政治经济学视角下《海盗船长》中的审美趣味与中国元素

The Aesthetic Taste and Chinese Elements in Captain Singleton from the Perspective of Political Economics

本文结合18世纪英国社会兴起的“中国热”,从政治经济学视角探讨英国著名小说家笛福的《海盗船长》中的物物交换与中国元素,并揭示当时中国商品对英国审美趣味的影响。通过分析小说中英国海盗的海上抢劫和与土著人进行欺诈性交易等行为,文章指出,《海盗船长》在宣扬西方商品文化和种族优越性的同时,还涵盖了隐性的中国叙事进程,尤其是具有中国审美趣味的商品交换和货币价值转换叙事,无意识地反映出中国元素在英国社会重商主义发展中的重要作用。

This paper attempts to approach Daniel Defoe's Captain Singleton from the perspective of political economics.By placing the novel in the context of“the Chinese Craze”in British society in the 18th century and focusing on the barter and Chinese elements in the novel,this paper aims to reveal the effect Chinese goods wield on British aesthetic taste.Through analyzing British piratesrobbery and fraudulent transactions with the indigenous in Captain Singleton,this paper intends to argue that the novel,apart from trumpeting western commercial culture and racial superiority,also contains Chinese narrative featuring the exchange of goods with Chinese aesthetic taste and the conversion of monetary value,which unconsciously reflects the indispensable role Chinese elements play in British mercantilism.