试论话本小说中因果结构的演变历程与审美优劣

话本小说情节模式的演变过程中,因果结构是逐渐突显并被广泛采用的。这一点通过考察一系列相似题材的话本变迁时可以看得更加明显。如佛教报恩与道教成仙的结局模式,即因它们具有合于因果、便于劝化、且能使作品结构更显完整等审美优点,遂被大量话本习用。而此种模式被大量效仿之后(如文言言情话本中道教成仙模式的滥用),因果结局的庸俗不堪及各种负面影响开始突出,并直接影响到话本小说反映现实的深度。这妨碍到话本小说的现代性转变,成为话本创作走向衰亡的原因之一。

A study on the evolvement and the aesthetic character of the causal structure in Huaben novels

In the development of the plot patterns of Huaben novels,the causality structure has gradually become conspicuous and widely adopted.This can be seen more clearly when we look into changes in Huaben novels on a series of similar subject matters.For instance,such ending patterns as the Buddhist repaying an obligation;the Taoistic achieving immortality had been largely used by Huaben novels since such patterns could aesthetically present better the causality structure,easily persuade others and make the structure more complete.After the pattern had been applied too much,for instance,the pattern of a Taoist becoming a celestial being in Huaben love novels in Wenyan,the causality ending became vulgar and brought various negative influences.And this had directly affected Huaben novels in their way of reflecting the realities,thus hindering the modern transition of Huaben novels,and thus had led to its fade.