英國文學史及作品選讀習題集

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6EnglishLiteratureinthe19thCentury

Ⅰ.Essayquestions.

1.DiscussJohnRuskin’sworksonart.

2.WhatisthethemeofCharlesDickens’snovelATaleofTwoCities?

3.TalkaboutCharlesDickens’scharacterportrayal,especiallychildcharacterportrayal.

4.PleaseretellthestoryofJaneEyreandmakeacommentonit.

5.PleasetalkbrieflyaboutCharlesDickens’sliterarycareer,andthemainfeaturesofhisworks.

6.PleasemakeacommentonThomasHardy’scontributionstoEnglishliterature.

7.Makeacommentoncriticalrealism.

8.PleaseretellthestoryofTessoftheD’Urbervillesandmakeabriefcommentonit.

Ⅱ.Definethefollowingterms.

1.Englishcriticalrealism

2.Victorianperiod

3.Autobiography

4.Regionalnovel

5.Dramaticmonologue

6.Dramatization

7.Disinterestedness

8.Idyll

9.Psychologicalnovel

10.ThePre-Raphaelites

11.Künstlerroman

12.Aestheticism

13.Naturalism

Ⅲ.Fillintheblanks.

1.ThecomicelementisstronginCharlesDickens’sfirstnovel,whichappearedinmonthlysectionsbetweenApril1836andNovember1837.ItrecordstheadventuresofMr.andhiscompanionsastheyjourneyaboutthecountry.

2.isoneofCharlesDickens’sbestworks.Itiswritteninthefirstpersonandisthemostautobiographicalofallhisbooks.Inwritingthenovel,Dickensthrewintoitdeepfeelingsandmuchofhisownexperienceinhisyoungerdays.

3.IntheVictorianperiod,andmoralpropriety,whichwereignoredbytheRomanticists,becamethepredominantpreoccupationinliteraryworks.

4.WilliamMakepeaceThackeray’sfirstliterarysuccesscamewithaseriesofsatiricalsketchesentitled,publishedin1846～1847.

5.DanielDeronda,writtenin1876,is’slastnovel.Themasteryofthesubtlercomplexitiesofpsychologicalanalysisisrevealedthoroughly.

6.Mrs.GaskellwasoneofthefirstEnglishwriterstomaketheclassstrugglebetweentheandthethethemeofanovel.

7.GeorgeEliot’sislargelyautobiographicalinitsearlychapters.Againstthebackgroundofrurallife,theauthortracesthefateandtragedyof

ayounggirl,Maggie,whosenobleaspirationsruncountertothephilistinenarrow-mindednessofthosearoundher.

8.Writtenin1837-38,tellsthestoryofanorphanboy,whoseadventuresprovidematerialforadescriptionofthelowerdepthsofLondon.

9.IntheVictorianperiod,thebecamethemostwidelyreadandthemostvitalandchallengingexpressionofprogressivethought.

10.Althoughwritingfromdifferentpointsofviewandwithdifferenttechniques,theVictoriannovelistssharedonethingincommon,thatis,theywereallconcernedaboutthefateofthepeople.

11.RobertBrowning’spoeticexperimentstransferredthethematicinterestofpoetryfrommerenarrationofthestorytorevelationandstudyofcharacters’andbroughttotheVictorianpoetrysomeelement.

12.WutheringHeightsiswrittenby.Itisamorbidstoryoflove,butapowerfulattackonthebourgeoismarriagesystem.Itshowsthattrueloveinaclasssocietyisimpossibleofattainment.

13.GeorgeMeredithisamasterof;hetriestoloadhisbookswithwitandwisdom;manyofhischaractersarepeoplewithideaswhoaredeterminedtovoicethem.

14.Inhisworks,Dickenssetsoutafullmapandalarge-scalecriticismofthe19thcenturyEngland,particularly.

15.“CultureandAnarchy”isMatthewArnold’srepresentativeworkinsocialcriticism.Itdealswiththewholestructureofand.

16.MatthewArnoldregardedthequalityof“”astheprincipalvirtueofpoet.Hepaidgreatattentiontothemoralvaluesofpoetry,givingasecondaryplacetopoetryinwhich“theformisstudiedandexquisite”.

17.“”isThomasMacaulay’smasterpiece.Macaulaydidnotintendtobeanobjectivehistorian.Hispurposeofwritingitistoeulogizethe“GloriousRevolution”,andheinterpretsmenandeventswithapartisanprejudice.

18.Between1859and1885AlfredTennysonworkedathisnarrativepoemsbasedonthestoriesofKingArthurandhisKnightsoftheRoundTable.Thosepoemsweregatheredtogetheras.

19.,novelistandpoet,isoneoftherepresentativesofEnglishcriticalrealismattheturnofthe19thcentury.

20.Dickensmadehisfirstattemptatahistoricalnovelin,seeminglyanxioustodoforLondonwhatScotthaddoneforEdinburghinTheHeartofMidlothian.

21.,oneofthecentury’sfinestnovels,tracestheriseandfallofMichaelHenchard,atough,egotisticalfellowwho,havingcommittedthefollyofdrunkenlysellinghiswifeandbabyatafair,turnsteetotalandbysheerperseverancerisestowealthasacorn-factorandtorespectabilityasMayorofCasterbridge.

22.OliverTwistpresentsOliverTwistasDickens’sfirstheroandFaginthefirstfigure.

23.JohnRuskin’swaswrittentodefendJ.M.W.Turner,theEnglishlandscapepainter,againsttheattacksonhispaintingsmadebytheconventionalcriticsoftheday.

24.ThepurposeofbothTheSevenLampsofArchitectureandTheStonesofVeniceistoglorify,astyledistinguishedbyitshighandsharply-pointedarches,whichhadprevailedinWesternEuropefromthe12thtothe16thcenturies.

25.ThemostintenselyengagingthemesinthePallisernovelsarethestoriesofthe.

26.JaneEyrerepresentsthoseworkingwomen,whoarestrugglingfortherecognitionoftheirbasicrightsandequalityasahumanbeing.

27.TheHappyPrinceandOtherTalesandTheHouseofPomegranatesaretwocollectionsofwrittenbyOscarWilde.

28.Inhernovels,GeorgeEliotseekstopresenttheofasoulandtorevealthemotives,impulsesandhereditaryinfluenceswhichgovernhumanaction.

29.MiddlemarchprovidesapanoramicviewoflifeinasmallEnglishtownanditssurroundingcountrysideinthecentury.

30.ThebookNewsfromNowhereisa,tellingthestoryofamanwhofallsasleepafteraneveningataSocialistLeaguemeeting.HewakesinthefuturetofindEnglandtransformedintoacommunistparadisewheremenandwomenarefree,healthy,andequal.

31.isconsideredasSamuelButler’smasterpiece.Init,hesucceededingivingadevastatingpictureofthebourgeoisfamilyandthehypocrisyoftheBritishmiddleclass.ThisnovelisastrongchallengeofthemoralclaimsoftherulingclassesofEngland.

32.Thepoem“AShropshireLad”recallsthepessimismof,thepoet’sfavoritenovelist.Thelinesaresosimpleandbeautifulthatmusicianslooktothemforsongstoset.

33.ThetwomostpredominatingpoetsoftheVictorianperiodareand.

34.InmanyofHardy’slaternovels,theconflictbetweentheandtheisbroughttothecenterofthestage.

35.Asawomanofexceptionalintelligenceandlifeexperience,GeorgeEliotshowsaparticularconcernfortheofwomen.

Ⅳ.Choosethebestanswer.

1.WhichisNOTacharacterinDombeyandSon?

A.CarkerB.Dombey

C.EdithD.Martin

2.,thepioneeringwoman,accordingtoD.H.Lawrence,wasthefirstnovelistthat“startedputtingalltheactionsinside”.

A.GeorgeEliotB.JaneAusten

C.CharlotteBronteD.EmilyBronte

3.TheVictorianpoetrywasmainlycharacterizedbyexperimentswithnewstylesandnewwaysofexpression.Amongthesefamousexperimentalpoetswaswhocreatedtheversenovelbyadoptingthenovelisticpresentationofcharacters.

A.CharlesDickensB.AlfredTennyson

C.RobertBrowningD.ThomasHardy

4.WhichoneisNOTWilliamMakepeaceThackeray’sworks?

A.Sylvia’sLoverB.TheNewcomes

C.TheVirginiansD.TheHistoryofPendennis

5.TheseworksarewrittenbyElizabethCleghornGaskellEXCEPT.

A.MaryBartonB.Ruth

C.LittleDorritD.NorthandSouth

6.WhichoneisWilliamMakepeaceThackeray’shistoricalnovel?

A.VanityFair

B.TheHistoryofHenryEsmond

C.DenisDuval

D.RoundaboutPapers

7.’sworksarecharacterizedbyaminglingofhumorandpathos.

A.ThomasHardyB.CharlesDickens

C.CharlotteBronteD.GeorgeEliot

8.ThefollowingarethecommoncharacterssharedbythethreeBrontesistersEXCEPT.

A.unmarriedB.literary

C.talentedD.dyingyoung

9.WhichoneisNOTCharlotteBronte’snovel?

A.ProfessorB.Villette

C.ShirleyD.AgnesGrey

10.Mrs.Gaskell,GeorgeEliot,CharlotteBronteandEmilyBronteareNOTall.

A.womennovelistsB.regionalnovelists

C.VictoriannovelistsD.pseudonymousnovelists

11.WhichoneisNOTwrittenbyGeorgeMeredith?

A.Middlemarch

B.EvanHarrington

C.EmiliainEngland

D.TheOrdealofRichardFeverel

12.“HistoryoftheFrenchRevolution”iswrittenby.

A.JohnRuskinB.CharlesDickens

C.WilliamMakepeaceThackerayD.ThomasCarlyle

13.’sfirstliterarysuccesswasthepublicationofhis“EssayonMilton”intheEdinburghReviewin1825.

A.ThomasMacaulayB.ThomasCarlyle

C.MatthewArnoldD.JohnRuskin

14.WhichoneisNOTJohnRuskin’smajorworksinthesphereofartcriticism?

A.ModernPainters

B.TheSevenLampsofArchitecture

C.SesameandLilies

D.TheStonesofVenice

15.’sworksareallaboutthestruggleofanindividualconsciousnesstowardsself-realization,aboutsomelonelyandneglectedyoungwomenwithafiercelongingforlove,understandingandafullhappylife.

A.GeorgeEliotB.CharlotteBronte

C.ThomasHardyD.JaneAusten

16.isonethatintroducestotheEnglishnovelthefirstgovernessheroine.

A.JaneEyreB.WutheringHeights

C.MiddlemarchD.AgnesGrey

17.isanelaborateandpowerfulexpressionofAlfredTennyson’sphilosophicalandreligiousthoughts.

A.IdyllsoftheKingB.Ulysses

C.Poems,ChieflyLyricalD.InMemoriam

18.Hardy’sprincipalworksaretheWessexnovels,i.e.,novelsdescribingthecharactersandenvironmentofhisnativecountryside.isNOTincluded.

A.APairofBlueEyes

B.JudetheObscure

C.UndertheGreenwoodTree

D.TheReturnoftheNative

19.WhichoneisThomasHardy’sfirstcollectionofpoems?

A.Time’sLaughingstocks

B.SatiresofCircumstance

C.PoemsofthePastandthePresent

D.WessexPoems

20.isbasedontheCelticlegendsofKingArthurandhisKnightsoftheRoundTable.

A.InMemoriamB.Ulysses

C.IdyllsoftheKingD.ThePrincess

21.TheshortnovelTheWardenwaswrittenby.

A.AnthonyTrollopeB.GeorgeMeredith

C.ThomasMacaulayD.MatthewArnold

22.WhichoneisNOTincludedintheBarsetshirenovels?

A.TheWardenB.BarchesterTowers

C.TheLastChronicleofBarsetD.Autobiography

23.WhichoneisNOTincludedinthePallisernovels?

A.TheEustaceDiamondsB.DoctorThorne

C.AsHeKnewHeWasRightD.TheWayWeLiveNow

24.WhichonedoesNOTbelongtoRobertLouisStevenson’swritingsmanipulatingthegenresassociatedwithchildren?

A.AChild’sGardenofVersesB.PrinceOtto

C.TheBlackArrowD.Kidnapped

25.OscarWilde’sfirstplay,openedinFebruary1892.

A.AWomanofNoImportance

B.TheImportanceofBeingEarnest

C.AnIdealHusband

D.LadyWindermere’sFan

26.initiatesanewtypeofrealismandsetsintomotionavarietyofdevelopments,leadinginthedirectionofboththenaturalisticandpsychologicalnovel.

A.CharlesDickensB.GeorgeEliot

C.CharlotteBronteD.ThomasHardy

27.HenryJamesconsideredhismost“perfect”workofart.

A.DaisyMillerB.ThePortraitofaLady

C.TheAmbassadorsD.TheWingsoftheDove

28.isaremarkablypenetratingstudyofayounggirl’sawakening.

A.RoderickHudsonB.TheTurnoftheScrew

C.TheGoldenBowlD.WhatMaisieKnew

29.WhichoneisNOTwrittenbyDanteGabrielRossetti?

A.JennyB.Prophyria’sLover

C.TheLastConfessionD.TheWoodspurge

30.’sworksareknownas“novelsofcharactersandenvironment”.

A.CharlesDickensB.ThomasHardy

C.JaneAustenD.GeorgeEliot

31.’sbook,ChartistSongs,waspublishedinAugust1846.

A.GeorgeJulianHarneyB.ThomasHood

C.A.E.HousmanD.ErnestJones

32.WhileinprisonErnestJonesproducedhisepicpoem,.

A.TheBattledayB.TheEmperor’sVigil

C.TheRevoltofHindostanD.TheBeldagonChurch

33.TheDefenceofGuenevereandOtherPoemsiswrittenby.

A.WilliamMorrisB.JohnRuskin

C.EdwardBurne-JonesD.DanteGabrielRossetti

34.Morrisdevotedalotofhistimetopoliticalwriting.WhichofthefollowingisNOTincludedinthepoliticalwritings?

A.ChantsforSocialistsB.ThePilgrimsofHope

C.DreamofJohnBallD.TheLifeandDeathofJason

35.ThesatireErewhoniswrittenby.

A.HenryJonesB.SamuelButler

C.GeorageMeredithD.R.A.Streatfeild

36.opposedDarwin’sexplanationofevolution,findingittoomechanistic,andheexpoundedhisowntheoriesinEvolutionOldandNew,UnconsciousMemory,andLuckorCunning.

A.SamuelButlerB.HenryJones

C.OscarWildeD.A.E.Housman

37.couldbeclassifiedtobebothanaturalisticandacriticalrealisticwriter.

A.CharlesDickensB.GeorgeEliot

C.ThomasHardyD.T.S.Eliot

38.believesthatman’sfateispredeterminedlytragic,drivenbyacombinedforceof“nature”,bothinsideandoutside.

A.CharlesDickensB.ThomasHardy

C.GeorgeBernardShawD.T.S.Eliot

39.Themajorconcernof’sfictionliesinthetracingofthepsychologicaldevelopmentofhischaractersandinhisenergeticcriticismofthedehumanizingeffectofthecapitalistindustrializationonhumannature.

A.CharlesDickensB.D.H.Lawrence

C.ThomasHardyD.JohnGalsworthy

40.Thestatement“Itrevealsthedehumanizingworkhousesystemandthedark,criminalunderworldlife”maywellsumupthemainthemeofDickens’s.

A.DavidCopperfieldB.BleakHouse

C.GreatExpectationsD.OliverTwist

41.“Doyouthink,becauseIampoor,obscure,plain,andlittle,Iamsoullessandheartless?...AndifGodhadgiftedmewithsomebeauty,andmuchwealth,Ishouldhavemadeitashardforyoutoleaveme,asitisnowformetoleaveyou.”

Theabovequotedpassageismostprobablytakenfrom.

A.PrideandPrejudiceB.JaneEyre

C.WutheringHeightsD.GreatExpectations

42.“MyLastDuchess”isapoemthatbestexemplifiesRobertBrowning’s.

A.sensitiveearforthesoundsoftheEnglishlanguage

B.excellentchoiceofwords

C.masteringofthemetricaldevices

D.useofthedramaticmonologue

43.TessoftheD’Urbervilles,oneofThomasHardy’sbest-knownnovels,portraysmanas.

A.beinghereditarilyeithergoodorbad

B.beingself-sufficient

C.havingnocontroloverhisownfate

D.stillretaininghisownfaithinaworldofconfusion

44.WhichofthefollowingbestdescribesthespeakerofT.S.Eliot’s“TheLoveSongofJ.AlfredPrufrock”?

A.Heisamanofanaction.B.Heisamanofapathy.

C.Heisamanofpassion.D.Heisamanofinactivity.

45.“Foraweekafterthecommissionoftheimpiousandprofaneoffenceofaskingformore,Oliverremainedacloseprisonerinthedarkandsolitaryroom...”(Dickens,OliverTwist)

WhatdidOliveraskfor?

A.Moretimetoplay.B.Morefoodtoeat.

C.Morebookstoread.D.Moremoneytospend.

46.“Cometome—cometomeentirelynow,”saidhe;andadded,inhisdeepesttone,speakinginmyearashischeekwaslaidonmine,“Makemyhappiness—Iwillmakeyours.”

Theabovepassagepresentsascenein.

A.EmilyBronte’sWutheringHeights

B.CharlotteBronte’sJaneEyre

C.JohnGalsworthy’sTheForsyteSaga

D.ThomasHardy’sTessoftheD’Urbervilles

47.WhichofthefollowingbestdescribesthenatureofThomasHardy’slaterworks?

A.Sentimentalism.B.Tragicsense.

C.Surrealism.D.Comicsense.

48.InwhatregionofEnglandwasEmilyBronteraised?

A.SussexB.Gloucestershire

C.YorkshireD.Warwickshire

Ⅴ.Short-answerquestions.

1.EmilyBronteusedaverycomplicatednarrativetechniqueinwritinghernovelWutheringHeights.TrytotellBronte’swayofnarrationbriefly.

2.VanityFairisThackeray’smasterpiece.Pleasetalkbrieflyabouttheoriginofthetitleandthewriter’sintentionaboutthetitle.

3.WhatisRobertBrowning’sprincipalachievementinEnglishpoetry?

4.PleasemakeabriefcommentonDavidCopperfield.

5.CharlotteBronteisawriterofRealismcombinedwithRomanticism.WhyisJaneEyrebyherasuccessfulnovel?

6.PleasemakeabriefcommentonGeorgeMeredith’sTheEgoistanditscharacterorigin.

7.PleasetalkbrieflyaboutThomasCarlyle’sclassificationofheroesinhiswork“HeroesandHero-Worship”.

8.HowisnaturalismreflectedinThomasHardy’snovels?

9.BasedonJaneEyrebyCharlotteBronte,discussthethemeofherworksandtheimageofwomenprotagonists.

10.WhatisthethemeofHardy’sWessexnovels?

11.WhatisthemaincharacteristicofThomasMacaulay’sprosestyle?

12.TalkbrieflyaboutthethemesofHenryJames’snovelsandhisstyle.

13.AnalyzethecharacterofDorotheaBrookeinGeorgeEliot’sworkMiddlemarch.

14.TalkbrieflyaboutthesymbolsandimagesinGreatExpectations.

15.PleasemakeacommentonGeorgeEliot’scharacterportrayal.

16.TessoftheD’UrbervillesisoneofthegreatestworksofThomasHardy.TrytocommentbrieflyonthefateofTessinthiswork.

Ⅵ.Answerthequestionsaccordingtothefollowingpassages.

Passage1

“Whatnow?”saidCatherine,leaningback,andreturninghislookwithasuddenlycloudedbrow—herhumourwasamerevaneforconstantlyvaryingcaprices.“YouandEdgarhavebrokenmyheart,Heathcliff!Andyoubothcometobewailthedeedtome,asifyouwerethepeopletobepitied!Ishallnotpityyou,notI.Youhavekilledme—thrivenonit,Ithink.Howstrongyouare!HowmanyyearsdoyoumeantoliveafterIamgone?”

Heathcliffhadkneltononekneetoembraceher;heattemptedtorise,butsheseizedhishair,andkepthimdown.

“IwishIcouldholdyou,”shecontinued,bitterly,“tillwewerebothdead!Ishouldn’tcarewhatyousuffered.Icarenothingforyoursufferings.Whyshouldn’tyousuffer?Ido!Willyouforgetme—willyoubehappywhenIamintheearth?Willyousaytwentyyearshence,‘That’sthegraveofCatherineEarnshaw.Ilovedherlongago,andwaswretchedtoloseher;butitispast.I’velovedmanyotherssince—mychildrenaredearertomethanshewas,and,atdeath,IshallnotrejoicethatIamgoingtoher,IshallbesorrythatImustleavethem!’Willyousayso,Heathcliff?”

“Don’ttorturemetillI’masmadasyourself,”criedhe,wrenchinghisheadfree,andgrindinghisteeth.

Questions:

1.Whereisittakenfrom?

2.AnalyzethecharacterofHeathcliffbriefly.

3.Whatisthethemeofthestory?

Passage2

Break,Break,Break,

Break,break,break,

Onthycoldgreystones,OSea!

AndIwouldthatmytonguecouldutter

Thethoughtsthatariseinme.

Owellforthefisherman’sboy,

Thatheshoutswithhissisteratplay!

Owellforthesailorlad,

Thathesingsinhisboatonthebay!

Andthestatelyshipsgoon

Totheirhavenunderthehill;

ButOforthetouchofavanishedhand,

Andthesoundofavoicethatisstill!

Break,break,break,

Atthefootofthycrags,OSea!

Butthetendergraceofadaythatisdead

Willnevercomebacktome.

Questions:

4.Whoistheauthorofthepoem?

5.Whydidtheauthorwritethispoem?

6.Pleaseanalyzethestressofeachlineandthatofthestanza.

7.Whateffecthasbeenachievedbythevariationofthestress?

Passage3

Sorunsmydream;butwhatamI?

Aninfantcryinginthenight;

Aninfantcryingforthelight,

Andwithnolanguagebutacry?

IfalterwhereIfirmlytrod,

Andfallingwithmyweightofcares

Uponthegreatworld’saltar-stairs

ThatslopethroughdarknessuptoGod.

Istretchlamehandsoffaith,andgrope,

Andgatherdustandchaff,andcall

TowhatIfeelisLordofall,

Andfaintlytrustthelargerhope.

(thelargerhope:thehopeofanafter-life)

Questions:

8.ItistakenfromInMemoriam,AlfredTennyson’slongelegiacpoem.What’s

thethemeofit?

9.What’stherhythmofthepoem?

10.What’syourunderstandingof“I”inthepoem?

11.Whatmessagedoesthepoetconveyabouthisreligiousbelief?

12.PleasemakeabriefcommentonInMemoriam.

Keys

Ⅰ.Essayquestions.

1.Ruskin’sworksonartexpoundhisaestheticthoughtsandprincipleswhichmaybesummedupbrieflyasfollows:

(1)Theobjectofartistofindandexpressthetruthinnature;andart,inordertoexpressthetruth,mustcopynatureandsooftenbreakawayfromoldandsetrulesandconventions.

(2)Artisalliedwithmorality,andthereexistsacloserelationbetweengoodnessandbeauty,andbetweenwickednessandugliness.Acarefulstudyoftheartofanynationrevealsthemoralstrengthorweaknessofthepeoplethatproduceit.

(3)Themainpurposeofartisnottodelightafewculturedpeoplebuttoservethepracticalendsofpeople’sdailylife:“Thejoywhichisindeedajoyforevermustbeajoyforall.”

(4)Ruskinhadastrongdislikeformodemcapitalistcivilizationwhichwastohim“uglinessitself”.Hecondemnedthemodern“monetaryasceticism,consistingintherefusalofpleasureandknowledgeforthesakeofmoney”.Heaimedatrevivingbyartthekindofsocietyinwhichaworkercouldexpresshimselffreelyandenjoy“work-pleasure”.Ruskinwashimselffanartist,skilledindrawingandpainting.Whenhewroteonart,heknewwhathewastalkingabout.Moreover,hewroteinarhythmicalstyleandhissentencesarefullofpicturesquedetailandcolor.Allthismakeshim“theapostleofbeauty”whohelpsthereadertoseeandappreciatethebeautyoftheworldaroundhim.

2.ThethemeunderlyingATaleofTwoCitiesistheidea“Wherethereisoppression,thereisrevolution”.HadtherebeennoBastille,andnoprivilegedandlawlessaristocrats,therewouldhavebeennoFrenchRevolution,andlikewisenostoryofDr.Manette.TherevolutionariesarerepresentedinthenovelbyDefarge,Dr.Manette’sservant,whoisoneofthesufferingpoorandhastakentheDoctor’swrongsmoretoheartthantheDoctorhimself,andMadameDefargetheyoungersisterofthewrongedandmurderedsisterandbrother,victimsoftheevilhouseofEvremond.TheDefargeshavebeenworkingwithnever-ceasingdiligencetopreparetheDayofWrathandareintheforefrontoftheassaultontheBastille.Theyarerelentlessrevolutionaries,seekingthepeople’svengeanceonthecriminalnoblelords.

Thenovelranksasvillainsthefeudalaristocratsandtheirlackeys,andexaltsasheroestheoppressedandsufferingpeasants,theindustriousprofessionalmen,andthefaithfulandhonestpeopleeverywhere,includingthe“failures”suchasSidneyCarton.Dickenshastakencaretoshowthatthepeople’slustforvengeanceisbutthedirectresultoftherulingclasses’monstrousatrocities.Itistheiriniquitousrulethathasconvertedsimple,honestpeopleintoavengingfuriesliketheDefarges.ByCarton,Dickensshowshowaverygood-naturedandgenerousyouthmaysink,throughlackofregardandofself-regard,intoadrifter,andfinallyawaster,inanevilsociety.

ATaleofTwoCitiestakes,asdearlyasDickens’searlierworks,thesideofthecommonpeopleagainstthatoftheprivilegedclasses.Butitadds,moreplainlythananyofhisothernovels,awarningofanAvengingFate,fromfearofwhichalltheprivileged,andalloppressorsofthepeople,woulddowelltoreconsidertheirways.

3.Dickensisacomprehensivenovelist.Hischaracter-portrayalisthemostdistinguishingfeatureofhiscreation.Hisworldseemstobefullerandricherthanmanyothernovelists.Amonghisvastrangeofvariouscharacters,therearebothtypesandindividuals.Theyareimpressivenotbecausetheyaretruetolife,butbecausetheyaremostlylargerthanlife,seldomtobefoundinreallife.Oftentheyarehumorousexaggerationsofsomewell-markedhumantraits—sometimesone’spersonalmannerofspeech,sometimeshishabitualgestureorbehaviorandsometimesjustsomephysicalpeculiarity.Inmanycases,universalexperiencebecomesindividualizedintypes.

Dickensisbestatchildcharacterportrayal.Almostallhischildheroesandheroinesareinnocent,virtuous,persecutedorhelpless.Theyarespotlessintheirthoughts,intentionsandwishes.Intheveryheartandsoul,theyarepure,refinedandgentle-hearted.SomeofthemostunforgettablecharacterslikeOliverTwist,LittleNell,PaulDombey,DavidCopperfield,LittleDorrit,andLittlePip,havebecomefamoustypecharacters.

Hissuccesswithchildrenliesinhiswritingfromachild’spointofview.Childrenareinstinctive,andtheyhavestrongimaginations,vividsensations;theyseelifeasblackandwhite,andbiggerthanreality;theirenemiesseemdemons,andtheirfriendsangels;andtheirjoysorsorrowsabsoluteandeternal.Theydonotlookatlifewiththeeyesofthewise,theintellectualortheinstructedobserver;theyarenotashamedofsentiment.Infact,theyseelifeverymuchlikeDickensandhecertainlydoeshaveanextraordinaryunderstandingofthem.ThefirsthalvesofDavidCopperfieldandGreatExpectationsareamongthemostprofoundpicturesofchildhoodinEnglishliterature.HereDickensseemsnotonlyliving,butlife-like,forthoughtheworldismoreexaggerated,litbybrighterlights,darkenedbysharpershadowsthanthoseofgrown-up’s,itisexactlytheworldasitisseenthroughtheeyesofachild.

Dickensisalsofamousforthecharacterizatio