郁达夫旧体诗硏究 = A STUDY OF YU DAFU'S CLASSICAL POETRY
黄嘉豪 NG KIAH HOW
黄嘉豪
NG KIAH HOW
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Abstract
The "May Fourth" movement was aimed at replacing the traditional
culture and literary writing with new system and characteristics.
However, it was not a total success. Some prominent literary figures in
their effort to create new form of literature still kept to traditional styles
in producing high quality poems. This shows that the emphasis on
creating "New literature" could not eradicate the old system entirely.
This explains the "deep-rootedness" of the traditional literary styles.
Yu Dafu (1896 — 1945) was a prolific and accomplished new
generation writer of traditional poems. He was more famous as a poet
than as a novelist. His poems protray three stages in his career. As a
youth, “Zi Shu Shi” was his masterpiece. During the so-called "white-terror-era" his “Huijia Shi Ji”
was representative of him. The third stage of his career was marked with great hardships and exile. This difficult period culminated in his production of his great work known as "Li Luan Za Shi". He finally died as a patriot in exile.
During his life time, he was once invited by the Railway Authority to tour the many scenic areas in China. As a result, he wrote many travelling memoirs known as "Xi You Shi Ji" which I have listed for
analysis.
The first stage of his work in poetry writing entitled "Zi Shu Shi" was completed in 1918. These poems describe his career from sixteen to twenty-three. The account given by the poems is an important narration of his youth. The second stage of his writing complied into the work
"Hui Jia Shi Ji" was done in the period 1936 till 1938. The collection
describes the beginning and end of his family tribulations. The
publication of this work might have caused the split between him and his
wife. His third stage of work known as "Li Luan Za Shi" was completed
while in exile in Sumatra in 1942. These poems highlight the sacred duty
to "defend one's nation. Naturally, they are filled with determination and
confidence in combating one's enemy. The fourth stage of his work
known as "Xi You Shi Ji" was accomplished in 1934. At this phase of
his life, he was afraid of political persecution and thus sought his escape
in his writing.
In spite of his many tribulations, Yu Dafu did not confine his life to
his own small world . He believed that his pen could serve as an effective
weapon to fight his enemy. Without hesitation, he became completely
involved in this struggle. As a result, he was in fact a loyal son of his
nation.
Looking at the career of Yu Dafu it can be said that poem-writing
was his life-long love. The contents and spirit of these poems describe his
life adequately.
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Date
1996
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