The Study On The Novels In The May Fourth Period From The Perspective Of Enlightenment

The Enlightenment Movement has a far-reaching influence for it not only started a thought-liberated movement in Europe and then contributed to the French Revolution but also was introduced into China and shined in the May Fourth Period. The spirits of the Enlightenment Movement promoted the consciousness of modern novels in China. Many of these fundamental changes, from theories to ideology, from creation of novels to writing techniques, have taken place after the western thoughts, ideas, the works of novels and the theories of creation have been introduced or translated into China. As a result, the novels in the May Fourth Period worked as the beginning of the modern novels in China and thereafter became one of the literary fields where high achievements had been made in the May Fourth Period. Not only did it provide the new direction and orientation for the development of novel in China but also reached a new depth. Moreover, the artistic attitude, the artistic style and the artistic focus of novels in the May Fourth Period apparently differed from those of the old novels in China. In view of the differences between the western Enlightenment Movement and the May Fourth Movement, we will study the novels in the May Fourth Movement from the perspective of enlightenment, and have a closer look at their achievements and shortcomings.First of all, the Introduction of the thesis differentiates the concept of enlightenment. Based on it we have compared the connotation and denotation of the enlightenment movement in both east and west, and against such a background will the novels in the May Fourth Movement be discussed. Meanwhile, based on the literature review at home and abroad, the outline and the research ideas of the thesis are put forward, and finally the insufficiency of the thesis is stated.Chapter One studies the novels created by the Association of Literary Research in the May Fourth Period from the perspective of enlightenment. Subsection One reveals the cultural tenet of the Association of Literary Research—enlightenment. Subsection Two studies the creative feature—enlightenment—of the Association of Literary Research. The revelations of the people's uncivilization and the apparent rationality in these works have shown the enlightenment nature of the Association of Literary Research. Then Subsection Three will focus on one of its achievements —Problem Novels created by the Association of Literary Research. This section compares the Problem Novels—the prelude of modern novels in China and the Philosophy Novels —the unique achievement of the western enlightenment literature. We accept the achievement of the Problem Novels while talking about the less deep philosophy in Problem Novels, the insufficiency of technique in the use of letter structure, the different topics from Philosophy Novels and the great difference in characterization in the works. By comparing the similarities and differences between the Problem Novels and Philosophy Novels, we can see the different connotation of enlightenment in both East and West and a new angle to study the novels in the May Fourth Period is provided.Chapter Two studies the enlightenment perspective and strategies of the Country Realistic Novels. The enlightenment perspective of the Country Realistic Novels is introduced in Subsection One: the feudal shackles in description of marriage customs, the criticism of the stubborn backward feudal power and the exposure of the treacherous life of the countrymen oppressed by feudal power. Subsection Two discusses the national criticism inspired by enlightenment, which, with science and democracy as weapons, criticizes the feudality and the slavery admiration of the countrymen, and the national psychological state behind the collective unconsciousness. Subsection Three discusses the cultural and psychological distance between the enlightening and the enlightened, analyzes the lookdown gesture of the Country Realistic writers upon the countrymen, affirms the great achievements of Lu Xun on the way to enlightenment, and points out the insufficiency of the enlightenment strategies of the Country Realistic writers. It's sure to say that the schools of novels in the May Fourth Movement have an intimate relation with the western enlightenment. Therefore, the perspective and strategy of the Country Realistic Novels embody some enlightenment appeals of the forerunners of the May Fourth Movement in a certain degree, and also uncovers the limitation of the Country Realistic writers because of the times and the individual factor.Chapter Three discusses the enlightenment works of the wandering intellectuals of the Romanticism. The relations between romanticism and enlightenment is combed in Subsection One, which also points out that only when the two are complementary can they enable the human society to develop healthily. The thoughts of Rousseau, the spiritual father of Romanticism in Enlightenment Movement, are introduced in Subsection Two. His criticism on ration made Romanticism further develop and enabled it to find its spiritual origin. Subsection Three analyzes Romanticism in the May Fourth Movement. Modern romanticism in China roots in the soil of the May Fourth Enlightenment Movement. It's marked by Romanticism, but it differs a lot from it in Europe, too. Meanwhile, it also compares the civilianization and marginalization between the Civilian Literature and Romantic Literature in Europe in order to analyze romanticism in the May Fourth Enlightenment Movement deeply. Subsection Four discusses the enlightenment works of the wandering intellectuals of the Romantic School, the wandering presence of the romantic writers and their achievements of individualism.Chapter Four discusses the insufficiency of the enlightenment literature in the May Fourth Period. Subsection One narrates the misunderstanding of the forerunners on Henrik Ibsen in the May Fourth Movement in China and analyzes the deep reasons of intentional and unintentional misunderstanding. Subsection Two discusses the insufficiency in ration of the May Fourth Movement, so that in the view of the revolutionary thought, the May Fourth Enlightenment Movement is an on-going movement of thought.The Conclusion affirms the far-reaching influence of the western enlightenment movement on the May Fourth literature, meanwhile, it points out that because of the dilemma of itself and its external crisis the western enlightenment movement brought the May Fourth Enlightenment Movement more changes, even reversion in some degree, and ultimately influenced the development of the May Fourth literature. However, owing to the two critical powers inside of it, the enlightenment is able to rescue itself from paradox. The rich resources lying in the May Fourth Enlightenment Movement enabled it to become the Mother of Modernism. Finally, when we see the deep influence of western enlightenment on the May Fourth Movement, we are supposed to see the internal power of the eastern culture in its richness and creation. This is where the unique value of the May Fourth Enlightenment Movement lies.