On Chinese Left-wing Play's Inheritance And Development From May Fourth Play

Since the introduction of drama to China and to its gradual localization 'in China,the drama is full of utilitarianism in solving the problems of the reality of china.The enlightenment,salvation,development and transformation,which are the theme of the era reflected through the May Fourth Play and the Left-wing Play have largely influenced the survival and performance.This paper examines Left-wing Play's inheritance from May Fourth play and its further development from a comparative perspective.The comparison between the former and the latter was conducted in three main aspects:topic,theories and play composition,aiming to search for the inner correlation between Left-wing literature,especially early Left-wing literature,and May Fourth literature;and to seek for Left-wing Play's unique characteristics.Besides the Introduction and Epilogue,the paper is divided into 5 chapters.The first chapter positions May Fourth play and Left-wing Play respectively within the context of May Fourth Literature and Revolution Literature to explore the their interrelations.May Fourth(May Fourth play)focuses more on the ideological and cultural enlightenment of the public.It seeks for a solution to the problem of inter-identification between individuals and the state within the framework of the enlightenment.Political enlightenment had not completely entered the vision of May Fourth Literature.Under the pressure of the mission of time,Revolution Literature transformed from stressing on the pursuit of self liberation and value as a key task so as to seek for a cultural enlightenment of national independence and liberation to a political enlightenment that accomplishes salvation and collective liberation through means of revolution.The spirit of enlightenment of May Fourth Literature shares the same root with the theme of salvation of the Revolution Literature and headed towards same direction.Therefore,we cannot simply say that there is a rupture between the Left-wing literature and that of the May Fourth.The second chapter analyzes the textual characteristics and persisting problems of the May Fourth Social Problem Play.May Fourth play cares not only about the existence of people,but the existence of problem.The Nora Play shows a pursuit of individual liberation.It also expresses a caring for people from the bottom of the society and a reflection on the future of the society and well-being of the state.It displays a characteristic of social modernization of the May Fourth Problem Play.Scene of exposure is based on a harsh social reality,and reveals the inhumanity and hypocrisy of the reactionists.In artistic creation,since writers were restricted within their age,utilitarianism and stereotype can hardly be avoided.This resulted in artistic defection like problem overweigh,idea overweigh image and type overweigh model,foreshadowing the birth of Left-wing Play.Chapter Three conducts a historical investigation of the theoretical methods used by the May Fourth play and its Left-wing counterpart.As a literary trend and writing technique,realism in the May Fourth play like Ibsenism,proclaimed by Shi Hu,is actually individualism.It is in line with collectivism and nationalism and goes with the trend of the New Culture Movement of May Fourth,forcefully supported the ideological enlightenment.The neo-realism theory of Left-wing Play enhanced its propagandizing and educating functionality,yet overlooked the balance as well as accordance between the artistic quality of play and politics,authenticity and tendency.The popularization of Left-wing Play was proposed against the background of the popularization of art.Comparing with the May Fourth play,the Left-wing Play made active exploration via combing the regulation of arts and made breakthroughs in many fields,such as the popularization of play figures?themes as well as play language?Chapter Four explicates how early Left-wing play inherit and transform from May Fourth play through an exploration of the literary concepts of two writers,Han Tian and Yuqian Ouyang,as well as the same literary theme-Southeast the Peacock Flies that they chose in different literary period.Before Han Tian's self-assertion of a diversion,he had already displayed the tendency of a leftist;while after the diversion,there were still traces of May Fourth's influence.This is closely related to his care for reality on the one hand,and a romantic personality on the other hand.Ouyang did not make an announcement of diversion,but during the time of Left-wing Literature,a leftist tendency in his work which cooperatting the dramatic movement of civilians was also evident.The Beijing Women Higher Normal School version acclaimed the May Fourth theme of young generation pursuing their own happiness referencing the tragedy between Lin and Jiao;while the Xifu Xiong's version is a direct display of his perspective of education of civilians play.The latter shows how plays on social education and complies with the development of civilian plays.Benyuan Chang's version successfully adopted the theory of psychoanalysis and skillfully reflected the anti-authoritarian theme of the time and become the best of all versions under the same name.Chapter Five discussed the compositions of two leftist writers Yan Xia and Wei Bai.Xia's plays stick to a realistic principle and are innovative.His works do well in showing the precariousness of time in his depiction of the daily life of ordinary people.The lyrical stage atmosphere and poetic language in his plays made his work prosaic.Xia uses the technique of montage in his plays to break the barriers between time and space using close-up shots and fixed lens,and largely enriches the techniques of expression.Bai's Left-wing plays are quite individual.She touched the tiny neuros of revolution from the trajectory of humanity,but is restricted within the revolution ethic rules.Drowned in the symphony of the time,Bai's plays seek for an aesthetic value.Moreover,she is searching for a positive taking of social responsibilities.Bai's rational reflection of the revolution narrative and revolution itself is without a doubt a re-enlightenment of the self.