Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.3, 2021

Internal Factors of Literary Classics: Originality and Interpretability

(Abstract)

Zhuo Jin

Methodologies, such as historicism and positivism, may help demonstrate internal determinants of classical literature, which are originality and interpretability. Originality touches upon three dimensions, namely ideological value, knowledge innovation and emotional expression. The dimensions are interdependent, and act on and reinforce each other. Each dimension exists as an independent system composed of several subcategories. Interpretability combines originality’s three dimensions with the timeliness dimension. Originality and interpretability are central to the internal factors of a classic.