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social structure ofthe pre-industrial era,politically as an important part of the ruling class,economicallyas owners of the means of production and wealth and socially as a superior class.Aristocracies are essentially pre-industrial elites.“Historically,their power has beenbased on controlling or dominating the main economic resource of almost all societiesbefore the 19th century:land”(Doyle 40).Land has never been simply a source ofincome.Land also implied lordship.Substantial landowners dominated the society oftheir districts,and“exercised residual feudal rights as lords of manors,with their owncourts to enforce them”(Doyle 43).

Chapte2 Original Feudal Lordship in Timon of Athens

2.1 Timon’s Paternalistic Authority

In terms of political power,the nobility held titles and social honour andbelonged to the top social class in a hierarchical society.In such a society wherestatus was highly valued,the ruling power of the nobility was in line with their socialstatus.The nobility could exert great influence over local politics and administrativematters.In the play,Timon had absolute authority and popularity as a feudal Lord.Some critics had ascribed the tragedy of Timon to his cognitive defect,as CliffordDavidson believed that the cause of Timon’s downfall and cynicism is blind trust andfalse reliance on ideal friendship(182).However,a careful analysis of one of Timon’sjudgments on“friendship”reveals that what Timon meant by“friendship”was notintimate relationship in the sense of equality,but rather the implied power relations offeudal hierarchy.The“friendship”to which Timon refers is a kind of hierarchicalrelation glorified by his subjective ideology.Thus,the illustration of Timon’spaternalistic authority can be built around his assertion of“friendship”:

O,no doubt,my good friends,but the gods themselves have provided that I shallhave much help from you:how had you been my friends else?Why have you that charitable title from thousands,did not you chiefly belong to my heart?I have toldmore of you to myself than you can with modesty speak in your own behalf;andthus far I confirm you.O you gods,think I,what need we have any friends,if weshould ne’er have need of’em?they were the most needless creatures living,shouldwe ne’er have use for’em;and would most resemble sweet instruments hung up incases,that keeps their sounds to themselves.Why,I have often wished myselfpoorer,that might come nearer to you.We are born to do benefits;and what better orproperer can we call our own than the riches of our friends?O,what a preciouscomfort’tis to have so many like brothers commanding one another’s fortunes!(I.ⅱ.88-105)

2.2 Timon’s Economic Strength

The feudal nobility owned huge wealth and vast estates,controlling thecountry’s economic resources:land,forests,minerals,they were the richest class inthe feudal period.As a feudal Lord,Timon owned wide land directly to Sparta,whichwas the most solid basis for his social status,and the rent derived from which wasalso the primary source of income for him.General Alcibiades had commented onTimon:“when neighbour states,but for thy sword and fortune,trod upon them”(Ⅳ.ⅲ.95-6),from which it can be known the high status and key role Timon playedin the political and economic life in the city of Athens.

Timon’s lavish lifestyle demonstrated his financial strength.As Fernand Braudelonce said:

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