| Acknowledgments | 第1-5页 |
| Abstract (English) | 第5-11页 |
| Abstract (Chinese) | 第11-18页 |
| Chapter 1 Introduction | 第18-56页 |
| ·Reasons for Further Research on Western Hermeneutic Criticism | 第20-30页 |
| ·A Survey of Western Hermeneutics | 第30-36页 |
| ·The Hermeneutic Study of Meaning | 第32-33页 |
| ·The Different Modes of Hermeneutic Study | 第33-36页 |
| ·The Hermeneutic Paradigm of Literary Criticism | 第36-44页 |
| ·The Guiding Principles of the Research | 第44-47页 |
| ·The Methodological Approach | 第47-56页 |
| Chapter 2 Reviews of Western Hermeneutics | 第56-76页 |
| ·The Origin | 第56-61页 |
| ·The Early Stage | 第61-63页 |
| ·The Ontological Turn | 第63-68页 |
| ·The Recent Development | 第68-76页 |
| Chapter 3 A Study of Traditional Hermeneutics | 第76-103页 |
| ·From Regional Hermeneutics to General Hermeneutics | 第76-84页 |
| ·A General Hermeneutics | 第77-78页 |
| ·Three and One Reconstructions | 第78-81页 |
| ·Two Methodologies and the Problem | 第81-82页 |
| ·Two Interpretations | 第82-83页 |
| ·The “Hermeneutic Circle”in Schleiermacher | 第83-84页 |
| ·From General Hermeneutics to Historical Hermeneutics | 第84-95页 |
| ·“Interconnectedness” | 第85-86页 |
| ·Natural Sciences versus Social Sciences | 第86-89页 |
| ·“Life Philosophy” | 第89-92页 |
| ·“Historical Consciousness” | 第92-94页 |
| ·The “Hermeneutic Circle”in Dilthey | 第94-95页 |
| ·The Limitations of Traditional Hermeneutics | 第95-99页 |
| ·Traditional Hermeneutic Paradigm of Literary Criticism | 第99-103页 |
| Chapter 4 A Study of Modern Philosophical Hermeneutics | 第103-121页 |
| ·The Hermeneutic Ideas of Martin Heidegger | 第103-108页 |
| ·“Being”as the Theme | 第104页 |
| ·“Dasein”as a Clue to the Theme | 第104-106页 |
| ·Fore-Having, Fore-Sight and Fore-Conception | 第106-107页 |
| ·The “Hermeneutic Circle”in Heidegger | 第107-108页 |
| ·The Hermeneutic Ideas of Hans-Georg Gadamer | 第108-116页 |
| ·“Fusion of Horizons” | 第109-110页 |
| ·The Role of “Effective History” | 第110-112页 |
| ·Play and Game | 第112-113页 |
| ·The Dialogical Model | 第113-114页 |
| ·Self-Understanding and “Phronesis” | 第114-116页 |
| ·The Limitations of Modern Philosophical Hermeneutics | 第116-117页 |
| ·Modern Hermeneutic Paradigm of Literary Criticism | 第117-121页 |
| Chapter 5 A Study of Paul Ricoeur’s Hermeneutics | 第121-129页 |
| ·The Hermeneutic Levels of Paul Ricoeur | 第121-124页 |
| ·The Level of Semantics | 第122-123页 |
| ·The Level of Reflection | 第123-124页 |
| ·The Existential Level | 第124页 |
| ·A Metaphorical Ontology | 第124-127页 |
| ·Ricoeur’s Hermeneutic Paradigm of Literary Criticism | 第127-129页 |
| Chapter 6 Existence and Understanding：Suffering and Freedom | 第129-194页 |
| ·A Descriptive Perspective：Expanding and Sinking | 第129-135页 |
| ·A Proposed Perspective: Digging and Climbing | 第135-143页 |
| ·Toward an “Ontology of Literary Implicative” | 第137-139页 |
| ·Semantic Archeology: Digging and Climbing | 第139-140页 |
| ·Existence and Understanding: A Grand Narrative | 第140-142页 |
| ·Existence: Suffering and Freedom | 第142-143页 |
| ·A Case Study: Several Classic Texts | 第143-194页 |
| ·The Call of the Wild: Buck in Competition-a Wise Fighter in a Wild World | 第145-153页 |
| ·The Scarlet Letter: Hester in Power-a Patient Saint in a Puritan World | 第153-161页 |
| ·The Great Gatsby: Gatsby in Money-a Daring Gambler in a Materialist World. | 第161-167页 |
| ·Jane Eyre: Jane in Love-an Ugly Duckling in a Cold World | 第167-177页 |
| ·Lady Chatterley’s Lover: Connie in Desire-a Female Adventurer in a Grey World | 第177-184页 |
| ·Sister Carrie: Carrie in Identity-a Village Girl in an Urban World | 第184-194页 |
| Chapter 7 Conclusion | 第194-197页 |
| Works Cited | 第197-206页 |
