分类号：I106.4单位代码：10201

研究生学号：20060502001密级：公开

北华大学

硕士学位论文

（学术学位）

罗杰·泽拉兹尼科幻小说的神话元素与世界观建构

Mythological Elements and Worldview Construction of Roger Zelazny’s

Science Fiction

作者姓名：李宛钰

学科名称：外国语言文学

专业名称：英语语言文学

指导教师：郭伟副教授

培养单位：北华大学外国语学院

2023年5月Mythological Elements and Worldview Construction of Roger Zelazny’s

Science Fiction

罗杰·泽拉兹尼科幻小说的神话元素与世界观建构

作者姓名：李宛钰

学科名称：外国语言文学

专业名称：英语语言文学

指导教师：郭伟副教授

完成日期：2023年5月10日I

Abstract

Roger Zelazny is an important writer of the“New Wave”stage of science fiction.In his

series of science fictions,Zelazny incorporated a large number of mythological elements,

building an internal world in which the mythologies and science fiction are intertwined.The

mythological elements are indispensable in Zelazny’s science fiction works and their

presence adds some mystery characteristics to the science-centered science fictions.After

being reconstructed by Zelazny,the mythologies become a new product with a science

fictional meaning,composing the main background for the construction of the internal space,

plot,and character relationships in Zelazny’s science fictions.The thesis will focus on the

role of mythological elements in Zelazny’s science fiction works and how Zelazny applies

them to the construction of the worldviews,using three of Zelazny’s full-length works that

incorporate mythological elements,This Immortal,Creatures of Light and Darkness,and

Lord of Light,as examples.

Chapter One summarizes and reviews the relevant literature on the three topics of

Zelazny and his works,mythology and science fiction,and worldview construction at home

and abroad.This chapter also provides a brief introduction of the research methodology and

significance of the thesis.

Chapter Two provides a brief description of the“New Wave”stage of science fiction

and the main style of this stage,as well as a brief definition of the concept and categories of

mythological science fiction.On this basis,the characteristics and categories of Zelazny’s

mythological science fictions are discussed.

Chapters Three and Four are the central chapters of the thesis.The two chapters take

three of Zelazny’s most representative mythological science fictions,This Immortal,

Creatures of Light and Darkness,and Lord of Light,as the subjects of the textual analysis,

discussing them in detail.Chapter Three begins with the theory of mythological archetypes

and a series of related anthropological theories,selecting and discussing four classic

archetypes in Zelazny’s mythological science fiction works:ritual,journey,war and hero,II

and revealing the profound connotations of these mythological archetypes in Zelazny’s

mythological science fictions through the examples in the works.Generally speaking,in

Zelazny’s mythological science fictions,ritual is a medium to fulfill people’s wishes,and

journey is a way for people to obtain their growth,symbolizing the process of human

exploration in both material and spiritual aspects.War is a means of reshaping the rules of

the world and changing the ideologies,while the hero as a subject has the qualities of the

imperfect traits,the Promethean spirit,and experiences death,rebirth and immortality.

Based on Chapter Three,Chapter Four mainly focuses on the issue of how the

worldview in Zelazny’s mythological science fictions is constructed.Taking Wolf’s theory of

fictional world-building as the basic theoretical support,this chapter discusses three topics of

reconstructed mythologies and internal space constructions,the journey for discovery,and

intimate and social relationships from the perspective of the three basic elements of

constructing fictional worlds:space,time duration,and characters,respectively.

Chapter Five is the conclusion part of the whole thesis.Based on the summarization and

conclusion of the previous views,the importance of the reconstructed mythologies and the

worldview construction in Zelazny’s mythological science fictions is mentioned again and

discussed in an extended way.

The final conclusion of the thesis is that the internal worldview construction process of

Zelazny’s mythological science fictions is based on reconstructed mythological archetypes.

With the intervention of the reconstructed mythological elements,Zelazny constructs the

unique internal worldview of his science fiction,discussing the main topics of humanity and

universe,humanity and gods,science and divinity,and technology and social development.

It is a new and unprecedented form that breaks the boundaries between humans and gods,

science and magic.

Key Words:Science Fiction;mythological element;worldview construction;Roger ZelaznyIII

摘要

罗杰·泽拉兹尼是一位重要的“新浪潮”科幻作家。在他的一系列科幻作品中，

泽拉兹尼融入了大量的神话元素，构建了一个神话与科幻交织的内部世界。神话元素

在泽拉兹尼的科幻作品中是不可或缺的，它们的存在为以科学为中心的科幻小说增添

了一些神秘的特征。经过泽拉兹尼的重构，神话成为具有科幻意义的新产物，构成了

泽拉兹尼科幻作品中内部空间、情节和人物关系建构的主要背景。本论文将以泽拉兹

尼的三部融入神话元素的长篇作品《不朽》、《光与暗的生灵》与《光明王》为例，

重点探讨神话元素在泽拉兹尼科幻作品中的作用，以及泽拉兹尼如何将其应用于世界

观的构建。

第一章对国内外有关泽拉兹尼及其作品、神话与科幻以及世界观建构这三个话题

的相关文献进行了梳理与总结，并对本论文的研究方法与研究意义进行了简要的介绍。

第二章对科幻“新浪潮”运动以及该时期的作品风格作了简要描述，并对神话科

幻作品的概念与类别作了简要的界定。在此基础上讨论了泽拉兹尼神话科幻作品的特

征与类别。

第三章和第四章是本论文的中心章节，这两章以泽拉兹尼最具代表性的三部神话

科幻作品《不朽》、《光与暗的生灵》以及《光明王》为文本分析对象，展开详细论

述。第三章从神话原型理论以及一系列人类学相关理论入手，着重选取并讨论了泽拉

兹尼神话科幻作品中四个经典原型：仪式、旅行、战争与英雄，并通过作品中的例子

揭示了神话原型在泽拉兹尼神话作品中的深刻内涵。总地来说，在泽拉兹尼的神话科

幻作品中，仪式是满足人们愿望的媒介，旅行则是人类获得成长的手段，象征着人类

在物质与精神上的探索过程。战争是重塑世界规则和改变意识形态的手段，而作为主

体的英雄则有着不完美的形象、普罗米修斯精神的特质，经历了死亡、重生与不朽。

在第三章的基础上，第四章主要讨论了泽拉兹尼神话科幻作品中的世界观是如何

被建构的。以沃尔夫的虚拟世界建构理论作为基本的理论支持，本章从构建虚构世界

的三个基本要素：空间、时间持续以及人物的角度入手，分别讨论了三个话题：被重

构的神话与内部空间建构、探索之旅、亲密关系与社会关系。

第五章是本文的总结章节。在归纳与总结前文观点的基础上，泽拉兹尼神话科幻IV

作品中被重构的神话以及世界观建构的重要性被再次提及以及延伸讨论。

本论文的最终结论是：泽拉兹尼神话科幻作品内部世界观的建构过程，以被重构

过的神话原型为基础。而在被重构的神话元素的介入下，泽拉兹尼构建出了独特的科

幻作品内部世界观，并讨论了人类与宇宙，人类与神灵，科学与神性，技术与社会发

展的主要话题。这是一种前所未有的崭新形式，它打破了人类与神灵、科学与魔法之

间的界限。

关键词：科幻小说；神话元素；世界观建构；罗杰·泽拉兹尼Contents

Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................... 1

1.1 Research Background ........................................................................ 1

1.2 Literature Review ............................................................................... 2

1.2.1 Research on Zelazny and His Science Fiction ............................. 3

1.2.2 Research on Mythological Elements and Science Fiction ......... 10

1.2.3 Research on the Worldview Construction .................................. 14

1.3 Research Method and Significance .................................................. 16

Chapter 2. Zelazny and the Rise of Mythological Science Fiction .......... 18

2.1 Zelazny and the “New Wave” of Science Fiction ............................ 18

2.2 Mythological Features of Zelazny’s Science Fiction ...................... 21

Chapter 3. Archetypes in Zelazny’s Mythological Science Fiction ......... 24

3.1 Rituals .............................................................................................. 25

3.1.1 Rituals Invoking the Gods.......................................................... 26

3.1.2 Rituals Created by the Gods ...................................................... 32

3.2 Journeys ........................................................................................... 34

3.2.1 The Way for Growth and Fulfillment of Ideal ........................... 35

3.2.2 The Intertwining of Suffering and Happiness ............................ 37

3.3 Wars .................................................................................................. 40

3.3.1 Creative and Active War Archetypes ......................................... 40

3.3.2 Reshaping Rules and Improving Ideology ................................. 41

3.4 Hero .................................................................................................. 44

3.4.1 Imperfect Traits .......................................................................... 46

3.4.2 Prometheus Spirit ....................................................................... 52

3.4.3 Death, Rebirth and Immortality ................................................. 58

Chapter 4. Worldview Construction in Zelazny’s Mythological Science

Fiction ...................................................................................................... 67

4.1 Reconstructed Mythologies and Internal Space Constructions ....... 70

4.1.1 Map and the Geographical Space .............................................. 71

4.1.2 Mythology and the Spiritual Space ............................................ 74

4.2 The Journey for Discovery ............................................................... 78

4.2.1 The Call to Adventure ................................................................ 81

4.2.2 The Road of Trials ...................................................................... 85

4.2.3 The Crossing of the Return Threshold ....................................... 90

4.3 Intimacy and Social Relations ......................................................... 95 4.3.1 Equal Intimacy Relationships and the Female Characters ........ 97

4.3.2 Intricacy Social Relationships and the Gods ............................. 99

Chapter 5. Conclusion ............................................................................. 102

Bibliography ........................................................................................... 104 Chapter 1.Introduction

1

Chapter 1.Introduction

Chapter One will focus on the research background,research method and significance

of the thesis,on the basis of reviewing and summarizing relevant domestic and abroad

academic research from three aspects:Zelazny’s literary works,mythology and science

fiction,and the worldview construction of literature.

1.1 Research Background

Mythologies is collection of stories created orally by the people that express the

worship and struggle for superpowers.Its appearance fully reflects the ideal pursuit of

the working people in the old days,and also expresses some of their understanding and

imagination of certain specific cultural phenomena.As a kind of literature with high

philosophical and artistic qualities,the emergence of mythology has provided a rich

resource for the literary creation of later generations and has a very far-reaching

influence.With the development of the times,science gradually replaced mythology as a

new tool for human exploration of the world.On this premise,science fiction were born,

among which“hard science fiction”novels are based on physics,chemistry and other

“hard sciences”and make reasonable imagination of the world,using scientific

principles for character building and worldview construction.In the works of“hard

science fiction”,all phenomena are traceable,while those supernatural and divine

phenomena that cannot be explained by scientific knowledge are classified as“fantasy”.

In the 1960s,the emergence of the“New Wave”of science fiction broke this

clear-cut line.In this stage,Humanities,social sciences,and linguistic theories have

been incorporated into science fiction,resulting in a series of soft science fictions that

have the same characteristics of the mainstream literature.Among these science fictions

of the same stage with new features,new ideas and new theoretical support,Zelazny’sChapter 1.Introduction

2

science fictions are undoubtedly those with the most experimental meaning.His science

fictions were the first to incorporate systematic mythologies into the science fictions,

and at the same time,they also share the characteristics of both fantasy works and

mainstream literary works,forming the narrative style with mythological elements as the

center and diverse characteristics as the complement.

Zelazny does not directly apply the traditional mythological elements to his science

fictions,but reconstructs them in a new way that is more compatible with the expression

of the science fiction.Naturally,these reconstructed mythologies become a new product

that intertwines the old and the new features.The worldview construction based on the

mythological elements gives Zelazny’s science fictions both mysterious features and

realistic functions.At the same time,the alternation of human,universe,gods and

technology themes in the mythological context also provides readers with a wide space

for imagination and reflection.

In conclusion,Zelazny’s science fictions have a distinct literary style and academic

value both in the“New Wave”stage and the whole history of science fiction.Their

confrontational and integrative worldviews in Zelazny’s science fictions deserve to be

addressed from various perspectives.As a result,the thesis will employ the close reading

approach,summarizing the representative mythological elements in Zelazny’s science

fictions,and discussing the internal worldview construction of Zelazny’s science fictions

on the base of the representative mythological elements,in order to provide a new

perspective on the interpretation of Zelazny’s science fictions.

1.2 Literature Review

As a representative author of the“New Wave”of science fiction,Zelazny’s science

fiction and fantasy works have received widespread attention from scholars around the world.

His science fiction works cleverly blend mythological elements,bringing together tradition

and modernity,technology and divinity.Relying on the general premise of mythological

elements,Zelazny built a unique literary world both in his science fiction and fantasy works.Chapter 1.Introduction

3

This section will begin with the research of Zelazny’s works,and then summarize and

analyze the research on mythological elements and science fictions.In addition to this,

academic research related to the construction of literature worldviews will also be reviewed.

1.2.1 Research on Zelazny and His Science Fiction

George R.R.Martin,the American master of science fiction and fantasy,had this to

say about his teacher and dear friend,Roger Zelazny:“...But when I read those words for

the first time,a chill went through me,and I sensed that SF would never be the same.Nor

was it.Like only a few before him,Roger left his mark on the genre.”(Martin,1995:1)

In fact,Roger Zelazny’s influence on science fiction and fantasy literature in the United

States and the world is undoubtedly enormous.As a Hugo and Nebula Award-winning

best-selling author,his works have received widespread attention in the United States and

even around the world,and academic research on his works has proliferated.As of today,

research on Roger Zelazny’s science fiction and fantasy works has focused on the following

aspects:poetics,psychoanalysis,religion and on the characters,themes,and values within

his works.

Since foreign research on Zelazny’s works started early,there are many perspectives

and abundant researches.This section will review the foreign academic researches firstly.

(1)Research on Zelazny and His Science Fiction Abroad

Foreign research on Roger Zelazny’s works began in the 1970s.Most of the academic

researches in this period were to make analogies between Zelazny’s science fiction and other

science fiction,or to analyze certain aspects of Zelazny’s works,such as thematic settings,

mythological elements and fictional spaces.In addition,the importance of Zelazny’s science

fiction has also been widely discussed.In 1975,Sam Joseph Siciliano conducted a thematic

analysis of Creatures of Light and Darkness and interpreted the work’s fictional universe in

his Ph.D thesis“The Fictional Universe in four Science Fiction Novels:Anthony Burgess’s A

Clockwork Orange,Ursula Le Guin’s The Word for World is Forest,Walter Miller’s A

Canticle for Leibowitz,and Roger Zelazny’s Creatures of Light and Darkness”.He argues

that this work,unlike other works in the science fiction genre,does not portray the future as

a warning to modern society.In addition,Zelazny’s control of suspense is also very subtle,Chapter 1.Introduction

4

and this way of writing makes the reader feel very fresh.(Siciliano,1975)In addition,there

was a very noteworthy academic discussion during this time.At that time,Zelazny’s early

representative works such as“A Rose for Ecclesiastes”,“For a Breath I Tarry”,“He Who

Shapes”and Creatures of Light and Darkness had already achieved great success and

received widespread attention.But while his popularity was climbing,he and his work were

also subject to widespread controversy.Science fiction writers and scholars of that time

engaged in a lively discussion of Zelazny’s work,who addressed the issue of the importance

of Zelazny’s work and were roughly divided into two factions.The opposing faction

represented by Richard Cowper,who believed that Zelazny’s work had lost its original style

after commercialization and his works were“something of disappointed”(Cowper,1977:143)

in his research“A Rose is a Rose is a rose...in search of Roger Zelazny”.Cowper believes

that Zelazny“was being forced to write too much too quickly—a nasty fate which has

overtaken many blossoming talent.”(Cowper,1977:143)He thinks that Zelazny has not

produced any important or memorable works in the last few years.In contrast,supporting

faction represented by Richard L.McKinney,do not share this view.He argues that

Cowper’s comment of Zelazny’s work lacks justification.In response to Cowper’s view,

McKinney questions,“Why couldn’t the man have taken a little more time and space and

presented some more detailed reasons for why Zelazny’s later works are so bad?”

(McKinney,1977:61)In his research“On Roger Zelazny and Clifford Simak”,McKinney

compares the themes and values of Zelazny’s works with those of another science fiction

writer of the same period,Clifford D.Simak,and affirming the importance of Zelazny’s

science fiction and fantasy works.In the same period,S.C.Fredericks analyzed in detail the

setting and plot of Jack of Shadows from a mythological perspective in his research“Roger

Zelazny and the Trickster Myth:An Analysis of Jack of Shadows”.Because of the obscure

narrative,complex character relationships,and vague plot settings,Jack of Shadows received

only a small portion of attention at that time.Many science fiction scholars also found it is

difficult to understand the work after reading it,so they gave their critical opinions on this

work.Science fiction writer James Blish not only thought the author’s celestial mechanics

were scientifically impossible,but viewed the work as a literary failure because of its many

inconsistencies and lack of explanations.Barbara Smith also found the book confusing inChapter 1.Introduction

5

general,but was especially perplexed by its unsubstantial conclusion.Fredericks,however,

has a different view of these ideas.He believes that“the ambiguities or inconsistencies noted

by reviewers should not be ascribed to a failure in literary craftsmanship,for they are central

to both the form and meaning of Zelazny’s fable.”(Fredericks,1979:272)He points out that

Jack of Shadows is“filled with self-satire and more than once it hints that author Zelazny

himself is the ultimate Trickster behind his science fictional myth.”(Fredericks,1979:275)

In addition to commenting on Zelazny’s mythic fable writing style,Fredericks also dissects

two important characters in the work,Jack and Morningstar,and the setting of the characters

and plot is enough to show Zelazny’s fluid writing skills.

In the 1980s,academic research on Zelazny began to focus more on the deeper

meanings and commonalities issues in his science fiction.The two most representative views

during this period are Francavilla’s exploration of the immortality of Zelazny’s works and

Braswell’s exploration of Zelazny’s allegories.Joseph V.Francavilla focus on the various

forms of immortality in his research“These Immortals:An Alternative View of Immortality

in Roger Zelazny’s Science Fiction”.Francavilla believes that the immortality in zelazny’s

science fiction including“resurrection,reincarnation,and especially greatly prolonged life in

the material world,and the immortal spirit existing after the death of the body.”

(Francavilla,1984:20)He pointed out that the immortality in Zelazny’s works is mainly

reflected in the characters,and these heroic characters with immortal characteristics usually

have the following three characteristics:rich emotions,bad life,and the“Prometheus”type

of dedication,“constantly fighting for their lives and the lives of their loved ones and fellow

men.”(Francavilla,1984:27)Besides,Francavilla also uses the Lotus-eater in Hades in

Homer’s Epics and the Struldbrugs in Guilliver’s Travels as examples to illustrate the

traditional tragic,anti-utopian view of immortality,and contrasts this traditional conception

of immortality with that in Zelazny’s works,and affirming Zelazny’s sense of innovation in

this anti-tradition.Laurel Braswell,on the other hand,devotes herself to exploring allegory

and metaphor in science fiction.In the research“The Visionary Voyage in Science Fiction

and Medieval Allegory”,Braswell takes Zelazny’s Isle of the Dead as an example of the

issue of the symbolic expressions.She thinks that the symbolic expressions in science fiction

“can both reveal and conceal”(Braswell,1981:127),and this is an significant feature forChapter 1.Introduction

6

science fiction,which Braswell points out is well expressed in Isle of Dead.Besides,

Braswell also believes that this work fully embodies the concept of“dark conceit”proposed

by Spencer and Bunyan.

In the 1990s,academic research on Zelazny’s work began to veer in the direction of

poetics and religion.The most representative religious research in this period is Julia List’s

“Call me a Protestant:Liberal Christianity,Individualism,and the Messiah in Stranger in a

Strange Land,Dune,and Lord of Light”,and the most representative poetic research in this

period is Jane M.Lindskold’s“The Pervasive Influence of Poetry in the Works of Roger

Zelazny”,and Thomas L.Wymer’s“Comes now the power:Roger Zelazny’s transformation

of romantic poetic themes”.Julia List provides the in-depth research of Zelazny’s work Lord

of Light from a Protestant perspective.This research interprets Lord of Light in six main

aspects:pluralism and secularism;religious power and religious freedom;mysticism and

counterculture;individualism and redemption ism;effort and reward;and humanity and

emotion.(List,2009)List argues that the religious views of Sam,the main character in Lord

of Light,reflect a cultural shift from religion to pluralism and the encouragement of free

religious thought.Besides,List also notes that Zelazny’s Lord of Light combines mainstream

Protestant and secular humanist values,both integrating traditional images of God into a

non-theistic philosophical framework and providing an alternative value system for the

modern world that is not dependent on a personal,all-powerful God,“reflecting the

ecumenical mood of the 1960s”(List,2009:25).In 1992,Zelazny’s friend and biographer

Jane M.Lindskold conducted a research which focus on the influence of poetry in the works

of Zelazny.Linskold points out although“Zelazny’s literary reputation is based on prose

works not poetry,the talent as a poet and interest in poetry has had a marked impact on his

fiction.”(Lindskold,1992:42)Using Zelazny’s iconic poems“When Pussywillows Last in the

Cat yard Bloomed”and“Sonnet,Anyone?”as examples,Linskold first discusses how poetry

influenced his development as a writer,and then discusses the influence of poetry on

Zelazny’s science fiction and fantasy works.Linskold notes that Zelazny’s references to

poetry in his works are for stylistic and character building purposes.While Zelazny’s

experience and love of poetry continued to shape his fiction in terms of content,style,and

character,his science fiction and fantasy writing likewise added to his poetry.Chapter 1.Introduction

7

(Lindskold,1992)In contrast to Linskold’s exploration of the poetic influences in Zelazny’s

work,Thomas L.Wymer analyzes Zelazny’s short work“Comes Now the Power”from the

perspective of Romantic poetics.In this research,Wymer cites the Romantic ideas of Shelley,

Coleridge,and Wordsworth to analyze the story from three aspects:the metaphor of setting,

the selection of characters,and the author’s own experience.When discussing the unique

science fiction setting of Telepathy in this work,Wymer commented:“It works as a

metaphor for that major Romantic theme,the power of imagination.It’s gift is sharing

imaginative vision and the power,a major goal of Romantic poetic theory.”

(Wymer,1999:321)He argues that Zelazny’s setting of Telepathy corresponds to the power of

Romantic poetry which act as“produce the moral improvement of man.”(Wymer,1999:321)

With the advent of the 21st century,academic research on Zelazny has become more

diverse,and the perspectives of research are not limited to literary criticism,but involve

various fields,especially emerging fields,for example the field of human animal studies and

the field of the Internet.Representative researchers in the fields of human animal studies are

Sherryl Vint and Tom skyes,while Bob Lewis as the representative researcher in the field of

the Internet.In the research“Animal Alterity:Science Fiction and Human-animal Studies”,

Sherryl Vint uses Zelazny’s Eye of Cat as an example to illustrate the issue of species

relations between animals and humans in science fiction,that is:“Animals in sf can return to

us a face-to-face encounter with another being whom we regard as a fellow subject.”

(Vint,1999:321)In 2012,Tom Skyes reviewed the research by Sherryl Vint.He uses another

short science fiction work by Zelazny,“Kjwalll?kje?koothai?lll?kje?k”as an example,and

makes the point that this work“try to bring human and animal subjectivities closer together”.

(Skyes,2012:72)On the Internet field,Bob Lewis analyzes Zelazny and Linskold’s work

Donnerjack from an Internet perspective.In this research,Bob discusses the question of

whether the Internet is the most important invention of our time,starting with two core terms

in the work,namely“Virtù”and“Verité”(which means cyber space and real world).

As of today,there are four major influential book-length scholarly critical works on

Roger Zelazny in foreign scholarship.These four works all bear the name“Roger Zelazny”,

but the research focuses on different issues.The earliest and the most influential work of the

four is Carl B.Yoke’s Roger Zelazny,published in 1979.As Zelazny’s childhood friend,CarlChapter 1.Introduction

8

provides a detailed account of Zelazny’s life in this work.In addition to this,he provides a

detailed reading and analysis of most of Zelazny’s previous works,including A Rose for

Ecclesiastes(1963),This Immortal(1966),The Doors of His Face,the Lamps of His Mouth

and Other Stories(1971),The Dream Master(1966),Lord of Light(1967),Home is the

Hangman(1975)and other short stories.This book is an reader’s guide to Zelazny’s work

and it is also of great importance in the research of Zelazny.The second work was written by

Therodore Krulik,who had worked with Zelazny on The Complete Amber Sourcebook

(1966),He published Roger Zelazny in 1986.In this work,Krulik has collected a large

number of his interviews with Zelazny.In addition to this,he expresses his impressions of

Zelazny and what Zelazny himself had to say about himself.The central part of this work is

Zelazny’s own thoughts on the writing of the Amber series.The third work was published by

Zelazny’s friend and biographer Jane M.Lindskold in 1993.The preparation of this work

was strongly supported by Zelazny himself,thus allowing for the quotation of a large

number of Zelazny’s letters,which is one of the highlights of the book.However,the book

devotes most of its space to the background and the subjective and objective factors that

influenced Zelazny’s writing,paying too little attention to the background or precedents of

science fiction,which becomes one of the major reasons why this book is not as important as

the first two book-length critiques.The last work was published by F.Btett Cox in 2021.

This work is an analysis of Zelazny’s work mainly from a poetical point of view.Cox

analyzes aspects of Zelazny’s art,from his preference for poetically alienated protagonists to

the ways his plots reflected his determined individualism.

From 1970 to the present,academic researches on Zelazny’s science fictions have

become richer and richer,and the research perspectives have become more and more

innovative.This proves that Zelazny’s science fictions possess multiple meanings and have

valuable research value and significance.

(2)Research on Zelazny and His Science Fiction at Home

Compared to the lucrative research on Roger Zelazny abroad,domestic scholarship on

Zelazny is woefully inadequate.For this reason,this section will not only provide a review

of academic researches on Zelazny and his works at home,but also give a brief introduction

to the domestic translations of Zelazny’s science fictions.Chapter 1.Introduction

9

The introduction of Zelazny’s works in China is late,but the acceptance of his works by

domestic readers is relatively high.The first Chinese translation of Zelazny’s works was

Changeling,translated by Xu Ying and Wu Ying in 2005.Since then,Chinese translations of

Zelazny’s works have emerged,and his major full-length masterpieces,Lord of Light,

Creatures of Light and Darkness,This Immortal,The Chronicles of Amber and two short

collections,The Doors of His Face,the Lamps of His Mouth and For a Breath I Tarry have

been translated by many translators such as Li Keqin,Hu Shu,Yi Fang and Liu Heng.His

important short work“A Rose for Ecclesiastes”was compiled in Masterpieces of the World’s

Top Science Fiction Masters and translated by Zhou Yueling.

There are relatively few academic researches on Zelazny,and there are no master’s

thesis or PhD thesis in China that study or mention Roger Zelazny.Only Liu Cixin reviewed

two of Zelazny’s works,“The Unicorn Variation”(1981)and“Permafrost”(1986),in 2007.In

his research“Zelazny’s Reincarnation”,Liu analyzes and interprets Zelazny’s work“The

Unicorn Variation”and mentions the issue of“reincarnation”in this work.He believes that

this work perfectly demonstrates a“reincarnation between the ancient world and the modern

technological world.”(Liu Cixin,2007:60)In addition,he also analyzes the two opposing

groups of characters in the work:the unicorn and the Sasquatch.In his view,both characters

have a unique symbolic meaning,symbolizing a classical,non-technical and primitive power,

while the participation of these two species in the chess game symbolizes the process of

ancient creatures understanding the rules in their own way and saving humanity.This

process embodies a cultural and spiritual reincarnation.Liu Cixin points out that the main

character in this work,as a symbol of modern technological civilization,uses the power of

the primitive Sasquatch to fight against the classical civilization represented by the unicorn,

which may indicate Zelazny’s lack of confidence in modern civilization.

And in the research“Ecofeminism,Gaia,and Personality Amplification”,Liu interprets

Zelazny’s work“Permafrost”from both a literary and science fictional perspective.Under

the literary perspective,Liu argues that the literary imagery in this work is very much in line

with the ecofeminist doctrine that women are representatives of nature.Under the science

fiction perspective,Liu mentions the Gaia hypothesis.Under the Gaia hypothesis and the

worldview of“Permafrost”,he proposes the idea of whether the earth can become a“GaiaChapter 1.Introduction

10

world”or a“Gaia of society”based on the technical aspects of the patchwork.In addition,he

explores the ethical relationship between technology and personality from this vision.

1.2.2 Research on Mythological Elements and Science Fiction

Mythology began in ancient times and is a product of human’s imagination after

thinking and exploring nature.And science fiction is a kind of fictional literary genre based

on the science and technology to construct the world through the way of imagination.In a

superficial sense,mythology and science fiction appear to be totally distinct.No matter what

type of mythology has always possessed a kind of“mysterious meaning”,which is

unexplainable and indefinable.Relying on this mystical characteristic,mythology can create

a kind of unquestioning awe,thus giving humans the spiritual support to believe in what

mythology depict.Science fiction,by contrast,tends to avoid this mystical characteristic.

Although the worldview in science fiction is set with the same purpose of making the reader

believe in the world of the book,this purpose is accomplished by means of the scientific

narrative in the book.This narrative and depiction of science and technology has a practical

basis and can be explained and defined.But if we look into its deeper meaning,we will find

that mythology and science fiction are inextricably linked internally.Both mythology and

science fiction are fictional literary genres that share a common origin:imagination.In

addition,mythic archetypes and mythic stories often appear in science fiction as part of the

worldview setting,to refer to or imply the direction of the plot and the fate of the characters.

To explore the mythological elements in science fiction works,the substantive issue

behind them needs to first explore,that is:What is the relationship between mythology and

science fiction?

On this issue,domestic and foreign scholars have conducted extensive research on it.It

is noteworthy that scholars have very different opinions on the issue of the relationship

between mythology and science fiction.while another part of scholars believes that it is

meaningless to concentrate on the relationship between myth and science fiction.

It is worth noting that most of domestic and foreign scholars believes that science

fiction is the future mythology and agree that mythological elements and science fiction are

connected and symbiotic,and can be integrated together with mutual reliance.The foreignChapter 1.Introduction

11

scholars who with this kind of positive attitude are represented by Albert.B.Friedman,S.C.

Fredericks,Gail Landsman,Thomas Sutton,Marilyn Sutton,Stanley Krippner,Tom

Lombardo and so on,while domestic scholars are represented by Huang Yue and Tan Jia.In

1968,Albert.B.Friedman analyzes the relationship between the mythology and science

fiction in his research“The Best Turnips on the Creek”.This is the first academic research to

propose the idea that“science fiction is the myth of the future”.Friedman points out that:

“Science fiction will presently be shown to have contrived a‘mythology for our

times.”(Friedman,1968:37)A year later,Thomas and Marilyn Sutton took up Friedman’s

argument and further elaborated on the relationship between mythology and science fiction

in their research“Science Fiction as Mythology”.They argued that both myth and science

fiction can be seen as a particular way of constructing human beings,as they both reflect

their irrepressible curiosity about their own origins and destinies.In Sutton’s opinion,

science fiction is“a self-conscious form of myth in which man intentionally mythologizes

scientific narrative.”(Sutton,1969:236)In 1972,Gail Landsman also supported the idea that

science fiction is a kind of future mythology in his research“Science Fiction:The Rebirth of

Mythology”.In this research,the issue of the essence and roots of science fiction are

addressed:“...perhaps this is where science fiction comes in-as compensation for the

imaginary world our culture has destroyed for us,as an attempt to recreate the mythology we

have lost.”(Landsman,1972:993)S.C.Fredericks also embrace this kind of formulation in

the research“Greek Mythology in Modern Science Fiction:Vision and Cognition”in 1980.

In 1998,Stanley Krippner discusses the importance of the mythology in his research“New

Myths for a New Millennium”,and he argues that mythologies are“critical to the human

mind and human society and that we need new myths for the future that make sense within a

modern mindset.Such new myths can be found in the stories of science fiction.”

(Krippner,1998:32)In 2015,Tom Lambardo’s research“Science Fiction:The Evolutionary

Mythology of the Future Science Fiction:The Evolutionary Mythology of the Future”is a

more directly expressing the relationship between mythology and science fiction:science

fiction is not only a mythology of the future,but also a mythology of evolution.Besides,

Lambardo also argues that:“Much of science fiction shares with traditional myths all or at

least some of the features...just as a traditional myth expresses something fundamentalChapter 1.Introduction

12

about human existence,science fiction can articulate deep truths about human life and the

universe.”(Lambardo,2015:12-13)

There may be some nuances in the articulation of the above-mentioned scholars’views,

but the core issue they want to illustrate is the same,that is,science fiction is a kind of

mythology,which is leading to the future.Similar to the opinions of foreign scholars

mentioned above,the representatives of domestic scholars,Tan Jia,Huang Yue,and Bian

Mengwei,also hold a positive attitude towards the issue of the relationship between

mythology and science fiction.The three scholars focus on different key points in their

respective researches,but they are all in agreement on the relationship issue,that is,

mythology and science fiction are not only convergent,but also very close to each other.It

can be said that the view that mythology is the science fiction of the past and science fiction

is the mythology of the future has been widely recognized and accepted in the domestic

research.In Bian Mengwei’s 2014 research,“On the Integration of Mythical Ideology and

Sci-Fi Quality,”Bian takes Chinese American science fiction writer Ken Liu’s The Waves as

an example and analyzes this work from three aspects:the narrative function of mythology

in the text,the character of science fiction narratives,and the search for“origins”in science

fiction,thus elucidating the connection between mythology and science fiction as well as the

deeper issue:the connection between mythology and science.Bian argues that the

relationship between mythology and science fiction,and even between mythology and

science,is not clear-cut,and that science is not the only way of the world exists.Mythology

can be kept alive by using science fiction narratives,which is conducive to the transmission

and preservation of mythology itself,and also provides a broader space for the development

of science fictions.(Bian Mengwei,2014)Tan Jia,meanwhile,in her 2021 research,“Scale

of Myth and Science Fiction:Past and Future”,tries to tap into other perspectives while

acknowledging the commonality of mythology and science fiction.Tan believes that

“mythology and science fiction are the most closely linked bodies,and only myth and

science fiction can construct laws for the past and future of mankind,and the space and

revelation of their intercommunication and collision will be irreplaceable.”(Tan Jia,2021:68)

In contrast to the perspectives of the previous two scholars,Huang Yue’s research,“On the

Symbiotic Relationship between Science and Myth in Science Fiction Literature,”takes theChapter 1.Introduction

13

topic of symbiotic relationship as a clue and discusses two main issues:how myth and

science are symbiotic in science fiction works,and the unique spiritual value of science

fiction.According to Huang Yue,scientific development is not the only thing shown in

science fiction works.The themes of humanity and faith that with science and technology

are often wonderfully reflected in the symbiosis of mythology and science in science fiction.

(Huang Yue,2020)

Although most scholars at home and abroad have a positive attitude toward the issue of

the relationship between science fiction and mythology,there are still a minority of scholars

who do not agree that science fiction and mythology are convergent and symbiotic,and there

are also some scholars who believe that it is meaningless to discuss the relationship between

science fiction and mythology.Scholars who hold opposing views are represented by science

fiction writer and critic James Blish and anthropologist Levi-Strauss.James Blish argued

that myth was“static and final in intent and thus entirely contrary to the spirit of science

fiction,which assumes continuous change”(Nicholls,2012)Levi-Strauss,on the other hand,

regards mythology and science fiction as two completely parallel dimensions.In his work

Structural Anthropology,Levi-Strauss suggests that both myth and science be considered as

modes of structuring the universe,his insistence that myth and science be considered as

autonomous and mutually.(Levi-Strauss,1965)Ursula K.Le Guin,on the other hand,

believes that it is unnecessary to research the question of the relationship between mythology

and science fiction.In fact,she does not support the idea that mythology is the science

fiction of the future either.In her 1976 research“Myth and Archetype in Science Fiction,”

Le Guin writes:“...this becomes an arguable statement,but in general I think it’s

meaningless.Elements of myth and legend may be used consciously or unconsciously by

fiction writers,but we don’t write myths.The nearest we come to it is fantasy.”(Le Guin,

1976:47)

In fact,by listing and analyzing the views of scholars at home and abroad,we can

clearly find that the relationship between mythology and science fiction has been very

obvious,and the two are interacting and influencing each other.As a literary genre,science

fiction,like other literary works,cannot be created in complete isolation from mythology.

Therefore,the thesis will interpret the mythological elements in Roger Zelazny’s scienceChapter 1.Introduction

14

fictions while acknowledging their fusion with science fiction,and then explore the role they

play in the construction of the worldview behind Zelazny’s science fictions.


试阅到此结束，如需查看全部内容请购买正版文献。如因学习需要阅览全文，请联系站长。