关键词: 《爱》, 文学伦理学批评, 伦理身份, 伦理禁忌, 伦理结

Abstract: Toni Morrison's novel Love continues her consistent multiple-narrative style. In the story, successful businessman Cosey chooses to marry his granddaughter's best friend Heed, who is only 11 years old. Thus, the ethical relations of the family becomes confusing and all the family members are trapped into ethical dilemma, which makes women of the family suffer from a severe identity crisis and fight with one another. This paper intends to analyze the ethical features of the novel from the perspective of ethical literary criticism. Focalizing ethical identity, ethical taboo and ethical complex, this paper points out that owing to the wrong ethical choice of Cosey, the hatred among women becomes increasingly fierce in this patriarchal black family. The ethical complex, which keeps the women of the family entangled for years, is decoded at last through sisterhood among them. Heed and Christine regain their sisterhood and obtain their long-lost love.