Paradox And Tension:Mannerism In The European Literature From The Mid 16th Century To The Early 17th Century

Mannerism generally refers to an artistic style that was fashionable from the 1620s to the end of the 16th century.These artists deliberately rebelled against the art traditions of Renaissance,breaking the principles of perspective,disrupting balance and stability,showing off their superb skills with exaggerated,distorted and artificial postures,pursuing ultimate elegance and beauty,and even strayed into a grotesque state of pretense.In a broader sense,mannerism is not limited to the art field,but can be regarded as the fashion and trend that spread throughout Europe from the 1620s to the early 17th century,representing the prevalent mental state and similar artistic choices of this period,which is the background and foundation of the discussion of mannerism in literature.The thesis consists of five parts:introduction,three chapters and conclusion.The introduction points out the definition of mannerism in art history and its scope of application in this study in the beginning,then explains the research methods and ideas based on a review of domestic and foreign research.The first chapter retraces the critical and academic research history of mannerism in art field and summarizes three methods adopted by the interdisciplinary mannerism study in literature.Chapter Two focus on the literary forms of mannerism by parallel comparisons including the revolving view,a Sprecher as an intermediary,and mannerist metaphor as a cognitive approach.These elaborate and decorated design develop the dynamic effect and stressful tension in mannerist art style.The third chapter analyzes and describes the spiritual dilemma of mannerism in combination with the creator’s life experience and works,emphasizing the suspicious and melancholic impression,the intractable contradictions and anxiety and the temporary relief of being immersed in self-intoxication in the spirit of mannerism.The conclusion is to summarize how mannerism as a cultural atmosphere affects the spiritual world and literary creation of writers and extend the value and significance of mannerism issues.In general,the study of mannerism in literature mainly bases on rhetoric,formalism and Zeitgeist,while my thesis focuses on the last two points which are full of paradox and tension.The forms of mannerism in literature commonly embrace several conflicting elements,break the integrity and coherence of the text and prompt the perspectives of readers to move in a dynamic balance,thus generating a three-dimensional emotional experience.As a brand-new way of perceiving the world,mannerist metaphors constantly exploit novel interpretations in order to obtain intellectual pleasure.In the background of turbulent era,both artists and writers felt the pressure of reality and were compelled to face the rupture of the relationship between man and universe,world and God as well as self-division.They comprehended the world with suspicion,perceived the world with melancholy,locked themselves in the inner world alone,and vainly attempt to hide the broken reality with pure imagination.However,they could only survive in the gap between ideal and reality in the end.This is the essence of the spirit of mannerism and the similarity of sensibility within mannerism and modernism.For this reason,the value of mannerism can be reassessed,and the issue of mannerism becomes more significant.