从历史诗学的角度看中国叙事文学中人物描写的演化过程

从历史诗学的角度较系统地研究了中国文学中人物肖像描写的演变.文章认为,在神话人物的肖像描写中,就存在"合成的形像",如:古书及汉代石刻画像中有半兽半人的伏羲,而女娲身体各部分则是各种野兽身体部分的组合,如人面、牛首、虎鼻等.这样的描写方法是较原始的,其他民族原始艺术中也有.后来的古代人物描写方法,受到宗教因素的影响,如晋代小说描写方法受了佛教中对佛描写的影响.唐代变文、宋元平话、明代小说都可以发现从佛经借来的模式.文章还谈到古代神话人物人格化的过程,认为当代小说有时也利用古典小说描写模式.

A Historical Poetics on the Evolution of Narrative Characterization in Chinese Literature

The author holds that the "integral image" has been a convention in the characterization of fictional persona in Chinese literature ever since the prehistoric times when the mythmakers combined the human figures with animal figures in the creation of the ancestors of the Chinese nation. Primitive as it is, the technique was employed in other nations as well. Later generations used the similar notions, but with some religious hint, in the writings, especially the novels of the Tang, Yuan and Ming Dynasties. The paper also suggests the personification of mythical figures in ancient times is also used by modern writers.