“异质化合,乃孳新种”:传统小说批评的近代转型

The Combination of Foreignness and Tradition Fruits New:The Modern Transition of Criticism on Traditional Novels

由于域外小说与文学观念的影响,近代文人对传统小说的批评在一定程度上经历了从全面否定到重新肯定其价值意义的转变。小说批评家们从传统小说中"发掘"出诸如民主、民权、尚武、女权、科学之类新的思想观念,并用之启蒙教化大众,显示出了这种批评本身功利性、随意性和肤浅性等特征。运用具有"异质"色彩的域外新思想来阐释传统小说,得出的结论必然超出前人的藩篱,使得一些传统小说在新的社会政治环境下重新焕发出生命力,传统小说批评也开始了由传统向现代的转型。

Because of the influences of foreign novels and literature concepts, the criticism of traditional novels in modern times experienced a certain degree of change from comprehensive negation to reaffirmation. Novel critics ＂explored＂ new thoughts and con- cepts such as democracy, civil rights, martial arts, feminism, science from traditional novels. They used these thoughts and concepts to enlighten and educate the public, which showed its utilitarianism, random and superficiality. By using foreign ideas to explain the traditional novels, modern novel critics not only surpassed the achievements of previous generations but also rejuvenated the lives of the traditional novels in the new social and political environment. From then on, traditional novel criticism began to transform into modern novel criticism.