagination,Mrs.Ramsayisasbeautifulasagoddess."Hesawherattheendoftheline,Greek,blue-eyed,straight-nosed.Howincongruousitseemedtobetelephoningtoawomanlikethat.TheGracesassemblingseemedtohavejoinedhandsinmeadowsofasphodeltocomposethatface."(Woolf,2011:21).Mrs.Ramsayisawomanwithdistinctenchantment,whohasnotonlyremarkablebeauty,butalsoextremelyrichinnerworld.AlthoughMrs.Ramsaypaystheleastattentiontoherownbeauty,herbeautyreallydoesgoodtoherandotherpeople.Forexample,shefindsthatpeopleareeasilypleasedbyherbeauty:Afterall,shehadnotgenerallyanydifficultyinmakingpeoplelikeher;forinstance,GeorgeManning;Mr.Wallace;famousastheywere,theywouldcometoherofanevening,quietly,and talkaloneoverherfire.Sheboreaboutwithher,shecouldnothelpknowingit,thetorchofherbeauty;shecarriediterectintoanyroomthatsheentered;andafterall,veilitasshemight,andshrinkfromthemonotonyofbearingthatitimposedonher,herbeautywasapparent.Shehadbeenadmired.Shehadbeenloved.(Woolf,2011:30).Herbeautycanalsohelpmenregainconfidence.WhenMr.TansleyfeelsembarrassedforhisimprudentsupportofMr.Ramsay"sdisagreementtothelighthousethenextday,Mrs.Ramsayaskshimtogowithhertoatownvisitforcompany.Whenheiswaitingforherreturnfromapoorwoman,hefindsthatshe...stoodquitemotionlessforamomentagainstapictureofQueenVictoriawearingtheblueribbonoftheGarter;andallatonceherealizedthatitwasthis:itwasthis一shewasthemostbeautifulpersonhehadeverseen.Withstarsinhereyesandveilsinherhair,withcyclamenandwildviolets一whatnonsensewashethinking?Shewasfiftyatleast;shehadeightchildren.Steppingthroughfieldsofflowersandtakingtoherbreastbudsthathadbrokenandlambsthathadfallen;withthestarsinhereyesandthewindinherhair...CharlesTansleyfeltanextraordinarypride;feltthewindandthecyclamenandthevioletsforhewaswalkingwithabeautifulwomanforthefirsttimeinhislife.Hehadholdofherbag.(Woolf,2011:10-11).Mrs.Ramsay"sbeautyisalsoreflectedinotherfigures"eyes.Heryoungestson,James"feltherriseinarosy-floweredfruittreelaidwithleavesanddancingboughs".(Woolf,2011:28).Andwhensheisinpensivemood,Mr.Ramsay"turnedandsawher.Ah!Shewaslovely,loveliernowthaneverhethought.Buthecouldnotspeaktoher.Hecouldnotinterrupther...Shewasalooffromhimnowinherbeauty,inhersadness…".(Woolf,2011:47).IVTheInevitabilityofPolyphonyinTotheLighthouse4.1TheSubjectiveInevitabilityVirginiaWoolfisfamousnotonlyforherbrilliantliterarytalentintheliteraryworld,butherattainmentsonmusicandpaintingaswell.Thisisduetoherspeciallifeexperience.Insteadofgoingtoschool,shefreelystudiedreading,writing,paintingandmusicalperformingathome.Shehadtwosisters.Oneofthemwasapainter,andtheotheraviolinperformer.Besides,therewerewriters,artistsandmusiciansintheBloomsburyGroup,whichWoolftookpartin.Theyoftendiscussedliteratureandarttogether.Alloftheseabovehaveexertedgreatinfluenceonherwriting,andhavemadeitpossibleforhertousemusicalmethodsforreference.Sheisgoodatunderstandingmusic.Toher,musicisjustasignificantformformodernfiction.ShestatesinMomentsofBeing:〝HamletoraBeethovenquarteristhetruthaboutthisvastmassthatwecalltheworld.ButthereisnoShakespeare,thereisnoBeethoven;certainlyandemphaticallythereisnoGod;wearetheword;wearethemusic;wearethethingitself".(Woolf,1985:25). Asweallknown,Polyphony,literallymeaning"manysounds",describesamusicaltextureinwhichtwoormoremelodiclinesofrelativelyequalimportanceareperformedsimultaneously.Itisimportanttonotethatagroupofsingersarerequiredinpolyphonicmusic.ThetheoryofpolyphonyisproposedbyMikhailBakhtinwhenheresearcherstheworksoftheRussianwriterDostoevsky.Heborrowsthemusicaltermpolyphonytodescribesuchmultiple-voicedphenomenoninthecreationofthenovel.Besides,thesuddendeathofhermotherin1895,whenWoolfwas13,andthatofherhalf-sisterStellatwoyearslater,ledtothefirstofVirginia"sseveralnervousbreakdowns.Thedeathofherfatherin1904provokedhermostalarmingcollapse.ThosegreattraumasmakeWoolfformaconflictingemotiontowardsthelife.Thelifeisfulloftoomuchuncertaintyandcomplexityjustlikethepolyphonicworkitself.TheaboveshowsthateventhoughWoolfdon"tusethepolyphonicwritingpatternonpurpose,theexperienceofherlifeaffectsherwritingandleadshertoemploypolyphonicwritingpatternnaturally.4.2TheObjectiveInevitabilityWeallknowthateveryoneistheproductofthesociety,andnoonecanescapefromtheinfluenceofdistrict,societyandculturaltraditionwhereshegrewup,andthewriterisnoexception,thetimeawriterlivesandtheplacewhereshewasbroughtupareallthesourcesofhercreation,thatistosay,thewriter"screativethinkingcannotbeseparatedfromhersocietyandthroughheruniqueexperienceandobservation,aspecialpointofviewformed.Hermodeofthinking,aestheticlevelandoutlookonlifearealldeterminedbythoseobjectiveelements,besides,awriter"seducationbackground,careerandthepeopleshemetcanalsoeffectwhatshewouldliketowrite,howshecreate.Infact,theVictoriansocietyinwhichWoolflivedwasaman-centersociety;hence,womenhadnorightsoneconomiclife,politiclifeandeducation.Inordertoexpressherideasagainsttheman-centersocietyandherdeliberationondeath,WoolfmadegooduseofthepolyphonyinTotheLighthousetoshowhercomplexsenses,becausehercomplicatedfeelingscannotbeeasilyexpressedinatraditionalmonologuenovel.TheobjectiveenvironmentandbackgroundsuggeststhatWoolfshouldadoptthewritingformofthepolyphonicnovel,whichsuccessfullyreflectsBakhtin"sopinionwhenhecommentedonDostoevsky,"Themulti-levelandcontradictionofsocialrealitywaspresentasanobjectivefactoftheepoch."(Bakhtin,1984:27).Then,itisthecontradictoryandmulti-voicedobjectiveelementsofWoolf"sepochmakethepolyphonicnovelbecomeherverychoice.VConclusionThisthesisfocusesontheexplorationofthepolyphonicfeaturesofWoolf"smasterpieceTo theLighthouse.Fromtheanalysis,itisquiteobviousthatthepolyphonicfeaturesareembodiedinthenovel,andBakhtin"spolyphonictheoryhelpsalotinthisfurtherinterpretationandanalysisoftheartisticmysteryofthisnovel.Characterizedbythedistinguisheddialogicalinteraction,TotheLighthouseisanovelwithwhatBakhtincalls"agenuinepolyphonyoffullyvalidvoices"(Bakhtin,1984:29).Woolfdiscardsthetraditionallinearchronologyandreplacestheomniscientnarratorwithpersonallimitedpointsofview,andthusmakesthenovelshowtheevidentfeaturesofpolyphonicnovel.Itspolyphonicfeaturesaredemonstratedespeciallyinrespectsofthestructure,themeandtheimageofMrs.Ramsayinthisthesis.Bibliography[1]Bakhtin,Mikhail.ProblemsofDostoevsky"spoetics.EditedandtranslatedbyCarylEmerson[M].Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1984.[2]Dentith,Simon.BakhtinThought[M].NewYork,Routledge,1996.[3]Evans,William,A.VirginiaWoolf:StrategistofLanguage[M].Boston:UniversityofAmerica,Inc.,1989.[4]Woolf,Virginia.MomentsofBeing[M].Boston:HoughtonMifflinHarcourt,1985.[5]Woolf,Virginia.TotheLighthouse[M].NewYork:RandomHouse,2011.[6]伍尔夫·弗吉尼亚.到灯塔去[M].瞿世镜，译.上海：上海译文出版社，2009.[7]冷艳丽.《喧嚣与骚动》的复调性[D].辽宁大学，2011.[8]钱中文.“复调小说”及其理论问题—巴赫金的叙述理论之一[J].文艺理论研究,1983,(4):27－36.[9]王胜钰.伍尔夫的母性中心世界—论《到灯塔去》的主题[J].山东师大外国语学院学报，2000,(1):31－35.[10]张虹.悲怆而奇美的女性精神世界—解读弗吉尼亚·伍尔夫的小说创作[D].华中师范大学,2002.