英国诗人历史学家西蒙兹的性格文化史研究--由《米开朗基罗传》《惠特曼研究》引出的历史思考

Historical Studies on the Character-Culture of British Poet-Historian J.A.Symonds:A Historical Reflection on The Life of Michelangelo Buonarroti and Walt Whitman

性格问题向来是历史人物研究中的核心内容。就性格与文化的关系而言,性格影响到文化创造和人类文化的进程;同时,文化创造的进程也对个体性格的升华起催生作用。英国诗人历史学家西蒙兹的性格文化史研究以历史的广阔视角对个性与文化创造之间的相互关系做出独特的解读,并留下诸多启人深思的个案研究成果。在19世纪的西方史学界,像西蒙兹那样将学术层面的性格文化史研究与个人的人生解疑过程结合起来,并在人物传记作品及其他历史研究作品中始终注意性格文化史的研究理念,还力图书写一部西方同性恋文化史著作的历史学家,堪称凤毛麟角。在后现代史学理念逐渐推广的今天,学人需要对上述情况予以新的探讨。

Character has long been a key issue in the study of historical figures.Character influences the creation and development of culture,while cultural process brings augmentation to personal character.Bequeathing us many brilliant case studies,the historical studies on the character and culture of Symonds,a British Poet-Historian,provided a unique interpretation of the interaction between character and culture.As someone who combined the scholarly and historical research of characterculture with life mentoring,who constantly stressed the historical study of character-culture in his biographies and other works,and who tried to accomplish a book on the cultural history of homosexuality in the West,Symonds was indeed unparalleled among his peers in the 19^(th) century.In an age when post-modernism prevails,his thoughts bring new discussions and critical reviews.