《白鲸》中意象的文化阐释

A Cultural Interpretation of the Images in Moby Dick
Abstract

    Ｍoby Dick is a great novel, an encyclopedia of everything, a fascinating labyrinth of art. This thesis will apply culture to interpret the images in Moby Dick. According to Clyde Kluckhohn’s classification of culture, this thesis divides culture into three aspects. This thesis intends to interpret the images in Moby Dick from three aspects of culture. The first part of the thesis will interpret the images—Moby Dick and the whaler Pequod from the explicit culture. Moby Dick as a whole is a glimpse of whaling industry in the mid 19th century America; Pequod is an epitome of American society. The second part of the thesis will interpret the images—the biblical archetypes of the characters in Moby Dick from the culture between the explicit and implicit culture. This thesis will enumerate three characters: Ahab, Elijah, Ishmael. The third part of the thesis will interpret the images—the complicated symbol of Moby Dick and Ahab from the implicit culture. Moby Dick is a symbol of supernatural power and innocence; Ahab is both a murder and a victim. By interpreting the images in Moby Dick from these three aspects of culture, people can have a better understanding of this novel. 

Key Words: Moby Dick; culture; image; archetype; symbol

摘 要

《白鲸》是1部伟大的百科全书，1座迷人的艺术迷宫。本文主要以文化来阐释《白鲸》中的意象。首先根据克鲁克洪对文化的分类，本文将文化分成3个层面。再试从文化的3个层面对《白鲸》进行阐释。本文的第1部分将从显型文化来阐释《白鲸》中的意象——《白鲸》这部作品和捕鲸船“彼夸德号”的意象。《白鲸》这部作品作为1个整体是109世纪中期美国捕鲸业的写照；“彼夸德号”则是美国社会的1个缩影。第2部分将从显型和隐型文化之间的文化来阐释《白鲸》中的意象——人物形象的圣经原型, 本文主要分析亚哈、以利亚、以什玛利。第3部分将从隐型文化来阐释《白鲸》中的意象——白鲸和亚哈复杂的象征意义。白鲸是超自然力和纯洁的象征；亚哈既是1个谋杀者又是1个牺牲者。通过从文化3个层面对《白鲸》中意象的阐释，我们对这部作品有了更深刻的理解。

关键词：《白鲸》、文化、意象、原型、象征

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