英文摘要 |
This paper compares two works of Eileen Chang (Zhang Ailing): her early novelette ”Golden Lock Notes” and its later version as the novel A Grumbling Maid. Many differences can be identified between them, with potentially significant implications. For example, with respect to characterization, does the hero, Lord Third, change from a decent and cautious person in ”Golden Lock Notes” to a mean and frivolous guy in A Grumbling Maid? Or would it be more accurate to say that the portrayal of the character in the later version is more realistic and truer to life, just like the heroine herself? Is the character rounder or more typical as a result of this change? Also, the character of Jiang Changan, daughter of Cao Qiqiao, does not appear in A Grumbling Maid. Why, and what is the influence of her disappearance? From the viewpoint of structure, if A Grumbling Maid is meant to be cyclical, does this imply that the tragic ending is the inescapable fate of traditional and modern women alike? Finally, in terms of style, with the later version loving more descriptions of historical background, a less dramatic plot, and simple and natural writing, can it be concluded that Chang wrote this novel in a more modern way? |