A Comparative Study On The New Historicism Characteristics In Walter Scott And Li Jieren's Historical Novels

Walter Scott was the creator of European historical novels,while Li Jieren's creation was the model of long historical novels in modern China.Both Scott and Li Jieren's historical novels provided a broad textual space for the dialogue between literature and history.On dealing with the relationship between history and literature,the content and ideological connotation in their works coincides with the new historicism theory.Based on the new historicism theory,this paper analyzes the tendency of new historicism in Scott and Li Jieren's historical novels.Firstly,Scott and Li Jieren draw creative materials from important historical events,they perfectly combine historical truth with literary fiction,discern historical development with wisdom and insight,jointly shape the historical real people and literary fictional characters,and show a broad picture of social historical life.Secondly,their historical novels take folk narrative as the basic perspective,focus on the most mundane civil society,turn to the ordinary people of the middle and lower classes--even the marginal figures,depict the history of lowercase with the encounter of individualized characters in social life,show the true history of the folk history that belongs to most people.What's more,new historicism brings "historical Context" and "ideology" into the criticism of literature,thrive on the basis of the relationship between literature and history in the new historicism theory,explore the national history of their historical novels,reflect the unique culture created by the people in their respective regions.Finally,the article further analyzes the status and acceptance of Scott and Li Jieren's historical novels,reflects the dynamic process of cultural formation,thereby discovers the social and cultural significance behind it.New historicism theory emphasizes the sociocultural context of interpreting texts.At the same time,it pays attention to the cultural context and text interaction in a specific historical period.Therefore,the use of relevant theories of new historicism to analyze their texts can better analyze the relationship between the novel texts and its historical background,understand the cultural connotation and historical significance of the texts,reveal how important historical events fit into literary texts,and how does the text actively supplement and construct history.