彼“意象”非此“意象”——中西意象论比较

A Comparative Study of the Concepts of Image in Chinese and Western Literary Cridcism

本文试图讨论三个问题:一、作为西方(英美)文学批评术语的image(imagery)与我国古典文论中的“意象”在多大意义上契合,彼“意象”是否此“意象”?二、艾略特提出的“客观关联物”(“objective correlative”)与意象派之“意象”有何关系?三、西方(英美)意象派之“意象”观是对浪漫主义意象观的否定吗?本文认为,中西文论的“意象”(或image)概念在不同的历史时期含义不尽相同。西方意象派之“意象”观与晚期中国古典文论之“意象”甚为契合,但是在创作实践中,中国古典诗歌意象内蕴的意境是西方意象派诗歌无法企及的,这是不同的语言、文化和审美特质所决定的。通过辨析,可以发现艾略特的“客观关联物”之说实质上是意象派之“意象”的翻版。西方意象派之意象观并非是对浪漫主义意象观的彻底否定,而是新古典主义和浪漫主义艺术观的折中妥协。

This article intends to have a comparative study of the concepts of image in Chinese and western literary criticism. It tries to investigate three issues: 1) To what degree is the concept of image in western literary criticism in agreement with the classic view of image in Chinese literary criticism? 2) How is Eliot' s term 'objective correlative' related to Pound' s principles of Imagism? 3) Is the concept of image in the eyes of the Imagists a total denial of the Romanticists' view of image? A thorough and in - depth comparison shows that the implications of image in both western and Chinese literary criticism have undergone significant changes in different historic periods. The concepts of image in western literary criticism is somewhat different from the traditional view of image in Chinese literary criticism which is more of a mixture of typical Chinese culture, aesthetic value as well as political, ethical and even familial factors. Eliot' s term 'objective correlative' is nothing new but a copy of Pound' s principles. The Imagists' theory of concept is not a total rejection of the view of poetic image of the Romanticism . It is instead an artistic compromise between Neo - classicism and Romanticism.