英文摘要 |
The relation between Heaven and man in the play Dou E Yuan, composed by Guan Hanqing, passes through five stages: knowing Heaven and following fate, believing and petitioning Heaven, questioning Heaven, corresponding with Heaven (tian ren ganying), and the mutual surpassing of Heaven and man (tian ren xiangsheng). These five stages mark the psychological changes in the protagonist, Dou E, as she faces different situations ranging from living to dying to revenge. The contradiction revealed through changes in the relation between Heaven and man-due to time, location, and people-highlights a fundamental aspect of this relationship: it changes through time. Rather than tracing or exploring the playwright's philosophical thoughts, this paper will analyze the Heaven-man relation from various points of view. In other words, comparing various plot elements and the description of different characters' psyche from the points of view of the various relations between Heaven and man reveals abundant layers of meaning in the play. |