事实·学理·洞察力——对外国文学传记式研究模式的质疑

The Problem of Biographic-Paradigm in the Study of Foreign Literature

目前,作为一种学术的外国文学研究中普遍存在的“传记式研究模式”,主要是对现存材料进行的转述和阐释,它虽然能够为读者提供一种“事实性知识”,然而“事实”本身却不能决定理论的意义。因此这种模式不利于为外国文学研究领域提供一种中国视角。作者认为可以采纳“问题式研究模式”,即以某种核心问题进入研究领域,进而提出理论构想。这既可弥补“传记式研究模式”的不足,也可在方法论上打破那种平面论述,使人们关注某一作家在其作品中所反映出的基本问题的同时,提供一种题域使人们得以深入下去。

Since the modern era, a great number of foreign writers and their works have been introduced to China; they in turn have impact on Chinese writings and receptions. Such a study, however, should be carried out further today. The author of this paper holds that there lies a fundamental issue in such a research among which the significance remains the primary. Currently the biographic-paradigm has overwhelmingly covered the field as most of the research has been certain paraphrases and interpretations based on the materials in the original. Such a paradigm provides certain “factual knowledge,” but the theoretical significance can hardly be shaped within such facts. For the literature in different cultural areas, we should not only be aware of what kind of fact in need, but also the relevant issues involved. Therefore, such a paradigm can hardly provide a Chinese perspective. Then the author suggests a problem-based paradigm with which one can concentrate on the primary questions, kernel issues and shared problems so as to offer a theoretical structure and angle for further studies.