The Tragedy Of Being Watched

Abstract: In this paper, the writer, by the means of Aesthetic of Reception, wants to critically elaborate and discuss LuXun's version that a tragedy is to show the audience the course of destroying something precious. To learn and understand the tragedy of being watched is one of the few narrow entrances to LuXun's own spirit world. The tragedy of being watched lies in the master's own life and his life itself is a typical tragedy, too.Watching and being watched is the foundation of human being's relationship in society. LuXun was so sensetive about the tragedy of being watched that he treated everything sadly. Why being watched is a tragedy is that being watched means being chosen and neglected while being otherized. LuXun believed that the most typical deep-rooted badness of our people is that they treat everything as plays, and all the tragedies appear to be comedies to those foolish audience just because of not being understood.LuXun thought that the tragedy as being watched certainly means getting lost. Being watched without being seen is even worse. Yet, there is no way away from being watched. That's a really sad fact. That's why he hopelessly fought against hopelessness.In all novels of LuXun, watching while being watched forms different stories full of different meaning. There is always an eye of the writer behind the senseless audience. HE is watching the audience carefully, critically and angrily with merciful eyes. HE finds the audience are all senseless and merciless. That's a self-irony. To show something to others is to bear witness for it. The writer is always really being there. Watching while being watched displays what is a tragedy.