

Ethical literary criticism: The main concept and the notion of didactics
https://doi.org/10.31425/0042-8795-2022-1-104-118
Abstract
Ethical literary criticism is a method of criticism that explores the didactic function of literature from the ethical viewpoint, and seeks to analyse and interpret literature from this perspective. The theory of ethical literary criticism describes natural selection as a theoretical prerequisite and philosophical foundation of ‘ethical selection.’ Teaching is seen as a method of ethical selection, whereas literature — as an instrument of enlightenment of humans, where a didactic effect is achieved through moral examples, models and guidance. The authors believe that the method of ethical literary criticism will benefit not only from a history of its own development, but also a detailed description of the arguments voiced by its opponents. The article examines one of the key themes in the theory of ethical literary criticism — the ethical choice, its theoretical premises and examples found both in world literature and in the Chinese literary tradition.
About the Authors
Nie ZhenzhaoChina
Nie Zhenzhao, PhD
866 Yuhangtang Rd., Hangzhou, 310058, P. R.
S. А. Kaminskaya
China
Sofia A. Kaminskaya, PhD
866 Yuhangtang Rd., Hangzhou, 310058, P. R.
References
1. Brockhaus, F. and Efron, I., eds. (1892). Encyclopaedic dictionary (86 vols). Vol. 24 (Book 47). St. Petersburg: Semyonovskaya tipolitografiya. (In Russ.)
2. Confucius. (2009). The book of rites. The canon of filial piety. Ed. by Lv Youzhen. Guiyang: Guiyang People’s Publishing House. (In Chinese).
3. Engels, F. (1988). Anti-Dühring. A revolution in science by Herr Eugen Dühring. Translated by V. Zasulich and L. Martova. Moscow: Flinta. (In Russ.)
4. Feng Menlong. (1981). Stories to caution the world. Part 1. Fuzhou: Fujian People’s Publishing House. (In Chinese).
5. Feuerbach, L. (1991). Fragments of different works. Translated by Y. Antonovsky. In: P. Gurevich and V. Stolyarov, eds., The world of philosophy (2 parts). Part 2: Person. Society. Culture. Moscow: Politizdat, pp. 33-38. (In Russ.)
6. Posner, R. A. (1997). Against ethical criticism. Philosophy and Literature, 21(1), pp. 1-27.
7. Yang Jianfang. (2011). The world of Gods and monsters on ancient carved jasper: Сompared to ‘The Book of Mountains and Seas.’ Journal of National Museum of China, 1, pp. 59-65. (In Chinese).
Review
For citations:
Zhenzhao N., Kaminskaya S.А. Ethical literary criticism: The main concept and the notion of didactics. Voprosy literatury. 2022;(1):104-118. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31425/0042-8795-2022-1-104-118