Sociology of Literature and 瓊瑤’ s Discourses of Love

Methodology, Pattern and Implied Ideologies

2007 Fall

1. Dialectic Materialism -- Marx and Vulgar Marxism2. Literature, Society & Ideology: Althusser and Gramsci3. Marxist Literary Theorists: Macherey, Eagleton and Jameson4. Foucault & 文學社會學的多重互動模式 (CY as an example)

Outline

Discourse: a Review Sociology of Literature (Lin Intro.) Romantic Love & 瓊瑤 CY (Ref. 〈浪漫愛情的

雙重面相：革新意識與女性幻想〉 ) Romantic Love: a Review CY: An Overview 《幾度夕陽紅》1. The Remote and the Poetic; 2. The Sociological 3.

Destiny and 緣 Gender Relations: women and sex Social Background and Development of Romantic

Love (from the revolutionary to female fantasies)

Discourse: Definition Review

Discourse is "a group of statements which provide a language for talking about ...a particular topic at a particular historical moment."

Constructed through some discursive practices; Three major procedures of discursive formation :

Definition & Prohibition Division and rejectionOpposition between false and true (Ref. Textbook 154)

Discourse: Definition (2)

Influences: -- productive: produces knowledge; -- regulative: (not unlike penopticon) offers us su

bject positions which is hierarchical. -- controlling and discriminatory: discipline the s

ubjects and punish or exclude those who do not follow the rules.

Discourse: example

Sexuality as a discourse1. Discourses of sexuality have increased and become a

science since the 17th century, when sex in the West became a taboo. for normlization and regulation.

2. Produces different subject positions and objects of gaze and control. “The sodomite had been temporary aberration; the homosexual was now a species.” (1979 43)

3. Sexual identities – “regulatory fictions” inscribed on our bodies. Women’s in the Romantic Love Discourse?

Literary Discourse: implications

No fixed boundaries between literature and other social practices; popular fiction such as those of 瓊瑤 can be discussed with some literary work.

The author is not the creator of his work. S/he serves as a label to put on a group of works related to him. (e.g. Wordsworth discourse; 瓊瑤‘ s discourse of Romantic love)

Defining some subject positions (of the author, the reader, the lovers, etc.)

Sociology of Literature: 3 Kinds

1. Reflection: Examine social phenomena in the text; understanding of society through literature; literature reflects society.

2. Influence: Examines how social environment and structure influence the production and circulation of literature. sociology of literary production

3. Interpretive analysis and institutional analysis combined

Methodology

1. Formal-Textual analysis– structuralist approach

looks for binaries; defines roles/actant (e.g. princess, villain, etc.)

and see how they develop or even change roles Motifs: e.g. family vs. love in 瓊瑤’ s novels

2. Institutional analysis Crown ( 皇冠 ) The emergence of culture industry

Methodology (2)

3. Social-Historical Analysis How her work presents the lives of the migrant student

s and their rebellion against patriarchal families TV formula

4. Critical-Interpretive 批判／二度詮釋 discourse analysis

-- the text itself is already an interpretation; 1. from the meaning of a text to the meaning structure

s (discourse) it is embedded in; 2. Disclose the relations between power and meanings.

Methodology (2): 8 units

1. Text: narrative structure and structure of feeling

Narrative structure: falling in love (love conflict) (familial) disintegration reconciliation reintegration

structure of feeling: melodramatic, romantic, affective familialism (e.g. adoptive family, fear of incest)

2. Author – e.g. the support of Ping 3. Reader – e.g. teenagers’ release from reality 4. Genre; conventions community’s consensus

about melodrama or realistic novel (28)

Methodology (2): 8 units (2)

5. Literary community –from being centralized to de-centered ( 希代 in the late 80’s ？ )

6. Rental Bookstore, Bookstores and Culture industry (for mass production and circulation) p. 31 the historic changes

7. Institution: institutionalization (e.g. New Criticism-- with norms such as literature’s autonomy, objective correlative, etc.)

8. Society –social structure is involved in the production and reception of literature

Q’s

What is the difference between sociology thru’ literature and sociology of literature?

How do we relate literary studies to her methodology? (What is “ 傳統文學研究” ? 016)

Is intrinsic, or formal-textual, analysis itself not enough? ( 文本分析只能提供有限度的詮釋 . 020)

Romantic Love –review

1) The desire for union or merger; 2) Idealization of the beloved; 3) Exclusivity; (e.g. always, never)4) Emotional dependency or

powerful concern for the beloved. (Cf. J. 5)

Romantic Love Discourse of 瓊瑤

1. Not seen as popular romance first; 2. Gradually codified into Romantic love story (w

hile other aspects of the novels are ignored or emptied out)

3. Typical plot: love at first sight passion + obstacles overco

ming the obstacles or death. In 瓊瑤‘ s novels ， two basic forces are love a

nd family: the obstacles are usu. from the family (generation gap and/or family love) re-structuring of the family (Lin 20-21)

瓊瑤 --her novels periodized Three periods: Romantic Love de-politicized.1. 60’s –(dominant: anti-Communist lit.) –Nostal

gia, Taiwanese as aliens; conflicts between the two generations; the older generation from mainland China; gray and pessimistic. （ 《幾度夕陽紅》 1966 ）

2. 70’s – more focused on Taiwan; dreams of the upper-middle classes in Taiwan; marriage as the solution. turned into an industry. (e.g. 《一簾幽夢》 1974)

3. 80’s – when she became a collective phenomenon. ( 林 pp. 36-37)

Romantic Love Discourse of 瓊瑤 --Historicized

Romantic Love – 2 Kinds in CY’s work Early years of the Republic (around the ti

me of May 4)– connected with social reform (p. 62)

CY’s – personal and de-politicized

瓊瑤 – pattern: her novels in the 60’s (e.g. 《幾度夕陽

紅》 )1. Lack and Discontent; 2. Falling in love3. Generation conflicts

(mystery hidden and then revealed)

4. Resolution of the conflicts

5. Conclusion: Love inside and outside marriage system. ( 林 74)

1. Poverty of 夢竹 and her daughter, 曉彤 ; (past – poverty and displacement during the war)

2. 曉彤－如峰；（夢竹 －慕白）

3. The mother’s objection; 4. 慕白‘ s self-sacrifice; 5. Three kinds of love: 曉彤

－如峰；雙雙－曉白；（夢竹 －慕白）

Ref. In the 70’s: The Remote in the Romantic Love Discourse of 瓊瑤

The remote = romantic or a-political 一簾幽夢 (1974)

http://www.qyhouse.com/ebooks/vol20.txt)Historical background –70’s: after the white terror and the

period of political upheaval and modernization1971 退出聯合國；釣魚台事件 ; 1973 Ten Major Constructions; -- 1975 Yang Hsuan 楊弦 : Modern Chinese Folksong Concert

中國現代民歌之夜 , 1977 鄉土文學論戰1979 中美斷交； Beautiful Island Event. 美麗島事件

The Remote in the Romantic Love Discourse of 瓊瑤

一簾幽夢 (1974 http://www.qyhouse.com/ebooks/vol20.txt)

The remote: 1. The dreamy and poetic –signs: poem, guitar 2. The Western and far away –signs: 西餐廳， b

eautiful sceneries without identity.The unsaid: the political, the economic and the s

exual. Examples 1, 2, 3

The Sociological

《幾度夕陽紅 》 1966 (p. 69) Two generations:

The migrant students (p. 69) (clip 2: 10:48, 16:50)

明遠、夢竹 何慕天

曉彤、曉白 魏如峰 (nephew) 、雙雙

瓊瑤’ s plot: familial constraint = destiny?1. 夢竹 -- Rebellious against the traditional society (e.

g. match-making) (clip 2: 31) –released by the nanny; –in defiance of arranged marriage, but still in need of

the rescue of 明遠 2. 曉彤 Lack/discontent a new and mysterious situ

ation the hero ( 慕天 ) solving the mystery marriage and withdrawal/separation/death

3. Obstacles are all external ones; The lovers are born for each other. 緣？ Or part of the ideology of Romantic love?

4. Why reconciliation? (suicide or accident of the wayward)

瓊瑤’ s plot: familial constraint = destiny?

瓊瑤 (3): Gender & Sex

Presentation of women: (p. 76, 78) Weak, in need of support (the novel as

an expression of female fantasies)(e.g. 曉彤 clip--1: 24; 2: 29)

If strong, she is usu. not satisfied in love, stubborn and lonely. (e.g. 雙雙 34)

瓊瑤 (2): Gender & Sex

Presentation of women –the weak e.g. 　 (first encounter) 她的嘴唇輕輕的蠕動了一下，卻并沒有發出聲音來。魏如峰打量著她，那小小的臉龐清秀雅致，小小的腰肢楚楚可人，清亮的眼睛里盈盈的盛滿了不屬于這個時代的寂寞和惶惑，和她那件過時的衣服一樣只屬于她而不屬于目前這年輕的一代。

(meeting on the street) 那顆小星星！那顆已被他遺忘了的小星星！他頓時有種意外的驚喜，仿佛無意間拾到了一粒被自己失落的鑽石。他徑直向她騎過去，她站在一大排等車的女學生中間，纖細，瘦小，而稚弱。

夢竹： called 小粉蝶

瓊瑤 (2): Gender & Sex

Presentation of women –the weak e.g. 　曉彤 －－那一對眼睛明澈清瑩，微微轉動的眼珠流露著一層夢似的光彩。他無法把自己的眼光從她臉上收回，那微翹的小鼻子，那修長秀氣的眉毛，那薄薄的，帶著點兒稚氣和天真的小嘴，以及那時時刻刻，籠罩在她整個臉龐上的一種寧靜、悠然和純潔的氣質。這是怎樣的一個女孩子！還只是朵被綠萼所包裹著的小蓓蕾！可是，她卻那樣的使人心動，使人情不自禁的要憐愛她。

瓊瑤 (2): Gender & Sex

Presentation of women –the strong who is weak inside e.g. (after 雙雙 creates troubles) 魏如峰把車子停在路邊，用手托起霜霜的臉來，霜霜一臉的淚痕，又一臉的倔強，長睫毛上挂著淚珠，黑眼睛浸在水霧里，反有一股平日所沒有的楚楚動人的勁兒。他掏出手帕來，拭去了她臉上的眼淚，安慰的低低的說：“霜霜，你爸爸在等你，不要讓他傷心，好嗎？你知道他多愛你，他難得說你几句，你就要生氣？”

Presentation of Man: 寬寬的前額，有著異樣神采的眼睛，挺直的鼻子，和那略嫌方正的下巴。

《幾度夕陽紅》 : “Romantic” Attraction (class & no se

x?) Past – 重慶流亡學生1. Rich man and weak

woman2. Poetry as a means of

communication; (2 clips)

3. Attempts to overcome difficulties (since 慕白 was married)

Present1. Rich man and

weak/poor woman 2. Coffee shops (2

clips) 3. Feeble attempts to

overcome difficulties

《幾度夕陽紅》 : “Romantic” Attraction (no sex?)

Present – coffee shop 這是什么地方？在她的道德觀念里，一面正派的

女孩子是不能和男人走進咖啡館這種地方的，而她居然穿著學校制服，背著書包，和一個几乎是全然陌生的男人來到了咖啡廳，這事情實在太荒謬！

曉彤不由自主的伸頭去望著池中那些閃閃爍爍、五顏六色的小魚，和壁上那些十分藝朮的圖案，唱機里在播送著一張貝多芬的命運交響曲，樂聲在室內輕緩的流動。整個廳內，充滿了一份寧靜幽雅的藝朮氣息。

《幾度夕陽紅》 : “Romantic” Attraction (no sex?)

Present – coffee shop (2) 曉彤微笑了，周圍寧靜的氣氛使她心情放松，

而面對那個男人柔和的眼光更引起她一層朦朧的喜悅。“全台北市最好的一家咖啡館，”她微笑的思索著，那么，他一定跑過全台北每一家咖啡館了？

他的手忽然落在桌子上，蓋在她的手上面。這“大膽”的動作使她一跳，接著就有股電流般力量從她手上貫穿了全身。

《幾度夕陽紅》 : “Romantic” Attraction (no sex?)

Present – coffee shop (3)　　“你有發掘的工具嗎？” 　　“有。” 　　“是什么？” 　　

他捉住她的手，把那只手壓在他激動而狂跳著的心臟上。 　　“在這兒，”他緊緊的望著她：“行嗎？”

她的大眼珠在轉動著，像電影上的特寫鏡頭，慢慢的，將眼光在他的臉上來回巡逡，最后，那對轉動的眼珠停住了，定定的直視著他的眼睛。

《幾度夕陽紅》 : “Romantic” Attraction (no sex?)

Present – coffee shop (3)　小小的鼻翼微翕著，呼吸短而急促，溫熱的吹在

他的臉上。他對她俯過頭去，又中途停住了，他不敢碰她的唇，怕會是對她的褻瀆。拿起了那只手，他把它貼在自己的面頰上，額頭上，最后，緊貼在自己的嘴唇上。他無法再抬起眼睛來看她，因為，在自己充滿幸福和激動的心懷里，他忽然覺得要流淚了。而當他終于能抬起眼睛來看她的時候，他只看到一張蒼白而凝肅的小臉，隱現在一層庄嚴而聖潔的光圈里。

瓊瑤 – in the context of Chinese discourses on Romantic Love

Unlike the revolutionary spirits of May Fourth period,

瓊瑤‘ s women infantilized and innocent -- ( 曉彤、雙雙 age 18) -- 《窗外》 high school student, in need of

male support and family identification. (clip 22-24)

( 林 pp. 80- 81)

瓊瑤 – in the context of Chinese discourses on Romantic Love

Romantic Love: from the revolutionary to female fantasies

Three periods: 1. Free-Choice Marriage during the May Fourth period:

a means to challenge traditional family structure (esp. arranged marriage) with revolutionary ideals;

2. 30’s and 40’s – during the war; more compromised. (The setting of 《幾度夕陽紅》）

3. 60‘ and 70’s – when 瓊瑤‘ s novels started to be popular. Free love and Free-choice marriage were not popular in Taiwan (58% among college students and 8% of the whole people).