"History Of Poetry" And "Poetry Of History"

Hope, one of the most important periodicals, was initiated by July (a poetic group), and firstly published in 1937. The development of Hope mainly focused on the period of Anti-Japanese War and the War of Liberation, from Chongqing to Shanghai. Because of financial problems, there were many difficulties for its publication. However, the publishers overcame those difficulties, and Hope was issued two volumes (eight periods). The first volume was published in Chongqing, and the second one in Shanghai, also including few reprints of the first volume. Hope is the continuity of July, so their aims and contents were closely related to each other. Hope carried out the ideas of July in edition, refused the tastes of vague and hypocrisy, and kept close relation with reality. Compare to the pure literary style of July, Hope held more profile contents, and expanded the stylistic range. Except for the styles such as poem, novel, prose, literary critic and news, Hope added philosophical or political essays and even fables. Since it reflected the reality, Hope was popularly welcome, even the readers bought it in queue.Regardless of its political element, the poetry in Hope expressed the poets' consciousness of time and life, which embodied in their ambition for honor and their strong sense of historical responsibility. July poets were very conscious of time, so their reflection on life not only represented in the pursuit of their individual value, but also in their sympathy towards common people and their criticizing of the governors. Besides, they intended to combine their reflection of individual life with the whole fate of human being. Such kind of thinking linked not only the individual with the group but also the one generation with the next.July poets stated their contemplation of life and longing for a bright future through the image of dreams. Specifically speaking, there were poems eulogizing idyllic life to show the admiration for innocent and peaceful life. At the same time, the poets expressed their condemnation for the decadent life of the governors. After the end of Anti-Japanese War, the bright life was not coming at once. The poets'brilliant dreams had not come true. But they were not pessimistic of such failure. Otherwise, they would rather put into practice and keep on going steadily.