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This thesis aims to discuss the transformation of images of characters of the Three Kingdoms in the process of transitions from the literary texts to the electronic games. The main objectives of this study are as followed. First of all, how were these characters’ images transform when the texts were spread and changed in different time and countries? Secondly, how were these images designed and created by the electronic games, animations and comic books? Were there some patterns or principles? Thirdly, what viewpoints might players of the electronic games have on the diversification of images of characters of the Three Kingdoms?
The thesis divides the texts of the Three Kingdoms into the literary texts and the graphic texts. After examining the spread and changes of literary texts, this thesis explains how the graphic texts and the electronic games depicted the Three Kingdoms period and characters at that time, and what features of these graphic works and electronic games were. Some certain characters would be selected out from different kingdoms to be discussed. The thesis attempts to do some comparisons between their real historical events and their virtual abilities designed in the electronic games in order to analyze how electronic games created images of these characters. Since there are some differences between men’s and women’s images and characteristics, these selected characters would be separately examined by genders.
The result of this thesis indicates that there were some patterns of the transformation of images of characters of the Three Kingdoms. In the literary texts, most of male characters had vivid and unique characteristics and descriptions; therefore, no matter how male characters were changed in different texts, some of their original images in the literary texts could always be maintained. On the contrary, because images of female characters were not so fixed or stereotyped and described less in the literary texts, their images became more flexible and varied. Each character, male and female, owned not only one particular image but diverse ones because of the multiple changes from the literary texts to the graphic texts and the electronic games. For those who played electronic games about the Three Kingdoms, their knowledge of related comic books, animations, and electronic games would affect the amount of images of each character. Moreover, the diversification of images resulted in the symbolization of characters’ images. Thus, players might identify these characters of the Three Kingdoms with some certain symbols or names.
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