论文部分内容阅读
马修·阿诺德是维多利亚时期著名的文学批评家和社会批评家。他认为人文教育和文化熏陶对当时英国日渐兴起的民主格外重要。本文认为,阿诺德其时其地对其国人的忠告对当下的中国仍有重要意义。1867年通过的《第二改革法案》赋予(男性)工人阶级选举权,其时的英国已经成为一个富强的国家,但在阿诺德看来,英国如无远虑,不足以在未来站稳脚跟。阿诺德坚信,无论哪个国家,终将是那部分有奉献精神的、无私的少数人,即那部分“正直的少数者”把国家从庸俗和混乱的状态中拯救出来,他们的存在意义要远远大于那些疲于奔命的芸芸众生。或许,当下的中国有必要呼唤阿诺德力荐的“少数者”,致力于激发和提升人们高雅的心智和品味。
Matthew Arnold is a famous Victorian literary critic and social critic. He believes that the humanities education and cultural influence on the growing democracy in the United Kingdom was particularly important. This paper argues that Arnold’s advice to his country at the right time is still of great significance to contemporary China. The “Second Reform Bill” passed in 1867 gave the (male) working class the right to vote, when Britain became a prosperous nation, but in Arnold’s view there was no way for Britain to gain a firm foothold in the future. Arnold firmly believes that no country will eventually be the dedication and selfless minority who rescued the country from vulgarity and chaos and whose existence is far more meaningful In those mortal beings mortal beings. Perhaps China nowadays needs to call for the “minority” advocated by Arnold and devote himself to inspiring and enhancing people’s elegant mind and taste.