《大理石雕像》中的清教伦理

The Puritan Ethics in The Marble Faun

清教主义是霍桑作品中的一个重要元素。尽管不同于其他作品,霍桑在《大理石雕像》中把背景置于意大利,但与其一贯的风格类似,他在该作中仍然探讨了两个美国人身上体现出来的清教伦理。霍桑在肯定清教工作伦理积极意义的同时,也批判了清教伦理的极端性,尤其是纯洁与罪恶两分法对人性的桎梏。但他最终想要探讨的还是人性,以呼吁对罪恶的更多包容,与国籍和宗教都无关,这也与他一直以来的清教观一致。

Puritanism is an important element in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s works. Though different from other works, the background of The Marble Faun is in Italy;Hawthorne still explores the Puritan ethics reflected by two Americans in it. On the one hand, Hawthorne affirms the positive meaning of Puritan work ethics;on the other hand, he also criticizes the extremity in Puritan ethics, especially the shackle to humanity brought by the Puritan dichotomy of purity and evil. But what Hawthorne really wants to explore is still humanity regardless of nationality or religion. He advocates being more tolerant towards crime, which is also consistent with his own Puritan view.