A Comparative Thematology Study On D.H. Lawrence And Shen Congwen

Both Lawrence and Shen Congwen are two controversial writers whose artistic attainments,however,later have been highly thought of by the critics.In their respective works they express their strong sense of life and the ultimate care for the nation and human beings.The studies on D.H.Lawrence and Shen Congwen have been growing mature in the academic circle.Of the studies on Lawrence and Shen Congwen,however,few are carried on from the perspective of thematology comparisons and genre study, thematology,and comparative poetics occupy a dominant place in the parallel studies of comparative literature.Taking thematological comparison as the studies perspective for this thesis is not only because this perspective has been rarely employed so far,but also because there're so many in common in the themes concerning human cultural trend and man's common destiny from both Lawrence and Shen's works.After all,since the two writers lived in different nations and different cultures,their interpretations for those common themes are commonly different.Selecting anti-industrialization,nature and sex as the motifs my dissertation dwell upon is not only because they are typical and representative:the themes in question run throughout nearly all their works,but also because they are immanently united:if anti-civilization is an objective,then returning to nature is something important to realize it and sex is the concrete way to be natural.It is anti-industrialization for Lawrence and opposition of urban civilization and anti-Confucianism for Shen Congwen.Lawrence's view of nature is "being with nature and restoring man's blood-consciousness.For Shen Congwen,nature is an enlightening force.As regards the motif of sex,Lawrence holds that sex is the vital part of life and sex is the whole process of systole and diastole-"the balance of male and female in the universe." He thinks the harmonious sexual relationship between man and woman is an effective way for self-fulfillment and to solve all the social evils.Shen Congwen believes in the free state of sexuality,and he thinks sex means the "being" of life.A healthy way towards sex embodies the beauty of humanity while repression against sex marks the withering of life.Owing to different cultures,the two writers differ significantly in their criticism to civilization,understanding of life and their anticipation of "the ideal nation".In his works, Shen Congwen fabricates two completely different works of the country and the city, aiming to inject vitality into the old and senile nation with the overflowing vigor of the country people to realize rebirth of the nation.Lawrence,on the other hand,reiterates the view that "the blood and flesh are smarter than the mind",hopes that the son of the nature could wake the humanity of Scotland damaged by mechanical civilization with the vitality of the sun,so that the harmonious relation between man and woman could be restored,the split "self perfected and the nation and the human recreated.Though their criticism of the industrial civilization to a certain extent lacks historical and rational considerations thus seems somewhat biased and partial,their understanding of life and anticipation of human future make their works applicable to the modern world,going beyond the regional borders and the times,arousing similar feelings in the communication with the world.