Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.3, 2020

“New Characters” in Literature as an Aesthetic Ideal

(Abstract)

Zhang Ning

In a broad sense, “new characters” refer to those unique figures that writers manage to realize through artistic creation. In a narrow sense, they designate certain special figures that belong to a given historical period. As products of both history and reality, these figures reflect the dialectical combination of the writers’ aesthetic and social ideal. They feature specters of idealism or demonstrate a certain potential for prophecy. The innovative spirit, the characteristics of the times and the idealized sentiments of “new characters” determine the depth and difficulty in the creation of these figures.