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revealing the symbols in Timon ofAthens from the aspects of humanistic ideals,humanistic crisis and humanistic spirit,this studycan become more logic and systematic.

Chapter Two Symbols of the Humanistic Ideals inTimon of Athens

2.1 Symbols of the Hope for Humanistic Ideals

Athens and wood symbolize the hope for humanistic ideals.Athens,a holy placewith brilliant culture,great tradition and excellent morality,carries with it much moreprofound symbolic meaning in Timon of Athens.It is a symbol of returning tohumanistic holy land,a symbol of Shakespeare’s beautiful wishes at the very beginning.Wood,a green world where everything is pure,vibrant and poetic,symbolizes thereconstructing of humanistic ideal land after all the betrayals of the human world.Thetwo places,Athens and wood,reflect that humanistic ideals is sought after twicealtogether.

2.1.1 Returning to Humanistic Ideal Land

Athens,an European metropolis,is the economic,financial,technological,political,and cultural center of Ancient Greece.It is referred to as“the Cradle of Western Civilization”.Besides,it is the birthplace of European philosophy and it once had ahuge impact on European and even world culture.A lot of world-famous people likeSocrates，Plato and Aristotle were born there,so it is also known as the birthplace ofdemocracy.Athens,the Greek holy land that is in charge of all prosperity,and the placewhere every philosopher can voice their opinions and masters of humanism can expresstheir beautiful wishes,is in possession of much deeper symbolic meaning inShakespeare’s Timon of Athens.In the first half of Time of Athens,Shakespeare usesAthens as the setting of the story,which is of course of no coincidence.Athens is asymbol of an ideal world and a symbol of Shakespeare’s beautiful wishes.As ismentioned above,Athens is a wonderful and attractive place.Therefore,Shakespearehoped that the world he lived in could be as beautiful and civilized as Athens in ancientGreece.He had the most beautiful and sincere wish that harmony,peace and hope couldbe found in his home country.As a matter of fact,in Timon of Athens,the place Athenscan be understood as the perfect state of a country or a long-term goal of a state.Withpeople’s joint efforts it is hoped that Shakespeare’s motherland can be likeAthens.

2.2 Symbols of the Disillusionment of Humanistic Ideals

The cave and grave in Timon of Athens are used symbolically to express thedisillusionment of humanistic ideals.It is a common sense that caves are the habitats foranimals.Timon’s decision to live within a cave rather than man-made houses stands forthe ultimate darkness of human society and the meaninglessness of human beings’courses of life.And the emotions attached to the grave in Timon of Athens are evenmuch more depressing and pessimistic than those related to the cave.The grave standsfor the ultimate negation of human beings’self-salvation.Timon’s suicide manifests thatthere is no hope for people to save themselves.Human beings’destination is nothing but grave and death.The cave and the grave symbolize that the pursuit of humanisticideals ends up in failure.

Timon’s whole life is devoted to humanistic ideals.There is only one thing thattruly matters in his life.That is running after his humanistic ideals.When Timon is inAthens,he is a wealthy,generous and kind-hearted nobleman and stands a本论文由英语论文网提供整理，提供论文代写，英语论文代写，代写论文，代写英语论文，代写留学生论文，代写英文论文，留学生论文代写相关核心关键词搜索。