摘 要：《简·爱》和《红楼梦》分别是中外文学史上的不朽著作。两部作品刻画的女主人公形象——林黛玉与简爱深深打动了读者，两个主人公有着相似的生活经历，却有着不同的结局。本文运用比较的方法，从中西文化对比的角度研究简爱和林黛玉。通过分析比较两人生活态度和性格的不同，从政治制度，价值观和宗教思想等角度分析导致这些不同的原因。从而理解两位大师是如何塑造两个性格鲜明的女性，也进一步加深对中西方文化的理解。

关键词：简爱；林黛玉；中西方文化对比

Abstract：Jane Eyre and A Dream of Red Mansions are two great works, in which two heroines, Jane Eyre and Lin Daiyu, touch the readers greatly, the two characters have similar life experience but different endings. This article uses comparative method, which focuses on the perspective of eastern and western culture to analyze Jane Eyre and Lin Daiyu. It aims to compare the two characters’ different attitudes of life and personalities, and the factors which cause the differences, this paper analyzes the factors from aspects of the social system, philosophical values and religious thoughts. It helps understand how the two masters shape the two striking characters. It also contributes to further deepen the understanding of eastern and western culture.

Key words: Jane Eyre; Lin Daiyu; the cultural contrast between eastern and western

Contents

摘 要 i

Abstract ii

Ⅰ.Introduction 1

Ⅱ.The Historical Background of Jane Eyre and A Dream of Red Mansions 2

2.1 The Historical Background of Jane Eyre and the Growth Environment of Charlotte Bronte 2

2.2 The Historical Background of A Dream of Red Mansions and the Growth Environment of Cao Xueqin 3

Ⅲ. The Image Comparison Between Jane Eyre and Lin Daiyu 4

3.1 Different Life Attitudes 4

3.2 Different Ways to Pursue Love 6

3.3 Different Personalities 7

Ⅳ. The Main Influencing Factors of Jane Eyre’s and Lin Daiyu’s Different Fates 9

4.1 Differences Between the Eastern and Western Social System 9

4.2 Differences Between the Eastern and Western Philosophical Values 10

4.3 Differences Between Eastern and Western Religious Thoughts 11

Ⅴ. Conclusion 13

Bibliography 15

Acknowledgements 16

An Eastern and Western Cultural Comparative Study Between Jane Eyre and Lin Daiyu

Ⅰ.Introduction

  This paper takes the heroine Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte and the heroine Lin Dai Yu written by Cao Xueqin as research objects. This paper deals with differences between eastern and western culture .According to my literature review, I focus on the mainly influencing factor is the different social system of eastern and western society , which made the two heroines different fates .This research has both theoretical and practical significance .In addition ,it will help to inspire people to find more ways to look forward to equality liberty and love.

Jane Eyre and A Dream of Red Mansions, respectively is excellent literary masterpieces of eastern and western literature history. Both they have made deep influences in later generation. The two heroines in the novel, Jane Eyre and Lin Daiyu have each unique spirit and personality charm. Many readers are attracted by the two heroine experience, personality, the pursuit of love. Both they have many similarities, nonetheless ultimately the fates of the two people have different endings. There are many factors caused their perse fates, this paper mainly discusses in the eastern and western cultural comparison. This would make us have a more profound understanding of the society of China and Britain in the eighteenth century and nineteenth century.

The paper is pided into five chapters. Chapter one is introduction of significance of this paper. Chapter two is the historical background of Jane Eyre and A Dream of Red Mansions and the growth environment of each author. Chapter three, I will give a brief introduction of the comparison and contrast between Jane Eyre’s and Li Daiyu’s different fates each character. They both depend on relatives for living, but they have bitter experience. They both have strong desire for love, but they have different ending. They fight against destiny with different rebellious personalities. Chapter four is about the influencing factors of Jane Eyre’s and Lin Dai Yu’s different fates. I will analyze this chapter from three aspects, first of all, differences between the eastern and western social system. And then, differences between the eastern and western philosophical values. What’s more, differences between the eastern and western religious thought. Chapter five is conclusion. This part I will conclude what I have written.