The "Contradiction" Variation In Maodun's Literary Criticism

Maodun's literary criticism is of great importance in modern Chinese literary criticism; he was engaged in literary criticism for sixty years with three million words of critical essays left. Maodun's critical theory and concept and critical works, not only enriched modern Chinese literary criticism, but also promoted modern Chinese literature. From the perspective of generation, the significance of Maodun's literary criticism goes beyond the circle of literature. On the one hand, the phenomenon that there is "contradiction " in his concrete opinion shows the great influence from his time. On the other hand, the phenomenon of "contradiction" reflects Maodun's awkward situation and dilemma. The value in terms of historical document and the significance in terms of ideological history could not be ignored.The "contradiction" of Maodun's literary criticism shows in his literary theory and concept as well as in his concrete critical practice. The concept of emphasis on " utility " and underestimation of " theoretical concept" leads to the amplification of function and the absence of the noumenal —the deformation and swing of opinions, the break and shift of subject, and it also leads to the wandering of his criticism of authors and works between the " outside" and the "inside" of the door of art, and the shift between "I" and "We". At the level of expression, this absence of balance, inconsistent "contradiction" also embodies the conflict of the "surface" and the "inside"—the conflict of tone, the ambiguous speech, and the purposeful escape. The polyphony caused by the conflict not only reflects Maodun's perplexed state and loss; even there lies the polar of the two values. The "contradiction" in Maodun's literary criticism comes from his dilemma in the choice of "literature and politics", "aesthetics and utility", " individual and collective" on the one hand. On the other hand, it comes from the psychological conflict in his choice of " profession and interest", " position and distance", " identity and stand". This dilemma and conflict leads to the absence of theory and the poverty of aesthetics in Maodun's literary criticism. But in terms of ideological history, it is of great value. As historical document, it records the real critical activities, leaving a concrete case for the development of society, literature and criticism; it provides a personal testimony for the centennial development of modern Chinese literary criticism, showing the conflicting assimilation and conformation in the individual; it is a miniature of the tragedy of the soul of a generation of intellectuals, leaving an epitome of a great personality in the ideological history.