登陆注册
5382300000183

第183章 CHAPTER XXVI(8)

minute comparison of those two great humourists would perhaps show as many points of contrast as of similarity, but there is a strong superficial resemblance between them. They both possessed an inexhaustible supply of broad humour and an imagination of singular vividness. Both had the power of seeing the ridiculous side of common things, and the talent of producing caricatures that had a wonderful semblance of reality. A little calm reflection would suffice to show that the characters presented are for the most part psychological impossibilities; but on first making their acquaintance we are so struck with one or two life-like characteristics and various little details dexterously introduced, and at the same time we are so carried away by the overflowing fun of the narrative, that we have neither time nor inclination to use our critical faculties. In a very short time Gogol's fame spread throughout the length and breadth of the Empire, and many of his characters became as familiar to his countrymen as Sam Weller and Mrs. Gamp were to Englishmen. His descriptions were so graphic--so like the world which everybody knew! The characters seemed to be old acquaintances hit off to the life; and readers revelled in that peculiar pleasure which most of us derive from seeing our friends successfully mimicked. Even the Iron Tsar could not resist the fun and humour of "The Inspector" (Revizor), and not only laughed heartily, but also protected the author against the tyranny of the literary censors, who considered that the piece was not written in a sufficiently "well-intentioned" tone. In a word, the reading public laughed as it had never laughed before, and this wholesome genuine merriment did much to destroy the morbid appetite for Byronic heroes and Romantic affectation.

The Romantic Muse did not at once abdicate, but with the spread of Gogol's popularity her reign was practically at an end. In vain some of the conservative critics decried the new favourite as talentless, prosaic, and vulgar. The public were not to be robbed of their amusement for the sake of any abstract aesthetic considerations; and young authors, taking Gogol for their model, chose their subjects from real life, and endeavoured to delineate with minute truthfulness.

This new intellectual movement was at first purely literary, and affected merely the manner of writing novels, tales, and poems.

The critics who had previously demanded beauty of form and elegance of expression now demanded accuracy of description, condemned the aspirations towards so-called high art, and praised loudly those who produced the best literary photographs. But authors and critics did not long remain on this purely aesthetic standpoint.

同类推荐
  • 般舟三昧经卷上

    般舟三昧经卷上

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 歙州砚谱

    歙州砚谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 昙芳守忠禅师语录

    昙芳守忠禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说圣大总持王经

    佛说圣大总持王经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 龙门心法

    龙门心法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 我家阁楼通异界

    我家阁楼通异界

    少年江楠偶然踏入阁楼,门后竟是一个崭新世界。还魂丹,驻颜草,不老药……待我打通两界入口,我就是这个世界最富有的!
  • 归愚词

    归愚词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上仙家养小妖狐

    上仙家养小妖狐

    数万年前魔界动荡之后,天帝便斩除所有妖魔不留活口,只是遗漏了一只尚在母胎的九尾妖狐。小妖狐未经人事,尚未化成人形,误闯人间,与天界掌管风雷雨电的清玹上神相遇。清玹只是下凡带去风调雨顺,不想却遇见这只火红的小狐狸。从一开始清玹就明白这是一只妖狐,他也不知是鬼迷心窍,竟在人间豢养起了小妖狐,教她向善。清玹告诉千狐遇:“可能是我这老人家鬼迷了心窍,看你漂亮鲜艳就想要把你留在身边。想想也可能是上古以来的孤寂实在难熬,有了你,日子也就没那么无趣。”
  • 五行大义

    五行大义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 汤姆叔叔的小屋

    汤姆叔叔的小屋

    讲述了一位美国黑人奴隶,在惨无人道的奴隶制的压迫丁艰难的生活最终死去的故事。一经出版就震撼了美国社会,促使了废奴运动的发展以及美国南北战争的爆发。
  • 我家皇叔萌萌哒

    我家皇叔萌萌哒

    【爽文!宠文!宠文!宠文!宠字强调三遍!】上辈子蠢死的苏月桐重生了!重生的第一件事,当然是让自己爽!于是当街退婚,戳穿渣男,再一顿吊打,让他记住了敢惹姑奶奶的下场!重生的第二件事,还是让自己爽!白莲花,绿茶婊,扎堆来,照单全收,统统往死里整!整不死还来?苏月桐扭头看向身后英武帅气的男人,“嘤嘤嘤,皇叔她们欺负我……”楚奕寒摸她狗头,一脸宠溺:“乖~”苏月桐再回首,谈笑间贱人灰飞烟灭,不留一丝渣渣。“月儿,收拾完贱人该办正事了。”“什……什么正事?皇叔你靠这么近做什么?”“我的衣服,别扯!”啊喂能不能好好演高冷皇叔了?她还是颗小嫩芽呢!
  • 善交际看这本就够了

    善交际看这本就够了

    《善交际看这本就够了(珍藏版)》讲述在现实生活中,我们常常可以发现,有的人处处受欢迎,到处都有“死党”;而有的人却无朋少友。其中原因可能是多方面的,但是,是否善于和别人拉近关系无疑是众多原因中最重要的一点。好莱坞流行这样一句话:“成功,不在于你知道什么或做什么,而在于你认识谁。”在社会这个大舞台上,任何人想要生存和发展下去都必须善于与他人建立良好的关系,必须以交朋友的心态为人处事。《善交际看这本就够了(珍藏版)》不是教你使诈,是告诉你如何拥有超强的社交能力,教你在复杂的人际关系中游刃有余。
  • 凌蓝雕

    凌蓝雕

    幼稚?可笑?疯狂?九百花绽,九百果结。九果惟愿,代代不息。凌蓝根作,无论之时。人性巅斓,笑傲穹空。零花纵落,几世浑浊。天界瑶宫,寂寞枷锁。人间殇阙,自在逍遥。地渊转轴,六道轮回。子规啼血,贯日长虹。且视我如何穿越三千载迷离岁月……奔泊三界望韶华不复……血溅粉土吟叶落无声……
  • 瞒天过海

    瞒天过海

    故事描写在抗日战争前期,国民党中统新培养的黄晓天身负使命,潜入日占区上海,执行“黑账簿”计划,即营救诈骗犯金狐狸,并策反他为党国所用,为此与日本特务机关明争暗斗,最终救出金狐狸,并出于大义考虑,放他去抗日根据地,而自己只带回了有价值的情报。
  • 鬼谷子(中国古典文学荟萃)

    鬼谷子(中国古典文学荟萃)

    中国古典文学是中国文学史上闪烁着灿烂光辉的经典性作品或优秀作品,它是世界文学宝库中令人瞩目的瑰宝。几千年来,中国传统文化养育了中国古典文学,中国古典文学又大大丰富了中国传统文化,使传统文化更具有深刻的影响力。