Abstract

As a vital way of thinking and cognition, metaphor can help people recognize and hold the world. The essence of metaphor is to understand a thing by another thing. It exists in many literary works. Many literary giants apply metaphor to deepen the subject and promote the expression of emotion, which can also strike a chord among readers. Based on the studies of cognitive linguistics, this dissertation introduces the definition of metaphor and its classification and operation mechanism, and discusses the relationship between metaphor and literary works. Here to Tess of the D’Urbervilles as an example, for its great reputation in the history of world literature. And its author Thomas Hardy depicts the color of clothing and the color of the environment in the text many times. This paper analyzes and studies the metaphorical meaning of the color words like red, white, black and green appearing in the Tess of the D 'Urbervilles in detail, and wants to discuss the profound meaning and its symbolic meaning of these color words, so as to help people better and more thoroughly understand the book “Tess of the D 'Urbervilles”. For example, this thesis walks through white where applies metaphor theory to analyze Tess’s white dress. At the very beginning, the color of Tess’s dress is white, which implies the pure and naivete of Tess and her Catholic identity. White also stands in sharp contrast to red, black and other colors appear in later article. The changes of the colors show the translation of Tess’s inner world. And this metaphor is conductive to the understanding of this book. 

Key words: conceptual metaphor; metaphor; Tess of the D’Urbervilles; color

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1.Introduction1

1.1Background of the study1

1.2Purpose of the study1

1.3Significance of the study.2

1.4The structure of the thesis2

2.Literature Review2

2.1 Research on Thomas Hardy and Tess of the D’Urbervilles.3

2.2 Literature and metaphor4

2.3 Summary.5

3.Metaphor Theory .5

3.1 Definition of metaphor.5

3.2 Classification of metaphor8

3.3 Operation mechanism of metaphor.9

4.Analysis of Color Metaphor in Tess of the D’Urbervilles.10

4.1 Red metaphor.10

4.2 White metaphor ..12

4.3 Black metaphor..12

4.4 Green metaphor 13

4.5 Summary13

5. Conclusion13

References.15