Dissertation > Excellent graduate degree dissertation topics show

Singing Sorrow for His Misfortune, Being Angry at His Lacking of Enterprise

Author: CuiGuoJun
Tutor: LiYePing
School: Shandong Normal University
Course: Contemporary Chinese Literature
Keywords: modern and contemporary Chinese novels the eldest sons the tragic characteristics
CLC: I207.42
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2009
Downloads: 231
Quote: 0
Read: Download Dissertation

Abstract


The traditional Chinese culture was a shining star in the history of world civilization. However, with the impact of modern western culture, many traditions which the Chinese were once proud of are facing severe challenges due to the change of times. As successors of the Confucianism, the eldest sons who were the“headship”or“crown prince”of the family in feudal times, undertook the great responsibility for the rise and fall of the their own families. In traditional Chinese culture, they had to be filial respect; cultivated their morality, governed the family and ruled the state; settled the disputes between family members and protected the feudal patriarchal clan system. While their status and destiny underwent unprecedented changes in modern society. The whole process of realizing modernization for China is one that is full of sorrows, happiness and frustrations. While the eldest sons in modern and contemporary Chinese novels like Gao Juexin, Qi Ruixuan, Jiang Weizu, Sun Shao’an, Bai Xiaowen, Lu Zhaopeng, Hei Wa, Sui Baopu are just in the painful but great cultural turning period. These people, who played embarrassing roles, had to become the victims between the Chinese culture and the western culture, and accepted the tragic destiny unavoidably.Chapter 0ne summarizes the types of the eldest sons, and analyzes contrast and comparison. They are classified into two kinds according to their different characters: the docile and the adventurous. Because of their different living surroundings, the eldest sons are divided into two groups, namely, the urban ones and the rural ones. On the basis of their personal pursuits, the author defines them into three categories: the ones responsible for family, the ones responsible for society and the ones being selfish.Chapter Two presents the tragic characteristics of the eldest sons in modern and contemporary Chinese novels from the four aspects: the responsibilities for family, the working conditions, love and marriage, and soul. The eldest sons were forced to bear the heavy burden at home. When they stepped onto the social stage, the eldest sons were the depressed ones whether they enjoyed the job or not. In terms of their love and marriage, no matter what characters they had and no matter what living circumstances around them, all of them became bound and misfortunate men inevitably. As far as their soul concerned, the eldest sons was often stuck in dilemmas, and forced to be lonely, though they made their attempt to do best.Chapter Three discusses the tragic reasons of the eldest sons from three different angles: the traditional culture, the abrupt social transformation and their certain role. The eldest sons in modern and contemporary era were influenced greatly by the Confucianism, especially the concept of“filial piety”which was the fatal reason leading to their tragic destiny. In addition, the eldest sons struggled painfully in society without good preparation result from tempt of western culture. They took on typical characteristics of the turning period culture. What’s more, the eldest sons at that time were granted a role in born, who would undertake more rights and obligations. Each of them was forced to play such a role, which was bound to set back their pursuit of happiness.The last chapter serves as a conclusion. The author probes into the significance in literary history of this pilot study from three points of view: the comparison between the eldest sons in modern time and those in contemporary time; reflection on the traditional culture and revelation of national traits; building“a different image of the eldest son”. The attitudes towards destiny of the eldest sons in modern time and those in contemporary time are distinct; therefore, there exist obvious differences for them in tragic and modern characteristics. As a matter of fact, the tragedy of their destiny, which is the tragedy of Chinese traditional culture as well, reveals the national traits and the inevitability of history. In the novel named Bai Lu Yuan, the writer Chen Zhongshi enriched images of the eldest sons by building three characters: Bai Xiaowen, Lu Zhaopeng and Hei Wa who were quite different from the traditional eldest sons.

Related Dissertations

  1. The Fruit Chan movies tragic Exploration,J905
  2. Study on Chinese Anticorruption Novel Since the 1990s,I207.42
  3. Study on Zhang Ai-ling’s Novels of Alienation Non-principle Human Relations,I207.42
  4. Study of Aesthetic Characteristic of Zordun Sabir’s Fiction,I207.42
  5. Study on Shen Congwen’s Cultural Identity and Cultural Position,I207.42
  6. Jia Pingwa’s Novel Creation of Spiritual Home Evolution,I207.42
  7. Thenarrative Characteristics of Abdurahman Qahar’s Prose Creations,I207.42
  8. The Study of Mongolian Translates on Lao She’s Movel Style,I207.42
  9. War rapids and humanity boat,I207.42
  10. On Lao She 's style of humor and its evolution,I207.42
  11. Zhang Henshui the female image analysis,I207.42
  12. The Reflect of Chastity and Aesthetic Characteristics on the Pan Xiangli’s Fiction,I207.42
  13. Huizhou Cultural Transformation in the View of Modern Writers,I207.42
  14. Other Writing of Shanghai,I207.42
  15. The Musicality of Jin Yong’s Novels,I207.42
  16. Zhang Wei creative spirit rheological,I207.42
  17. On Ding Ling before the founding of the novel image of women from the Women and Political Awareness,I207.42
  18. The Discussion of Zhang Xianliang’s Pattern of Bel-esprit and Beautiful Woman,I207.42
  19. Colorful and Rustic Picture Scroll on Heshen’s Novel,I207.42
  20. The Emancipated Women,I207.42
  21. Study on the Current Upsurge of Spy Fiction in China,I207.42

CLC: > Literature > Chinese Literature > The body of literature reviews and research > Novel > New Novel
© 2012 www.DissertationTopic.Net  Mobile