A Study On The Addition And Subtraction Of Characters From Novels To Dramas

Eileen Chang’s novels impress generation after generation with beautiful words and desolate style.In the past few years,a large number of classic adaptations have been performed on the stage in the form of drama.Especially,a lot of Eileen Chang’s novels have been adapted into dramas.For example,in 2005,directed by Mao Junhui,Chen Guanzhong and Yu Rongjun,“The Love of the New City” enjoyed a high reputation,which becomes a classical adaptation of Eileen Chang’s novels to dramas.Comparatively,as different as the adaptation is the lack of theories about novels to dramas.This study believes that the "addition and subtraction" is a basic method in the process of making an adaptation.The scriptwriter adds and deletes the characters and content of the original works,so that the characters in an adapted drama are more prominent and the theme becomes more concise.Taking Eileen Chang’s novels adaptations as examples,the study focuses on the addition and subtraction of character setting in the adaptation.By reviewing the drama versions of Eileen Chang’s novels,this thesis selects three influential works that have been adapted many times including “Love of the Fallen City”,“Golden Cangue”,“Red Roses and White Roses”,and summarizes the effects of the method “addition and subtraction of the characters” in the adaptation.They are: First,strengthen the character image,and make the character’s characteristics stand out,the language personalized,and the behaviors specialized;Second,increase the dramatic effect,dispel the sense of contrast in Eileen Chang’s novels,and enhance the stage impact;Third,enrich the connotation and add new topics to the adapted drama by the use of “addition and subtraction”.This thesis takes the author’s adaptation of “New Golden Cangue” as an example,and puts the addition and subtraction of the characters into practice in the process of adaptation,the author pays attention to the development and the reshaping of the characters.Through the application of “addition and subtraction”,The adaptation gives an open ending and explores a new theme by adding self-awareness and spirit of resistance to the leading actor“Jiang Changan”...