＜紅樓夢評論＞에 나타난 王國維의 논의전개 방식과 쇼펜하우어의 悲劇說에 대한 수용

Abstract

Wang Kuo-wei’s “A Critique of Dream of the Red Chamber” sets out to use German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer’s ascetic vision to analyze and evaluate the Chinese classic Dream of the Red Chamber. Wang’s true purpose, however, seems to be more to illustrate or prove Schopenhauer's doctrines than to shed light on Dream of the Red Chamber. Wang Kuo-wei’s paper begins by quoting the opinions of Lao zi(老子) and Zhuang zi(莊子) on life as full of suffering. Their despair matches Schopenhauer's. Wang uses this common ideological bent to elucidate and reinforce Schopenhauer's bleak outlook. Readers are left in confusion about Schopenhauer's ascetic principles and theory of release through mortification. Wang Kuo-wei clearly endorses Schopenhauer's view of life as a struggle. Wang’s critique, however, never lays out the reasons for such total agreement. He employs varying Chinese terms to explain the Schopenhauerian sense of the word “will”(as thing-in-itself). His critique yet presumes readers’ prior understanding. If readers know nothing of Schopenhauer's theories, then grasping Wang Kuo-wei's paper will be difficult too. In conformance with Schopenhauer's gloominess, Wang Kuo-wei considers Dream of the Red Chamber a tragedy from beginning to end. Schopenhauer's pessimistic vision both informs and limits Wang Kuo-wei’s methodology, reasoning and conclusions.