Fortress Besieged
《围城》
Fortress Besieged，written by Qian Zhongshu，is on outstanding satirical novel in modern Chinese literature. Based on the vagrant life experience of Fang Hongjian，the young hero，after his return from France on completion of his overseas studies and with a lively and humorous style of pen，the author makes an extensive description of various types of people and numerous aspects of the Chinese society. He vividly depicts the country which was then involved in a historically transitional period，focusing on the rupture，dislocation，perversion and conflict in regard to culture and values. He elaborates with great profundity on the confrontation between the modern and traditional Chinese culture and on the confusion and discomfiture in terms of cultural values. Applying the traditional customs of familial and marital relationships as a metaphor，the writer makes an attempt to elucidate the self-besiegement of modern China. To quote the characters of the book，“Marriage is nothing but a gold-plated birdcage，those without are eager to get in while those within long to get out.”“It is just a fortress besieged， those outside are anxious to rush in while those inside yearn to get out.”The writer exposes the abnormal personalities and filthy souls of the new generation of intellectuals typified by Fang Hongjian，Gao Xinmei and Su Wenwan，who either sink into degeneration or accomplish nothing，idling away their life in the besiege of traditional customs .Through them，the writer makes an elaborate and multi-layered survey of the westernized intellectuals and the localized Western civilization from both ideological and philosophical perspectives. Adept at applying vagarious，incisive and diverse figuration and at extending his imageries into symbols，the writer creates an irony which runs through the book as its consistent style. Abundant in witty and humorous remarks and rich in wisdom and philosophical ideas，the book is recognized as a successful work about “scholars".
钱钟书的《围城》是中国现代杰出的讽刺小说。通过主人公力一鸿渐与几位知识女性的情感、婚恋纠葛，通过方鸿渐由上海到内地的一路遭遇，《围城》以喜剧性的讽刺笔调，刻画了抗战环境下中国一部分知识分子的仿徨和空虚。作者借中国家庭和婚姻关系的传统习俗来把当代中国隐喻为禁锢自我的围城，如书中所言:“婚姻是个铃金的鸟笼，外面的人想冲进来，里面的人想冲出去。。”就像一个围城，“城外的人想冲进来，城里的人想逃出来。”小说的整个情节，是知识界青年男女在爱情纠葛中的围困与逃离，而在更深的层次土，则是表现一部分知识者陷人精神“围城”的境遇。而这，正是《围城》主题的深刻之处。《围城》表现出了对世态人情的精微观察与高超的心理描写艺术。作者刻画才女型人物苏文纵的矜持与矫情，小家碧玉式的孙柔嘉柔顺后面深隐的城府，可谓洞幽烛微;而对嘴上机敏而内心怯弱、不无见识而又毫无作为的方鸿渐的复杂性格心态的音剖析，则更是极尽曲折而入木三分。《围城》的描写，自始至终又都贯穿着嘲讽的喜剧。小说的基本情节，都围绕着方鸿渐展开，小说的诸多人物，场面也大都从方的观点展现，方的观人阅世的挪愉态度，以及隐含在他背后的小说作者的嘲讽口吻，交错交融，使《围城》的讽刺门手法别具一格。
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