Guan Yunchang, the author of the play, was a general who served in the late Eastern Han dynasty under the warlord Liu Bei and had extraordinary qualities. Guan is highly respected as an epitome of righteousness and loyalty hence he is still worshipped by many Chinese people to date. People from southern China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other Chinese communities also worship Guan (Wilt & West, 2012, p. 105). Therefore, his literary work is viewed as one of the key contributors to the world’s literature today. A critical assessment of the play reveals various concepts such as characterization that are of importance to the present literature scholars and the future students. However, Chapter three of Yunchang’s play based on the “Righteous and Brave Refusal of the Gold” will form the primary focus of the paper. An analysis of the excerpt reveals that loyalty and filial piety are indeed important virtues in the Chinese culture (Wilt & West, 2012, p. 109). The masterpiece, Guan Yuchang's Righteous and Brave Refusal of Gold, will largely be used to support this claim.
The paper presents an identified brief excerpt of the play that should be given special attention. The literary work by Guan Yunchang contributes to the world’s literature today through various aspects. Further, a comprehensive explanation on the choice of the excerpt based on arguments supported by credible literature works has been presented. Consequently, the author has skillfully used various literary qualities in his research. In addition, the play has been explicitly written to describe various virtues in the study of the world literature (Wilt & West, 2012, p. 112).
Guan’s choice of different actors with skillful integration of the roles presents his play as one of the largest promoters of extremity of quality literature. Additionally, Yunchang also uses various methods such as the creation of mood, song, the use of metonymy, and motif among others throughout the play. For example, Yunchang chooses the following: “The messengers reporting victory have arrivedSuddenly appear four riders, racing like stars, speeding like rain” (Wilt & West, 2012, p. 131).
This excerpt depicts various literary works which contribute to the development of world’s literature. First, it promotes the use of literary devices to stress different concerns. In addition, the use of such descriptions also shows the culture and the social linkages with the different natural phenomena. It is worth celebrating because Yunchang shows the Chinese culture and how it can be incorporated into the world of literature. Finally, the play also provides useful reference material for the world’s literature. Precisely, act three has brought out various concepts of literature that the world will live to celebrate. Such concepts include the genre and plot among others. Based on the Chinese theme staged in Chinese style, the excerpt brings the rest of the world closer to the diverse literary texts as exemplified by this Chinese play. Based on the foregoing facts, it is clear that, virtues such as filial piety and loyalty epitomizes the Chinese culture and should, therefore, be observed to the letter.
Reference
Wilt, I., & West, S. (2012). Newly Compiled: Guan Yuchang's Righteous and Brave Refusal of Gold. In Battles, Betrayals, and Brotherhood: Early Chinese Plays on the Three Kingdoms. (pp. 105-151). New York: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
