摘要
从 19 世纪末的语文研究到 20 世纪上半叶的新批评,再到理论兴起之后的跨学科热,英文学科的发展历程就是一个与非文学学科不断切割与交缠的过程.通过回顾英文学科的百年发展历程,有助于我们对当前文学跨学科研究热的应对策略和效果预期做出冷静判断.从方法论上来说,英文研究从来都是跨学科的,新批评所追求的那种学科纯粹性从未存在.从不同学科方法切入文学,恰恰可以让文学研究不断焕发活力、产生新的阐释意义.但从研究对象上来说,过分追求跨学科却会危及文学研究自身的合法性基础.跨学科研究可以丰富文学研究的工具箱,活跃和提升它的社会功能,为其提供暂时有效的合法性辩护,但它并非人文学科摆脱困境的灵丹妙药,其作用不宜被过分夸大.文学跨学科研究的目的不是为了产生"及物"的知识,而只是希望通过更丰富和有趣的思考来增加我们对历史、生活与世界的认识.
Abstract
At the end of the 19th century,while English was widely established as a subject of study in British and American universities,its object of study and research methods had yet to be established.Unlike the literary discipline that would come into being later,it was primarily a philological pursuit that combined linguistics,ethnic culture,and historical knowledge.The emergence of New Criticism in early 20th century marked a pivotal moment in the development of English studies,reshaping it from multiple perspectives to establish itself as a field exclusively for professional literary critics.However,the New Criticism overly emphasized the purity of literary research in terms of methodology and focus,neglecting its social function.Consequently,the breaking of disciplinary boundaries and the move towards an interdisciplinary era became inevitable.From the 1980s,various critical theories focused on different aspects of Western social and cultural structures,transforming literary studies within the academy into cultural and political critiques that had significant impacts on society.While many of these critiques originated from reading and critical practices within the English department,they have had wide-ranging interdisciplinary impacts and have significantly reshaped the disciplinary landscape.Generally speaking,the century-long development of English studies represents a process of continuous separation from and entanglement with non-literary disciplines.A review of this process can help us make a balanced judgment on the response strategies and expected effects of the current trend of interdisciplinary research in literary studies.The interdisciplinary study of literature,as commonly understood,mainly encompasses three aspects:interdisciplinary methodologies,cross-disciplinary research objects,and transdisciplinary social functions.By examining the century-long development of the English discipline,we can observe that interdisciplinary methodologies have always been a characteristic of literary criticism.However,the introduction of cross-disciplinary research objects may indeed challenge the legitimacy of literary studies,and we should approach it with caution.The pursuit of transdisciplinary social functions within literary criticism may be the true driving force behind the current trend of interdisciplinary research.It is essential to neither simply oppose this trend nor have unrealistic expectations.In many ways,literary criticism has always been interdisciplinary,disregarding disciplinary boundaries in terms of research interests and methods,and preferring to examine literature from various perspectives.Yet,there exists an intangible relationship between the knowledge it acquires and the real world.While it takes an interdisciplinary approach to literature,it does not seek to replace such disciplines as law,sociology,pathology,or cartography,which are more"substantial"in nature.Instead,it aims to enhance our understanding and comprehension of history,life,and the world through a thought-provoking lens.If one truly intended to generate"substantial"knowledge through interdisciplinary methods,it would risk exposing the limitations of literary criticism.However,by embracing an interdisciplinary approach,literary studies can enrich our understanding of the world,offering an intriguing perspective that complements other disciplines.
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