爱默生英雄主义观的文化解读

从爱默生的一篇演讲《英雄主义》入手,本文结合文化和时代背景,解读他的英雄主义观。文章从四个方面的三个层次剖析了英雄主义。四个方面包括:英勇好战、自信、高尚和好性情。三个层次是:传统价值、时代精神和爱氏的新英雄观。可以说爱默生既是一位传统道德的卫士又是时代精神的代言人,他借"英雄主义"这一极具感染力的文化元素,对人性作了影响深远的阐发,启示着包括在社会主义市场经济条件下探索弘扬传统文化的中国人。

Cultural Interpretation of Emerson's Heroism

Based on the lecture "Heroism" and its social and cultural backgrounds,this article is planned to interpret Emerson's heroism.After political independence,the United States was trying to prove its autonomy both economically and culturally.At the same time,traditional virtues and values were threatened and challenged by the thriving capitalist economy.Under such circumstance,Ralph Waldo Emerson,as a descendent of progressive Unitarian family,reinterpreted the concept of heroism by combining the spirit of the time and traditional virtues to meet the spiritual need of the era.Emerson's heroism covered four aspects: warlike attitude,self-trust,virtues and good-humor.