中文摘要：《艰难时世》是英国著名批判家狄更斯的代表作之一。在十九世纪时期，作者在资本主义工业城市的虚浮繁华之下看到了伤痕累累的城市，于是作者描绘一个叫做焦煤镇的城市，汇聚了那个时代所有的鲜明特点，使得焦煤镇成为了当时英国工业资本主义发展的一个缩影。工人们恶劣的环境和生活与资本家的奢靡生活的冲突，以及工人们的工资待遇与资本家的剥削的冲突，表达了狄更斯对于工业文明恣意扩张造成的环境污染和人心变化的极度愤怒与唾弃，透露出狄更斯期望健康向上的社会生活环境，主张回归自然的美好愿望。

关键词：环境描写, 人物描写, 社会环境, 资本剥削     

CONTENTS

中文摘要

Abstract

1.Introduction.1

2.Background1

2.1 The author-1

2.2 Historical background-2

2.3 Utilitarian realism-2

3.Main characters in the book.2

3.1 Tomas Gradgrind-3

3.1.1 The description of Thomas Gradgrind-3

3.1.2 The behaviors of Thomas Gradgrind-3

3.1.3 The tragedies of Thomas Gradgrind-3

3.2 Josiah Bounderby-4

3.2.1 The description of Josiah Bounderby-4

3.2.2 The behaviors of Josiah Bounderby-4

3.2.3 The tragedies of Josiah Bounderby-4

4.The description of environment in Hard Times.4

4.1 Social environment in Hard Times-5

4.1.1 Social environment-5

4.1.2 The mind of the author-6

4.2 Natural description in Hard Times-6

4.2.1 Natural description-6

4.2.2 The mind of the author-7

5.The function and the value of environmental description.7

5.1 The function of environmental description-7

5.1.1The influence of social environment on characters.8

5.1.2The influence of the natural environment on the characters.8

5.2 The value of environmental description-8

6 Conclusion9

References-11