摹仿、创造与虚构:西方文学虚构传统溯源

Mimesis,Creation and Fiction: On the Origin of Western Literature Tradition of Fiction

从西方美学史角度考察西方文学虚构传统的来源:"诗"最初被定义为"制作的某种东西"。柏拉图首先将诗并入摹仿艺术并指责文学虚构的虚假性。亚里士多德又将"摹仿"与"创造"结合,肯定文学虚构。文艺复兴时期,锡德尼将诗人的虚构与上帝的创世结合,"虚构"被理解为"创造",不再当作"谎言"受到指责。到20世纪,西方文学理论中的虚构说得到极大发展,"虚构性"被视为包括抒情诗在内的传统文学类型的核心性质。但也有部分现代西方批评家因抒情诗缺乏显而易见的摹仿和虚构特征质疑其虚构性,这种讨论大抵逃不脱古老的摹仿论窠臼。

Especially from the perspective of the history of Western aesthetics, we study the origin of western literature tradition of fiction. Initially poem was defined as something made. Plato first made poems become a kind of imitation art, accusing the falsity of literary fiction. Aristotle combined mimesis and creation together, approving literary fiction. By the Renaissance, Sidne connected the poet＇s fiction with God＇s creating universe ; poets create the second nature as the small creators. Fiction was defined as creation, no longer to he blamed for lying. In the 20th century,western literary theories on fiction have been developed fast. ＂Fiction- ality＂ becomes the core nature of traditional literary genres, including lyrics. However, on the subject of lyrics fiction, some modern literary critics are uncertain, because lyrics has no obvious imitation or fiction, but the discussion cannot escape the imitation tradition anyway.