Discovering And Recovering And "the Great Tradition" In Hard Times And Lady Chatterley’s Lover

This thesis is dedicated to the comparative study between Hard Times and Lady Chatterley’s Lover in terms of Leavis’s "The Great Tradition". The moral interest of life and affirmation of life which manifested in the two works are consistent with the criteria of "The Great Tradition". The main characters in Hard Times and Lady Chatterley’s Lover bear some similarities in the light of artistic device and thought for creation. The similarities prove that there is continuity between Dickens and Lawrence.This thesis is divided into three chapters. Chapter one mainly focuses on the literary position and significance of Hard Times and Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Different from his previous works, Dickens’s later works reveal more seriousness. In Hard Times, Dickens uses severer and more accurate analysis. Lawrence completes his journey for exploring the relationship between men and women in Lady Chatterley’s Lover.Chapter two explores the presentations of morality and affirmation of life in Hard Times and Lady Chatterley’s Lover. The impact of industrial revolution, together with manifestation of moral fable is analyzed in detail.Chapter three compares the artistic device of Dickens and Lawrence, analyzing the similarities presented in the main characters. It proves that there is continuity between Dickens and Lawrence.Hard Times and Lady Chatterley’s Lover have been studies for years from various aspects, but few people has engaged in comparative studies between them, and no one has analyzed two works in terms of Leavis’s "The Great Tradition". This thesis explores Hard Times and Lady Chatterley’s Lover from the aspects of morality, affirmation of life and continuity between Dickens and Lawrence. It concludes that both Dickens and Lawrence belong to "The Great Tradition", and there is continuity between them.