GENERIC TRANSFORMATION FROM 'YUEFU' TO 'GUSHI': POETRY OF CAO CAO, CAO PI, AND CAO ZHI (CHINA)

In general, this dissertation deals with the lyrical transformation of poetic subjectivity in the late Han Jian'an period (ca. 2nd to 3rd century A.D.), as exemplified by the three poets from the Cao family. More specifically, it addresses the intricate problem of generic complexities in the early development of five-syllabic poetry, especially the often obscured distinction between gushi (or the "ancient style poetry," a retrospective name attributed to the non-yuefu poetry of this period) and yuefu or imitation yuefu (poetry written by men of letters following the folk style).; My study frequently involves critical interpretations of commentaries from the Qing and Ming Dynasties on poetry of the three Caos. One of the tasks of this study is to unravel their underlying assumptions with the assistance of analytical schemes derived from modern critical methodology.; The main argument in the first chapter is that the commonly observed structural unevenness of Cao Cao's poems is something more than a flaw. It is the product of an organizational principle rooted in the oral tradition. Usually singable, Cao Cao's poems are often conditioned by the pragmatics of the performing situation. However, these poems have been read throughout Chinese history primarily as written works. The focus of this chapter is thus not only on Cao Cao's poetry, but also on the dynamics of the process of reading and misreading.; Chapter two deals with Cao Pi, the son of Cao Cao. The salient features of Cao Pi's poetry witness tendencies that are precisely the opposite of those found in his father's works--his poems are usually facile, smooth, and flowingly rhythmical. However, this does not mean that they possess semantic coherence all the time. Cao Pi is very fond of adopting fictional persona as well as the dramatic dialogue form. The idea of originality in poetic expression thus becomes a central issue of our discussion in this chapter.; Chapter three discusses Cao Zhi, another son of Cao Cao. Cao Zhi is considered the best among an entire generation of poets, and occupies a significant position in the history of Chinese literature. His poetry saw the full realization of the lyrical transformation taking place at this age. Witnessing a new artistic self-consciousness, Cao Zhi explored a diversity of poetic structures with a sophisticated blending of elements from both the folk and the elite traditions. Above all, the emergence of a certain condensed, self-reflexive mode of emotional expression, a "lyrical subjectivity," has definitively marked the departure from the prototypical yuefu mode. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)...