1, ISBN: 9783638476416

As most of Charles Dickens' novels, Hard Times has a strong social theme: Dickens described the appalling conditions of life in factory towns; preached that the poor were entitled to the … Mehr…

As most of Charles Dickens' novels, Hard Times has a strong social theme: Dickens described the appalling conditions of life in factory towns; preached that the poor were entitled to the same justice, the same healthy conditions, the same freedom, as the rich; attacked every kind of public pest, especially those whose love for the public was really a love of publicity; and above all ridiculed the typical bureaucratic mentality which substituted scientific accuracy for imaginative reality, convin As most of Charles Dickens' novels, Hard Times has a strong social theme: Dickens described the appalling conditions of life in factory towns; preached that the poor were entitled to the same justice, the same healthy conditions, the same freedom, as the rich; attacked every kind of public pest, especially those whose love for the public was really a love of publicity; and above all ridiculed the typical bureaucratic mentality which substituted scientific accuracy for imaginative reality, convinced that facts and figures were all-important, while fancies were beneath contempt. (qtd. in Allingham) However, Hard Times differs from Dickens' other narratives with respect to the implementation of the subject matter. The novel, which was serialised from 1 April to 12 August, 1854, is not so much the typical Victorian Social novel, but rather an allegorical novel. Dickens uses an allegorical narrative not only for the character foundation, but also the settings of the novel have to be read allegorically. The way Dickens transforms the setting of the industrial town Coketown in Hard Times into an allegory of the negative effects of Utilitarianism and capitalism can be seen in the description of Coketown in Book I, Chapter five: The Key-note, and Book II, Chapter one: Effects in the Bank. In the spirit of muscular Christianity, which saw every Christian as a miles christianae, meaning that every man should actively help his fellow-beings in the post-lapsarian world, Dickens wrote Hard Times against the hedonistic calculus of Utilitarianism (from Latin utilis, 'useful'). The aim of Utilitarian philosophy is to achieve 'the greatest happiness for the greatest number' (following the classical definition of Jeremy Bentham). Bentham considered all human beings to live by a principle of unqualified egotism; accordingly, actions of everyone are never carried out because of altruistic intentions, but only out of self-interest: Dream not that men will move their little finger to serv British, Literary Theory & Criticism, Allegory in Charles Dickens' Hard Times - Coketown~~ Eva Forster~~British~~Literary Theory & Criticism~~9783638476416, en, Allegory in Charles Dickens' Hard Times - Coketown, Eva Forster, 9783638476416, GRIN Verlag, 01/01/2006, , , , GRIN Verlag, 01/01/2006<

ISBN: 9783638476416

As most of Charles Dickens novels, Hard Times has a strong social theme: Dickens described the appalling conditions of life in factory towns; preached that the poor were entitled to the s… Mehr…

As most of Charles Dickens novels, Hard Times has a strong social theme: Dickens described the appalling conditions of life in factory towns; preached that the poor were entitled to the same justice, the same healthy conditions, the same freedom, as the rich; attacked every kind of public pest, especially those whose love for the public was really a love of publicity; and above all ridiculed the typical bureaucratic mentality which substituted scientific accuracy for imaginative reality, convinced that facts and figures were all-important, while fancies were beneath contempt. (qtd. in Allingham)However, Hard Times differs from Dickens other narratives with respect to the implementation of the subject matter. The novel, which was serialised from 1 April to 12 August, 1854, is not so much the typical Victorian Social novel, but rather an allegorical novel. Dickens uses an allegorical narrative not only for the character foundation, but also the settings of the novel have to be read allegorically. The way Dickens transforms the setting of the industrial town Coketown in Hard Times into an allegory of the negative effects of Utilitarianism and capitalism can be seen in the description of Coketown in Book I, Chapter five: The Key-note, and Book II, Chapter one: Effects in the Bank.In the spirit of muscular Christianity, which saw every Christian as a miles christianae, meaning that every man should actively help his fellow-beings in the post-lapsarian world, Dickens wrote Hard Times against the hedonistic calculus of Utilitarianism (from Latin utilis, useful). The aim of Utilitarian philosophy is to achieve the greatest happiness for the greatest number (following the classical definition of Jeremy Bentham). Bentham considered all human beings to live by a principle of unqualified egotism; accordingly, actions of everyone are never carried out because of altruistic intentions, but only out of self-interest: Dream not that men will move their little finger to serve you, unless their advantage in doing so is obvious to them. Men never did so and never will while human nature is made of its present materials. But they will desire to serve you when by so doing they can serve themselves, and the occasions on which they can serve themselves by serving you are multitudinous (Deontology, ii, 1834; posthumous work). (qtd. in Catholic Encyclopaedia), [PU: Grin-Verlag, München ]<

2005, ISBN: 9783638476416

Essay aus dem Jahr 2005 im Fachbereich Anglistik - Literatur, Note: 1,0, Universität Stuttgart (Institut für Literaturwissenschaft, Abteilung Neuere Englische Literatur), Veranstaltung: H… Mehr…

Essay aus dem Jahr 2005 im Fachbereich Anglistik - Literatur, Note: 1,0, Universität Stuttgart (Institut für Literaturwissenschaft, Abteilung Neuere Englische Literatur), Veranstaltung: Hauptseminar: Allegory, 5 Quellen im Literaturverzeichnis, Sprache: Englisch Allegory in Charles Dickens` Hard Times - Coketown: Essay aus dem Jahr 2005 im Fachbereich Anglistik - Literatur, Note: 1,0, Universität Stuttgart (Institut für Literaturwissenschaft, Abteilung Neuere Englische Literatur), Veranstaltung: Hauptseminar: Allegory, 5 Quellen im Literaturverzeichnis, Sprache: Englisch, GRIN Verlag<

2006, ISBN: 3638476413

In englischer Sprache. Verlag: GRIN Verlag, PC-PDF, 6 Seiten, 1., Auflage, [GR: 9564 - Nonbooks, PBS / Englische Sprachwissenschaft, Literaturwissenschaft], [SW: - Literaturwissenschaft,… Mehr…

In englischer Sprache. Verlag: GRIN Verlag, PC-PDF, 6 Seiten, 1., Auflage, [GR: 9564 - Nonbooks, PBS / Englische Sprachwissenschaft, Literaturwissenschaft], [SW: - Literaturwissenschaft, allgemein], [Ausgabe: 1][PU:GRIN Verlag], [PU: Grin-Verlag, München ]<

ISBN: 9783638476416

Allegory in Charles Dickens` Hard Times - Coketown:, GRIN Verlag