Literary Theory: A New Edition

Author: Yang Chunshi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: Literary Theory: A New Introduction is the foundational part of literary theory. Before studying it, one must first clarify the disciplinary nature, tasks, learning methods, and pathways for building literary theory. It establishes a model of literary structure: the deep prototypical level, the surface realistic level, and the transcendental aesthetic level. It distinguishes between the prototypical, realistic, and aesthetic meanings of literature, thereby abolishing the singular concept of literary essence in traditional literary theory and establishing a multi-faceted view of literary essence. On this basis, it defines multiple functions, forms, and a series of categories of literature, thereby creating a completely new and rigorous modern literary theory system.
Establishing the transcendental aesthetic essence of literature does not fully resolve the question of literary nature, as literature possesses other meanings beyond its aesthetic significance. The unique contribution of this textbook lies first in abolishing the singular concept of literary essence in traditional literary theory and establishing a multi-faceted view of literary essence.
This textbook begins from the perspective of aesthetic experience and also from the analysis of literary structure, confirming that literature has three levels: prototypical (deep), realistic (surface), and aesthetic (transcendental). Correspondingly, it forms three forms of literature: popular literature, serious literature, and pure literature. Thus, it also highlights the hedonistic and recreational function, the ideological and educational function, and the aesthetic and transcendental function, respectively.