Constructing the Imagined Communities——A Case Study of Waverley_英语论文

摘要

瓦尔特·司各特是英国著名的历史小说家和诗人。他的第一部小说《威弗利》开创欧洲历史小说之先河。该书以1745年詹姆士党人起义的历史事件为背景，想象地书写了一位富于浪漫幻想的英格兰青年威弗利在内战期间的成长故事，刻画了苏格兰高地氏族为自由而斗争的英雄形象，突出描绘了苏格兰高地的自然风光。 

本研究基于本尼迪安德森的想象共同体理论，通过小说中再现的民族语言、民族服装、民族精神和历史景观，分析民族共同体如何想象与建构，以展示联合王国分分合合的复杂关系。本文同时还探究了作者对社会变革中逐渐泯灭的民族独特性的思考，得出作者希望在联合基础上建构民族性的结论。希望通过本文分析能丰富对司各特历史小说的研究，为研究历史小说中的想象共同体提供一些思路，对研究全球化背景下苏格兰与英国胶着的关系具有一定的启发、借鉴意义。

关键词： 《威弗利》 想象共同体  苏格兰  民族独特性  

Abstract

Sir Walter Scott is an English novelist and poet, who contributed greatly to the rise of historical novels in Europe. His novels draw on Scottish history, England and even other European countries, displaying the culture and social life of Englanders and Scots from the Middle Ages to the Bourgeois Revolution and its aftermath to readers. Waverley marks his transition from poetry to historical novels, and is often regarded as the first historical novel in the west. It draws on the Rebellion of 1745, portraits the beautiful Scottish scenery and praises the high spirits of Highlanders.

This thesis analyzes Waverley on the basis of Benedict Anderson’s Imagined Community theory. It interprets how and why the writer converged history and novels to build a national community for his country Scotland, and may offer some insights into why the kingdoms have been on and off in history. Hopefully, it can enrich researches into Walter Scott and his works, revivify the Scottish culture in a homogenizing British world, and provoke attention to national imagination. By analyzing the Scottish nationality that is active in novels, this paper also tries to shed some light on researches into the current relationship of the United Kingdoms.

Key words:  Waverley  Imagined Communities  Scotland  nationality   

Contents

Chapter One  Introduction 1

1.1  Research Background 1

1.2  Research Objectives 2

1.3  Research Questions 3

1.4  Research Significance 3

1.5  Data and Research Methodology 4

1.6  Structure of this Thesis 4

Chapter Two  Literature Review 5

2.1  Previous Studies on Waverley 5

2.2  Previous Studies on Imagined Community Theory 6

2.3  Summary 7

Chapter Three  Theoretical Framework 8

3.1  Defining the Imagined Community Theory 8

3.2  Roots of Imagined Community 9

Chapter Four  Interpreting the Imagined Communities in Waverley 12

4.1  Constructing a United Community 12

4.4.1 The Union of Nations 12

4.1.2 The Breakup of National Dreams 14

4.2  Constructing the Scottish Community 16

4.2.1 National Language 16

4.2.2 National Costume 18

4.2.3 National Spirits 19

4.2.4 Historical Sceneries 20

4.3  Constructing the Scottish Identity in a Homogenizing British Society 21

4.4  Summary 23

Chapter Five  Conclusion 25

5.1  Major Findings 25

5.2  Limitations and Further Suggestions 27

Bibliography

Acknowledgements