Pound's Interpretation Of Confucian Ideas In The Cantos

Ezra Pound was one of the most important innovative leaders in the development of poetics in the twentieth century. Although he remained a controversial figure in the literary history, he did bring a driving force to the literary renovation since the second decade of the twentieth century.The Cantos, considered the masterpiece of Pound, presents the crisis of modern Western society and is meant to find out a remedy. It was commenced in 1917 and written separately in different stages throughout Pound's life. Because of the combination and juxtaposition of various cultures, characters, histories and legends, it is always a challenging task to understand the modern epic. What add the difficulty are the themes which are quite changeable throughout the poetry, the most significant one being that of Confucianism.In consequence of the use of Chinese sources and ideograms, Confucianism in The Cantos seems to be fragmentary instead of a cohesive whole. To make Pound's Confucianism in The Cantos better understood, this thesis focuses on cultural interpretation of Confucian ideas in The Cantos. It argues that, on the basis of his understanding of Confucianism, Pound established an idealized Confucian paradigm. Meanwhile, it points out the limitations of Pound's interpretation according to his insufficient knowledge of Chinese and some of his misunderstandings of Confucian culture.Confucianism was Pound's lifelong belief. Having experienced so many joys and sorrows of life, Pound was still an unyielding soldier, and Confucianism was his major weapon. As surely as he was connected with this belief, Confucian ideas accompany The Cantos from the beginning to the end. Based on his understanding of Confucianism, Pound believed it was a remedy for the West that, from its political institutions to its economic system, had fallen into chaos and disorder. No matter which theme is discussed in The Cantos, Confucianism is the guide. Pound considered Confucianism a philosophical system concerning man and culture, focusing on social and ethical issues, emphasizing the importance of individual responsibility and, above...