Summary:
This paper aims to explore the deep nature of comedy art and its social function by comparing the aesthetic ideas of comedy between two philosophers. This article first summarizes the historical development of comedy aesthetics, and then deeply analyzes the philosophical basis and core differences between Hegel's and Chernyshevsky's views on comedy, including Hegel's exploration of the reconciliation of the contradiction between reason and reality through dialectics, and Chernyshevsky's emphasis on social criticism with "ugliness" as the core. This paper further compares the views of the two thinkers on the form, expression and social effect of comedy, and points out their unique insights and historical influence on the art of comedy.
I. Introduction
Comedy aesthetics, as an important branch of aesthetic research, can be traced back to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle's "Poetics". In this classic work, Aristotle systematically explored the nature and function of tragedy and comedy for the first time, and laid the initial theoretical framework for the aesthetics of comedy. Through the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment and modern times, comedy aesthetics has undergone a transformation from contempt to attention, from the periphery to the center, and has gradually become an important tool for cultural criticism, social analysis and even philosophical thinking.
In this evolutionary process, the theories of comedy by the German philosopher Hegel and the Russian revolutionary democrat Chernyshevsky are particularly prominent, and they have profoundly and uniquely explained the nature, function and social significance of comedy from different philosophical standpoints, which have had a profound impact on later generations.
In his Lectures on Aesthetics, Hegel regarded comedy as the triumph of reason, emphasizing the contradiction between reason and reality through laughter, so as to achieve harmony and unity. In his "The Aesthetic Relationship between Art and Reality", Chernyshevsky criticized Hegel's idealism from a materialist perspective, proposed that "ugliness" is the core of comedy, and emphasized the role of comedy in exposing social contradictions and promoting social progress. The comparative study of the aesthetic ideas of comedy of these two philosophers can not only reveal the deep logic and social functions of comedy art, but also promote the diversified development of aesthetic theories, and provide theoretical support and historical reference for the practice of modern comedy art.
II. Overview of Aesthetic Theory of Comedy
A. The philosophical foundations of comedy
The origins of comedy aesthetics can be traced back to the ancient Greek period, where Aristotle's Poetics systematically explored tragedy and comedy for the first time, arguing that comedy is "the imitation of inferior characters" and that its purpose is to elicit laughter, but that laughter should not be demeaning, but rather purifying pleasure. This theory laid the foundation for the aesthetics of comedy in later generations, and guided scholars to think about the social function and aesthetic value of comedy.
During the Renaissance, Horace proposed that comedy should be entertaining and educational, emphasizing its role in moral education. During the Age of Enlightenment, Kant understood comedy as the triumph of reason and considered laughter as a manifestation of judgment, thus introducing the aesthetics of comedy into the category of rationalism. In the 19th century, with the in-depth discussion of Hegel and Chernyshevsky, the aesthetics of comedy began to be combined with broader philosophical thinking to explore the complex relationship between comedy and reason, society, ethics, and human nature.
B. The philosophical background of Hegel's and Chernyshevsky's view of the comedy
Hegel's comic aesthetics is rooted in his vast philosophical system, in particular the dialectical development theory of the Absolute Spirit. In his Lectures on Aesthetics, comedy is seen as a reconciliation of the contradiction between reason and reality, showing the conflict between the individual will and the universal law of reason through art form, and finally reaching reconciliation. Hegel's theory of comedy is deeply influenced by his objective idealism, arguing that art is the perceptual manifestation of ideas, while comedy is the triumph of rational self-consciousness, revealing the integrity and unity of ideas by ridiculing irrationality or finitude. His view of comedy emphasizes the rational critical function of comedy and art as a way of knowing truth.
Chernyshevsky's aesthetics of comedy were based on his materialist philosophy, especially the critique of Hegelian idealism. In his important work The Aesthetic Relationship between Art and Reality, Chernyshevsky explicitly proposed "ugliness" as the core of comedy, which is in stark contrast to Hegel's theory of the triumph of reason. He believes that comedy originates from the incongruity and contradiction in real life, especially social injustice and hypocrisy, and criticizes reality by showing "ugliness", awakens people's moral consciousness, and promotes social progress. Chernyshevsky's concept of comedy emphasizes the social function of art, and believes that art must serve the people and expose and criticize reality, thus embodying his revolutionary democratic ideological tendency and his artistic outlook that art is life.
Although the two philosophers have overlapping concepts of comedy aesthetics, such as attaching importance to the social and educational role of comedy, there are fundamental differences in the essence of comedy, the function and purpose of art, etc., which reflect the fundamental differences in the philosophical systems behind them, and also enrich the theoretical connotation and research perspective of comedy aesthetics.
III. Hegel's view of the nature of comedy
Application of dialectics
Hegel's view of the essence of comedy is deeply rooted in the philosophical framework of his dialectic, and he uses the dialectical relationship between essence and phenomenon to dissect the deep logic of comedy. In Hegel's view, comedy is the embodiment and resolution of the contradictions between reason and reality, between the universal and the individual, between the inner essence and the external phenomenon.
This contradiction manifests itself in the inconsistency between an individual's behavior or situation and the rational order or universal law in which it lives, and when this inconsistency is revealed and overcome, it triggers laughter. Laughter, as an aesthetic experience, is the triumph of reason over irrationality or finitude, embodying the reconciliation of the individual will with the universal laws of reason. Thus, by showing the finitude and defects of the individual, comedy ultimately leads to the perfection of reason itself and the self-realization of the cosmic spirit, showing the process of negation of negation in Hegelian dialectics.
B. Unity of content and form
Hegel believed that the content and form of a work of art are an inseparable unity, and so is comedy. The content of comedy, that is, the social contradictions and human flaws shown, are expressed through a specific art form, and this form must match the content in order to achieve the harmony of beauty.
In the art of comedy, the form often uses exaggeration, irony, misunderstanding and other techniques to highlight the absurdity or unreasonableness of the content, and then produce a humorous effect. Hegel emphasized that the form of comedy is not simply for entertainment, but serves the profound expression of content, and through the creative use of form, the audience can realize the harmony between reason and reality in laughter, so as to realize the unity of aesthetic pleasure and rational cognition.
C. Social ethics and educational functions
Hegel endowed comedy with important social ethics and educational functions, believing that comedy promoted the progress of social morality and the maturity of individual rationality by revealing the contradictions and irrationalities in life. In Hegel's vision, the art of comedy is like a mirror, reflecting the inadequacies of society and the weaknesses of human nature, prompting people to self-reflect in laughter and realize the importance of reason and moral norms.
By exposing and criticizing the irrational phenomena of society, comedy not only satisfies people's aesthetic needs, but also invisibly plays a role in moral education, guiding society to develop in a more rational and harmonious direction. This theory of Hegel actually foreshadows the possibility of art as a tool of social criticism, emphasizing the positive value of art in promoting human self-perception and social progress.
IV. Chernyshevsky's view of the essence of comedy
A. Inheritance and Extension
In his discussion of the nature of comedy, Chernyshevsky not only inherited Hegel's views on comedy as the embodiment of the contradiction between reason and reality, but also profoundly expanded and revised it on this basis. He agrees with Hegel's assertion that comedy reflects social contradictions, but disagrees with Hegel's view that the triumph of reason is the core of comedy, but emphasizes the critical and educational function of comedy from a more practical perspective of social ethics and human nature.
Chernyshevsky's theory inherited Hegel's emphasis on the social significance of comedy, but went beyond the theory of the triumph of pure reason, and closely integrated the art of comedy with real life, making it a powerful tool for reflecting social contradictions and promoting social progress.
B. The definition of ugliness and the nature of comedy
Chernyshevsky's definition of the essence of comedy lies in the concept of "ugly", which is one of his major innovations in the aesthetics of comedy. In his view, "ugliness" is not only a superficial unbeauty or formal defect, but also a disharmony and irrationality in social reality, as well as the exposure of negative qualities such as hypocrisy and selfishness in human nature.
Chernyshevsky believes that comedy makes the audience aware of social or personal defects through laughter by artistically showing these "ugliness", so as to achieve the purpose of criticizing reality and promoting moral awakening. This definition of "ugly" makes comedy art no longer just a light-hearted pastime, but a cultural activity with profound social criticism, and a direct and sharp reflection of the contradictions of reality.
C. A breakthrough in the materialist perspective
The core of Chernyshevsky's breakthrough in comedy aesthetics lies in his criticism and transcendence of Hegelian idealism based on materialist philosophy. He opposed Hegel's view of art as the external manifestation of the Absolute Idea, and argued that art comes from real life, serves the people, and reflects the decisive role of material living conditions on consciousness. Chernyshevsky's theory of comedy emphasizes the practical basis of art, and believes that comedy is the product of social contradictions, and its value lies in exposing and criticizing these contradictions and promoting the healthy development of society.
The introduction of this materialist perspective has opened up a new research path for comedy aesthetics, made the relationship between art and social life closer, and emphasized the social function and educational significance of comedy art as never before, which has had a profound impact on the theory and practice of realist art in later generations. Chernyshevsky's theoretical contribution lies in the fact that he not only achieved an aesthetic turn on the basis of philosophy, but more importantly, he pushed the aesthetics of comedy to a new height that was more realistic and more oriented to the masses.
V. Comparative analysis of comedy forms
A. The philosophical roots of morphological differences
The difference between Hegel and Chernyshevsky in their understanding of the form of comedy lies in their philosophical positions. Hegel's conception of comedy is rooted in the dialectical development of the idea of the absolute, and comedy is the reconciliation of the contradiction between reason and reality, embodying the self-realization of the idea. Therefore, Hegel tends to see comedy as a process by which ideas reveal their own integrity through art forms, and pays more attention to the perfect unity of rational content and form in comedy, and the aesthetic pleasure that arises from it.
On the contrary, based on materialism, Chernyshevsky believes that comedy is a direct reflection of real social contradictions, especially the exposure of "ugliness", which requires the form of comedy to be closer to life, focusing on reality and criticism. Chernyshevsky's comedy thus places greater emphasis on the socio-ethical value of the content, as well as its educational and enlightening effect on the audience.
B. Expressions and Styles
Hegel's understanding of the expressive approach to comedy is abstract, focusing on how art expresses the triumph of ideas through the perfect harmony of forms. He may approve of irony and exaggeration, but he values how they serve the presentation of ideas rather than just creating jokes. Hegel's comedy style tends to be subtle, pursuing the rigor and unity of internal logic.
In contrast, Chernyshevsky's view of comedy is more direct and practical, and he emphasizes that irony and exaggeration should directly point to the irrationality of social reality and the "ugliness" of human nature, so as to stimulate the audience's sense of moral criticism. Chernyshevsky's comedy style was more direct, sharp, and sometimes rough, with the aim of arousing enthusiasm for social reform.
C. Audience response and social effects
Hegel and Chernyshevsky also had different views on audience reactions and social effects. Hegel believed that comedy should guide the audience to achieve rational self-knowledge through laughter, so as to achieve spiritual harmony and elevation, the audience's response should be rational and intrinsic pleasure, and the social effect of comedy is to promote the moral and spiritual progress of society.
Chernyshevsky paid more attention to the stimulation of comedy on the actual behavior of the audience, and he hoped that through the satire and exposure of comedy, the audience could generate strong moral indignation, and then promote social criticism and reform. Chernyshevsky's audience response is radical and participatory, and the social effect of comedy lies in directly promoting the change of social reality, not just spiritual upliftment.
In summary, Hegel and Chernyshevsky are profoundly guided by their respective philosophical positions in their understanding of comedy form, expression preference, and expectation of audience reaction and social effect, which reflects the profound changes in the aesthetic outlook of comedy in the process of transformation from idealism to materialism, which not only enriches the theory of comedy aesthetics, but also provides an important perspective for us to understand the pluralistic aspects of comedy art.
VI. Conclusion
Through the above analysis, we can see that although Hegel and Chernyshevsky's exploration of comedy aesthetics intersects, their core similarities and differences are significant. Hegel emphasized that comedy is the manifestation of the triumph of reason, and that the form of comedy pursues the harmony and unity of the contradiction between concept and reality, and its philosophical foundation lies in the dialectic of absolute spirit, and the audience's response focuses on rational self-knowledge and spiritual improvement.
Chernyshevsky places "ugliness" in the essence of comedy, believing that comedy is a direct exposure of social contradictions, and pays more attention to realism and criticism in form, and his materialist stance emphasizes the social utility of art, hoping that the audience's reaction can trigger moral awakening and social reform. The two together enrich the theoretical connotation of comedy aesthetics, but due to the fundamental differences in philosophical foundations, there are obvious differences in the essence, functional orientation and aesthetic pursuit of comedy.
Author: Lu Xilin
Bibliography:
Lectures on Aesthetics
The Aesthetic Relationship between Art and Reality
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