| Elizabeth Gaskell is a famous British critical realist writer in the 19 th century who was praised by Karl Marx as one of the “outstanding modern novelists”.In her two representative industrial novels Mary Barton(1848)and North and South(1855),she focuses on the sharp class contradictions and labor conflicts in the Victorian era,which not only shows her profound humanitarian concern for various social problems,but also widely presents illness as an important element in the text.It provides a unique perspective for future generations to study the social and historical situation and Victorian spirit of Britain after the industrial revolution.Although critics have studied Gaskell’s industrial novels from the macro perspective of class,gender and culture for many years,few scholars have studied them from the perspective of illness narrative.Illnesses in literary works are closely related to social existence and the development of ideology.They are the true reflection of health problems and spiritual crisis under the influence of industrial civilization.Therefore,the study of the illness narrative in industrial novels has important practical significance.As an important realist writer,Mrs.Gaskell analyzes the physical and mental illnesses encountered by the British people in the social transformation period of the 19 th century from the specific characters of different classes in the novels.By writing the symptoms and causes of their illnesses,she reveals the social ills under the influence of industrial civilization.At the same time,she uses a unique narrative technique to show the prevailing ideological concepts in the Victorian period and her own introspection and thinking on social problems.The illness narrative in the novel is actually a process of interpreting social reality and spiritual culture.This paper discusses the profound metaphorical significance behind six typical physical and mental illnesses in Gaskell’s industrial novels Mary Barton and North and South,based on text analysis and the specific historical and cultural context of the Victorian era,and combined with Susan Sontag’s illness narrative theory.This paper also points out the functions of Gaskell’s illness narrative from the two directions of plot structure and theme construction.Firstly,from the perspective of physical illnesses,Gaskell expresses her concern and sympathy for the workers and the people at the bottom of society by depicting the roles suffering from tuberculosis and fever,and implies that gout,a illness with distinctive class characteristics,actually suggests a criticism of the Victorian bourgeoisie’s indulgence in material desire and pleasure.Secondly,from the perspective of mental illnesses,by depicting three characters tortured by depression,monomania and trauma,Mrs.Gaskell reveals the far-reaching impact of the spiritual crisis brought by industrial civilization on middle-class women,working class and industrial bourgeoisie.Finally,the paper points out that the illnesses in Mrs.Gaskell’s industrial novels are not only the central events of the plot structure,but also the auxiliary events.At the same time,Mrs.Gaskell also conveys her emotional value orientation with both progress and limitation through illness narrative.Although Mrs.Gaskell’s political views are too idealistic and have certain limitations,her concerns about social problems and people’s physical and mental health in the Victorian era still have realistic research significance.The illness narrative in her industrial novels reflects not only the individual illness,but also the ills of the times. |
