Download pdf
Analyzing the Theme of The Everlasting Regret from the Perspective of Segmented Discourse Representation Theory
- 1 Shanghai International Studies University
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This research conducts a thematic analysis of The Everlasting Regret based on Segmented Discourse Representation Theory (SDRT), aiming to uncover its deeper meanings by exploring the text's discourse structure and rhetorical relations. Unlike traditional literary criticism approaches, this study adopts the SDRT framework, with a focus on analyzing the rhetorical relations between Compound Discourse Units (CDUs). The academic debate surrounding the theme of The Everlasting Regret is extensive, with major perspectives including allegorical, romantic, and dual-theme interpretations. Through detailed analysis, this research argues that The Everlasting Regret does not present a dual theme, but rather a single one. Moreover, this theme is not a celebration of love, but rather a subtle and nuanced form of satire. Additionally, the research offers an in-depth examination of key discourse units within the text, revealing that the rhetorical relations among them can be interpreted as Contrast, Result, and Narration. This not only highlights the complexity of discourse coherence and textual structure, but also suggests a potential intrinsic link among these three rhetorical relations.
Keywords
Segmented Discourse Representation Theory (SDRT), Rhetorical relations, The Everlasting Regret
[1]. Zhang Zhongyu. 2005. A Structural Study of Bai Juyi's "The Everlasting Regret". Journal of Hainan Normal University (Social Sciences Edition), Issue 5.
[2]. Kamp, Hans, and Uwe Reyle. 1993. From Discourse to Logic: Introduction to Model Theoretic Semantics of Natural Language, From Logic and Discourse Representation Theory. Dordrecht: Kluwer, pp. 486–489.
[3]. Asher, N., and A. Lascarides. 2003. Logics of Conversation: Studies in Natural Language Processing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[4]. Nicholas Asher and Laure Vieu. 2005. Subordinating and coordinating discourse relations. Lingua, 115(4):591–610.
[5]. You Guoen. 1963. A History of Chinese Literature (Volume 2). Beijing: People's Literature Publishing House.
[6]. Huo Songlin. 1995. Selected Tang Poems. Nanjing: Jiangsu Ancient Books Publishing House.
[7]. Yuan Xingpei. 1999. A History of Chinese Literature (Volume 2). Beijing: Higher Education Press.
[8]. Jin Jicang. 2002. Detailed Explanation of "The Everlasting Regret" and Other Poems on the Same Theme. Taiyuan: Shanxi Ancient Books Publishing House.
[9]. Gong Kechang and Peng Chongguang. 1984. Selected Annotations of Bai Juyi's Poetry and Prose. Shanghai: Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House.
[10]. Xia Chuancai. 1995. Selected Readings of Chinese Classical Literature: Volume 2. Beijing: Language and Literature Publishing House.
[11]. Zhang Buyun. 1990. Tang Dynasty Poetry. Hefei: Anhui Education Publishing House.
[12]. Cheng Qianfan. 2000. Famous Poems of Tang and Song Dynasties. Shenyang: Liaoning People's Publishing House.
[13]. Lin Geng and Feng Yuanjun. 1979. Anthology of Chinese Poetry through the Ages: Volume 1. Beijing: People's Literature Publishing House.
[14]. Liao Zhong'an and Liu Guoying. 1989. Dictionary of Classical Chinese Literature. Beijing: Beijing Publishing House.
[15]. Su Zhongxiang. 1957. Selected Poems of Yuan Zhen and Bai Juyi. Shanghai: Classical Literature Publishing House.
[16]. Ding, Ruming, et al. 1993. Anthology of Ancient Chinese Poetry. Shanghai: Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House.
[17]. Hobbs, J. R. 1985. On the Coherence and Structure of Discourse. Technical Report CSLI-85-37. CSLI, Stanford University.
[18]. Yao Ronghua. 2014. The Imagery of "Nishang Yuyi" in the "The Everlasting Regret". Literary Contention, Issue 8.
Cite this article
Hu,M. (2025). Analyzing the Theme of The Everlasting Regret from the Perspective of Segmented Discourse Representation Theory. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,82,13-22.
Data availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.
Disclaimer/Publisher's Note
The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s). EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.
About volume
Volume title: Proceedings of ICSPHS 2025 Workshop: Global Educational Psychology and Covid-19's Impact on Learning Across Cultures
© 2024 by the author(s). Licensee EWA Publishing, Oxford, UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Authors who
publish this series agree to the following terms:
1. Authors retain copyright and grant the series right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this
series.
2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the series's published
version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial
publication in this series.
3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and
during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See
Open access policy for details).