Impact of Wilde’s Aestheticism on Eileen Chang’s Novels

Abstract

In the Chinese literary world at the beginning of the 20th century, some intellectuals actively translated and introduced the works of aestheticist Oscar Wilde, setting off a wave of “ Wilde Fever”. Eileen Chang’s writing style had been largely influenced by Wilde’s aestheticism, but it has also shown some differences. Therefore, this article is based on excavating and comparing the similarities and differences between Eileen Chang’s and Wilde’s works on aestheticism, analyzing the influence of Wilde’s aestheticism on Eileen Chang’s novels, and how the foreign literary trend of thought blended with China’s social and time background at that time. 

This paper consists of four parts. The first part introduces Wilde’s aestheticism, the second part introduces Eileen Chang’s view of aestheticism, the third part analyzes the influence of Wilde’s Aestheticism on Eileen Chang’s novel, and the last part analyzes Eileen Chang’s abandonment of Wilde’s Aestheticism. 

Wilde’s numerous literary works have demonstrated to readers his unique and wise artistic views and have a profound influence on the literature of the East and the West. The writing style of Eileen Chang not only reveals the influence of Wilde’s aestheticism on her, but also shows us her abandonment and surpass of Wilde’s aestheticism.

Key words: Elieen Chen; Oscar Wilde; absoption and abandonment; aestheticism