On the Theme of Poetry and Immortality in the Chinese and English Poetic Traditions

The link between poetry and immortality is an important theme in the Chinese and English poetic traditions. It has its root in the ancient belief in Chinese and Western cultures that writing can confer immortality to its author and to its contents. During the early periods, however, this belief was often overshadowed by a stronger desire to achieve immortality through a political/official career. Subsequent poets attempted to cast away this shadow, and in doing so the Chinese and English poets discussed in this essay undertook different paths. The Chinese poets were never able to completely separate poetic composition from a political/official career. Although they repeatedly emphasized that poetic immortality surpasses immortality won through fame, wealth and power, those same forces-fame, wealth and power-often form the context in which they voiced their praise for poetry, as if without this context poetry itself would be deprived of its meaning and value. The English poets, on the other hand, were able to leave these factors behind when celebrating poetic immortality. They transplanted this theme to the area of amorous love, thereby endowing it with a strong sensual and personal dimension. Under their pens, the theme of poetic immortality became a means by which to express their devotion to love, the intensity of which purges other worldly concerns such as fame, wealth and power. However, despite their celebrations, these poets, when down in spirit and fortune, also expressed doubt and even contempt toward poetic composition and its value, thereby complicating their treatment of this important theme in Chinese and English poetry