Modern Literature Classics Collection - Red Candle, Dead Water

Author: Wen Yiduo
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The Red Candle was first published in September 1923 by Taodong Book Company and is a collection of poems by Wen Yiduo. Many of the poems were written during his time studying abroad, and some exhibit a tendency toward aestheticism. For example, Color expresses admiration for the "color" that transcends everything, while The Sword Case reflects the sorrow of the disillusionment with artistic dreams. However, the dominant spirit throughout the collection is the pursuit of truth by a passionate young man, his deep love for his homeland, and his critique of the dark world. The "red candle" itself symbolizes his fervent love for his country and his wish for its rebirth. A series of poems such as The Lone Goose, Ode to the Sun, and In Memory of Chrysanthemums reveal the poet's pure and innocent heart. In form, The Red Candle is a free verse style, close to the romanticism and temperament of Guo Moruo's The Goddess. The Dead Water, published in January 1928, is Wen Yiduo's second collection of poems. Most of the poems in The Dead Water were written after he returned to his homeland. The strong contrast between his fervent expectations for his country while abroad and the reality he encountered upon returning created a profound emotional conflict. This immense emotional disparity led the poet to express strong dissatisfaction with society, as seen in poems like Discovery and The Dead Water. Additionally, the collection The Dead Water fully embodies Wen Yiduo's integration of color and emotional tone in poetry, highlighting the poetic essence through meticulous composition and intensifying the power of the poems with vivid contrasts. However, an excessive pursuit of metrical refinement also affected the liveliness and depth of some of his poems.