本論文旨在探討喬治．艾略特(George Eliot) 所著小說《亞當．畢德》(Adam Bede)與湯瑪士‧哈代(Thomas Hardy) 所著《黛絲姑娘》(Tess of the D’Urbervilles) 中的同情心議題。透過檢視進化論、考古發現與其他理性思維所引發對十九宗教的挑戰，本論文強調同情心的概念乃兩位作者呼籲回歸宗教人文價值之依據。藉由描述宗教人物影響力之不足，甚至無能，兩位作者共同表達出其對於宗教議題的關切。儘管如此，兩位作者巧妙地點出這些宗教代表人物的人道關懷如何能有效幫助其周遭的人度過生命中的難關。
因應當代的宗教危機，同受實證主義思想的影響，艾略特與哈代提倡同情心乃解決宗教不足的良方。因此，他們強調回歸宗教人文價值能有效幫助人們度過困境。在《亞當．畢德》一書中，艾略特透過亞當(Adam Bede)與宗教領袖的互動關係，描繪主角的同情心發展。在《黛絲姑娘》中，哈代以相似手法描繪安喬(Angel Clare)如何透過同情心的發展，而寬恕與接納黛絲。在亞當的例子中，憑藉教區長爾文(Aldophous Irwine)的支持與陪伴，亞當得以度過海蒂(Hetty Sorrel)與亞瑟(Arthur Donnithorne)之間暗通款曲曝光後所帶來的痛苦，進而成為一個更能體諒周遭人事物的角色。至於安喬，從逐漸獲得同情心的過程中，他學習如何接受黛絲的不完美。
有感於當代宗教的不足，艾略特與哈代認為同情心不僅能使人更加包容、寬容與尊重，且能有效解決當代的宗教問題。

This thesis explores the theme of sympathy in George Eliot’s Adam Bede and Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles. It investigates the challenges to traditional religion in the nineteenth century brought about by the new developments in science, such as evolutionary theories and archeological discoveries, and other rationalist thinking to highlight the concept of sympathy as the two novelists’ call for a return to the humanistic values of religion. The novelists’ concerns about the limitationsof traditional religion are manifested in their depiction of ineffectual or even impotent religious figures. Nevertheless, the two authors also portray in a subtle way the admirable human attributes of these representatives of religion.
In reaction to the religious crisis of their time, Eliot and Hardy, both influenced by positivist thoughts, promote the concept of sympathy as a remedy to the inadequacy of religion. So they highlight how the return to the humanistic values of religion can help amend the difficult situation. In Adam Bede, through the interactions between the religious leaders and Adam, Eliot traces the titular character’s development of sympathy. Similarly, in Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Hardy depicts Angel’s improvement through his development of a sympathetic understanding. In the case of Adam, thanks to the support and companionship of Rector Irwine, he is spiritually regenerated from the suffering experiences resulting from Hetty’s love affair with Arthur. Eventually, Adam is able to forgive both Hetty and Arthur. As for Angel, his gradual acquisition of a sympathetic understanding helps him to accept Tess despite her imperfection. To conclude, Eliot and Hardy consider sympathy, with which people can be more tolerant, understanding and respectful, as a possible solution to the religious problems of their time.

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