Abstract

Since the ancient times, religion has a profound impact on the development of the society and history in western countries. As time passes by, social environment changes and this impact demonstrates the positive or negative aspects. This thesis is based on theories related to human nature and religion and take characters Ralph, Meggie and Dane as its analyzing focus to comprehend the conflicts between human nature and religious belief reflected on these characters in various perspectives, during which process to reveal religious negative impact.

Conflicts between human nature and religious belief reflected on Ralph are mainly love for Meggie as well as ambition for power against prohibitions religion imposed on clerics; conflicts on Meggie are her deep love for her lover and son as a natural woman full of human emotions against religion and God; for Dane who holds ardent admiration for religion, the conflicts are his love for his mother Meggie as well as instinct desire for life when facing death against religious requirement of obeying God's arrangement without any conditions and doubts.

This thesis will be a supplement to the foregoers' works on this subject and be able to provide some reference for the readers who hope to comprehend more deeply the conflicts between human nature and religious shackles embodied in this novel. .

Key words：The Thorn Birds, human nature, religious belief, conflicts


摘        要

宗教自古以来对西方国家的社会运行和历史发展有着及其深厚的影响，而这种影响也会因时间和社会环境的变迁体现出积极和消极的不同方面。本文以人性和宗教相关知识作为理论支持，从小说《荆棘鸟》中拉尔夫，梅吉和戴恩三个人物入手，采用多维度深入分析体现在以上几个人物身上的人性与宗教信仰的冲突，从而反映宗教的消极影响。
小说人物拉尔夫身上所体现的人性与宗教信仰的冲突最为突出，集中表现为对梅吉的爱以及对权力的野心与宗教强加给作为神职人员的各种限制；梅吉身上所体现的则是作为一个有着丰富人性情感的自然女性对情人和儿子的深爱，而由此导致的与宗教，与上帝的争夺之战；戴恩对宗教有着热忱向往，而他身上所体现的矛盾主要是，对母亲梅吉的爱以及在死亡面前对生命的本能渴望与宗教要求信仰者对上帝的安排无条件接受之间的冲突。
本文不仅是前人关于人性与神性研究的一个补充，也为后来人更深入理解该作品中所包含的人性与宗教冲突提供参考。


关键词：荆棘鸟；人性；宗教信仰；冲突