The Study Of Rene Wellek’s "Perspectivism" Methodology

Rene Wellek (1903-1995) is an outstanding theorist and critic in western literary theory in20th century, and he has a significant impact in the world. He was deeply influenced by phenomenology、Russian formalism、new criticism、Czech structuralism, presented the concept of literary existence as "an object of experience" and a comprehensive view of "perspectivism" literature research method, he also turned the literature research into "internal study" and "external study", therefore, he constructed a set of relatively complete system of literary theory.This thesis will put the "perspectivism" methodology as the breakthrough of Wellek’s whole theory, it’s discussed from the following three chapters.The first chapter discusses Wellek’s "perspectivism" methodology. In order to explore the literature aesthetic value of art, eliminate the fragmented and curing value judgment standard caused by relativism and absolutism theory, he put forward "perspectivism" research method. It emphasizes the multidimensional polyphonic literary works and complete structural system to observe organic, the works presented in three-dimensional、vivid appearance.’"Perspectivism’ means that put the poem, the other types of literature as a whole, both in the development and changing at different times, can be compared with each other, but also full of possibilities." It’s a kind of literature concept that to observe an object from all possible aspect and make sure there is an object, deterministic、diversity and dialectic are its connotation characteristics."Perspectivism" methodology as the basic paradigm of Wellek’s research practice had been various used in literary studies, the theory、practice and history of the three areas combined into an organic whole, ensured that the standard of literary criticism of the Synchronic objectivity and diachronic continuity. so that, the aesthetic value of a work of art can be fully revealed.The second chapter discourse Wellek’s literary ontology, it is the logical starting point and theoretical core of its entire system of the literary theory. He first refuted several traditional epistemology views in the history of literature, such as literature works are the "artifacts"sound sequence"、the author’s experience, the reader’s experience. By drawing on phenomenologists Ingarden’s "intentional object" literary idea, he ultimately defined literature as "an object of experience". It contains two meanings:"experience" emphasizes a series of "concretization" process between the readers and the works,"object" emphasized its transcendental body that is the "structure" of the sense of phenomenology. There is a "decisive structure" remains the nature of works unchanged. The relationship between "decisive structure" and "concretization" is dialectical unity, that is the relationship unity of opposites between certainty and diversity、one and the many、variable and constant, this dialectic is the essence of existence mode of literary works. To a certain extent, Ingarden’s phenomenological literary theory is the direct theoretical sources of Wellek’s literary theory, for example, Ingarden defined works as "intentional object" that different from the ideal object、material entity、psychological experience matter, put forward the "concretization" idea in the process of reading and so on,these are all have important influence on Wellek’s literary theory.The third chapter explores Wellek’s literary research division, that is the "internal study" and "external study"."Internal study" is concerned about the internal structure of literary works, including the works of existence、homophonic、rhythm and rhyme、 imagery、metaphor、symbol、myth、style and stylistics、narrative mode、the nature and type of literature、literary history and evaluation;"external study" is to study the experience in the field of work, explore the relationship between literature and biography、psychology、social、ideological、other arts. Influenced by the Russian formalism、Czech structuralism and the "New Criticism", Wellek attaches great importance to "literariness" and the internal factors with the aesthetic value. In his view, only the importance of "internal study" in order to truly understand the value and significance of aesthetic works. Division of the internal and external study is a way of rational inquiry into literature, it has reasonable place, but there are also one-sided and subjective. Blindly "internal study" and exclude "external study" will ultimately not be able to make comprehensive observation of literary works, so that his research practice contradicted with his "perspectivism" theory that advocate multi-angle viewing. In addition, just hope by "internal research" and explore the full value of the work is very biased. Literary value includes not only aesthetic value, but also includes experience in the field of cognitive value、social value and moral values.Overall, Wellek puts forward the mode of existence of literature theory、"perspectivism" methodology、the internal and external boundary between literary study and eventually build up the system of literary theory is the important contribution to the world literary theories.