人物性格与历史真实--莱辛与伏尔泰关于此问题的论争

伏尔泰认为真实是美的第一要素，戏剧情节要符合历史的实际；莱辛则认为性格才是戏剧表现的重心，作品为了表现性格可以改编历史。莱辛对人物性格的强调与他试图要建立市民悲剧的主张联系起来。伏尔泰的戏剧观以启蒙时代的理性主义为基础；莱辛对戏剧的认识则以古希腊特别是以亚里士多德的诗学理论为根基。在启蒙大潮中，莱辛思想的古典色彩与之保持着一定的距离。

The Argument on Character and Historical Reality betuteen Lessing and Voltaire

Voltaire regarded the truthfulness to history as the primary principle of a drama,and the plot of the drama must conform with historical reality,while Lessing regarded the character as the core of a drama,and the history could be adapted for revealing the character.Lessing’s stress on the character connected with his advocation for the civil tragedy.Voltaire’s conception of the drama was based on the rationalism in the Enlightenment era,whereas Lessing’conception of the drama was based on the poetics of ancient Greek,especially on Aristotle’s poetics.Lessing maintained the classic elements in his thought and kept a certain distance from the Enlightenment in his reflection upon it.