In the medieval Europe, knight is one of the most eminent social statuses。 On the one hand, they are normally defined as ordinary cavalries who fight to defend their country。 On the other hand, they are among noble aristocracy who serve for the monarch。 By every measure, therefore, the first impression appears in our mind is their loyalty when referring to knights。 Therefore, what kind of loyalty do they have? “The chief components of the Malorian ideal are the moral imperatives of the chivalric oath and the loyalty and reciprocity owed by members of the Round Table to Arthur and each other as participants in the feudal system。” From this description, we can see that the loyalty of knights is the product under hierarchy and social condition。 As we know, no one can claim the title of knight without great military service in the battle during the medieval Europe period。 Such service itself is a kind of duty of knights to their monarch。 Meanwhile, they can gain fame and social recognition after battle。 Thus there is no doubt that under most circumstances, knights fight for their honors and prospects。 It seems that this kind of “loyalty” that knights hold is interest-oriented。 

From above, we see that for loyalty, there are many interpretations in different situations。 But the loyalty of Hassan I am going to talk about is different from the one of German constitutional monarchy and knights in the medieval Europe。 Then, what affects the coming into being of Hassan’s “Loyalty”?来*自-优=尔,论:文+网www.chuibin.com

2。 Factors constituting Hassan’s loyalty

2。1 Master-servant relation influencing Hassan’s loyalty

There are different words to describe the relation between masters and servants。 In feudal China, palace maids and eunuch need to show obedience to their emperor who grasps power of the life and death; in the courts of European royalty, knights are a group of vassals that take military services for the duty to the monarch。 Therefore, when referring to master-servant relation, we would think of words like obedience, duty etc。 In a society with strict hierarchy, inevitably, people seem to get used to obedience and duty, especially people in the lower class who would do everything for their master。 “In the master, the bondsman feels self-existence to be something external, an objective fact; in fear self-existence is present within himself; in fashioning the thing, self-existence comes to be felt explicitly as his own proper being, and he attains the consciousness that he himself exists in its own right and on its own account。" Because of fear, servants tend to be obedient and dutiful to their master。 Some masters justify those humble people’s behavior as an expression of loyalty, which is reasonable in certain circumstances。 Not only in feudal China and medieval Europe, such loyalty also prevails in the Afghan society thirty years ago。 In Afghanistan, Hazara is a group of people of lower class in Afghanistan, and Hassan is one of them。 Affected by his peer group, surely, he knows how to show obedience and servant’s duty as an expression of loyalty。 More than that, his distinct Asian feature makes his situation worse。 “He is described as having a perfectly round face, like a Chinese doll from hardwood。 He has a flat broad nose and slanting narrow eyes like bamboo leaves。 His eyes could look gold, green and sapphire, depending on the light。 He has tiny, low set ears and a pointed stub of a chin。” Being different from others makes Hassan one of a group of outcasts in Kabul。 However, he has the affection of a respectable and exalted master---Amir’s father, and company of his most beloved friend---Amir。 They means world to Hassan。 With their favor, he can protect himself from verbal attack。 Therefore, besides obedience and duty, Hassan is grateful for his masters。 In Hassan’s interpretation of Master-servant relation, there is gratitude, obedience and duty, which all constitute his loyalty。