Benjamin Allegory Theory,

Walter Benjamin (1892-1940) had an extensive and profound scholarship, which made him preeminent in his field. During his lifetime, he was not widely recognized. But, after his death, he caused a great sensation in the western intellectual circle. And the "Benjamin craze"has risen in China since late 1980s following the "Benjamin Revival"in west. Reviewing the study on Benjamin's theories of allegory both domestically and abroad, one can see that it is either lacking in system or lacking in depth. The author intends to make a systematic and profound investigation into Benjamin's theories of allegory, and tries to put across the position of that in his aesthetic system. Then use Benjamin's theories of allegory to explain the phenomenon of allegorical critics nowadays, and put forward my own views on it. This paper looking into the frontier of current studies: allegorical critics, what more with the study of Benjamin's thinking, the track of the development of theories on allegory in the west is made move obvious. Therefore, the study in question is of much value both theoretically and practically. This thesis consists of six parts, including introduction. The introduction presents the current studies of Benjamin's aesthetic system and points out that this thesis aims to study Benjamin's theories of allegory and confront his system of aesthetics based on the current researches. Ⅰ.The evolvement of allegory in the historic context. This part is mainly concerned with the evolvement of allegory in the historic context in the western countries, including a review of the historic progress of allegory in the ancient Greece and Rome, a review of it in Middle Ages and Renaissance, and a review of it in Romanticism. In the historic progress, the traditional allegory formed two main characters: one is the separation of word from meaning and the other the multiplicity of meaning. Ⅱ. Trauerspiel: the academic background and theoretical premise of Benjamin's allegory. Following the foregoing discusses, this part presents the basis of Benjamin's allegory theories –Trauerspiel. Through the characteristics of Trauerspiel in theme, plot, character, conflict, structure, style and language, it's shown the affinity between Trauerspiel and allegory. Basing himself on the philosophic analysis and historical exploration of Trauerspiel, he put forward his theories of allegory. Ⅲ. Benjamin's aesthetic system of allegory. This part is concerned with comments on Benjamin's aesthetic system of allegory from the perspectives of its connotation, its characteristics and its creation mode. In the first place, through the above researches and studies of Trauerspiel, I think that the allegory of Benjamin is an absolute, universal way of expression as well as an organic pattern for observing the world. Furthermore, it employs irony and metaphor to express abstract ideas and discloses, in a way of melancholy, the darkness of the world, the declining of the nature and the degeneration of human nature. As Benjamin himself stressed, Allegory is the most meaningful pattern of thought of our age. And next, in contrast with traditional allegory, Benjamin's allegory has its particular features as secularism, fragmentation and melancholy. Finally, his allegory is produced mainly through images of ruins, irony and metaphor. Ⅳ. The status of allegory in Benjamin's aesthetic system. It is difficult to summarize Benjamin's aesthetic system, so this thesis chooses several key branches of his thinking, such as theories of language and translation, the study of artistic modernity, and criticism. By concentrating on the close relationship of Benjamin's theories of allegory to those above, we can find that his theories of allegory is not only an important link in his aesthetic chain, but also significant to the form of new aesthetic conception. Ⅴ. The significance and value of Benjamin's allegory in China. It can be found that the Chinese literary practice of modern times bears some...