Reception of Anton Chekhov's play "Uncle Vanya" in China

Abstract

This paper examines several important translations of the play from the play's first appearance in China in 1930 to the present day, as well as research and analyses of the play by Chinese scholars. The author uses comparative-typological, comparative-historical, and interpretive methods as the leading research methods. Through the comparative-historical method the dependence between the socio-cultural conditions of the state and the peculiarities of the work's reception is established. The difference in the viewpoints of literary scholars and critics on the poetics and imagery of the play is explicated by the author of the work through the use of comparative-typological method. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that some articles and books by Chinese critics and literary critics considering the peculiarities of the figurative structure and ideological content of A. P. Chekhov's play "Uncle Vanya" are the first to be included in the research turnover, allowing to establish the dependence of the perception of the work by Chinese readers on the socio-cultural conditions of the country. As a result, the author has shown that the perception of "Uncle Vanya" in China is closely connected with the social and political factors of the country, changing over time. The study showed that in the 21st century, more and more attention is paid to the artistic and literary aspects of the work.