Study On The Adaptations Of Chinese Modern And Contemporary Literary Classics

Television and films are new art forms, but literature is a art form with a long history. Television and films take the advantage of other art forms and establish their own unique artistic and aesthetic characters. From the very beginning, television and films have built a close relationship with literature. As for the history of the combination of these art forms with contemporary and modern literary classics in China, the classics experienced a process from being honored and being abandoned. In this essay, I aim to consider and analyze the adaptation of Chinese modern and contemporary literary classics, meanwhile, in this respect, I make some in-depth thinking and reflection, and give some immature suggestions and views on this topic.The adaptations of Chinese modern and contemporary literary classics is a obvious culture phenomenon. From the first film adaptation of the novel of Maodun Spring Silk worms, The adaptations of Chinese modern and contemporary literary classics have experienced four stages: the exploring period before the establishment of the new country, "The 17th year" mature period, "The cultural revolution" forbidden period and the flourishing period from the 80s in 20 century. This is the main contents of the first chapter, by summarizing the historic stages of the adaptations of Chinese modern and contemporary literary classics, especially the main masterpieces, creative trend and ideological orientation, I wish to grasp a historic vertical understanding of this phenomenon.In the second chapter, with the explanation of visual culture, which is the origin of this phenomenon, by discussing the cultural background of this phenomenon and the feasibility and necessity of adaptations, I aim to analyze the theoretical aspects of this topic.In the next chapter, starting from the theory of intertextuality, this essay analyzes the intertextual relationship between the modern and contemporary literary classics and television and films, as well as multiple intertextual relationship between literary texts, films and television versions of the source texts; and attempts to explore its historical and contemporary issues, in the end, this chapter analyze the balance of historical spirit and ideological trend. At the third part of this chapter, by investigating the adaptations practices of the "third generation", the "fourth generation" and the "fifth Generation" filmmakers, we can get a thorough view on Chinese modern and contemporary literary classics of each period, including the general adapted trends, the overall style and adaptation strategies, which can help us to gain a horizontal analysis and the overall characteristics of this cultural phenomenon.The fourth section of this essay try to discuss the value of modern and contemporary films and television adaptations of literary classics,and explore its positive effects on the interpretation of literary classics and given a new era in terms of implication propaganda.At the same time, by analyzing the "incommensurability" between the adapted texts and films and television texts, we can make a conclusion that there exists a natural obstacles between these two different types of art. Besides, because of the change of the subjective attitudes of filmmakers, the change of the times and the audience’s aesthetic needs change, the adaptations inevitably do harm to the language, themes, narrative and aesthetic effects of classics.At the last chapter of this essay, it refers to the growing aloof status of the adaptations of Chinese modern and contemporary literary classics, on the other hand, this chapter discuss the development direction of Chinese modern and contemporary literary classics with a critical attitude,which is based on the consideration of writers, films and television makers, receivers and commentators.