The Study On The Literary Tension In The Seventeenth-Century European Baroque Literature

The seventeenth-century European Baroque Literature is an important literary trend between the periods of the European Renaissance and the Neoclassicism. Literature research relevant to Baroque in our country is still at the beginning. Although these researches in Baroque Literature are gradually broadening both in areas and angles of view, still few people have approached the research particularly from the angle of "literary tension"In view of this, this present paper, focusing on "literary tension" based on its theories and supplemented with theories on narration, literary and artistic psychology, accepting aesthetics and mass communication, is intended to explore Baroque Literature comprehensively.The present paper includes three parts-----the introduction, the four-chapter body, and the conclusion, among which the introduction comprises three parts-----the literature review; the research contents, methods and value; and the definition of the core concepts.In Chapter One, the historical and cultural contexts in which the literary tension of the seventeenth-century European Baroque Literature was formed is studied. The tension trait of Baroque Literature was formed in an age of "unrest, suspicion and exploration", sustaining the complex pulsation and common mentality of that age with its unique cultural spirits and characteristics.In Chapter Two, the study is focused on the building of Baroque literary tension in two aspects, the ideological conflict and harmony, and the literary "tension field". Ideologically, Baroque Literature displays its "multi tones" with the noble consciousness its theme. Literally, the "tension field" is built upon three elements, firstly narrative principles, narrative structures and narrative tension, secondly language polishing, square speech and discourse tension, and thirdly elegant, weird images and role tension.In Chapter Three, an analysis is made of the distinctive beauty of tension in Baroque Literature. The tension beauty, with noble aesthetic interest at the core, also absorbs the aesthetics of other social classes, especially the folk collective consciousness and carnival spirit, which reflects a distinguishing aesthetic pursuit with rich connotation. In the theme, style and language form, its inclusive nature gives the aesthetic feeling of "multiplicity". In artistic expression, its mixture of reality and illusion, the wizard and the ordinary, is rich in modern living atmosphere and romantically fantastic artistic color. In aesthetic taste, its elegance and convention, gravity and humor have both the noble grace and solemnness, and the folk unrefinement and wild flavor. Based on the previous study of this thesis, Chapter Four summarizes and evaluates the characteristics of Baroque Literature, and its meaning. Besides, based on the research of other scholars, this chapter gives a preliminary discussion on the influence of Baroque Literature.In the concluding part, it is restated that complicated and contradicted tension exists in Baroque Literature, either in its ideological connotation and artistic expression.Only from the standpoint of perspectivisim and by following rational evaluation criteria can an objective and fair evaluation be achieved.