清初拟话本小说中乞丐形象特点及成因

清初拟话本小说在较短时间内,连续集中出现以乞丐为主角的多部作品。这几部作品,人物相似,情节相类,都是乞丐孝义两全、轻财守礼、仁心仁德、终得善报的故事。小说中,乞丐们道德几近完美,同时却也面目模糊、缺少个性。究其创作动因,清初拟话本更倾向于直接取材于社会现实,而乞丐孝母、拾银不昧、代偿债务都是有人物原型的。乞丐仁心义行正能反衬出豪绅贵人的背信弃义,作者们借助因果报应之说宣教世人,也通过乞丐之口,宣扬着自己对道德的理解和对世事的评价。

On the Characteristics of Images of Beggars in Nihuaben Folk Stories in Early Qing Dynasty

In the early years of the Qing Dynasty, there appeared a burst of several vernacular folk stories in which beggars are the main characters. In such works, the characters and plots are similar in that the beggars are filial, loyal and kind, that they value friendship more than money, and that they all have good recompense. In the stories, the beggars are morally perfect but they do not have clear characterization and individuality. A study of these works shows that the vernacular folk stories in the early years of the Qing Dynasty are directly based on the social realities. All the filial, honest and generous beggars have the prototypes at that time. The characters of the beggars are a contrast of the despotic and treacherous gentries. Through the stories, the writers express their own views of morals and the society.