say a few words about

As a core concept in Western literary theory, the connotation and extension of "pleasure" have continuously evolved since Plato, and have undergone drastic changes in the 20th century. Political, economic, and social historical reasons, such as the "pleasure consumption" under capitalist commodification and the replacement of "beauty" with "pleasure" in avant-garde theory, have made pleasure topics a minefield. It is necessary to reassess the value of pleasure and recognize its three propositions: what is pleasure, why is pleasure, and what is pleasure. Kant equated "universally communicable pleasure" with "beauty" and emphasized the characteristic of pleasure "without any benefit or interest", paving the way for later advocates such as Wordsworth to emphasize the importance and extensive function of pleasure. From Wordsworth to Clement, emphasis is placed on the mystery of pleasure as it relates to human dignity and life. From Aristotle to Marcuse, Jameson, and Eagleton, continuously expanding and deepening the function of pleasure. The Enlightenment aimed to elevate the topic of interest, and Western Marxists combined pleasure with human liberation. Shared joy is the main theme of the symphony, and community is the main theme.

review

At the end of the 19th century, Wilde proposed that pleasure was the only thing worthy of theoretical exploration, foreshadowing the dramatic changes in the connotation and extension of the concept of pleasure in the following hundred years. Social changes and the "innovation" of theorists have led to a qualitative change in ordinary people's understanding of pleasure, and literary criticism activities have become increasingly serious, even dull. Professor Roberts from the University of the West of England pointed out that the concept of pleasure is burdened by its heavy and complex connotations, making it an unsettling topic. Bart compared the pleasure of writing and reading with the pleasure brought by orgasm in "The Pleasure of Text", subverting the traditional sense of aesthetic pleasure. Zhan Mingxin pointed out in "Pleasure: A Political Question" that Bart regarded "pleasure" as a political slogan and attempted to eliminate class imprints in literary works through "zero degree writing". However, Bart's "revolutionary action" not only elevates physical pleasure infinitely, but also completely banishes beauty, which is a tragedy.

conclusion

The alienation of pleasure phenomena is influenced by social history and theory, requiring a distinction between aesthetics and pleasure, while accepting the class limitations of literary language and the erosion of the spiritual realm by capitalism. Although the concept of pleasure varies, its core connotations such as aesthetics, taste, transcendence, and communicability remain unchanged, providing a path for the construction of the human community and related to personal cultivation and human dignity.