First, destroy the dark forces
Whitman's democratic spirit is first manifested in his position of abolishing slavery. The poet supported the abolitionist war with great enthusiasm and shouted for the victory of the northern allied forces. Before the civil war, Song of Faces (1850) and Wounded in a Friend's Home (1850) bravely exposed the slave owners and their spokesmen. During the Civil War, the poet's poems were the horn of the revolution, praising the heroic behavior of soldiers who opposed slave owners and describing Lincoln as an anti-slavery soldier and a representative of democracy (when lilacs opened in court, ah, captain, my captain). After the civil war, the poet criticized the depravity of bourgeois democracy and morality, and lashed out at the cruelty and greed of various bourgeois figures (to the government). The poet expressed deep sympathy for the slaves who were oppressed under slavery. In Song of Me, the author describes how he rescued an injured runaway slave and sent him to the north after recovery, praising the black body, holy soul and great future. Knock at the door! Knock on the door. In the poem "Drum", the author put the war first with exaggeration and bravely went to the front. The poet also turned his eyes to the world and wrote some poems supporting the people's revolution in Europe and the world, such as Europa, an idea that will always hang in my heart and pay tribute to the world. This fully shows the author's optimism in winning confidence in the struggle for freedom.
The democratic spirit of Guo Moruo's Goddess is first manifested in his extreme hatred of all the dark and decadent forces that hinder the birth and liberation, and he tries to destroy them. Nirvana in the Wind sends a strong curse and accusation to the whole old world, comparing the old world to a slaughterhouse, a prison and a grave. The questioning of the universe is a tortuous reflection of the poet's disappointment and indignation at reality. Pour out grief and indignation with tears and curse the Chinese nation's five thousand years of deep sleep, mourning and death. Guo Moruo's display of the darkness of old China is not only a pale display, a weak groan and a pessimistic sigh. The pain of reality and the hardships for liberation inspired him to curse and fight against the dark society. In the poem "Standing on the Edge of the Earth", the poet wrote: "Ah! There is a rolling heart in front of me! Ah ah! Constantly destroying, constantly creating and constantly working hard! Ah ah! Hey! Hey! /power painting,/power dance,/power music,/power poetry, power rhythm! " The poet's praise of "continuous destruction, continuous creation and continuous efforts" is actually a praise of the uncompromising anti-imperialist and anti-feudal revolutionary spirit during the May 4th Movement.
In a word, Whitman and Guo Moruo both waved flags as soldiers and shouted at the dark reality. Leaves of Grass and Goddess sounded the battle horn to destroy the old world. Whitman's life is an anti-slavery life, Guo Moruo's life is a thorough and uncompromising anti-imperialist and anti-feudal life, and "enlightenment" and "saving the country" have become the dual themes of the China era. Therefore, the historical responsibility shouldered by Goddess is obviously heavier and more difficult than Leaves of Grass. As a bourgeois democratic poet, Whitman's bourgeois humanism is the core of his literary thought, and he lacks a concrete class analysis of society. Guo Moruo is not. Although the main axis of Guo Moruo's literary thought during the May 4th Movement was the revised pantheism, and the socialist thought had not yet taken root and blossomed in his literary thought, as the poet said, "The October Revolution had an impact on me-although I didn't see the sun, I already felt its heat and light." [3] Guo Moruo, who is ideologically of socialist quality, obviously reveals the dark side of society more profoundly than Whitman.
Two. A blueprint for an ideal world
Whitman loved democracy and freedom all his life. He pretends to be a democratic singer and looks forward to a just, free and friendly democratic country. In Song of the Axe, he also expressed democratic ideas and designed a "great city": a rich and prosperous place, with "no slaves", "diligent and cautious citizens", everyone is equal, the president and mayor are public servants of the people, men and women enjoy equal rights, children are well educated and everyone loves each other. Although this ideal society is smeared with the hazy color of utopian socialism, it fully reveals the cruelty of slavery in the north and south of primitive accumulation of capital on the eve of the American Civil War. The poet regards this ideal as an artistic expression of political stance and democratic belief, which objectively denies the rationality of the existing social order. In Song of the Fire Road, the poet directly calls for the struggle for democracy. The poem reads: "Go! With strength,/freedom, earth, storm,/health, courage, happiness, freedom, curiosity; /Let's go! Get out of all laws and regulations! /From your laws,/Ah, you blind and soulless priests! "
Guo Moruo's Goddess not only sounded the battle horn to March into the old world, but also was a magnificent chapter that enthusiastically eulogized the rebirth of the nation and the motherland. The outbreak of the May 4th Movement brought a brand-new atmosphere to China. The scene of the rebirth of the motherland also inspired his self-improvement confidence and courage, ignited his strong desire to abandon the old and establish the new, and wrote an immortal ode to the times, Phoenix Nirvana. This is the nirvana of the poet and the nirvana of the Chinese nation. In the poet's own words, it "symbolizes the regeneration of the motherland and my own regeneration" [4]. Although the poet was still hazy about the picture and structure of the new society at that time, he inspired the youth of the May 4th Movement at that time, "touching their heartstrings and igniting their wisdom" (Preface to the Goddess) and "singing to welcome the newly created sun" (Regeneration of the Goddess).
In a word, Whitman and Guo Moruo, singers of these two eras, built an ideal building on the basis of their own ideas. Whitman started from humanitarianism, and his life goals and social ideals were shrouded in the aura of "fraternity". The "great city" he showed full of eternal partner love is just an illusory world. His political thought and optimism are empty, because he deviates from the correct analysis of social essence. Although Guo Moruo's thoughts during the May 4th Movement were complicated and took pantheism as the main axis, he was baptized by the thoughts of "democracy" and "science" under the impact of the thorough and uncompromising anti-imperialist and anti-feudal patriotic movement during the May 4th Movement, influenced by the October Revolution and felt the sunshine of the sun. Therefore, although Goddess's ideal framework for the new world is a bit hazy, its ideal architecture has a deep foundation because of its profound exposure of the old world.
Three. Ode to man and labor
Since the Renaissance, the bourgeoisie has tried its best to affirm the value of man and praise his strength in order to oppose the deism of the feudal church. Humanism has been given new play in Whitman's Leaves of Grass and Guo Moruo's Goddess.
Whitman described the lives and struggles of workers, farmers, fishermen, sailors, artists and intellectuals engaged in all kinds of labor in his poems such as Song of Me and Song of Axe. In the poem "Song of Profession", the poet wrote: "You American workers and women,/have your own sacred and strong life,/and everything else should be given to such men and women." The poet praised the great significance of labor while praising the working people. In The Pioneers! Ah, pioneers! In the book, the author praises the pioneers' heroic spirit of conquering nature despite difficulties and obstacles.
During the May 4th Movement, under the candlelight of the spirit of "democracy" and "science", "human discovery and awakening" seemed to be a new sunrise, illuminating and activating everything. Guo Moruo's Goddess is a group of "people's" carols, and the poet projects the "people's" carols on himself and the workers. In Good Morning, the poet spreads the wings of imagination and says good morning to all the new landscapes and rebels in the universe. "He is like a giant, stepping on the Himalayas, covered with white clouds, bathed in the morning breeze, overlooking the rivers and seas, the Great Wall wasteland, calling for the young motherland, the pioneer Russia, the eastern nationalities, calling for the Atlantic Ocean and his founder's new continent, and calling for national liberation poets and soldiers." [5] In the poem "The Earth, My Mother", the poet praised "the workers in the coal pit" and "the farmers in the field" In the first hour of dropping out of school, the cleaner was praised. This reverence and admiration for the working people is the driving force for the pursuit of a new life and self-transformation, which clearly shows the thought of "sacred labor" during the May 4th Movement. The poet's enthusiasm for pursuing and praising the rebirth of individuals and nations is entirely out of his love for the motherland.
Although both Whitman and Guo Moruo enthusiastically praise and describe the working people in their poems, they are different. Whitman was puzzled by the aura of bourgeois "humanitarianism" and "fraternity", but failed to see the fundamental opposition between the working people and the exploiting classes. He just sympathizes with the suffering working people. Guo Moruo is different. Under the influence of the May 4th democratic thought, the thought of "sacred labor" influenced people's thoughts. Guo Moruo's praise for working people and working people is entirely from the heart. If Whitman's praise for people also contains naturalistic descriptions, then Guo Moruo tries to avoid the negative impact of these descriptions on his works and focuses on describing people's "strength."
Four. Affirm the progress of science and technology and civilization
When European windmills and locomotives played the symphony of industrial revolution on the Pacific coast, the rational whirlwind of science and technology swept the whole America. Whitman followed the trend of historical development and praised the scientific civilization brought by science and technology to the United States from the standpoint of the bourgeoisie. He praised the power of science: "Look! /See the towering science in autumn,/Look down at the present era from the peak,/give absolute orders continuously. " He praised the work of chemists, geologists and mathematicians and wanted to "cheer for practical science" ("My own song").
Intellectuals during the May 4th Movement believed that democracy and science were two major forces to promote social evolution and civilization progress, and "one boat, one car and two wheels" complemented each other and were indispensable. Without democracy, we cannot get rid of the bondage of slaves, and there will be no "liberation" of the people and social progress; Without science, people will fall into superstition and immorality and cannot extricate themselves [6]. Under the banner of "democracy" and "science", the methods of pragmatism, skepticism and agnosticism, as well as rational thoughts such as Marxist materialism and dialectics, make them strive to achieve clarity in their thinking activities. Guo Moruo's poetry collection Goddess is full of rational spirit. He fully affirmed and enthusiastically praised science and technology. Warmly praise the material civilization of the city in the poem "Panbi Lishan". The poem reads: "Black peony flowers are blooming in the dark bay,/berthed ships,/moving ships,/countless ships,/chimneys! /oh, oh, the famous flower of the twentieth century! /The strict mother of modern civilization! "
If Whitman praises science and technology and industrial civilization itself, Guo Moruo praises a big country with science and technology and industrial civilization. This is the biggest difference between the two poets, which is not only caused by the era environment, regional environment and national character, but also caused by the poet's own political views, philosophical thoughts, literary thoughts and creative personality.
Verb (abbreviation of verb) photo of natural scenery
There are many poems describing natural scenery in Leaves of Grass, whether it is majestic natural phenomena or subtle signs of life, which can arouse the poet's praise. Mountains and rivers, where nothing grows and leaves flourish, all present miraculous beauty, which reveals the mystery of the universe. The poet said, "My feet trample on the earth, revealing a hundred feelings. /Even if I try my best, I can't write a narrative that satisfies them. " Whitman believes that nature is "a big theme" and "people want poets to show not only the inherent beauty and solemnity of these dumb things-they want him to reveal the way to communicate reality with their souls" (preface to Leaves of Grass). Therefore, Whitman did not simply describe the beauty of nature from the perspective of aestheticism, nor did some romantic writers in Europe describe nature for passive seclusion and infatuation with the past, showing all kinds of mysterious and pessimistic emotions, but by praising nature, he showed the harmony between workers and nature and the vigorous vitality of the American people. The poet calls to the sea: "Please attack me with warm waves, and I will repay you with the same love. /Almighty, willful and elegant sea,/I am also simple and diverse,/I would like to be integrated with you. "
Guo Moruo regards nature as a friend, lover and mother. If Whitman's natural landscape poems try to express the harmony between man and nature, then Guo Moruo's natural landscape poems try to melt themselves into nature, or talk about things, or turn them into me. His natural landscape poems are full of strong flavor of life, passionate emotion and endless creativity. Among the poems praising nature, the poems praising the sun are the most, which can best reflect the poet's spirit of hating darkness and pursuing light. In praise of the sun, the poet greeted the "radiant" sun with all his enthusiasm. He asked the sun to "shine my life as bright red blood" and "shine all my poems as golden floats". In Sunrise, the poet is willing to be the "runner" of the sun and use the male light of Apollo to drive away all the dark clouds. Like Whitman, Guo Moruo's nature poems are full of positive, optimistic and uplifting spirit, reflecting the poet's thoughts of loving the motherland and pursuing light, freedom and rebirth. In Heart Lamp, the poet heard the urgent cry of "grow to the light quickly" from the golden withered grass, and saw the kite flying in the air, which he felt was "constantly striving, flying and upward".