The Transformation of Comparability in Comparative Literature: The Story of Wei Sheng & Hero and Leander as an Example

Abstract

Comparability is always a key question to ask before we embark on any comparative research. However, while arguing about the various norms and principles of comparability in Comparative Literature, very little attention is paid to the transformation of it under one certain definition. Based on the norm of “similarity” for instance, two literary texts that were comparable might become incomparable, and vice versa. This paper is trying to illustrate this idea by analyzing the narratives of two ancient love stories from China and Europe: The Story of Wei Sheng and Hero and Leander. By examining the changing process between being comparable and incomparable of these two stories under the rule of “similarity”, we can see that the norms of “homology” and “difference” are also involved. Therefore, this paper aims to argue for the flexibility and comprehensiveness of comparability in comparative literature.