The Rhythmic Verses' Narrative Functions And Their Influences To The Narrative Arts Of The Popular Novels

Embedding rhythmic verses in popular novels is an emblematic characteristic of Chinese classical novels. This paper explored the narrative functions of the rhythmic verses based on the classification of them in the classical popular novels. The paper cascaded down from the following points: firstly, the paper discussed the origin and the influx of embedding the rhythmic verses in classical popular novels. It is thought that the novels had strived to enhance their status by embedding rhythmic verses and the embedded rhythmic verses in the popular novels had the trends of simplicity and delicacy, influenced by colloquial literatures. Secondly, this paper classified the rhythmic verses to two types to study. One is 'speaking-for-others' style, embodied at the time of the characters' narrating both through uttering and chanting. Its narrative functions are to delineate the characters and to help construct the plot of novels. The other type of rhythmic verses is the 'formulaic' style, embodied in the opening poems (lyrics), ending poems (lyrics), poems and lyrics to describe sceneries and for the commentary use. Its narrative functions are portrayal of the environments in novels, remark of the authors, further recounting of the stories' connotations. Embedding rhythmic verses has emphasized the emotional implications of the novels. It is of forward-flashing and has influenced the narrative time sequences and narrative rhythms. However, because of the limitation of rhythmic verses and the maturity of novel production, embedding rhythmic verses in novels had finally disappeared. Chinese novels have stepped from classical forms to modern forms.