A Study On The Modernity In The Razor’s Edge

Since the middle of 20 th century, the issue of modernity has increasingly become a hot topic in the fields of Western philosophy, aesthetics, social theories, and literature. As a compound concept, modernity serves as a reflection, reconsideration, and even criticism on social changes and on their characteristics. Researches on modernity in the light of humanities are not only beneficial to our understanding about the problems brought about by the highly developed modern civilization, but also rendering paths to a harmonious inner and outer world.Dedicated to the prominent English playwright, novelist and short story writer William Somerset Maugham’s masterpiece, The Razor’s Edge, the thesis studies Maugham’s criticism on modern society and modern people. The development of modern civilization promotes the prosperity of modern cities; however, it also brings about a number of ethical and spiritual problems. The aesthetic modernity reflected in the novel is shown by the author’s concern on modern people’s living state and the function of salvation in modern arts and Hinduism.This thesis is divided into six parts. The introduction is a brief introduction to W. Somerset Maugham and The Razor’s Edge as well as its current research at home and abroad.In Chapter One, the concept of modernity as the theoretical foundation of the paper is expounded by distinguishing it from two other similar concepts, modern and modernization. Also, a generalization of aesthetic modernity is provided.In Chapter Two, the characteristics of modernity in The Razor’s Edge are interpreted. As modern cities are the major living environment for modern people and also the setting of the novel, it is particularly discussed in the first section. In the second section, the typical ethical problems and spiritual crisis in modern society are exposed through the interpretation of the characters’ value on sex and family.The third chapter is devoted to analyzing the characteristics of aesthetic modernity in the novel. Through the recovering of people’s appreciation of aesthetics, the power of instrumental rationality is alleviated. Also, social games and the spirit of taking adventure in life have the function of getting people out of the routines and stereotypes of daily life.On the basis of the discussions in the previous chapters, Chapter Four elaborates the implications on the aesthetic salvation for modern people. As the main representative fields of aesthetic modernity, modern art and Hinduism both play important roles in this aspect.The last part serves as a conclusion, which reviews the study of the criticisms of modernity of The Razor’s Edge. Besides, the significance and value of the thesis is reinforced.