David Thoreau

HenryDavidThoreau（1817–1862）•RalphWaldoEmersonHenryDavidThoreau◆Americanauthor,poet,naturalist,taxresister,developmentcritic,surveyor,historian,philosopher,andleadingtranscendentalist;◆bestknownforhisbookWalden,areflectionuponsimplelivinginnaturalsurroundings,andhisessay,CivilDisobedience,anargumentforindividualresistancetocivilgovernmentinmoraloppositiontoanunjuststate.◆Thoreau'sbooks,articles,essays,journals,andpoetrytotalover20volumes.◆Amonghislastingcontributionswerehiswritingsonnaturalhistoryandphilosophy,whereheanticipatedthemethodsandfindingsofecologyandenvironmentalhistory,twosourcesofmoderndayenvironmentalism.MajorLiteraryWorks3)AWeekontheConcordandMerrimackRivers«在康科德与梅里马克河上一周»arecordofacanoeexcursion,givingobservantcommentsonnature,man,societyandliterature2)APleaforJohnBrown«为约翰·布朗申辩»1)CivilDisobedience«论公民之不服从»4)Walden«沃尔登湖»anothername,LifeintheWoodsacollectionof18natureessaysagreatTranscendentalistwork.abookaboutman,whatheis,andwhatheshouldbeandmustbe.fullofideasexpressedtopersuadehisneighborsoutoftheircomplacency(自满)masterpiecemovedtoacabinonWaldenPond,onJuly4,1845;livedtherefor26months◆Hedidnotlikethewayamaterialistic(实利主义的)Americawasdevelopingandwasstronglyoutspoken(直言的)onthepoint;◆Hehatedthehumaninjusticeasrepresentedbytheslaverysystem;◆Hesawnatureasagenuinerestorative(有助健康的),healthyinfluenceonman’sspiritualwell-being;Thoreau’sPointsofViewThoreau’sPointsofView◆Hehadfaithintheinnervirtueandinward,spiritualgraceofman;◆Hewasverycriticalofmoderncivilization;◆Hewasimpatientwithhisfellowmenwhodidnotwanttospendsolittletimeontheself-improvement;◆Hehadtrustinthefuture;CommentsonThoreau1)Hewasbynomeansanescapistorarecluse,butwasintenselyinvolvedinthelifeofhisday.2)Hehadmanyvirtuesbuthedidnotdojusticetohisowntalent,i.e.hewastedhislife.(Emerson’sspeechathisfuneral)3)Hespokeaheadofhistime.HisinfluencegoesbeyondAmerica.Hisstatuewasplacedinthe“HallofFame”inNewYorkin1969.WaldenorLifeintheWoodsStatueofHenryDavidThoreauatWaldenPondWenttoWalden1845Wrote“AweekonConcordandMerrimackRivers”WroteWaldenlater1roomcabinLivedaloneGrewvegetablesin21/2acrefarm,livedmostlyasvegetarianRowedboatonpondRecordedlife,particularlydetailsofpond,woods,changesofseason,histhoughtsNotexactlywilderness,onlyacoupleofmilesfromhisfamilyhome…Ideaoflivingdeliberatelyhighlyinfluential…我去树林是因为我希望活得自由，去面对生命最精华的东西,看看我是否学得到生活要教育我的东西，免得到了临死的时候，才发现我根本就没有生活过。Itwasn’tverylong…•2years,2months,2days.(1845-46)•Yet,peopledidn’ttreatitasshort.•Treateditassomethingverysignificant,substantial.WaldenHowtoreadWalden?◆Abookonself-cultureandhumanperfectibility;◆Abookaboutman,whatheis,andwhatheshouldbeandmustbe;◆Heholdsthatthemostimportantthingformantodowiththeirlivesistobeself-sufficientandstrivetoachievepersonalspiritualperfection;◆Hefeltmanshouldseektruthdirectlybyhimselfandnotthroughimitationofothers.Thebestwaytofindtruthisbysinkingoneselfinthewholesomeatmosphereofnature;◆Moderncivilizedlifehasdehumanizedmanandplacehiminaspiritualquandary:bytryingtoamassmaterialpossessions,manisnotreallyliving;heisdigginghisowngrave;◆Thebookisfullofpeoplewakingup;◆Spiritualrichnessisrealwealth;◆Itisworthtryingtolivealifeinwhichoneneedstoworkonlyfor6weekstobefreefortherestoftheyear;◆One’ssoulwillhelpmakereal“progress”inself-improvementSubjectsinWalden:ItexhibitsThoreau’scalmtrustinthefutureandhisardentbeliefinanewgenerationofmen.ThoreauusedhislifeatWaldenasasymbolofwhatcouldhappentoeveryone.Hemadehislifeasymbolofspiritualinspirationandmadethewaterasymbolofspiritualknowledgeofwashingawayevil,beingreborn,beingrefreshedwiththewaterofpureinnocentwater.SubjectsinWalden:◆concernedwiththeessentialsoflife,livingratherthangettingaliving;◆theimportanceofthinkingovermaterialsurroundings;◆confidenceintheindividual◆Theescapefromthepoweroftime;◆Thepossibilityforandtheimportanceofchangeinone’sspirituallifeStyleofWalden◆Propheticvoice(theepigraph;towakehisneighborsupetc.);◆Directforcefulsentence;◆Conversationalintone;◆Humor(puns,irony…);◆Proverbialexpressions(usingaminimumofwordstoputamaximumofmeaning);◆Brieftales(fables&allegories);◆Metaphors(usingmetaphorsfromtheactualphysicalworldtopointtospiritualreality.)我生活的地方；我为何生活•到达我们生命的某个时期，我们就习惯于把可以安家落户的地方，一个个地加以考察了。正是这样我把住所周围一二十英里内的田园统统考察一遍。我在想象中已经接二连三地买下了那儿的所有田园，因为所有的田园都得要买下来，而且我都已经摸清它们的价格了。我步行到各个农民的田地上，尝尝他的野苹果，和他谈谈稼穑，再又请他随便开个什么价钱，就照他开的价钱把它买下来，心里却想再以任何价钱把它押给他；甚至付给他一个更高的价钱，——把什么都买下来，只不过没有立契约，——而是把他的闲谈当作他的契约，我这个人原来就很爱闲谈，——我耕耘了那片田地，而且在某种程度上，我想，耕耘了他的心田，如是尝够了乐趣以后，我就扬长而去，好让他继续耕耘下去。这种经营，竟使我的朋友们当我是一个地产拍客。•其实我是无论坐在哪里，都能够生活的，哪里的风景都能相应地为我而发光。家宅者，不过是一个座位，——如果这个座位是在乡间就更好些。我发现许多家宅的位置，似乎都是不容易很快加以改进的，有人会觉得它离村镇太远，但我觉得倒是村镇离它太远了点。我总说，很好，我可以在这里住下；我就在那里过一小时夏天的和冬天的生活；我看到那些岁月如何地奔驰，挨过了冬季，便迎来了新春。这一区域的未来居民，不管他们将要把房子造在哪里，都可以肯定过去就有人住过那儿了。只要一个下午就足够把田地化为果园、树林和牧场，并且决定门前应该留着哪些优美的橡树或松树，甚至于砍伐了的树也都派定了最好的用场了；然后，我就由它去啦，好比休耕了一样，一个人越是有许多事情能够放得下，他越是富有。•我的想象却跑得太远了些，我甚至想到有几处田园会拒绝我，不肯出售给我，——被拒绝正合我的心愿呢，——我从来不肯让实际的占有这类事情的伤过我的手指头。几乎已实际地占有田园那一次，是我购置霍乐威尔那个地方的时候，都已经开始选好种子，找出了木料来，打算造一架手推车，来推动这事，或载之而他往了；可是在原来的主人正要给我一纸契约之前，他的妻子——每一个男人都有一个妻子的——发生了变卦，她要保持她的田产了，他就提出赔我十元钱，解除约定。现在说句老实