The Communication And Conflict Between Chinese Culture And Western Culture

Eugene O'Neill is a world-renowned American playwright. In recent years, moreand more scholars and experts begin to study him from different perspectives. Theyincreasingly pay more attention to the Orientalism in O'Neill's works. In 20th century,with the development of Western capitalist industrialization, the Western society hasbeen alienated and reduced to spiritual "Wasteland". Numerous Western thinkers,including Eugene, turn their eyes to the remote East to find the solution to the Westernsocial crisis. O'Neill studied the works of Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism and wasdeeply influenced by them. Therefore, these Oriental thoughts can be found in his works.Among the Oriental thoughts he received, Taoism, he admitted, exerts foremostinfluence on him. In some sense, O'Neill's works are the products of the combination ofthe Western and the Eastern culture. His works indicates the communication andconflict between Western culture and Eastern (Chinese) culture. Now, we are living inan age of globalization in which cultural communication and conflict become morefrequent than ever. Under this circumstance, it is of great realistic significance to studyTaoism in O'Neill's works. It will not only provide us a new perspective to approachO'Neill, but also help us realize that the Eastern culture has its unique value for thedevelopment of human society, and that only through the communication of the twocultures can man arrive at permanent harmony and prosperity. Scholars up to now havemade fruitful researches in Taoism in Eugene O'Neill's works. However, Taoism is acomplicated philosophical system and O'Neill's works contain great artistic excellenceand depth of thoughts. So the combination of the two leads to a broad horizon in studywith this regard. Therefore, different views may arise from different points of view.Here, the author is making a tentative analysis of Taoism in O'Neill's works, in the hopethat casting a brick to attract jade and consulting colleagues and experts.O'Neill's writing career can be roughly divided into three periods: early period,(1913—1921), middle period, (1921—1933), late period, (1937---1943). With hisincreasingly deep understanding of Taoism and the progression of his creation technique,his application of Taoism to his works experiences a process of development. His earlyworks contains embryonic Taoism that seems still vague, indefinite and susceptible ofChristian interpretation. In Anna Christie and Hairy Ape displays Taoistic notion of ivunity with nature. Anna regains her life by returning to the sea (nature). Yank goes to thezoo to seek his belonging. In Beyond the Horizon, Andrew and Robert make theirchoices that are opposite to their natural tendencies and suffer from failure. When he isdying, Robert realizes that life is not the beginning and death is not the end, whichindicates the Taoistic view of life and death.In his middle plays, Taoism becomes more and more definite and explicit. Theapplication of Taoism in his plays becomes more mature. Marco Million and TheFountain contain most striking features of Taoism which display in characterization,plot, structure, and theme. The Taoistic notions of Yin/Yang, Returning and life anddeath can be found explicitly in these two plays. In Marco Million, Marco polo isrational, active and masculine. He corresponds to the Yang principle in Taoism;Kukachin, the Chinese princess, is feminine, passive and spiritual. She corresponds tothe Yin principle in Taoism. In theme, O'Neill explicitly contrasts serene spiritualism ofthe East and destructive materialism of the West. In plot, both Marco and Kuckchin goback where they are from, which indicates the Taoistic notion of Returning. Desireunder the Elms and Mourning Becomes Electra were written in his late middle period.Taoism seems not to be explicit. Actually Taoism begins to permeate into the themes ofthe two plays. This indicates that O'Neill's creation begins to come ne...