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Conclusion

Shakespeare’s tragedy Timon of Athens recreated the process of thedisintegration of feudal lordship in the transition from the old to the new society,andexposed the inevitable trend of social and historical development through thedifferent behavioural choices of Timon,the senators and the general Alcibiades in theface of social change.This thesis,based on Timon of Athens,has provided acomprehensive and detailed analysis of the breakdown of feudal lordship in earlymodern England.Through the integration of the text with its social economichistorical context,this thesis has examined the manifestations of early feudal lordship;the challenges faced by feudal lordship,which is also the cause of its disintegration;the manifestations of the breakdown of feudal lordship;and the behavioural choicesmade by the characters in the face of the coming capitalism in Timon of Athens.At thebeginning,as the basic mechanism of English feudal society,Timon’s feudal lordshipwas reflected in his absolute paternalistic authority,strong economic power and wideinfluence over society and culture.However,the emerging capitalist economy posed achallenge to his feudal lordship.Under the influence of the embryonic capitalisteconomy,the determinants of power relations shifted from hierarchical status toeconomic power;economic activity placed more emphasis on the exchange-value ofcommodities and the legitimation of the pursuit of self-interest;and the focus ofsocial ethics shifted from moral obligation to contractual obligation.As a result,Timon’s feudal lordship collapsed with the loss of economic power and authority anda shift in social ethics.Finally,the different behavioural choices of Timon,thesenators and the Alcibiades reflected the attitudes of the feudal class in the face of theemerging capitalism.Shakespeare’s interpretation of the fate of England can be seenin the Alcibiades’compromise at the end of the play:the collapse of the feudallordship and the establishment of a capitalist economic system were the inevitabletrend of history,and although the moral and ethical traditions were worth preserving,integration into the new era was the only option for the stability and harmony of thecountry.

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