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visited is a typical Catholic novel of Waugh to express his Catholicmoral thoughts (Cao, 2013: 80), and the analysis of religious thoughts occupies a specialposition. The domestic researches on the religion emphasize on the effects and functionsof Catholicism.The influence of Catholicism is one of the research aspects. Under the Catholicinfluence all the characters finally gain forgiveness and convert to God with differentmethods after experiencing the sufferings caused by their betraying behaviors. Forexample, Yang and Zhang (2010: 47) analyzed this influence and process, concluding thatCatholicism can provide belief and direction to people in the area of moral corruption andspiritual vacancy; and only in the embrace of God and religion can they find the lightnessof hope. They also explained the religious symbols in the novel, especially the candlesgliming in the small church, which represent the hope that in the uncertain current society,religion is also meaningful and can provide guidance to people. Huang (2012: 81)researched the Catholic influence through analyzing the destiny of Sebastian, concludingthat after the Second World War, the English youth suffered spiritual vacancy andconfusion in the morbid society and can only seek salvation from the religion.
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2.2 Researches abroad
The religious and cultural researches are also the most important aspects of theoverseas researches. Some scholars analyze the art elements of the novel to reflect that thereligion should have more priority over any ancient and modern art. The cultural researchin overseas emphasizes on the manor culture in England. In addition, with the popularityof this novel, some scholars tend to compare the similarities and differences betweenBrideshead Revisited and the previous novels of Waugh; and between the original noveland the serials translated according to the original one.The religious theme analysis is mainly from the art presented in the novel, such as the literal works, the handiwork and the painting or architecture, through which reflect theCatholic thoughts expressed in the novel, that is, the religion has more priority over the art,and the Catholic tradition is much more important than modern and progress.White (2006: 182) analyzed the relationship between art and religion reflected in thenovel and concluded that “Waugh’s portrait of the artist as a young man ends with Charlesfinding ultimate value, not in beauty, but in God.”. In the novel, Charles became an artistafter decades of learning and painting, but finally failed both in art and love. In this article,White listed some examples of art works appeared in the novel and found that through thedescription of these, Waugh aimed to condemn them, even they are very famous, andconcluded that art and beauty cannot substitute for religion.Some concrete things appeared in the novel are also applied to reflect the samethought. In 2013, Christopher Chilton compared the image of the gilded tortoises in twonovels. In A Rebours, the tortoise dies of ornamentation, which aims to condemn thenature because of its unability to adapt to the aestheticism of the new age. In BridesheadRevisited, the tortoise, which is gilded by Mottram in order to give Julia as present, finallydisappeared. The tortoise represents as modernity or aestheticism, which reflects theauthor’s suspicion of modern and progress for threatening to eliminate the Catholictradition (Chilton, 2013:19).
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