摘 要

查尔斯·狄更斯是英国19世纪继莎士比亚之后的另一位闻名世界的批判现实主义作家。《双城记》就是他的优秀杰作之一，其中体现出的人道主义精神也就是狄更斯所始终坚持的。

这本小说是以法国大革命时期为背景，并且揭示了封建压迫如何摧毁人性。它反映了尖锐的阶级矛盾并严厉批评了封建主义的残暴统治。与此同时，查尔斯·狄更斯表达了对深受苦难的工人阶级的深切同情。然而，他也反对那些复仇者的暴力革命。在《双城记》中，作者描述了人与人之间的浓浓爱意和燃烧的仇恨。人道主义精神是《双城记》的主要思想。狄更斯希望统治者可以进行改革并且提倡以人道主义精神来克服仇恨和缓和阶级对立。他称赞友好，自我牺牲和宽恕，倡导相互尊重，相互友爱。在他看来，革命是一种压迫取代了另一种压迫，一场腥风血雨的暴动替代了另一场血腥。在法国大革命时，人民处于水深火热中，饱受封建贵族的压迫。人道主义精神迎合当时人民的心情，并且推动了社会改革的发展。狄更斯所倡导的人道主义精神引领了时代的潮流，成为社会的主流。

基于已有的对狄更斯人道主义思想的研究，并通过对《双城记》中典型人物形象的详细剖析，本文主要探究了狄更斯人道主义的现实意义以及小说中人物形象所反映出来的人道主义精神。同时也分析了《双城记》中所体现的人道主义精神所体现的积极性和局限性。

关键字：狄更斯；《双城记》；人道主义思想；进步性；局限性

1. Introduction

1.1 About the author

Dickens was one of the Great British writers in the 19th century, he was another world famous author after Shakespeare. The famous author in English modern literature Charles Dickens (1812-1870) had the name of popular fiction writer. He was the sole author who could be comparable to Shakespeare. He lived in the United Kingdom by a semi-feudal society transiting to industrial capitalist society. His works are widely and deeply describe this period in all aspects of social life, distinct and vivid. In A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens used its unique humanitarianism norms to evaluate the French Revolution. He depicts a variety of hideous social phenomenon to criticize brutal control and give sympathy and support to the people at the bottom of society. However, Charles Dickens advocates spirit of humanitarianism and against the violent struggle. Dickens shaped several distinctive characters through his spirit of humanitarianism and vividly demonstrated. While whipping the dark side of the society, like all bourgeois, his humanitarianism was abstract, just human love. He did not fully realize the real roots of the tragic life of the poor, this humanitarianism was narrow and limited inevitably. However, it could not cover the advance notice of Dickens. Dickens was an outstanding representative writer of the spirit of humanitarianism, he dared to expose the dark side of reality of the society at that time and expressed sympathy for people at the bottom.

1.2 About the historical background

A Tale of Two Cities was one of the most representative works of Dickens. Long before the creation, Dickens paid close attention to the French Revolution and reread books written by British historian Carlyle and other scholars. His interest in the French Revolution began from his concern on serious social crisis lurking in Britain. The motivation of this historical novel was to use the past to satirize the present and draw lessons from the French Revolution to alarm the British ruling class. At the same time, the extremely description of revolution terror gave a warning to the masses those who filled with hatred and trying to fight against the tyranny in violence. The efforts to find a way out for British, a social contradictions increasingly deepened county, was just a fantasy.

Starting from this purpose, the novel profoundly revealed the deep social conflicts intensified before the French Revolution, strongly criticized the dissolute behavior of the aristocracy and deeply expressed sympathy to the lower classes in suffering. The novel acutely pointed out that the masses’ patience is limited. Under the brutal rule of the aristocracy, people were forced to livelihoods and bound to resist. This revolt was righteous. It described the uprising of the people to storm the Bastille and other spectacular scenes, showing great strength of the masses. However, author stood in bourgeois humanitarianism position, namely against the oppression of brutal tyranny, but also against people’s violence. In Charles Dickens, the whole revolution was written as a catastrophe to destroy everything. It mercilessly punished the evil aristocracy and blindly hurt innocent people as well.

A Tale of Two Cities described the fate of all walks of life during the French Revolution, revealing the complexity of the class contradictions. Symbolism was the most important written technique in the novel that not only made the readers understand the personalities of characters, but also expanded the theme of the work.

1. Literature Review

On the causes of Dickens humanitarianism thought, Qiu Xiping (2013) considers that the Humanitarianism reflected in A Tale of Two Cities is related with his personal experience. Because of his early vagabondage and ups and downs in life, Dickens prematurely experienced the hardships and bitterness of life. It made Dickens deeply feel masses’ suffering and more hate bigwigs’ powerful and ruthless. That is his real aim to develop the spirit of Humanitarianism. A Tale of Two Cities is a typical one among his all kinds if works which most reflects humanitarianism spirit.

Wei Qi (2009) thinks that humanitarian in A Tale of Two Cities reflects the terror of the French Revolution, distortions of human nature, the evil of the violence and other characteristics. The typical characters of humanitarianism are humane Doctor Manette and virtuous Lucie Manette.

Wang Yan thinks that the progressive side of humanitarianism Dickens shows by shaping typical roles and the depiction of the real social contradictions. It reveals the inevitability of the French Revolution. His limitations mainly on the treatment of violence and class conflicts. On the issue of revolution violence, he opposes all hostile violence; he opposes all formation of the oppression; he fights against the feudal aristocracy; he fights against the dictatorship after the victory of the revolution. On class conflicts, he advocated peaceful means and fantasies a utopia emotion to resolve all the contradictions.

The humanitarianism in A Tale of Two Cities is multiple. Cao Youyi (2010) describes that the novel covers the process of the French Revolution: brewing, beginning, passing and success. Dickens expressed sympathy for people in suffering and criticized the bloody rule of the nobility from a humanitarianism point of view. It revealed the inevitability and justice of the French Revolution and praised the great strength of the people. This is the progressive side of Dickens humanitarianism. Dickens warned the dissolute and brutal behavior of British ruling class and the rich were not benevolent. It is for those people in an attempt to ensure that the violent resistance as well. Dickens completely negated the violence in the revolution standing on the position of bourgeois humanitarianism.

1. Spirit of Humanitarianism in A Tale of Two Cities

3.1 The definition of humanitarianism

What is the spirit of humanitarianism. Humanitarianism is an ideology originated in Europe during the Renaissance. It is a human-oriented worldview which promotes “ caring”, “ love” and “ respect”. During the bourgeois revolution in France, the connotation of humanitarianism is embodies in “freedom”, “equality”, “ charity” and other slogans. Spirit of humanitarianism plays a positive role in opposing feudal system in bourgeois revolution period.

Human nature was kind. The best way to transform society was to educate people by humanitarianism and emotions. From a rational and emotional perspective rather than economic and class basis to understand the society and promote benevolent heart to resolve social conflicts. Humanitarianism criticized violence and oppression, but opposed violent revolution as well. For Dickens, hatred and violence could not settle social conflicts, only love and forgiveness could solve all the hardships.